Knives. What kind and how many for your hunts?

[bswiv]

Carry 2 knives.......both small.........both Buck. That is when we are close to home, and the truck. Back when we used to hunt the coastal islands, where we had to go by boat, I'd have more, and a game saw.

Always a steel in the truck.............

And for what it is worth, in the fish market we use Dexter/Russell. They are not the best steel in the world but they are easy to dress back up when you dull one and they clean up easy too. I've used them more than a few times just because they were handy.....worked fine.

[redneck]

I've gotten kind of attached to this one. I made it several years ago, has a 3/16" thick O1 blade thats about 4 inches long and has been cold blued.
Handle is black linen micarta. Its more than you need for a whitetail but I've always liked bigger knives.

[Keg]

Nice knife redneck.....

[BigMikey76]

I generaly keep it inexpensive. As long as the blade will hold an edge and the overall construction is solid, the brand name is unimportant. I have a knife I picked up on sale in a hardware store for $2.99 about 6 years ago. Nice and sharp, smooth folding and pretty nice looking, too. I carry it my pocket every day, but I don't even remember the brand name because the logo rubbed off after the first month that I had it. Best knife I ever had.

[jimbob86]

My knife, and my daughter's knife and hatchet....

I also have a couple of skinners ....

[Beagle333]

Uncle Henry. It's all I need.

http://www.knivesplus.com/unclehenryknifesc-124uh.html

[ms6852]

I normally carry the survival knife with either the stag handled knife or the micarta in black. The survival knife is for cutting throught bone. My cold steel or the kabar or loaners for those without one.

[FrankenMauser]

I ALWAYS have the 2.25" Gerber Paraframe on me. The one in the photo is almost 13 years old, now.

For hunts gone by, I carried an off-brand metal "Wyoming Knife" that had been modified to accept Wyoming Knife brand blades (they hold an edge longer, and take a new edge better), in addition to a 4.5" fixed-blade knife. But, I misplaced the fixed blade knife, broke the sheath for the Wyoming Knife, and then also misplaced the Wyoming Knife. (I know they're in my house. ....somewhere.)

So, I'll be carrying a Gerber Metolius Guthook on this year's big game hunts. For other tasks (or when the Guthook is prohibitively long), I'll have the Benchmade.

[sc928porsche]

I still have my Buck general that I bought in 1962. I havnt found a need for any other knife for hunting. Its gone through a couple of scabbards tho.

[Buzzcook]

in the fish market we use Dexter/Russell.

Used those from the seventies onward. After seeing some expensive knives get butchered by co-workers I decided the house knives were good enough. Not something I'd want to carry on the trail though.

Gerber Gator works for me.

[bamaranger]

Got a lot of knives,..... there're cheaper than guns ya'know, and take up less space. ..... Bamawife buys that line, ...I'm saving money, get it?

For a lot of years, I carried a Buck Mini-Mentor, a stainless, rubber handled fixed blade sabre point, about 3" blade. The factory sheath stinks, but the steel takes and holds an edge a long time. I still use it to quarter and skin. The rubber handle is spongy and a sure grip, no matter how cold or bloody.

Another favorite fixed blade is the USA Schrade drop point from the Sharpfinger line, #154OT. NOT the swept point skinner, but the drop point mind you....that darn skinner point will stick the guts every time!

But...I tree stand hunt a bunch, and a sheath knife seems to get in the way of my climbing vest/harness webbing. A few years back I went to medium-large folders and simply carry one in my pants pocket.

Favorite big folders:
- a USA Schrade 2-blade, #25OT. I liked this big knife alot, but found that the carbon blades would rust in my pants pocket. I hang my bowhunt clothes on the outside back porch all season, 3.5 months, and needed to touch up the knife often due to moisture.

-an early Buck #112, the folding "Ranger". I put a thumbstud (little bandit?) on this knife and carry it a bit every year. Its a tad heavy in the pocket, but I've had it since '85 and carried it on a duty belt for a long while.

