What Is Your Go To Hunting Knife?

buckbull

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Jun 20, 2011
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I'm not a knife guy. I've been carrying one of those locking folder knives that take a box cutter blade that you see in the bargain bin at your hardware or farm stores. And I have used that in a pinch to gut deer. Lately i've relied on a set of knives from outdoor edge but unfortunately the blade broke on the gutting knife ( I posted pics of the break in a thread here on Eastmans). I like to use any drop point blade for skinning and rely mostly on filet knives to debone meat.

Edit: I found the link with the broken knife
 
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JimP

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My first experience with a Havalon was when I had already cleaned and skinned a couple of animals and a friend handed me his Havalon to clean one. I reached up inside the body cavity to cut the windpipe and the next thing that I knew the bade was floating around inside it somewhere. I stopped right there. We found the blade when we skinned it out.
 

nv-hunter

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Feb 28, 2011
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Reno
Some kind of gerber set and a havalon about 3" long. I dont care for the gut hook. Its a bit dangerous. But the case sharpener is on point...I sharpen my knives every few minutes.

That havalon is pretty sweet. Not going to lie. It will make short work of things. RAZOR sharp.



View attachment 32319View attachment 32320
I have both those the gut hook works but it all in the angle you try to use it.
 

mallardsx2

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Jul 8, 2015
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The giveaway knife worked great. Super sharp and the blades were easily re-sharpened.

I used it on 4 deer so far.

Thanks again Eastmans!
 

irontmphrke

New Member
Mar 3, 2022
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Hello. Bob Dozier Master Skinner with maple burl handles. Feels great in my hand and the D2 steel cuts great and doesn't slide over hair when trying to get best all around steak knives that first cut into the animal.

I also like the Anza knives made in san Diego. They're pretty inexpensive for handmade knives and you don't mind using them hard.
 
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kidoggy

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Apr 23, 2016
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It is not possible.
the older I get the more and more I am transitioning away from what I want to what I need.
sure, simplifies life!
it sometimes sickens me when I look at all the crap this packrat has accumulated over the years.
I have given away many knives and many guns and many tools to family and still have more than I could ever use.
 
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BrandonM

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Nov 9, 2011
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My wife's pretty sure you can have too many knives - at least she always says I do! :D

Last year I was in love with the Havalon Piranta because of its extremely low weight compared to other replaceable-blade options. But they're admittedly fragile knives (blades are easy to snap) and the blades are hard to replace. While I was out hunting, I found and brought home an antler from a spike bull, and my wife surprised me for my birthday this year by sending it away to a custom knife maker (Griska Knives). Here's what he made, I was obviously blown away:

View attachment 32665

Here's his Instagram if you want to see other knives he's done:
https://www.instagram.com/griskaknives

The two above are in different steels. The larger one has a thick spine and is D2 tool steel, while the smaller is a pukka-style with a spring-steel blade. Both are razor sharp and have fitted leather sheaths. They're so beautiful I barely want to use them - I can't stop looking at them.

That said, I also still have a "thing" for replaceable-blade options (and a knife addiction) so I recently picked up a Havalon Talon. I feel like it's a good compromise: it's replaceable, but with thicker blades and a stouter, fixed handle and the blades are much easier to replace. That's what's in my kill kit now. It's not perfect - in particular Havalon REALLY needs to get its act together on blade storage and disposal (Gerber nails this one IMO). But I like it.
Wow! What a great wife!
 

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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I have two that I really like and have been using them for years. I have a folding Kershaw Black Gulch that I have used for gutting for probably 30 years. I also have a custom skinner w/gut hook that was custom made to my specs by Mark Wahlster (Silverton, Or) about 40 years ago that is the best knife that I own. 39543
 

Colorado Cowboy

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Jun 8, 2011
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I separated this into 2 posts. These 2 are knives I made. The first is a skinner with a gut hook that I made from a power hack saw blade. The second one is a knife that I made to carry on my gun belt when I am cowboy shooting. I also made the leather sheath. It has an elk antler handle. I have made 15 or so for other cowboy shooters. Made for show only.395453954639547
 

Mr Drysdale

Active Member
Mar 24, 2013
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Benchmade Steep Country and Outdoor Edge folder replaceable blade. The Steep Country has gone through one Mule deer only but seemed to be just as sharp when I finished up.
 
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BrandonM

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Nov 9, 2011
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Love this thread! Why is it that dudes can't get enough of knives?

When I was with the Mule Deer Foundation We used to put common cards on the tables at banquets asking what we could do better. Unanimously, no matter which town we were having a banquet in, it was to have more knives.

The next year we would have more knives and on the common cards we would see written unanimously again, more knives.

It didn't matter how many knives we had at the event, it was never enough. Lol!
 

JimP

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If you look at a knife you can see a work of art in them, pick one up and you will feel the balance of the blade in your hand. A good balanced knife that fits your hand is truly a work of art.

Hello, my name is Jim and I am a knife junkie
 
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kidoggy

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Apr 23, 2016
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I am thinking about getting rid of all my knives and getting a butcher.;)
probably be cheaper. :LOL: