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Do I get custom knife or buy factory knife?
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Ok so I'm looking for a hunting knife. It'll be used for skinning and gutting deer and elk and the occasional antelope. I pack with me a Gerber pack ax I believe it was called that I bought years ago. Ok when I get to the pelvis by the pee bag on the animals I take my knife and ax and open the pelvis bone up most times. Depending on the situation. So the knife needs to take abuse since I will be beating the knife with the hatchet to get through the pelvis to remove pee bag. The questions I got are, Do I get a custom knife made and if so who would you recommend? I was looking at The Legacy by knives of Alaska, 250 bucks. So do I pay that much for that knife or have one made? I do like the antler handles and do want a cutting radius of atleast 3 or 4 inches. Thanks again and please tell me your thoughts.
 
Posts: 524 | Location: S.E. Oregon | Registered: 27 January 2009Reply With Quote
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I wouldn't beat on any knife with a hatchet ..
If you must open pelvic bone , do so with a folding bone saw ...

I've quarter up moose without beating on my knife ...

Knives of Alaska made a three knife set , that included a clever for chopping, or just use your hatchet or axe for that ..

Just my opinion


DRSS Chapuis 9.3 x 74 R
RSM. 416 Rigby
RSM 375 H&H
 
Posts: 1289 | Location: Catskill Mountains N.Y. | Registered: 13 September 2011Reply With Quote
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Seems like I read years ago that, "knives are cutting tools, not impact tools."
A knife blade properly applied from the outside of the pelvic opening will loosen the anus, urinary tract enough to allow them to be brought in and removed intact with the rest of the offal. This may not work with elk and moose, I have never been lucky enough to hunt or bag either.
The little drywall folding hand saw from the big box store is handy too.

Elk and moose thois ma
 
Posts: 4220 | Location: TN USA | Registered: 17 March 2002Reply With Quote
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quote:
wouldn't beat on any knife with a hatchet ..If you must open pelvic bone , do so with a folding bone saw ...

Good advice. If you appreciate the craftsman ship of custom knives, go for it. If you consider a knife as a tool, you get more bang for the buck with quality factory made. I've skinned, quartered and deboned deer and elk with a folding knife with a 3 1/2" blade for 60 years.

Dave
 
Posts: 2086 | Location: Seattle Washington, USA | Registered: 19 January 2004Reply With Quote
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Been all over the place with knives. The knife IS the tool of the outdoorsman, particularly hunters. I have owned many customs and even made knives that people love but always go back to my Buck 112 the knife I use and enjoy most. Sold most of my custom knives and don’t miss them. Stopped splitting 5he pelvic bones years ago and now wait until I butcher the animal. When I did do the pelvic bone Infound the most effective and lightest tool to use was a shortened sawzall blade just tape a handle on. Makes a easy clean cut and weighs about an ounce.
 
Posts: 886 | Registered: 25 February 2009Reply With Quote
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It is not so much a custom knife but what metal and treatment would meet your requirements.

You can literally shoot a knife made from S7 steel like Gossmans Tusker knife. You could use a sledge on that and cut a car in half.

http://www.thetruthaboutknives...he-best-knife-steel/


577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375

*we band of 45-70ers* (Founder)
Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder)
 
Posts: 27588 | Location: Where tech companies are trying to control you and brainwash you. | Registered: 29 April 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
If you must open pelvic bone , do so with a folding bone saw ...


I was gifted a Remington big game knife in the early 80's with a saw blade.

It has field dressed 100's of big game animals I haven't used a knife blade to open a pelvis since.
 
Posts: 19304 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001Reply With Quote
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The proper only time a hammer is used on a knife is a Buck commercial.

Dave
 
Posts: 2086 | Location: Seattle Washington, USA | Registered: 19 January 2004Reply With Quote
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Why not just use your axe to cut the pelvis? That is what it was made for. Never hit a good knife with an axe.
 
Posts: 296 | Location: Clyde Park, MT | Registered: 29 December 2005Reply With Quote
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I have about 5-8 custom knives. And I don't know how many 30? Factory knives.

Buy factory.

Ideally something like a Havalon or Outdoor edge with replaceable blades you don't have to sharpen.
 
Posts: 7762 | Location: Das heimat! | Registered: 10 October 2012Reply With Quote
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I love my Todd Thayn customs and I am also a fan of the right tool for the job.

For cutting bones or tough joints - $14 on amazon. Compatible with any sawzall blade.



Mike



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10042 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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This is my two cents. Take it or leave it. I suspect a lot will disagree. One, on a male deer, you don't need an ax or saw to split the pelvis. There is a center line that can be split easily with a knife. No such seam on females, but you don't need to split their pelvis at all.

I know, kind of off topic on custom vs. factory knives. I love knives and have more than I need of both factory and custom. Actually, I generally use mostly Havalon knives these days for most of the work here.

I carry a knife, usually a custom, but it is usually relegated to cutting a piece of biltong.
 
