KNIVES

[shoot57]

i need a knife for skinning and butchering deer, ive had several cheap ones which when new are sharp and do a good job but after the first sharpen are rubbish. So my question is, what is the benchmark price you have to pay to get a good quality knife which will sharpen time after time and last?

[vampire]

i need a knife for skinning and butchering deer, ive had several cheap ones which when new are sharp and do a good job but after the first sharpen are rubbish. So my question is, what is the benchmark price you have to pay to get a good quality knife which will sharpen time after time and last?

Ask your local butcher what they use.

[henry d]

Always used a opinel when skinning but most of the time it is not needed for roe, fallow upward the opinel gets used due to the fat under the skin. Regarding butchering I have 2 boning knives one I have no idea of the name the other is a sabatier, both are good.

[Beretta28g]

TBH i have a £20 tripe knife http://www.bds.org.uk/product742.html

 

And half a dozen Mora Clippers £10

 

And a Blade Tech Sharpener £10. These will do all you want. prob get away with one clipper but i like spares.

[neil82]

maybe the problem is more your method of sharpening, personally I use either a lansky system or a dmt diamond file, just depends on how bad the blade is, most of mine will shave hairs off, not the best edge for lasting but easy to restore

[Redgum]

When I started stalking I went through a stage of knife buying in search of the ideal tool. After a lot of expensive kit I came across the Mora stand at the Midland Gamefair selling carbon steel knives for a fiver end of show price. Once I forked out twelve quid for a Mora stainless knife my search was over. Easy to get real sharp with a blade tech and fine diamond steel, I think a bit of flexibility in a hunting knife is better for field dressing a deer. I use my mora for everthing but butchering now, great tool.

[malkiserow]

When I started stalking I went through a stage of knife buying in search of the ideal tool. After a lot of expensive kit I came across the Mora stand at the Midland Gamefair selling carbon steel knives for a fiver end of show price. Once I forked out twelve quid for a Mora stainless knife my search was over. Easy to get real sharp with a blade tech and fine diamond steel, I think a bit of flexibility in a hunting knife is better for field dressing a deer. I use my mora for everthing but butchering now, great tool.

 

I've worked with many steels over the years, some a few hundred years old to very modern ones. Some cheap knives and some very expensive ones. Frosts Mora knives are very good value and good steel for the intended job.

 

I've a few Moras now as they are so cheap and do a good job. I also keep small Opinels with me but only in carbon steel, I use a Stainless mora clipper for deer and all gutting work and as Redgum says you can get them sharp and they can stay sharp for a good while.

 

You will be doing yourself a favour to buy a couple of basic water stones to keep them tip top and sharp enough to shave the hairs on your arms with. Get something like an 800 grit and a 6000 grit which will probably last you decades with careful use. Cheap old oil stones can still be really good and cost next to nothing!

[Tommo]

I was taught to skin by a old timer butcher (now in his 80's) the trick is to use one knife, keep it bloody (ahem) sharp and then learn how to skin in such a way you don't blunt the knife. His words were think of the muscle, pull more than cut/slice and a blunt knife is dangerous.

 

Having said that and baring in mind I skin 50-60 deer a year (roughly one a week) I use an old Buck 110 folder (one of the ones with the really tough steel they started to use some years ago) I keep it sharp enough to shave with, and it doesn't let me down.

 

T

[activeviii]

i use a mora roe knife to split and then a pair of mole grips and my fist.

 

I skin from neck down as i find it skins easier.

 

for gralloch i use a stainless more and a cheap carbon steel knife for every thing else.

 

diamond steel the blades then a pocket crock stick to finish.

[JDFrain]

check out www.fieldcrafter.co.uk

 

 

 

JDF

[WGD]

Bushwear bush knife at a fiver a go, chuck em when they're blunt. I can't seem to sharpen a knife to any great effect so these work well for me.

[colin lad]

Ask your local butcher what they use.

victorinox 5,6603.12

£10

it's not the price it's how they are looked after

 

colin

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Bushwear bush knife at a fiver a go, chuck em when they're blunt. I can't seem to sharpen a knife to any great effect so these work well for me.

 

 

Blimey how many do you go through?

 

Can I have your next blunt one and sharpen it up again?