-Gerber Gator, nothing feels like one in hand. A tad big in the pocket, but I quarter and butcher with it alot in the shed. It got a thumb stud too.

-current favorite, two years running now and likely to fully retire all the above is of all things,..... a lockblade Case Sodbuster, made in the 70's. Feels right in the hand, sleek and easy to pocket carry, taper ground blade is tough, and low maintenance stainless steel. The lock blade is a plus.

Told ya I had a lot of knives!

[L_Killkenny]

Different knives for different days...

For coon and predator hunts I usually have 2 in my backpack. A Buck 446 Goliath folder and a Buck Mini-Mentor fixed.

For deer hunting I used a 5" version of the Kabar Fighting knife for a decade or so. Not very good in stock form but I re-profiled it and removed the top tang. Much better. Last year I bought a rosewood Buck Mini-Vangard. Better knife in every way than the Kabar but I still like the flat pommel for breakin the pelvic open and the longer reach for cutting wind pipes.

Always carry an EZ-Lap diamond rod for touch ups.

LK

[hogdogs]

I ALWAYS have a Buck 110 on my person and if I ain't been slackin' with the steel... she is no burn when cut sharp!!!

Literally the only burn you will fill when nicked is from whatever cooties are on the blade...

I never worried with a gut hook point. I figger that is a 5 second task and I have a routine involving 2 fingers inserted under the hide on either side of the blade in the starting hole and up/down goes my hands...

If I am at home, I will bring out a couple of my Dexter Russel sanisafe knives and an old USA made Imperial for the perfect selection of blade length and profiles...

Brent

[RevGeo]

For the field it's a Buck 112 folding hunter. I always carry my old Uncle Henry in my pocket. It came with a 'loss guarantee' when I bought it over 20 years ago and it's one of the few pocket knives I haven't lost! That guarantee must work.

[camper4lyfe]

I have a Gerber Gator.



I got it in a set at Walmart for $20. I haven't seen it since, but I love the thing. The rubberized grip is great!

[Art Eatman]

On the other extreme, I knew a bow-hunter from Cuero, Texas. A botany-type who was heavy into knowing edible plants. Hunting locally in that flint rock country, he didn't bother with a knife. Kill Bambi, pop a couple of rocks together a few times in the right manner and he had his knife.

[Willie Lowman]

I never worried with a gut hook point. I figger that is a 5 second task and I have a routine involving 2 fingers inserted under the hide

Yeah, Brent, that's probably why I haven't tried one yet. I've made it this far with a regular blade, I probably don't need one with a hook on it.

[jimbob86]

I never worried with a gut hook point. I figger that is a 5 second task and I have a routine involving 2 fingers inserted under the hide

I have tried them..... they work for a while, but it is darn hard to sharpen that inside curve..... not worth the trouble, IMO, and definitely not worth buying a new knife for..... and as you note, a clip point and two fingers work just fine.

[jimbob86]

Also, all y'all that use folders: Isn't a PITA to clean all the blood out of?

[hogdogs]

Not hard at all... either a scrub brush a few swipes with paper towel crammed in and drug back and forth...

Brent

[.284]

Being from Michigan I have a fondness for Marbles knives. A very old company in the Upper Pennisula.....Gladstone I believe. I have three, one for each of my two kids in the safe appreciating in value (two of the knives are limited edition production date stamped blades) and the pictured one for slicing Bambi.

[Strafer Gott]

Bark River knives. A Bravo 1 for the big jobs, couple of smaller ones for skinning. Don't forget a little multi- tool for fences and such.

[mapsjanhere]

Puma 945, everything you need

[Art Eatman]

Marble? Quality. My father earned enough money from trapping to buy a Marble hand-axe. Age 10, 1919...

[jimbob86]

Don't forget a little multi- tool for fences and such.

I had completely forgot about the Leatherman .... it's part of the everyday load.... wallet, keys, phone, EMP, Leatherman, cheap chinese folder ..... You said hunting ...... I assumed you meant hunting knives.....