Best hunting knife

[380AUTO]

Hello gents I recently picked up a brand new buck 119 knife. I really like it so far it seems sturdy and very well made. I can't wait to use it this upcoming hunting season. What is everyone else using to skin there big game?

[seagiant]

Hi,
Benchmade Adamo!

[John Allen]

I have like many of us a ton of knives. My favorite though is a buck alaskan guide knife. It just feels great in the hand. I grabbed this pic off the web but this is my favorite.

80327

[seagiant]

Hi,
Well,my favorite HUNTING knife (my wife won't let me kill any little animals any more!)is my Randall Model #5!

[Newboy]

Havalon.

[smokeywolf]

I too carry a Randall; a 5 inch skinner with stag horn grip. Made by Randall for my father back during the 2nd WW.

[USAFrox]

My buck bucklite has been my go to hunting knife since I was young, but my everyday carry knife is a kershaw junkyard dog.

80342

[725]

cold steel

[Uncle R.]

I too carry a Randall; a 5 inch skinner with stag horn grip. Made by Randall for my father back during the 2nd WW.

What a fine thing to own.

Uncle R.

[380AUTO]

Beautiful knives men I'm looking at expanding my knife collection so far I only have a handful of buck knifes

[smokeywolf]

Guess I better add a pic of a circa 1944 Randall Made Skinner.

80371

smokeywolf

[jsheyn]

case X-Changer

[1Shirt]

One of the very first Buck folding that hit the market. Blade is much different than later models.
1Shirt!

[W.R.Buchanan]

My grand mother on my fathers side was the second cousin of Bo Randall.

That's how I got my name.

William Randall Buchanan

I made knives too. Here's my first one from 1984.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Randy,having made a few knives myself and belonging to ABANA and FABA for years I can say with a little authority, thats the best first knife I have ever seen!!! Tapered tang and mitered bolsters! Not easy! I see maybe a Bob Loveless influence???

[Hamish]

What a treat this thread is,,,,,,,,

[seagiant]

Hi,
I picked the Randall Model 5 as it has the same blade style as the Model 2 fighting knife that has been used in ALL major and minor conflicts since WWII! It has probably killed more people in combat than the Black Plague and has been copied since it's conception!

Living in Central Florida, I have been to Randall's knife shop a few times and have met and talked to Gary Randall the present owner and "Bo" Randall's son. They have a Knife Museum in the shop and one could spend an afternoon seeing all there is to see and you are actually invited to do so, VERY nice people!

[M-Tecs]

I concur with John Allen on the Buck Alaskan Guide knife. The S30V steel is awesome. Not the craftsmanship of a Randall but in 40 years of hard hunting I have lost two knives. I have a couple of custom knives that I would be heartbroken if I lost or broke. The Buck Alaskan Guide knife with S30V steel outstanding yet easily replaced.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: Bo Randall originally came from Michigan, which is where I came from.

The knife does have a tapered tang as did pretty most all of my knives. That one is made from 154CM at 62 Rc and was kind of hard to sharpen the first time, however that was the only time as it still has the original edge from 1984. Granted it doesn't get used much, but it has been used a lot. For a while I was using it to break edges on the lathe, never phased it.

I like the Havalon knives now and it would be hard to duplicate their very fine edges with a thicker blade.

I carry a Superknife that uses box cutter blades everyday and have for the last 10 years. If it gets dull I just swap the blade. It is the most useful knife I have ever owned. I usually loose them, but this one has stuck pretty well. I bought five more when they were on sale just in case.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi Randy,
Well, it's a small world! I knew the Randall family came from Michigan as I did some research into how Mr. Randall came to FORGE knives. I like to forge and anyone who is good at that interest me. Of course Mr. Randall actually started a new wave of knifemakers after WWII!

The story I heard was that while living in Michigan Mr. Randall saw a man scraping the bottom of a small boat with a nice knife and thought it to good of a knife to be used as such and bought the knife from the boat owner and decided to find the maker of the knife!

