I'm considering a DIY hunting trip to Alaska for Caribou. 3-4 men and 4 to 8 caribou down could really test an edge. I know everybody loves stainless but a high carbon blade makes it nice for easier sharpening. Any recommendation on what kind of knives to take on such a trip where it's all about hard work and not much time for screwing around when it's cold, dark and you're trying to get a lot of work done quickly. I figure a sharp small knife for caping but what about all the rough work?

What about the Knives of Alaska Elk Hunter. A 3.25 inch blade of D2 steel. Take a couple of diamond stones to touch up the edge and you should be good to go.

For a semi custom blade take a peek at David Winston's and (his son) Jason Winston's work. Very nice affordable knives. I have several and use them.

I just returned from a DIY caribou hunt in the Brooks Range. Last year I broke down and bought a Diamondblade Alpha 1, it's a 2 3/4" drop-point built mainly as a caping knife. Dressed, quartered, caped, and finally boned and processed 2.5 caribou, and would still shave afterwards. Hard to believe all of the hype, but I'm now a believer having seen it for myself. Pricey, but for me, should be all the knife I will ever need. ( Want?? That's another story...) I prefer the smaller size knife, it just seems to be handier and easier to manipulate.

I used to carry the Buck PBS ( portable butcher shop)marketed as Cabelas Alaskan Guide series. S30V Crucible steel, about 3 1/4" drop point, folder, also has a folding bone saw. Handle is aluminum, with multiple cutouts, easy to clean, weighs about 4 oz. Have processed 3 elk before needed sharpening. A plus was the bone saw blade for pelvis/ ribs.

Have also processed several deer with the old Leatherman Wave, also has a bone saw blade, but is a cast-iron bitch to clean up later, and usually have to sharpen at least once during processing.

I have quit carrying anything larger than the above 2 knives, and always have the Leatherman as a backup wherever I go. I've gone to lighter and simpler as I get older.

Quite a few years ago a good friend of mine father died, the father was well to do and had a fairly good collection of hunting stuff. My friend showed me what he had and I bought a couple gun and some odds and ends, latter prior to selling the house he said come on by and whats there is going either to a gun shop or a dumpster. He tried to sell me a couple of fixed blades with leather sheath, brand new. At this time the loc back where popular and I told him really not interested, he ended up talking me into buying them for some small amount. Those knives stayed in my gun cabinet for several years until I went on a moose hunt. I took one of those as a back up. Well my partner and I shot 2 moose in one day, I kept using my loc bak knife but a moose' hide is 1/2" thick or better and the both of us where like barbers sharpening every 10 minutes. I employed this fixed blade and to my surprise I never needed to sharpen it once. That intrigued me so when I got home I researched why the blade stayed sharp, what was the metal. Turns out these knives where RANDALL MADE out of orlando Florida. A little research on them made by jaw drop since I never heard of them before primarily because of what it costs to buy one. And believe it or not I left one of them in the gut pile, I returned latter that day and recovered it but I was so sore from the double butcher I would have left it there if it wasn't so sharp.


Long story short, if you are early in your career or got deep pockets get a knife of this quality and you won't regret it.
They kept the medalology of their knife to themselves so I never did find that out but $ is a good indicator

If you do a lot of gutting, skinning and butchering of your own game, then the Randall's are well worth the money for a USING knife.

[Collectors are big on them too, but I am a user, not a collector.]

There are some places that have them in stock most all the times at decent prices.

Take a look at Buxton Knives, also known as Silver Dollar Pawn and Gun in Rowlett Texas.

The owner Wayne Buxton has been a Randall knife dealer for at least 25 years.

The Model 5 with a 5" blade is my favorite Hunting knife.

What ever knife you get be sure and take a diamond stone sharpener.

Other knives that I have cut a lot of game with and had excellent service from, are the older Pumas, folders or sheath knives made in Germany, and Boker folders.

The large Puma Game Warden folder with the wood scales [handles] or the green scales or the black scales have done excellent work for me.

The Puma Game Warden folder with the saw blade or the Blaser Folder, made by Boker with the Saw blade cut through the sternam of even big elk with no problems.

You might want to consider one of the Havalon Piranta knives:

http://www.havalon.com/the-piranta-knives.html

Check out Blind Horse Knives they have a Large Workhorse and there is one bigger one I think it's called a Pathfinder. Great knives. I just ordered a Woodsman Pro. Nate

I like 4 sheath knives for working a moose up. A couple years ago I got a Gerber unzipper. . One of the most pain in the neck parts of skinning is opening up the hide .. At least with a conventional blade. With an unzipper. You get the tip under the hide and zip .. The one I have now is an Outdoor Edge. I also use the Outdoor Edge. GameSkinner. Those 2 knives are all I use any more for all but the head . A Case Trapper does the head .d.