I need a knife....... - The Firearms Forum

MPinkston · 09-09-2004, 10:12 AM

What are the things to look for when knife shopping. I need this primarily as a game cleaning knife. I can't spend a small fortune on it either. Thanks for any input.

Mark

armedandsafe · 09-12-2004, 11:22 PM

I'm truely surprised you haven't had some responses before this. Perhaps everybody is as busy as I have been this w/e.

A "good" hunting knife depends on somany things that it is almost impossible to describe quickly.

Are you hunting big game, medium game, birds & rabbits & squirrels? Do you plan to skin the animals for hide recovery, for full body taximidermy or just to prepare for table? Do you have large hands or long fingers or thick palms or stubby fingers?

Most people are very satisfied with a 4" to 5" blade, of medium width and thickness with a pretty good sweep. One of the best knives of this description I ever owned was the Western humpback, later copied by Puma. There are many others like that built today, but that was the first with an effective sweep coupled with the thumb rest at the back of the blade. Looking at the top knife in this set (http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=16318) shows a knife very similar to the Western and the Puma, although the thumbrest is not as pronounced as the Western or Puma was. The Old Timer SharpFinger is shaped similarily, although pretty short for big game.

It is hard to beat a Schrade Old Timer for price/quality. I just went down and dropped about $75 on Schrade knives. Not because they were needed, but because the company is out of business. I've got GGkids coming along and wanted to stock up. The SharpFinger was $30.

If I had to replace one of my carrying knives today, I'd probably not opt for one of the higher priced market knives. I'd go for a Schrade, Case, Remington, Winchester, or such. If I'm going to spend much more than $50 - $75 on a belt knife, I'll go for a custom Randall and spend the several hundred to get a knife that fits ME.

Come back to me with some answers and I'll try to help without rambling on so much.

Pops

MPinkston · 09-13-2004, 11:10 AM

Thank you for the reply. The info helps a lot. Mostly cleaning small game. But I like to clean under water.

P.S. since joining this board I have posted a few times and never gotten a reply. Oh well.............

SouthernMoss · 09-13-2004, 07:22 PM

Maybe your questions are too hard.

Pops is pretty handy with knives, so I'm sure he'll be able to help you out.

AlleninAlaska · 09-13-2004, 10:12 PM

Try the Knives of Alaska "Bear Cub" I am a dealer of their products and they are very good knives.

Knives of Alaska

armedandsafe · 09-15-2004, 12:08 AM

While I haven't handled and (mis)used one of the knives Al mentioned, I am impressed with the shapes and designs. The steel is of the type I prefer, rated "tough" rather than "hard." A tough knife is relatively easy to hone and will hold an edge well. A knife which is hard will be a BBB (Blue B-lled B--ch) to sharpen and will hold its edge until it chips.

I did a little looking last night, after I wrote the treatise to you and see that Case is still carrying the "ridgeback" series of knives, which is my favorite design for an all-purpose small- to medium-sized game knife. <http://www.wrcase.com/2004/HuntingKnives/index.htm>

More later. I just got home from a meeting and have to get up in a few hours.

Pops

corpis66 · 12-31-2004, 03:52 PM

i've been using a Gerber knife i got at Academy sports...i paid 33$ and out the door, i use it on squirrils, i love it so far, i dont know the model, but it kinna looks like a Ka-Bar Warthog, with a straight edge...hth..

z537z · 01-13-2005, 05:19 PM

A nice 4-5" knife is easily enough found for fairly cheap, by more well-known makers. The more custom knives, stag handle kind of knives by hand-made companies will run you a lot more, and you don't really need to spend that much.

Even a sharp 3" curved blade will probably get through anything deer-like, but that's preference really.

If you clean under water, you'll probably want a steel or synthetic handle. Pops has a good point about BBB vs. Good steels. Cleaning isn't exactly something you'll be doing every day, so a good steel will probably serve you best. For this kind of thing, look for AUS8 (cold steel uses this), 420, 440 steel. Depends on the toughness you really want. Scraping will probably wear out 420, while ATS34 will hold up very well.

