I was wondering what everyones knife of choice for North American game would be? My Dad gavee me my first hunting knive 20 years ago at Christmas when I turned 15. It was a straight Buck. I would like to return the favor this Christmas and get him a nice knife.

I would like to know your preferences and experience.

Thanks,

ddj

I use Bucks myself, most of the time I pack around I believe is called Folding hunter, I got 3 of em.I got 2 fixed blade bucks also. I doubt I will buy anymore knives. Mine sure do keep an edge.

If I had to give a knife as a present to someone, I think I would give a Buck 110 folding hunter.

There are many many knives nowadays one could give, but a 110 will be a conservative design that most anyone will like. The difference is that you can give the standard $40 model to a casual friend, but for a special person I'd get one of the Cabelas Alaskan Hunter models in S30V:
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0027310516488a.shtml

Buck Folding. I like the light synthetic handle.

I don't take a knife on guided hunts, but I used to be really into them. Years ago you wouldn't be caught dead with a folding knife.

Way back when I thought I was cool. One year I strapped my knife scabbard to my right calf. Needless to say an hour or so later I still had the scabbard, just no knife. I'm three times old and three times smarter now.

No good ideas on a gift knife as everyone has different tastes. For myself, I really like the high carbon Mora fixed blade. I can sharpen it and I have trouble with some stainless steel. It is light and thin. To slice with some of the thick bladed knives I have seen would be akin to chopping a tree down with a splitting maul. It's blade is long enough to cut the backstraps off a deer, no need for more for me. To top it all, it only cost 10 bucks so if you lose it you won't cry.

As a gift for your dad, I think you should give him a quality knife that also has good looks. My suggestion is:
http://pumaknifecompanyusa.com...ag-810050-P40C5.aspx

Depending on your budget, custom may be the order of the day. I suggest you look in the Knife Forum.

I use a Marble's Ideal Hunting knife with a leather handle most of the time. My father liked mine so I bought him one, but with the bone handle. Good heavy duty knife. If a fixed blade isn't your thing, as the other said, you can't beat a Buck 110

In over two decades of guiding I've tried dozens of knives. There are tons of good choices, especially if you only skin a few animals a year.

For a serious skinning knife I only use straight knives because I really lean on a knife cutting the sternum, etc. to save time. I've also given up on steel, maybe the edge is a tiny bit better but stainless seems pretty close and not having to worry about rust after each use is worth its weight in gold. For personal time I'll use folders (and sometimes steel) because the speed isn't as important.

Years ago I was a big fan of the Gerber knives because they were so easy to sharpen. Then I went that other way and decided I wanted hard knives so I didn't have to sharpen as often.

For many years I've been stuck on the Vangard series. I think they're a great value.

They are hard enough that you can skin several animals without sharpening but yet can be sharpened in just a couple minutes. In my guiding kit I carry 3 of them and rotate through until all three are dull before I sharpen. Typically I can do about 10 to 15 animals using the 3 before I have to sharpen (sometimes its a week and sometimes its a few months depending on schedules and success).

Honestly I think they're a little too big for the pigs and deer I do, but they're about perfect sized for elk.

On the other extreme if you want to go for true art in the form of a knife you can't overlook William Henry knives. I could never justify spending that much money on a knife for myself but I've given them as gifts. They're amazing.

BTW - I think the ceramic knives are a scam. Someone gave me one that was supposed to be top of the line for ceramic blades. It was never truly sharp, dulled very quickly and had a ton of nicks in the blade after the first few animals. Maybe I was just too hard on it.

Again, I doubt there are many bad choices for most people.

There are so many good knifes, hard to make a choice. The ones that I have used the most are Bucks, both the 119 straight blade and the folding 110 hunter. The folding knifes are easier to carry but get dirty and hard to clean. The 119 is my normal knife for field dressing. Just found a NIB 119 made in 1989 to give my son on his birthday (born in 89) My other favorite knife is a J. Marttiini Condor skinner. Cheap, stays sharpe and just works. Same folks that make the Rapala line of fillet knifes.

