I have an idea of what a real hunting tool should be but am no knife maker. I found one that is very close but it's a production knife made for this guy by a company in Japan. The web site isn't to good but I called about it. It's Either XT80 or AUS8a, the lady on the phone seemed to think it's both? Is it worth $255?
5.5" blade
10" OAL
Krayton handle

Katz knives

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:
I have an idea of what a real hunting tool should be but am no knife maker. I found one that is very close but it's a production knife made for this guy by a company in Japan. The web site isn't to good but I called about it. It's Either XT80 or AUS8a, the lady on the phone seemed to think it's both? Is it worth $255?
5.5" blade
10" OAL
Krayton handle

Katz knives

Short answer = NO!

Better knives, better prices.



http://charlesmayknives.blademakers.com/

http://www.dozierknives.com/

http://www.agrussell.com/knives/handmade/dozier_knives/...desert_ironwood.html

http://www.cavemanengineering.com/main.html

doubt it. AUS8A is the steel its made from. Check it. Both knives in the links below are made from more durable steel (BY FAR), and they are half the price. I have both the stag and plain handled AG buck 110's, and I love em. you can carve concrete and those blades will stay sharp, at least twice as long as AUS8. Okay, maybe not concrete but they are good. Especially since they are cooked by Paul Bos. As far as I am concerned he is THE final authority on heat treating. I have him cook my personal knives.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/sta...=cat20889&hasJS=true

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/sta...=cat20889&hasJS=true

Not no, but HELL NO. There are any number of custom makers who can make that type design with considerably better steel for less money.

To each his own and I don't know how familiar you are with gut hooks but I find them to be pretty worthless. If I was going to use them, I'd buy one of the mini-gut hooks that are basically wallet sized. But let me be clear, if you like them and you want one on your custom knife, by all means enjoy.

BTW to second gixxer's post which was made while I was typing mine, those Cabela Bucks out of S30V are a great bargain and made from a superb steel. Although they feel a bit clunky, I'm strongly considering getting one of the 110s from them in S30V.

I'll second Gatos opinion on gut hooks. I just bought one this winter (haven't used it yet) that uses carpet knife blades (made by gerber) and has the two finger holes in it.

I hate making that cut on a deer, and if this works it will be worthwhile carrying something extra around! Having said that, I've used 2 guthooks on separate knives that I found disappointing. First thing is that you have to pull pretty hard, and the angle of the guthook groove should be in line with the pull. Next thing, is they dull rather fast or at least the ones I used did.

At any rate, I'll try the one I got this fall and see how it works, and if it doesn't then I guess I'll be stuck using the bloody hands approach for another few decades.

Found a pic of the doodad...

Here's the deal.
I have never even tried a gut hook but if they work it wouldn't bother me. My idea is that a bone saw on the back of a knife blade is also quite useful in the event of a survival type situation but it's on the knife, not an extra piece of equipment to carry and it stays on your belt.

What got me looking was I had the seam tear out on my fanny pack last year. In it I carry enough to get by on with the exception of extra clothing obviously. I had to walk a ways to find my saw which was laying in the trail. I lost my fire starter, & cord. In the back country having the ability to start a fire is a must. So I got to thinking about the validity of a survival knife. Not much that's useful fit's in the handle of a hollow handle knife so it's not a necessity. But a saw back blade has some value. I like the "tactical" sheaths that have pockets.

What I had in mind was a blade similar to the Puma White hunter, but with a saw back behind the hammer strike area of the blade, a hollow handle containing the button compass, and a strike match. The sheath would have an integral sharpener, and two pockets. The pockets allow for modifying what you carry as a kit. Fishing equipment, tinder, needles & thread, steri-strips, strike match, water purification straw, ect. This way you can carry the absolute minimal equipment in a way that will not get separated from you in a fall, ect. Chris Reeve Shadow IV with a saw back would be nearly perfect but they won't add the saw back.

I don't need another regular knife. Yeah some of the customs would be nice but not needed. In fact I am using a Gerber something-"Pro" that is probably ten years old and is ATS34. It hold a pretty good edge. The S30V Vangaurd with Cabelas name on it wouldn't be a bad choice for a belt knife. I'm open to more suggestions if anyone has found something like this or tried it and found the idea to be lacking, I'm interested in your experiences.
Farid knives
Martin
Bill Sanders probably got it the closest.
I also looked at John Greco design called a La Duena for pattern.

If you found a commercial design you liked you could see about having someone else file,grind, or machine a saw back into it. Then you could find a boot, saddlemaker, or sailmaker who could make a sheath of your own design.

Again, this is my opinion, but with the possible exception of knives for military use, I think a saw back on a knife is completely useless and worse makes it harder to use the knife for what a knife is designed for, cutting. With a bit of practice you can disjoint anything you want with a decent knife. If you need a saw, you need a saw, not 6 inches of dubious saw teeth on the back of a knife. Again, to each his own. OTOH, I think I have a Mike English custom knife that (I think but this is from hazy memory) has a hollow handle and a saw back that would be pretty cheap. It is in general a military type design. I've had it a long time so am not sure of the steel. If you're interested I'll dig it out.

IMO the saw edge on the spine of a knife blade is an accident waiting to happen. One sharp edge is all you should need to worry about when the blade is hidden up in the chest cavity. A good knife should be just that, a good knife. if you need a saw or ax, carry one seperate. I know they are added wgt, but they will preform better then a make shift one on a tool ment for another task.
I agree with the others, better blades are available by quire a few makers for far less money.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Again, this is my opinion, but with the possible exception of knives for military use, I think a saw back on a knife is completely useless and worse makes it harder to use the knife for what a knife is designed for, cutting. With a bit of practice you can disjoint anything you want with a decent knife. If you need a saw, you need a saw, not 6 inches of dubious saw teeth on the back of a knife. Again, to each his own. OTOH, I think I have a Mike English custom knife that (I think but this is from hazy memory) has a hollow handle and a saw back that would be pretty cheap. It is in general a military type design. I've had it a long time so am not sure of the steel. If you're interested I'll dig it out.

Thanks, and yes it sounds interesting.

I know I've carried a folding saw for many years, and for it's purpose it's great. I still don't own a perfect knife. Not sure there is such a thing. While I do understand that a Dozier or some such knife would be a great step up, it's hard to justify spending that much........it's still a knife.

I put the question up because when backpacking in there are times when walking back out because things are going wrong could be a fatal mistake. I don't like carrying more than needed but, OTOH, I do like the idea of keeping there bare essentials on my person and not in a pack of some sort. I'd like to have a "good" knife with a hollow handle more along the lines of a wood handle screwed through or into a skeleton-ized full tang handle. The screws could be Allen head , and the wrench could be concealed in the folded edge of the sheath. Inside would be a button compass, and a blast match or similar fire starting paraphernalia. Other small items are a luxury really.

Maybe the saw-back blade is a bad idea. I have never tried one. Pockets on the sheath may be a bad idea, I have never tried it either. The thing is, I experienced a situation that could have been a much bigger problem and it made me start thinking about how to carry a minimalist type "survival kit" with me, on me at all times.

There's a web page with equipment that could be pretty handy that I bumped into while looking for a button compass. TAD gear has some interesting stuff that may change some of the way I am looking at solving my issues. The life capsule would be an easy way to solve part of it. They also have a pocket sized kit that actually does seem to have the minimum stuff to get by.(different source: Equipped) Just looking to find a solution to a problem before it happens I guess. Nate

Bill Sanders knife is the closest to what I have in mind.



If it only had this blade style in about 5.5 to 6".