My personal favorite fixed blade knife of this size:
http://www.knivesplus.com/AL-SRO-Al-Mar.HTML
Can be used for everything, including cleaning. I might get yelled at for suggesting these, as they are less romantic than, say, Dozier knives.
http://www.dozierknives.com/
REALLY nice stuff, but here's the small fortune you mentioned.

Anyhow, do some homework online, you'll find something in no time. I still suggest you try out the knife in person if you can, but it's rarely that easy. If were were in Maine, I'd just tell you go to go LL Bean.

Sorry to talk your ear off.
Like I said, if you want nice steel (Really nice, like ATS-55, or BBB stuff, like the D2 on those Doziers), get it. If you can live with a little softer to get a more elegant package, then go for it. Good luck

_z

LIKTOSHOOT · 01-13-2005, 06:27 PM

Define, "game cleaning knife".....small-medium-large?

LTS

IShootBack · 01-13-2005, 07:29 PM

I got a knife for Christmas about 5 years ago. It retired my 30 year collection of game dressing knives - some of which are very expensive and excellent quality knives.

The great knife is a Browning folding locking blade. It's about $25 at wallyworld. It's about 3 1/2" long and has a black aluminum grip.

This year, I field dressed, skinned, and de-boned 4 deer in one day and it only needed minor touch up once through out the day. It is small enough to do the finess cutting, and sturdy enough to handle the heavy cutting.

armedandsafe · 01-13-2005, 10:35 PM

Hmmmm, guess I'm going to have to go knife shopping again. I'm gonna tell FirstInLine it was all your fault, ISB.

Pops

09-09-2004, 10:12 AM	#1
MPinkston V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 73	I need a knife....... What are the things to look for when knife shopping. I need this primarily as a game cleaning knife. I can't spend a small fortune on it either. Thanks for any input. Mark -->

09-12-2004, 11:22 PM	#2
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: I need a knife....... I'm truely surprised you haven't had some responses before this. Perhaps everybody is as busy as I have been this w/e. A "good" hunting knife depends on somany things that it is almost impossible to describe quickly. Are you hunting big game, medium game, birds & rabbits & squirrels? Do you plan to skin the animals for hide recovery, for full body taximidermy or just to prepare for table? Do you have large hands or long fingers or thick palms or stubby fingers? Most people are very satisfied with a 4" to 5" blade, of medium width and thickness with a pretty good sweep. One of the best knives of this description I ever owned was the Western humpback, later copied by Puma. There are many others like that built today, but that was the first with an effective sweep coupled with the thumb rest at the back of the blade. Looking at the top knife in this set (http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=16318) shows a knife very similar to the Western and the Puma, although the thumbrest is not as pronounced as the Western or Puma was. The Old Timer SharpFinger is shaped similarily, although pretty short for big game. It is hard to beat a Schrade Old Timer for price/quality. I just went down and dropped about $75 on Schrade knives. Not because they were needed, but because the company is out of business. I've got GGkids coming along and wanted to stock up. The SharpFinger was $30. If I had to replace one of my carrying knives today, I'd probably not opt for one of the higher priced market knives. I'd go for a Schrade, Case, Remington, Winchester, or such. If I'm going to spend much more than $50 - $75 on a belt knife, I'll go for a custom Randall and spend the several hundred to get a knife that fits ME. Come back to me with some answers and I'll try to help without rambling on so much. Pops

09-13-2004, 11:10 AM	#3
MPinkston V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 73	Re: I need a knife....... Thank you for the reply. The info helps a lot. Mostly cleaning small game. But I like to clean under water. P.S. since joining this board I have posted a few times and never gotten a reply. Oh well.............

09-13-2004, 07:22 PM	#4
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: I need a knife....... Maybe your questions are too hard. Pops is pretty handy with knives, so I'm sure he'll be able to help you out. __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony

09-13-2004, 10:12 PM	#5
AlleninAlaska V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bethel, Alaska Posts: 252	Re: I need a knife....... Try the Knives of Alaska "Bear Cub" I am a dealer of their products and they are very good knives. Knives of Alaska __________________ Allen Glore Delta Firearms & Supply P.O. Box 1228 Bethel, Alaska 99559 (907)543-2080 aglore@gci.net

09-15-2004, 12:08 AM	#6
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: I need a knife....... While I haven't handled and (mis)used one of the knives Al mentioned, I am impressed with the shapes and designs. The steel is of the type I prefer, rated "tough" rather than "hard." A tough knife is relatively easy to hone and will hold an edge well. A knife which is hard will be a BBB (Blue B-lled B--ch) to sharpen and will hold its edge until it chips. I did a little looking last night, after I wrote the treatise to you and see that Case is still carrying the "ridgeback" series of knives, which is my favorite design for an all-purpose small- to medium-sized game knife. <http://www.wrcase.com/2004/HuntingKnives/index.htm> More later. I just got home from a meeting and have to get up in a few hours. Pops

12-31-2004, 03:52 PM	#7
corpis66 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: central MS Posts: 259	Re: I need a knife....... i've been using a Gerber knife i got at Academy sports...i paid 33$ and out the door, i use it on squirrils, i love it so far, i dont know the model, but it kinna looks like a Ka-Bar Warthog, with a straight edge...hth.. __________________ "guns cause crime, like forks cause obiesity" "I'd rather be hunting with Cheny, than riding with Kennedy"

01-13-2005, 05:19 PM	#8
z537z Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine, love it or get the heck out Posts: 598	Re: I need a knife....... A nice 4-5" knife is easily enough found for fairly cheap, by more well-known makers. The more custom knives, stag handle kind of knives by hand-made companies will run you a lot more, and you don't really need to spend that much. Even a sharp 3" curved blade will probably get through anything deer-like, but that's preference really. If you clean under water, you'll probably want a steel or synthetic handle. Pops has a good point about BBB vs. Good steels. Cleaning isn't exactly something you'll be doing every day, so a good steel will probably serve you best. For this kind of thing, look for AUS8 (cold steel uses this), 420, 440 steel. Depends on the toughness you really want. Scraping will probably wear out 420, while ATS34 will hold up very well. My personal favorite fixed blade knife of this size: http://www.knivesplus.com/AL-SRO-Al-Mar.HTML Can be used for everything, including cleaning. I might get yelled at for suggesting these, as they are less romantic than, say, Dozier knives. http://www.dozierknives.com/ REALLY nice stuff, but here's the small fortune you mentioned. Anyhow, do some homework online, you'll find something in no time. I still suggest you try out the knife in person if you can, but it's rarely that easy. If were were in Maine, I'd just tell you go to go LL Bean. Sorry to talk your ear off. Like I said, if you want nice steel (Really nice, like ATS-55, or BBB stuff, like the D2 on those Doziers), get it. If you can live with a little softer to get a more elegant package, then go for it. Good luck _z __________________ "The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success." my pics

01-13-2005, 06:27 PM	#9
LIKTOSHOOT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 9,367	Re: I need a knife....... Define, "game cleaning knife".....small-medium-large? LTS

01-13-2005, 07:29 PM	#10
IShootBack Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,309	Re: I need a knife....... I got a knife for Christmas about 5 years ago. It retired my 30 year collection of game dressing knives - some of which are very expensive and excellent quality knives. The great knife is a Browning folding locking blade. It's about $25 at wallyworld. It's about 3 1/2" long and has a black aluminum grip. This year, I field dressed, skinned, and de-boned 4 deer in one day and it only needed minor touch up once through out the day. It is small enough to do the finess cutting, and sturdy enough to handle the heavy cutting. __________________ "The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name." Exodus15:3

01-13-2005, 10:35 PM	#11
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: I need a knife....... Hmmmm, guess I'm going to have to go knife shopping again. I'm gonna tell FirstInLine it was all your fault, ISB. Pops