I am a big fan of benchmade. Mu personal favorite is the Fixed blade griptilian. I like the Cabels exclusive model with D2 steel Takes an incredible edge very easily yet holds an edge great. I used mine all last year on countless upland birds and waterfowl and 3 deer. Never once sharpened it still could shave hair.

Try a Bark River in A2 steel. You want regret it.
Regards, Keith

I was looking for a bit higher end knife, possiblt custom.



ddj

Well, custom higher end knifes are like most items of beauty, all in the eye and depth of the pocketbook of the beholder. The Bucks are within my budget, do the job and if I lost one I could afford to replace it. Perhaps not something to brag about, but really very functional for the cost.

My Chris Reeves's Ubejane field dresses 5 deer before losing its shaving edge !

quote:

Originally posted by trouthunterdj:
I was looking for a bit higher end knife, possiblt custom.



ddj

Well the best way to start is to give your budget range. Also, does your Dad hunt with a fixed blade or a folder? Mainly deer, or something else like pigs or elk?

I'm not sure of budget. I looked at a diamondblade which is around $500. I guess I'm looking or a knife that may hold an edge better than a knife from walmart or have nicer looking components. But in the end, it is a knife and is a tool and will be used so I don't want to buy a knife that is mainly for looks.

Thanks for the help and sorry I'm clear as mud,

ddj

I have never found that one knife does it all when it comes to dressing a big game animal. I don't use the same knife to inviscerate as I do to cape as they require different types of knives. For a cheap hunting knife a Buck Vanguard works about as well as any for getting just the basic field dressing done.

quote:

Originally posted by Keith1:
Try a Bark River in A2 steel. You want regret it.
Regards, Keith

I had them make a knife up special for me with a Stag round I sent them; A-2 steel. The knife is awesome!!!

Don

I would look into Outdoorsman's Edges. Michael Senstrom is the maker I do not own one but I have heard many good things. He has a number of designs. outdoorsmansedges.com

Somebody already mentioned Marble's knives and I will mention them again. They are truly a Woodsman's classic knife, do take a look at them. I had one as a kid and it came up missing and I have never replaced it but have looked at Marble's knives ever since. Someday I will buy another.
I bought a couple of Marbles safety hatchets for my sons as gifts and they are made of great steel.
Good luck with your search, knives can be a very personal thing to most people and if you pick the right one it will be "the" knife for the rest of his life.

I have several Bark Rivers in both high carbon and stainless and to me they just work.
I think that you will find that Bark River owners are sort of a dedicated bunch. Most people are repeat buyers. What is the beauty of them is that are a high quality American made knife and they are so easy to maintain.
Before owning Bark River I had tried ever sharpening method known to man without much success. Now all of my Barkies will shave. Give them a try or at least a look see.
Check knife forums.com. There are lots of Bark River fanatics there.
And no I do not have any connection to Bark River or the knife trade.
Regards, Keith

Easy ...Randall

I have been a bit to hard and am sorry. As a present to your father, not what my favorite is. Is a very different thing. Will second Randell, Bark River and several others. Most will be hand made one of a kind knifes. Way to many to choose from. The Bucks are a Wally World sold knife, what does he like or prefer? Straight or folder.

Ruana Knives of Bonner, Montana.

I've used one for 30 years and it remains extremely sharp on elk, deer and Black bear.

L.W.

If you want a full custom then Carlton Evans just might be the answer. My eyes glaze over every time I look at his work. You'll have to wait for it unless you go to DSC or SCI and get one that he makes just for the shows.

BTW, I carry a Benchmade folder as my everyday knife and used it to skin my Zebra on my last trip. They can, however, be stubborn to put an edge on.

Whatever you pick, I'm sure he'll be proud of it!

Regards,
Scott

I use a Knives of Alaska Alpha Wolf for nearly everything Elk, Deer, varmints, fish… It is a very high quality knife. I also carry a Knives of Alaska Cub Bear capping knife. You can't beat the quality for the price. I use the sure grip style.