That was William Scagel a character that lived alone with his dogs out in the deep woods. He had had a run in with the local power company and told them where to go I guess and used a gas generator to run his grinders! He took on and taught Mr. Randall how to forge and the rest is history I guess! If you look at Scagel's work and a Randall you can see a semblance between the two!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Any Scagle knife is a VERY Valuable!!! piece of history. He was the original 20th century knife maker and considered the No 1 guy. People like Ed Henry, Bob Loveless, and others constitute the 2nd generation of custom knife makers.

I started in 1984 under a guy named Mal Dion who lived in Santa Barbara and was an FFA Inspector. He was taught by Bob Lum who was considered the modern inventor of the Tanto style knife. Lum was also a photographer of some repute and actually worked at a Camera store during the day in SB and made knives at night. Lum was also considered 2nd generation. I always considered him to be interesting since he worked a $10/hour job but was selling knives in the 70's & 80's for $1500 a pop with a waiting list a mile long.

I considered myself to be among the 4th generation of knife makers. I could never transition between being a machinist and making knives full time as the cash flow of that business is VERY cyclic. After I made 250 of the same design I'd had enough, and chose machine shop.

Not counting the 250 daggers made for one outfit, I made about 100 hunting knives. All of them are marked

W.R.Buchanan
Ventura CA

The signature was burned in by electrochemical etching and the sig you see took 35 times to get exactly right. It was then blown up and cleaned up so all the lines flowed correctly and then reduced and the stencils made.

I still have all of my stuff and could go back to it any time, however it won't be for money. Just another hobby. Problem with custom knife making is that there are knives made in China that I couldn't make in a week, and they sell for $10. Cold Steel is one of the outfits that drove nails into the coffins of many Custom Knife Makers.

This is why I wouldn't do it for a living. Although knowing what I know now I could probably sell some knives.

Randy

[AricTheRed]

Don't know about the best...

But I either carry a Cold Steel Sanmai III master hunter plus, or an old but not that olde Gerber 425 Skinner.

Pictures of the Gerber but not the Cold Steel... I'm actually considering adding a gut hook to the Gerber but I'm lazy, just ask Wifey.

[smokeywolf]

When we move out of Kali I'll be liquidating several different assets, at which time I'm thinking of ordering 2 more of these

80489 from Randall for these two. 80490 That's a Buntline version of a 22 Colt Scout.

smokeywolf

[ElDorado]

Not to change the subject, smokeywolf, but who made that belt?

[Junior1942]

I'm partial to Shrade Sharpfinger knives for skinning. The blade is like an extension of my index finger. I've skinned dozens of deer and hogs over the years with a dozen different skinning knives, but I always go back to a Sharpfinger. I also like the Scrade 15OT Deerslayer, which is like a bigger Sharpfinger with a longer blade. I have USA made and China made knives in both models, and I hate to say it but I see no difference in quality. Well, there's one difference between USA and China Sharpfingers. The USA handle thickness tapers toward the guard. The China made doesn't. That means a China Sharpfinger knife won't latch in a USA made Sharpfinger sheath. It fits perfectly but the snap won't latch.

My two favorite knives for deer camp are a Sharpfinger and a Deerslayer, both with plastic blaze orange handles. Drop one in winter leaves and it stands out like a neon sign. I use the Deerslayer as a camp butcher knife. That orange handle is easy to spot in the boxes, etc., in the back of my truck.

[fouronesix]

My two favorite knives for deer camp are a Sharpfinger and a Deerslayer, both with plastic blaze orange handles. Drop one in winter leaves and it stands out like a neon sign. I use the Deerslayer as a camp butcher knife. That orange handle is easy to spot in the boxes, etc., in the back of my truck.

I always thought "tactical camo" on a hunting knife was silly- kind of like camo TP :)

I even tie a piece of blaze orange string or ribbon on my binocs. Drop a camo'd knife or anything else into thick grass and lose it! Or leave the area and not easily see it.

