Choice of hunting knife

[Mark]

Mark, In the field, for deer, what do you use and to break the pelvic bone and how. In my few years of hunting, I've used my trusted Buck knife to hack at the bone a few times and split it up to get the guts out. I'm sure there's a better method.

Grumpy, please pardon me as I'm interested in learning what will be a better hunting knife too, and one that will not break the bank.

I don't ever break the pelvic bone in the field. The deer here are small enough (250 lbs is a big one) that I can move them without having to quarter them up. I just like to gut them in the field. I usually split open the chest too at this time.

When they are back home I like to hang them on a gambrel to age (depending on the outside temperature) and then butcher them hanging. Or you can just butcher them the same day but the meat is definitely better if it is cool enough they can hang for a few days first. They are a lot easier to cut up when they are whole instead of quartered.

Hey WyoJoe, I just got a Gerber guthook like the Wyoming knife except it does not have the skinning part of the blade, it uses utility knife blades. I haven't used it on a deer yet but I did butcher a cow earlier this summer that had fallen off a cliff (long story!) and holy cow it works good for cutting the hide.

The only part about butchering I don't like is gutting and being careful not to cut the stomach! I don't like to carry a lot of stuff when I am hunting but I'll be carrying this wonderful little tool!

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Also, I usually use a hatchet to separate the pelvis when it gets to that point. Saws work but I don't like it they leave bone powder on the cut. Hatchets usually don't if you use firm whacks.

[Grumpy]

I was hoping that you would contribute your five pennyworth Dodger.

The Hattori is quite nice and its design doesn't fall a million miles from the mark - the one you show is one of the 2004 limited editions and no longer available but their drop point is similar - possibly even closer to the ideal - although not exactly cheap at £167.

The Spyderco Bill Moran FB02 drop point has an almost ideal blade design.......and obviously owes much to an equally famous knifemaker who has now retired............ Blade hardness is very close to the ideal at 59-60 and is very sensibly plain ( not hollow ) ground. The sheath is excellent also. The price is very good as well, being a little less expensive than the Fallkniven F1 even - at around £60 it has to be one of the best value for money knives available.....and one of the best designs at any price.

Obviously the FB02 featured VERY highly on my short list.

The Frosts of Mora Clippers are true Puukkos available with carbon or stainless steel blades and ridiculously inexpensive - around £9.50. The only problem is that the handle design is somewhat odd and presents the blade at a slightly strange angle. The even cheaper ( £4.50 ! ) Viking has a better handle shape but in less good materials and, as far as I know, is only available in carbon steel.

As far as the ideal blade length is concerned I don't think your reckoning of 3.5-4.0 inches can be argued with although I believe that the length can be as short as 3 inches or even a little less. The shorter Puukkos - in particular - are probably more versatile than the longer examples as they maintain the same blade width as the longer knives which gives then comparatively more belly making them much more suitable for skinning........which probably explains their popularity in Scandinavia.

[Mack The Knife]

Grumps,

Bill Moran passed away on 11th Feb., 2006.

This knife that he designed for Spyderco is a wonderful little thing and a constant companion outdoors. The TekLok 5-position sheath is another little gem and thoroughly recommended.

If you like, you can buy a non-numbered series Hattori that is similar to mine barring the materials used. It is called the Hattori HT-05 and has black micarta scales and the steel used is AUS 8. The numbered series has cocobolo handles and VG-10 blade steel.

If you search around, you could also get a numbered series version second hand. I bought mine second hand for 60 quid including 5 quid for next day delivery. Now take a wild guess what I have been offered for it and e-mail me the answer.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the all time classic from Bob Loveless. I realise they are frightfully expensive but Beretta do two certified versions of this and the one with the synthetic handle (and 440 C blade - I think) is quite affordable - 40 or 50 quid, if memory serves me right.

Mack The Knife

P.S.: No comments regarding the Bushcraft knives? I think they would make excellent hunting knives.

[snIPer]

This is what I use - a custom made hunting knife.

[eljefe]

Mack The Knife,
Every relook at the hattori's exquisite grind makes me drool...yes Grumpy, would prefer a lil belly and a little clip point is not going to be looked at with a jaundiced eye.
You are obviously not in the drawer queen league like me, so get a couple of puukko's and a couple of Bill Moran Spideys...cheaper by the dozen as we Indians say.
I checked with my butcher the last time around, he said he used a similar skinning knife (Ullu) in Iraq and Saudi Arabia during the Gulf war where he was working for a F&B company-and was inspired too have it made locally...Very hard for these guys to change from their traditional 'railroad steel' boning knives and choppers, so must have indeed been revolutionary in its functionality.
Axx

[Grumpy]

"Bushcraft" - as in all over eBay you mean ? There seems to be dozens of different models and a wide variety of prices for similar models. "Bushcraft" is also a "catch all" name/term as several manufacturers make bushcraft knives.

Who hasn't mentioned Bob Loveless Dodger ? My comment that "The Spyderco Bill Moran FB02 drop point has an almost ideal blade design.......and obviously owes much to an equally famous knifemaker who has now retired............" is a direct reference to Bob Loveless. The Beretta USA licensed Bob Loveless classic zytel hunters have to be THE best bargains currently available in hunting knives being 20% less expensive than the Spyderco Bill Moran FB02. There are actually three designs in the series - the drop point, the semi-skinner ( which is very similar except for a blade that is a little wider allowing for more belly ) and a gut-hook skinner. The "Quince" handled version is rather prettier but about three times the price of the Zytel handled knives.