I gave one to my PH in Namibia, She loved it. All of my hunting buddies that have seen or used my Alpha Wolf have bought one and I gave one to my father for Christmas last year. He said he has never had such a nice knife in all his years of hunting.


http://www.knivesofalaska.com/...t=AlphaWolf+Cub+Bear

I have used many types of knives over the years for Deer, Elk, Caribou, Moose and Brown Bear. My gripe has always been that all of them have Deer sized gut hooks. For the larger animals those small gut hooks ball up with hair and are useless after a short cut. I bought an Outdoor Edge swing blade from the Boone & Crockett Club that has an entire blade devoted to the gut hook, then swings around for the ordinary blade on the other end. Each end cams into the handle when using the other end. This knife is ideal for the larger animals, try it if you are a large animal hunter. Good shooting.

Browning Kodiak F.D.T. Black, Model 676 is the knife a purchased 6 seasons ago and think it is the best field knife I have ever owned.



Forschner Victorinox 6-in. Curved Skinning Knife is the best skinning knife hands down I have ever used, I have two of them. It sharpens great and holds an edge for multiple deer. I aslo have their 6" boneing Knife and it is equaly good.

I like A G Russells lighttweight lock back with the utility blade shape in ATS34 steel I have several bucks and like them but the ATS34 steel takes a finer edge and keeps it. I believe they offer the same knife in AUS 8 that is a little softer at 57-59 rather than the 59-61 of the ATS 34. DW

For great hunting knives, I like the knives of Alaska set (skinning, caping and saw). Gerber, Kershaw and Boker are my other choices. No Bucks for me, ever. I have some nice Carlton Evans, Arno Bernards and W.C. "Bill" Davis knives, but those I don't carry often in the field.

I think I am going to go with a Bark River. I think they are semicustom so I won't feel bad watching my Dad use it and they are extreme quality.

ddj

I've always been a fan of Case XX knives. I use an old Trapper model for field dressing and skinning and a larger 2 blade model for rough butchering and general camp work.

They hold an edge really well and I can re-sharpen them easily when I need to. I just got back from a Wyoming antelope hunt and I dressed and skinned 5 antelope and that old Trapper was still saving sharp.

Case XX knives aren't flashy, they aren't hip and they aren't considered "high end" blades, but they work well and when push comes to shove, that's what they are built for.

Cheers

Case XX. I also use the trapper. Bought the knife new in 1985, and it has been with me from Alaska to Africa. I'm not interested in a knife unless it is a Case. Bought my son one on his twelth Birthday, and told him if he took care of it he may never need another knife.

I gave my brother a Knives of Alaska Alpha Wolf. I liked it so much I bought tow more.
DR B

I just purchased a Sog Seal Pup Elite because I "needed" another hunting knife. (yeah right) I haven't used it yet, but it is going deer hunting in about 3 weeks. Blade is very stout and sharpens easily. Feels good in the hand. Seems to be very well made. I have quite a few others that I use regularly and I am impressed with this one so far. Anyone have experience with these?

If you havn't made your choice yet, you could look at the knives by Cold Steel, I have the SRK (Survival Rescue Knife). I field dress and skin 3-5 deer then take it to a steel to put the edge back on it. It has a black coating on the blade to reduce the rust. I coat mine with saw oil before storing. This will be the 4th year that I have used it. It has cleaned 20-30 deer and 2 pigs in that time. I also have one of their hunter models with the gut hook but I don't use it as much as the SRK.

You might consider giving your dad a sharpening system instead of a knife. My brother gave me a Lansky knife sharpening kit years ago and everytime I get it out to sharpen a knife, I think of him.

Wow! I must be in the right company here. I am Buck 112 man myself. It is a bit shorter than a 110. I think a 110 is a weapon nearly everywhere. I carry a 112 daily.

quote:

Originally posted by trouthunterdj:
I was wondering what everyones knife of choice for North American game would be? My Dad gavee me my first hunting knive 20 years ago at Christmas when I turned 15. It was a straight Buck. I would like to return the favor this Christmas and get him a nice knife.

I would like to know your preferences and experience.

Thanks,

ddj

I've used an F. Matson skinning knife my father gave me, since the middle sixties, wore out a sheath and made a new one.