I have lots of knives but this one always goes in the pack. Buck 102- spray painted handle, modified point, thinned blade and reduced curve.

[smokeywolf]

ElDorado, my father was a part time gunsmith and saddle maker when I was born. 80507 The holster rig in my pic is hanging on the peg board above the roll-top desk. There are two saddles, one above the other, at the end of the bench.

smokeywolf

[ElDorado]

Nice. My compliments to your father.

[Greg B.]

I have a Buck 119 that I bought in the 1980's. It is a good, sturdy, practical knife with enough upsweep on the front of the blade to make it usefull for skinning. In the 1960's, at least amongst our group, these were one of the knives to have unless you could afford a Randall.

[Lloyd Smale]

my first choise would be my randall or one of my custom knives but there almost to nice to use everyday. My everyday knives are usually bark river or rapid river knives. Used to also use marbles alot but since they went overseas i kind of boycotted them and sold my collection. Bang for the buck a bark river knife is hard to beat.

[380AUTO]

I should be ashamed of myself I didn't know Randall knives existed.

[380AUTO]

Until now. They are PRICEY!!! But you get what you pay for.

[John Allen]

Randall knives are beautiful I do not own one but have seen many and they just feel right when you put them in your hand.

[Love Life]

There are 2 knives that will never leave me unless they are embedded in somebody.

That is my Made in U.S.A. marked Cold Steel Recon Tanto and my Randall Model 16 Diver. Both of those knives have been through hell and back, and are permanently stained with a nice dust hue on the handles.

[Lead Fred]

If it sez "china" of "stainless" I wont have it.

The best hunting knife Ive ever owned is a Mora Classic 2 w/guard

They have some very fancy ones, I prefer the plain jane

http://swedishknives.com/

[AricTheRed]

There are 2 knives that will never leave me unless they are embedded in somebody.

That is my Made in U.S.A. marked Cold Steel Recon Tanto and my Randall Model 16 Diver. Both of those knives have been through hell and back, and are permanently stained with a nice dust hue on the handles.

I had a "Made In USA" Cold Steel Recon Tanto when I was In the Marines. I sold it to a friend and considered myself Lucky when I was able to trade it back. I never should have gotten rid of it, like that haircut and the BDU's I was issued/bought.

[AricTheRed]

Although I was able to remedy the haircut recently...

[izzyjoe]

I'm with Junior i like the Shrade Deerslayer also, i've had one for over twenty years now, great huntin' knife, just a little big for skinnin'. my favorite for skinnin' is the plain ol' Buck 110, very hard to beat.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Gerber. The old ones. Particularly am very attached to the Big folder (I forget the #).
I also carry any Gerber made with S30V. That is some good steel.
I always carry a E-Z-out everywhere. Have one clipped on my waistband right now and it will be there all day. All my deer have had a Gerber on them.
There are those oriental ones out there that are better than nothing.. but not much.
Mike in Peru

[gmsharps]

To many great knives out there these days several at a outstanding price. Benchmade, Gerber, Shrade, Case are great values. I have one Randall and love it but with a several year wait and a pretty heavy price tag is one to have on your bucket list but for use today one of the othesr will do.

gmsharps

[bob208]

my first hunting knife and I still have it is the small boy scout sheath knife made by western. it is close to a buck 102 which I also have picked that up at a yard sale. also have the larger boy scout sheath knife by western. it has a more up sweep on the blade like a skinner. I have a knife I use now don't know what it is or who made it . got it in an antique store for a dollar. it is a
5" bowie. it has a carbon steel blade full tang takes and folds a good edge.

I also have a western with a 5 3/4 " blade and a hand made 7" bowie only thing on it is gonzalz.

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

my first hunting knife and I still have it is the small boy scout sheath knife made by western. it is close to a buck 102 which I also have picked that up at a yard sale. also have the larger boy scout sheath knife by western. it has a more up sweep on the blade like a skinner. I have a knife I use now don't know what it is or who made it . got it in an antique store for a dollar. it is a
5" bowie. it has a carbon steel blade full tang takes and folds a good edge.