Posts: 9944 | Location: Houston, Texas | Registered: 26 December 2005Reply With Quote
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Buy a good factory knife. However, if you really want to spend money on a semi-custom knife, then buy a Diamond Blade-you'll never regret it-they are the best knives out there for the money. And then, and only then, if you still aren't satisfied with that, then go ahead and finally spend 2-3K+ or more on a custom knife from Carlton Evans or any other custom knife maker. How do I know all of this? I've been there and done that with all three choices. tu2
 
Posts: 18516 | Registered: 04 April 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by p dog shooter:
quote:
If you must open pelvic bone , do so with a folding bone saw ...


I was gifted a Remington big game knife in the early 80's with a saw blade.

It has field dressed 100's of big game animals I haven't used a knife blade to open a pelvis since.


I have one too. Great knives for processing game in the field.

Another good factory knife is a Helle. They take an extremely fine edge and are easy to sharpen. Unfortunately they used to be fairly cheap but after becoming popular the price went up with it.

Whatever the choice man devised ways to deal with life outdoors many centuries ago by applying a simple rule. Knives are for slicing and axes are for chopping. Besides if you're using an axe to pound a knife you might as well leave the axe at home and use a rock instead. Wink


Roger
___________________________
I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along.

*we band of 45-70ers*
 
Posts: 2785 | Location: Washington (wetside) | Registered: 08 February 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by clayman216:
Been all over the place with knives. The knife IS the tool of the outdoorsman, particularly hunters. I have owned many customs and even made knives that people love but always go back to my Buck 112 the knife I use and enjoy most. Sold most of my custom knives and don’t miss them. Stopped splitting 5he pelvic bones years ago and now wait until I butcher the animal. When I did do the pelvic bone Infound the most effective and lightest tool to use was a shortened sawzall blade just tape a handle on. Makes a easy clean cut and weighs about an ounce.


Same for me as far as knives. Had some costing upwards of $400. Now all my work is done with a Mora costing $8-14. I use a battery operated reciprocating saw for doing the heavier stuff.


My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
 
Posts: 6589 | Location: Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee | Registered: 22 February 2005Reply With Quote
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With two hands I can cut thru a deer pelvis every time..an elk or moose no can do..but it wouldn't bother me one bit to beat a knife thru the pelvis, beats packing an axe and its usually all I have when I get an elk down, so I don't use expensive knives, its just a tool to me, to get the job done..if it gets too beat up I'll toss it and get another one, but a good knife doesn't suffer much from being hammered on, no more that one of my chisles..

Custom knives no way I would beat on them, but they are too damn hard to sharpen on the side of a mountain so I like a softer knife that I can sharpen with a few strokes as I work and beat up a pelvis!! Its all in your perspective..

A cheap knife I always liked was those sweedish maple handled littlel knives that has the lamimated blade, soft over all with a edge that was hard..I think I paid a buck ninty eight apiece for the and bought them by the half dozen..Don't see them around much these days.

I make a few custom high dollar knives from time to time for sale, but as Ive aged I do less and less other than rope on weekends.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 41746 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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More and more, I've gone to the swing blade by outdoor edge. They are re-sharpenable and if you don't have time re-sharpen, just replace the blade


Guns and hunting
 
Posts: 1093 | Registered: 07 February 2017Reply With Quote
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Reckon this is the wrong forum but here goes...never could wrap my head around paying that much money for a knife. I get it, quality etc. etc. but for that money buy 20 “cheap” knives. Hell, beat the shit out of em, use as a screw driver, paint scraper and re sharpen or throw in junk drawer. More than once I been working and needed an impromptu tool and my help declines the use of his knife, saying it’s to good to use like that. Really? Throw that overpriced heirloom in the fucking safe then if you can’t even use it. And for gods sake just use the axe to split the pelvis.
 
Posts: 3452 | Registered: 27 November 2014Reply With Quote
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For me a quality hunting knife is a precision cutting tool, not a pry bar or a wedge to pound on. The characteristics or qualities of a thinly hollow ground knife that make it a great "cutter" will cause it to fail when subjected to that type of abuse.

My personal thought in regards to tomahawker's post, is I could buy 20+ Remington 700's for the price of a Wiebe or Echols rifle. If I could afford it I'd much rather have one of their rifles.

Lee
baumgartknives@gmail.com
Baumgart Knives on Instagram
 
Posts: 570 | Location: Vancouver, WA | Registered: 28 June 2010Reply With Quote
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With all respects tomahawker, I have to agree with Lee on this one about the preference of quality over quantity. Even using an ax on the pelvis, one does not need to ruin his knife, just because. I have a Randall that an old friend had built for me with my name engraved, blah, blah. But when I go out I still use the same old Puma 'White Hunter' that I have carried over 50+ years.


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
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kennedy: You definitely wouldn't go wrong with one of Lee's knives! tu2
 
Posts: 18516 | Registered: 04 April 2005Reply With Quote
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It is about steel, treatment, blade thickness and edge profile.

If you want to abuse your knife, use the right steel. watch this video. you won’t abuse a knife this much on a deer.

https://youtu.be/n1ywYKEhgRE


577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375

*we band of 45-70ers* (Founder)
Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder)
 
Posts: 27588 | Location: Where tech companies are trying to control you and brainwash you. | Registered: 29 April 2005Reply With Quote
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