# THE BEST HUNTING KNIFE!!



## Patman (Apr 16, 2008)

I need some help in finding a hunting knife that is worth its weight in my pack. I have owned a few; the first knife was from Columbia Rive Knife & Tool. It wouldn’t hold an edge long enough to gut a fish. I had to get rid of it one winter after a fishing trip to the Berry. I was on my way when I saw a dead elk and thought it would be a great idea to retrieve the ivories. The ivories stayed with the elk along with some of my blood when I found out the lock on my knife blade did not work. It was a fun ride back to Salt Lake with half of my thumb hanging off. _/O I didn’t need stitches though thanks to superglue. 

Knife number two is a fixed blade Kershaw I don’t carry with me any more. It is a fine knife though I haven’t field dressed anything with it, it’s mainly used for caping back at camp or home.

Knife number three is a Muella Knife I purchased last year. I had great hopes for but was sadly disappointed. It is a shorter fixed blade knife with a bone handle, looks really nice. The guy at Sportsmans said it would hold an edge just fine. Last season I shot a cow on the opener of the elk hunt and a spike 2 days later. The dang knife wouldn’t hold an edge long enough to finish field dressing the cow. I didn’t use it on the spike I just used my buddies knife.

I want to find a knife that will hold an edge long enough to finish field dressing an elk, or a deer for that matter. Some family & friends will be coming up from Arizona this year and I don’t want to look like an arse up there hacking on elk trying to get them field dressed. 

Oh and can someone show me where I can find the gutless/bloodless method. I might give that a try this year. 

*()*


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## HunterDavid (Sep 10, 2007)

I usually end up using a couple of knives and sharpening them half way through. As for the gutless skinning method, here is a good site with pics: http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?nam ... cle&sid=27

Enjoy!

:wink:


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

I've had good experiences with the Schrade/Old Timer/Uncle Henry line of knives. I don't have any experience with them since Taylor knives bought them out. I also have a Cold Steel Master Hunter, and like it as well.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

I got this one free with my Omega and it did a fine job on my deer last year. If I were to buy it I'd buy the one with the hook but I still like mine a lot. Since its cabelas if you have any trouble with it you can take it right back for a brand new one. I dont think you would though. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

This has been my favorite knife. I bought one each for my two oldest boys. I later left my hunting knife in the dark at a gut pile in Montana. I didn't miss it until I got home. I replaced it with the three blade of this style. It is light and been a good knife. I wouldn't expect less from browning.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

It's probably not the "best" knife ever, but I'm fond of my Gerber. I pack a diamond stone on my belt alond with my knife so if it dulls I can put an edge back on it quickly.

sawsman


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## Surfer Coyote (Jan 14, 2008)

Well, I have a tendency for losing knives and then finding them later, so I have accumulated quite a few. I have a couple Gerbers, and a Cold Steel that have worked extremely well for big game but my favorite one is my Buck Zipper. I just like the way it feels, but the Cold Steel holds an edge better. I can get through an entire elk with the Buck without incident. My favorite fishing knife is a Fiskars. For small game & birds I have a little Browning folder that gets a lot of use, although I generally don't need a knife when cleaning most birds.


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## Patman (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks for the tips. I might give that Cabelas knife a go.

I need to got to Cabelas to get some low drag sabots for the smokepole.

Mabey I'll throw a knife on the purchase as well, if my rebate check hurries up and gets here.

*()*


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I've owned a bucket full of knifes, will not hunt with one unless it's razor sharp, and most of the good ones will work fine. Buck, Scherade, Gerber, Kershaw, Boker Tree. My favorites are ones that were made for my by a custom knife maker out of Damascus steel.

Having said that, I will now say this. You will *never* get through an entire elk with one knife. I don't care how sharp your knife is and I don't care who makes it. You WILL need to resharpen as you go or do what I do and pack two or three different ones. If you're going to take apart an elk using the "gutless" method, you'll want two kinds of knives anyway. First, you gotta get the thing skinned. I usually burn through two good light small skinning knives in this process. Then you'll need to quarter the elk and de-bone all the meat from the carcase. For this I use a larger drop blade knife with a 6-8 inch blade. Trying to quarter an elk with a skinning blade is retarded. You might as well use a fingernail clipper file.

Bottom line. Different blades for different jobs and several of each so you can keep going without having to stop and resharpen. BTW, I looked at that sight that shows the guy doing an antelope the "gutless" method. What a retard. Handling all that meat with the hide still on! Get the thing skinned first! No hair, no mess.

Good luck in your quest.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

fatbass said:


> Cold Steel Master Hunter. Best edge ever. I gutted and skinned 3 deer and never had to touch up the blade. It's an incredible knife.


+1 -- I have the MH also and can't believe they sell them for so cheap considering this thing outperforms some models I own that were 3 times more money.

Tex's comments are solid too. Speaking of multiple knives: I can't believe no one has come out with a really good multi-bladed knife that offers 2 or 3 identical folding blades. Back when I used to clean & drag, I carried a Browning 2-bladed folder that had a gut hook/skinning blade and then a drop point. Usually when you see multi-blades they are each for a different task, but having 2 sweet blades in the same folder would be handy. EPEK/TEX, I smell a new knife to be released w/ your broadhead. The Identical Twin.

I do really like the Master Hunter though, great edge and price.


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## gonelkin (Jan 9, 2008)

As a guide for elk, deer and moose I carry a scalpel in my pack it wieghs absolutley nothing and I can have 100 blades that also wiegh nothing at all time I use these from start to finish. I love em.


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## souper (Apr 12, 2008)

I have used many knives, but the best by far is my Cutco. We skinned and quartered a moose and 2 spike elk without sharpening it. You can order them online or have a salesman come to your house. (order online  )


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## bigpapacow (Nov 15, 2007)

As for the cabelas knives, bith of my brothers got a free one with the omega they each bought. It was very sharp and made quick work of the deer they each shot last year. However, while quartering out an elk, one of them had the blade break in half on him while cutting through the socket. It broke right through the antler emblem they have bored through the middle of the blade. So, it is a weak spot in the design. Of course cabelas replaced it no questions asked, but miles from the truck, it took my brother a lot longer to finish off that elk while just holding onto that broken blademinus a handle. Just something to consider...


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## Extex (Sep 11, 2007)

Carrying 2 or 3 knives is the smart thing to do - especially if you are a long hike out and are breaking and deboning. I normally carry a 4 inch drop point folding lockable schrade on my hip - its skint many a critter and I also pack a 6 inch lock back gerber with a gut hook. I have taken the gerber with a rock and driven thru the brisket on a deer to help it cool faster - pretty tough knife. Scapels were mentioned - I also have 3 or 4 disposable scapels in my pack as well - they work great for caping on the spot. Knives are tools and they will get dull - get one that sharpens easily - a lot of the fancy, stainless pos's will hold an edge for quite a while but take forever to sharpen :roll: 

I bought a Cutting Edge 4 inch with a gut hook/drop point last year and it worked super - until I lost it :evil: I will buy another one sometime this summer to replace it.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

There is no one size fits all knife out there. I have carried the same Uncle Henry 2 blade trapper model for the last 20 years in my pocket. I also have 2 sets of Knives of Alaska; they are great blades. I have several other brands too, I usually just carry the Uncle Henry in my pocket and one of the KOA bear cub skinners on my belt when hunting, and I pick the rest of them up back at camp after packing out the first load of meat.

I have heard great things about the Cutco brand and have been looking at a replaceable scalpel blade folder knife I saw down at the hunting show.

An exacto knife is handy to have if you must completely cape out a head but that takes skill and practice to do, its best to leave it to the taxidermist to do


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