I also have a western with a 5 3/4 " blade and a hand made 7" bowie only thing on it is gonzalz.

I use the same boy scout version as my primary hunting knife and use the up turned version when I am butchering. Great knives and they aren't over priced. Most folks don't know how good they are.

Regards,
Everett

[TXGunNut]

I carry a Cold Steel Voyager for an everyday working knife and will dress and skin a critter with it when the opportunity arises. My other hunting knife spends almost about 350 days a year in a block in my kitchen and is one of my favorite kitchen knives. It's a Green River blade, got it along with the panels and rivets from Track of the Wolf. It's not fancy but it outperforms most store-bought knives.


81685

[brassrat]

My best knife is in the kitchen and used to cut up well priced rib-eye roasts, from the local meat store. My carry knives and new 110 are all like new cause I never use them lol. Even my 20 yr old SA from Marlboro is like new, come to think about it.

[horsesoldier]

Havalon to gut and skin.Benchmade presidio the rest of the time

[brassrat]

I carry a Cold Steel Voyager for an everyday working knife and will dress and skin a critter with it when the opportunity arises. My other hunting knife spends almost about 350 days a year in a block in my kitchen and is one of my favorite kitchen knives. It's a Green River blade, got it along with the panels and rivets from Track of the Wolf. It's not fancy but it outperforms most store-bought knives.


81685


Thanks for posting. I had a kit knife from the 70s that was like yours. I dropped it in the 80s and think I have an idea where. I still wonder if it ever was found cause, if after a few yrs, a guy might think it was ancient lol.

[Just Duke]

I can't find a decent carbon steel hunting knife for under $500.00.
I don't have $500.00 for one either.
So were going to start making them.

[clownbear69]

Hello gents I recently picked up a brand new buck 119 knife. I really like it so far it seems sturdy and very well made. I can't wait to use it this upcoming hunting season. What is everyone else using to skin there big game?

Knowing this from first hand experience: Make sure with your 119 that you wrap your handle with either hockey tape or skateboard tape. My father and I have the same knife and the grip sucks (blade ok). In fact one time my dad got a deer in the cold of winter of Wisconsin, the mixture of blood and sub zero conditions slipped out and sliced his hand terrible and had to have several stiches. It almost happened to my friend (borrowed mine with no grip) in almost 50 degree weather with blood and slipped out and almost sliced his hand.

As for my hunting knife now I use a Mini Kabar Tanto tip , black rubber handle

[Ajax]

I have always carried and used a Case Trapper for skinning and quartering animals.


Andy

[dragon813gt]

Like the knives in my kitchen I've been carrying a Cutco hunting knife for a few years now: http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=5718

My EDC is a Benchmade Mini-Griptillian. I'm not paying firearm prices for a knife.

[seagiant]

I can't find a decent carbon steel hunting knife for under $500.00.
I don't have $500.00 for one either.
So were going to start making them.

Hi,
Well...if I wanted a cheap but good hunting/camp knife with good/real steel. KABAR is making the old tried and true Kabar knife with 1095 carbon steel which will hold an edge! They are now made in two sizes.

http://www.officer.com/video/10739896/ka-bar-knives-releases-the-ka-bar-legacy-video

[EMC45]

Like the knives in my kitchen I've been carrying a Cutco hunting knife for a few years now: http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=5718

My EDC is a Benchmade Mini-Griptillian. I'm not paying firearm prices for a knife.

I have that Cutco. My wife sold them when she was just out of high school. Got a good bit of Cutco in the house here.

[FWest]

Just found this thread figured some would like this one. My Grandpa's, now my Puma. This one has seen some action.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v332/frankwest/SAM_0142.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/frankwest/media/SAM_0142.jpg.html)

[Love Life]

KaBar is a solid knife, but does not really excel in the game processing department.

[seagiant]

KaBar is a solid knife, but does not really excel in the game processing department.

