I have sharpened a few knives, lost a few and broke a few over the years. My personal experience is: 3 to 4 inch blade

Folder: Kershaw, stainless with enough carbon to pick it up with a magnet. Holds and edge,

Fixed: Puma is tops if you can afford it and have the experience to sharpen, takes a little effort but pays off.

Personally carry a Chuck Hawes damascus that I put the walnut burl handle on, and a old Case XX folder that I picked up in 69. Have skinned 5 deer in a row with that knife and still had problems cutting thru the skin on the 6th.

Check these out:



(scroll down to the fixed blade hunting knife)

Tigersharp Knives

These knives are made with sturdy fixed blades with a hollow slit down the middle in which you can insert razor sharp blades. The sheath that comes with the knife has a pouch on the side to hold extra blades. The blades can be resharpened of course.

It's a sweet setup when you've got a lot of skinning to do and don't want to stop for resharpening.

I thought it was just another hunting gadget until I used my brother's to skin a black bear... then I bought one myself.

Shop around. I think you can buy them for less than what is listed on the company website.

Good luck!

I have some nice custom knives, but I never use them...

I have found no knife will hold an edge through an elk the way I use them regardless of the steel, elk hair is great for dulling good knives, not to mention bone...Most custom knives will take a very good edge and hold it pretty well....

Now for the rest of the story:

Give me a cheap soft steel knife that I can sharpen in a hurry and get on with my business..I like the green river knives or those used by butchers, and a few others..when they dull in the field I don't want to sit there for an hour sharpening it...Any butcher will tell you the same..

Kenati,
Now thats interresting...I am going to order one of those and a handfull of blades...

I use a two knife set, custom made by J S Selburg. Outstanding knives and will handle all needs. First blade is 3" and the second is 4 1/2"

i finally convinced my wife i needed a good hunting knife for my birthday a couple years ago and spent the money on a russel canadian belt knife...it is the best investment i had made in a while. it is easy to sharpen, the tear shape blade is perfect for skinning, and is of the right size. i wholeheartedly recommend it. i also have a big buck, model # 119 that i use to cut up the meat after skinning. it is a pain to get sharp the first time, but will hold an edge and is easier to sharpen afterwards. i really want a good folding saw for bones, but havent got one yet, but i have a birthday coming up, so who knows?

good luck and good hunting:

eterry

Pete E and others,
I am not anti-stainless in all knives. I have more stainless knives than carbon.
But most of those are utility or easy carry (pocket clip) knives not hunting knives or collectors. For a skinning/hunting knife or a collector I am anti-stainless. Just my prference and what I have learned from experience. I am also fond of the way a carbon blade will age by turning a dark grey. They show character.

D-2 is somewhat more weather resistent than other cabon steels like 1091 or 52-100, but not as good as stainless.

for the price it is hard to beat a Copperhead or trapper model old timer and the old timer Sharpfinger for a fixed blade. Each of these can be had for around $20 or LESS. Stay sharp forever and easy to resharpen with the ez-lap stone.

Just depends on you preference, like most things.
Pete E, I suppose you have a point about the heat treating. Heat treating does have a lot to do with it.
However, it is my understanding that most custom knife makers do not do their own heat treating, but instead send them off in large shipments to be professionally heat treated.

For those who want a few more knife options and information check out A. G. Russell's Website.

David

Gdupuis,
I hope you are getting the information you wanted. Good luck on finding a knife. Please, let us know what you decide on. Ebay is another great place to buy used and new knives.

All knives pictured in this thread are very good looking and the owners should be proud!!

Pete E,
My comment on 440 being over priced was and is targeted at the companies selling 440A for 100 and over and selling 440C for way more than that. The 440A steel has its uses. Especially along coastal or tropical areas, but 440A depending on heat treatment, may or may not be worth the price.
I believe SOG uses 440A and they have a great reputation for their knives because of the way they heat treat the steel.
Other Manufactures use 440A and do not heat treat very well but charge SOG prices.

Of the Stainless knives, I like the CRKT (columbia River Tool and Knife) knives, especially the Alaska Bwana. It is made with the Japanese equivilant of 440A, which is AUS-6.

Cold Steel also has a great reputation with both their Carbon V and 440A/AUS-6 knives. The carbon V's would be my chose though, because as a general rule they are cheaper.

David

[ 10-24-2003, 23:07: Message edited by: David Thomas ]

2 Old Timers. Love carbon steel blades as they hold an edge better IMO. Only wear them both if I'm expecting a Ninja attack.