OK guys. I'll give this a try on AR.

On another site, the knife forum seems to be little more than a continuous commercial for
a particular knifemaker. And anyone suggesting
the use of another brand/maker is quickly
denegrated and chastised.

Here on AR there seems to be above average
interest in military knives?

How about this. Tell me about what you consider
your favorite style, length, steel for an
all-around HUNTING knife. Handle material too.
Just let'er all hang out!

Thanks,

Don

4-4 1/2" slight drop point blade .Straight handle[not all that common]. For a factory knife I've used a Cold Steel Stainless Master Hunter -it fits my needs very well. I have a newer Fallkniven S-1 which I'm very happy with but the 4" F-1 would be better for an all purpose knife .Both of these have checkered synthetic handles . Good materials , very practical.

agree on general blade lengths between 3-5",some of my favorites are Puma Hunters companion,Grohman bird& trout knife, Buck 103,probably my favorite is a Blackjack trail guide knife which has a 4 1/2 blade and a stacked leather washer handle.

My favorite to build and use is a 3.75" to 4.25" drop point, full tapered tang, flat ground. I like brass or nickel silver guard/pommel if hidden tang. Wood handles Ebony and Desert Ironwood being my favorites as they are dense and oily requiring no artificial finish. The examples of such are too numerous to list. You can do anything with a knife like this, it's not the best for surgery or sword fighting but it's as fine a game knife as there is.

3 !/2 inch to 4 1/2 inch, but a 5-6 inch can also be used. i have a puma whitehunter , but i have ordered a Gerber Freeman folder with three and a half inch blade, puma hunters companion, i also get one of for they are fine, truly fine . Mora makes one with a Green rubberhandle that has a blade that is shrpened with laser, that one cost just 15-20 dollars ans is a truly fine hunting knife.

The Fjallkniven F-1 is a superb all-around factory knive if you can find one still available. I love Dozier knives and like Gene Ingrams stuff also:



The Dozier in the middle and the Ingram on the left are IMHO about the perfect size for an all around hunting knife. The smaller Dozier is good for detail cutting etc. but a little to small for all-around use. The Dozier on the left is a good all around camp knife but a little too large for my tastes when dressing a deer, reaching up inside the carcass etc..
Unfortunately for my budget there's lot's of good knives out there but these are a couple of my very favorites...............DJ

NICE knives and chekkering on the rifle WOW top job.
I like the grind on the Ingram super knife kudos to Ingram for that knife.

Cheers,

André

DJ could you ID these knives left to right please? I tried to follow through your description but am not sure at all now other than the one on the left is by Ingram or Dozier! I want one like the one on the far left. Nate

djpaintles,
Yes, what knife is the second from the left? Nice looking and nice looking rifle too!!

I've tried several custom knifes but I seem to always go back to using my buck 110 folder for deer. One knife I'm using, that I like is the Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter with a 3 1/4" blade. Another is a custom knife with near the same handle ( 5" ) as the pendleton but with ATS 34 steel hardened to 59-60.

I love the handle on the cold steel knife but my favorite steel is ATS34. I'm talking to a knife maker now about making a knife with checkered micarta handles for durability and grip, and a 3 1/2" blade like djpaintles second from the left.

Since I have sold knives I have some around but they are more of a tool to me. I do have a Steyr knife that was made for me.

The pic. is of one of my favorite working knives. Its a double bladed Coleman with a serrated blade. I bet I can gut a deer faster than you can if I use this knife. Yes it's sharp.

I've got one of these little coleman knives too somewhere. I traded for it while in the Navy, and have not used it in years. It was so unusual that I had to have it. Now I've got it and have been using other stuff. Nate

I think about a 4" clip point, made of good to better grade steel with grip you canhang on too is the best all around hunting knife.

Mine version is a Puma Silver Lion

Any of the various Dozier hunting knives. D2 steel, micarta handles 3.5-4.5 inch blades. They all work.

I was thinking about this thread on the way to work this morning. When I was a kid I used to read everything I could about big game hunting in Africa. When I was a young man I bought a Puma White hunter(The 1st of many Pumas). Then a few years ago I finnal;y made it to Africa to hunt. Imagine the llok on my face when I met the PH that was carring a wal-mart knock-off buck knife and the shinner were using old kitchen kives gsharpend down to mini foilet knives to cut the game meat.

Kinda bring it all into perpective

BTW, Camillus Knife Co is in serious shape and may very soon go out of business just like Schrade did two years ago !!