Hi,
Hmmm...I think DUKE(Camel meat taste good cooked for 8 seconds at 20,000 degrees F ) NUKEM was talking about a good cheap HUNTING KNIFE, and off the top of my head the Kabar popped up!

Something that bugs me is that alot of commercial knives would actually be pretty good if they only had some type of decent steel making up the blade! 1095 improved fits that bill and will get sharp and hold its edge probably better than most until you go up to say a FORGED blade and you won't buy that for $100!

How you skin a deer is like other things in life, completely personal!

[Love Life]

Not saying the Ka-Bar won't work, but there are better tools for the job in the price range.

[waco]

Hi,
Benchmade Adamo!

Made here in Oregon. One of my favorites!

[AlaskanGuy]

This is still my favorite setup.....
86391
This one is the best, and it came in this set....
86393

Cant beat these knives of alaska... For under 250 for the awsome set. Sometimes you can find them on ebay for less.

[Artful]

I did a lot with a swiss army knife
I have several cold steel, Gerber's and Schrade's

[fatnhappy]

my first choise would be my randall or one of my custom knives but there almost to nice to use everyday. My everyday knives are usually bark river or rapid river knives. Used to also use marbles alot but since they went overseas i kind of boycotted them and sold my collection. Bang for the buck a bark river knife is hard to beat.



Most of what follows below I copied from a previous post on the subject. I'm absolutely in agreement with Lloyd. I have a couple Rapid River and Bark Creek knives. Solid no nonsense cutlery for sportsmen. I also have pictures.
The best hunting knife of the bunch is the little marble drop point. It's never been a catalog item. The sport 99 was a loveless elliptical blade shape.

I won't buy any of the chinese junk marbles knives. Ever.


Rapid River Knifeworks (http://www.rapidriverknifeworks.com/)

Back to the original poster:
I believe you'll find your skinning knife is in fact a Marbles Woodcraft. the ones made in Gladstone at the turn of the century from 52-100 steel are excellent knives. I wouldn't buy their current chinese junk if it was on sale for 10¢ on the dollar.

There are more than a couple posts on here (with pictures I might add) of Gladstone made Marbles, bark river and rapid river knives. I own all three and highly recommend both the Bark and Rapid river knives as exemplary hunting instruments you can pass down to your grandkids.

A rapid river custom
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/006.jpg

A few of my Marbles and a Rapid River Drop Point
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/hunting/101_0866.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/hunting/101_0869.jpg

[725]

So many beautiful examples! Wow. Just to add to my #8 post, there are some Cold Steel belt knives (Pendelton Hunter, Canadian Belt, and a couple others) on sale at either Mid-South or Midway or Natchez, etc for $12 to $14 dollars. Plastic handled, fabric sheathed things that are a super value. Very good utility knives. Now, I have a couple really nice knives - IRBI's from Alaska, handmades from Turkey, custom knife show beauties, and they don't see much rough work. For hunting, I grab my Cold Steel Canadian Belt knife and it does every little chore and skinning I require.

[Kanitz8541]

Hi,
Well,my favorite HUNTING knife (my wife won't let me kill any little animals any more!)is my Randall Model #5!

RANDALL ALL THE WAY NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!

Just be ready to part with an appendage but well worth it!!!

[Love Life]

You still got that big Randall bowie, Kanitz?

[Kanitz8541]

Yah but civilians don't like it when I carry it.

[yoter]

Schrade Sharpfinger is an economical well designed skinning knife. That and a hatchet will always get the job done.

[1bluehorse]

Surprised to have seen only one Puma, and it was a "Grandads hand-me-down," I'd be proud to own that one, shows some honest wear... (I have one like it but without the "character")....whereas they may not be the "best" out there, they are better than a Buck or Schrade (of which I have a couple)...believe they (Puma) are around 58 RC and will hold an edge very well....but what I carry when hunting is a double blade Case folder from the 60's, and a Gerber "kit" in my saddlebags...them Gerber knives is sharp...