I favour the Loveless semi-skinner over the Spyderco Bill Moran because the blade is more versatile having the extra belly, because the knife has somewhat more "heft" to it as regards weight and because the handle design is better being both longer and straighter. The Bill Moran has distinct similarities with the Frosts Clipper as regards the handle design in that the bulk of the handle is above the axis of the blade which I find feels peculiar.

The Bill Moran is possibly made of slightly better steel than the Beretta Loveless - the Loveless is made by Moki in Japan for Beretta USA and uses Japanese AUS 8 stainless which appears to correspond with 440B - and has an undeniably better sheath. The Beretta leather sheath is a decent leather item but the Spyderco Bill Moran plastic job is just SO versatile as it allows for a handle forward horizontal mount.

By the way, the other current Bob Loveless licensee is Lone Wolf Knives who have their Loveless designs made in Italy........Beretta are an Italian company who have their Loveless knives made in Japan. Go figure.

[Mack The Knife]

"Bushcraft" - as in all over eBay you mean ? There seems to be dozens of different models and a wide variety of prices for similar models. "Bushcraft" is also a "catch all" name/term as several manufacturers make bushcraft knives.

Yes, I was referring to those knives. The original one's made by Wilkinson Sword usually fetch 350 quid and upwards but there are other manufacturers who make more or less similar knives.

Who hasn't mentioned Bob Loveless Dodger ? My comment that "The Spyderco Bill Moran FB02 drop point has an almost ideal blade design.......and obviously owes much to an equally famous knifemaker who has now retired............" is a direct reference to Bob Loveless.

Fair enough but where did you get the bit about him being retired?

The Spyderco Moran uses VG10 blade steel.

By the way, the other current Bob Loveless licensee is Lone Wolf Knives who have their Loveless designs made in Italy........Beretta are an Italian company who have their Loveless knives made in Japan. Go figure.

Hehehe....

[Khan_Imran]

A cornerstone lock back, and knives with fixed blade can handle just about any animal comprising deer, antelope, rabbits, squirrels, other small game and birds. But there are times when more than the basic hunting knife is needed on wild game game, and that?s when the prey is elk, large mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose, black bear and/or wild boar. Since most hunters consider the basic hunting knife to be one that can handle all field dressing tasks, most knives I've described here will do well on even the larger animals. However, bigger can be better when dealing with larger wild game.

If you want to slaughter bear, mule deer, bighorns, moose and elk (and even some whitetails), these game animals can be quite large, and they hang around areas that are difficult to access. That means they may have to be quartered or sectioned before being transported out of remote areas. In most countries, breaks of deep canyon rivers, roadless wilderness areas, high and low deserts, treacherous high altitude locations, thick forests and marshlands. In hilly areas, there are huge tracts of wilderness where a hunter would have to pack out wild game in individual packages.
A hunter with a basic knife will probably be able to only accomplish certain tasks when a big game animal is down such as field dressing, skinning and caping. When it's time to break through bones, most hunters prefer some type of game saw or a hatchet. For those who already have a favorite knife or knives they take along on big game hunts, the simple solution is to buy a hatchet or a game saw, or both. For people who are new to the sport of big game hunting or want to start over with the right tools, there are a number of combination packages to choose from. As per my personal experience I would always vote for the western gut hook knife and axe combo. It's capable of helping the hunter perform various jobs.

IMRAN...

[shahid]

Hi Imran,
The name Imran Khan is obviously the most illustrious from your country. WHy don;t you introduce yourself in the introductions section and tell us a bit about shooting sports in Pakistan.

[Khan_Imran]

Hi Shahid,

Well I am not the one from the Cricketing world. As a matter of fact I am a avid hunter hunting passionately since my early teens. Hunting in Pakistan is an ever growing recreation with more and more people taking up the sport affectionately. The country is blessed with a huge amount of wild life. As you must be knowing that hunting in this part of the world is allowed by law. One just has to possess a weapon / hunting license. The former is issued by the firarms department whereas the later by the Wild life officer of the concerned province. The duck hunt season is about to commence followed by partridge in November. Quails have started to come in good numbers. I had a wonderful shoot yesterday, just about missed a double century......197 to be precise. bY THE WAY....since im new to this site where is the intro section ?

[GasramGandu]

I used to have a friend that used the Kershaw Alaskan Blade Trader for a lot of field care work. Does anyone else have any experience with this knife?



http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0022075516112a.shtml

I'm also considering a combination of the two tools in the links below,

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... 905512473a

[Yaj]

Dont do much skinning,just use a generic Muela knife.




Yaj.

[GasramGandu]

Yaj, which of the Muelas is this one? Looks pretty useful.

[Mack The Knife]

Yaj,

I would have thought a Swann-Morton would be more your sort of thing. I'd hate to be the guy in the OT when you enter with that thing. I suppose it helps dispense with the anesthetist.

[Mack The Knife]

Yaj, which of the Muelas is this one? Looks pretty useful.

For what? Are you going to war?

Mack The Knife