[Larry in MT]

I've used this one for the last 20+ years. It was one of the first ATS34 blades that I had an opportunity to buy. It does the whole gutting/skinning job well (especially on Elk) and I can re-sharpen it at my leisure. The rawhide shoelace is to make sure it doesn't come out of the sheath while it's in my pack.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/0c245917.jpg

[CastingFool]

I use my Buck 110. I also have the 119, but that one just stays home. I really like my folding Gerber Gator with the guthook. The only thing I find about the Bucks is that the steel used seems to be somewhat soft, and doesn't seem to hold a good edge very long. JMO

[catboat]

Note: Links are just representative pictures of each knive.

I like my Spyderco/Bill Moran drop point very much (VG-10 steel, 1.0% carbon).
Takes and holds a terrific edge. It's light, strong and feels great in my hand. http://www.knivesplus.com/SP-FB02-Spyderco.HTML


I have an older Cold Steel Master Hunter with the Carbon V alloy which does pretty well.

I have a Benchmade 190 Hunter in 440C that's very handy, and takes a keen edge. (discontinued now, too bad. Nice knife)
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/631137/benchmade-190-drop-point-hunter-knife-4-440c-stainless-steel-drop-point-blade-wood-handle-with-leather-sheath

But, my favorite is the Spyderco/Bill Moran FB02 drop point fixed blade

[Pb2au]

Cross knives. When I bought mine, he told me it is guaranteed until he dies. That, my friends, is a real guarantee.
Fantastic build quality.
Pete is a straight shooter and a really good craftsman. Plus he is a joy to talk to.

http://www.buckeyecustomknivesstore.com/index.html

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/002-26.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/002-26.jpg.html)
I made this one years ago from a piece of rotary air compressor Blade.it has stood up to years of rough treatment.

[Changeling]

This is a very interesting thread, meaning a knife is a very personal item to most who have posted. I have always really liked "GOOD" knives and have owned some of the best.
It's apparent that what one person feels is a great knife others think along intirely different lines and that is as it should be. Your favorite knife can only be forged after extended experience with it and others.

For me, I bought a Puma sheath knife a long time ago after quite a few disappointments in the cheap knives that would not hold an edge, terrible ballance, and being to light. Light knives are an accident waiting to happen because they just plain don't control well in the hand.
My main reason for the Puma was it's blade design, a little heft that allowed one to be presise in there cutting, and an ability to hold a very sharp edge for a long time. This knife is used on all small game, domestic stock like hogs/turkeys/chickens and deer. Never had a failure or accident in my life while using this blade design, it just flat out works!

It was/is the "Puma Hunters Pal", not an exotic name but the guy at Puma who designed it knew exactly what he was doing, because that is exactly what it is!

[pull the trigger]

My wife bought me a ML Knives nessmuk pattern for xmas one year and I love gutting a deer with it. I wish I could post pics. It holds an edge like crazy. And I think it was a litle over $100. I first saw them in Backwoodsman magazine. It is a beautiful blade.

[GhostHawk]

My favorite is a Remington Hammersmith butcher knife that I changed the blade shape on.

Last time I used it, I field dressed 3 deer, next day skinned and deboned mine, cut all the meat, wrapped and froze it.

My knife was just ready for a touch of steel to bring it back a bit but that was all it needed.
I love good high carbon steel.

http://www.theslingshotforum.com/attachments/f29/10711d1399036255-recycling-remington1.jpg
107480

[AlaskanGuy]

My new favorite.... Is this purty Case circa 1944-45 that an old timer gave my when I was just a boy....

107486

[2400]

I've used this one for the last 20+ years. It was one of the first ATS34 blades that I had an opportunity to buy. It does the whole gutting/skinning job well (especially on Elk) and I can re-sharpen it at my leisure. The rawhide shoelace is to make sure it doesn't come out of the sheath while it's in my pack.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/0c245917.jpg


That's a nice looking knife, I'll bet it feels just right in your hand.

As soon as I can find my camera I'll update this thread with my 2 favorite knives.