Field Dressing Knife

[Empty Quiver]

Benchmade 10505, Rant DPT Pardue design. Much like Gerbers as far as the styling and such go but a superior execution in my opinion. For $65 msrp it's everything you need in a hunting knife and nothing you don't. I've opened better than thirty Whitetails and honestly never felt the need to use a gut hook, but I haven't tried one.

I bought the above knife for my daughter and kick myself for not getting two of them at the time ($45). I use a Gerber I bought over twenty-five years ago, and wouldn't trade it for a half dozen of the new ones I see them selling. It seems to be of a much higher standard than what they are now producing. Again YMMV.

[Shiner]

I field dress and skin 5-10 deer a year and at least that many hogs with the Moore Maker trapper I carry every day. I have lots of knives but that is the only one I really use, other than a Benchmade Griptilian I carry at work.

[rebAL]

  I was wondering what everyone uses when they're field dressing. 

What should I look for in a good hunting / dressing knife?  I know I can't go cheap.  Do you guys use folding lock blade, fixed blade, drop point, clip point, serated, etc??  Brands?

  I really liked my ca. 4" fixed clip point Kabar with leather ringed handle but I lost it & can't locate replacement.  I replaced it with a Gerber Gator and it does a nice job but am not fond of squishy handle.

[gstewart44]

Been using the Cold Steel Master Hunter for ten years.   Best knife I ever had for goin thru lots of big porkers........backup knife in the Cold Steel replica of the Russell Canadian Belt knife.    Excellent ergonomics and great steel.     both hold and edge that is unbelievable.   

[cwlongshot]

Like many guys, I have used a bunch. I liked them all..
 First one was a folder Buck 112. Then I bought a Buck Vanguard and a Wyoming knife. Some time later I also discovered the Cold Steel Master hunter and the Pump Hunters PAL.

 Where I limited to just one the PUMA would be chosen. But all have been cherished and ALL would be used again with out further thought. Each has at least one eliment that was the deciding factor in my choosing that knife. The 112 is nice and being a folder more compact. The Vanguard as a wonderful non slippery handle, even covered with blood. The Wyoming knife is always WAY sharp and compact. The master hunter is a great size & unbelievably sharp mright out of the box. The Puma was a GERAT size and has the classic feel of a great wellmade knife.Its THE perfect size, has GREAT steel that holds a good edge.

If I could take the best parts of each, and put them into one knife, I would have one great knife!!

CW

[nw_hunter]

I've been shotting for a few years but just got into hunting this year and took my first deer over the weekend.  I'm hooked!!   However, I found out really fast the importance of a good hunting knife.  I was wondering what everyone uses when they're field dressing.  I dressed this one with a folding lock blade Gerber, 3" serated blade...NOT the best knife to use.  I got the job done but didn't like it at all.

What should I look for in a good hunting / dressing knife?  I know I can't go cheap.  Do you guys use folding lock blade, fixed blade, drop point, clip point, serated, etc??  Brands?

I guess it could depend on where you hunt also. I hunt in the mountains of western Oregon, and a hunter could be faced with a survival situation. I want a knife I can use to field dress a deer or elk, and a knife I could use for other purposes.

I prefer a medium sized fixed blade with a point, and one I can sharpen easily.
I have a Schrade American made carbon steel one, that is my go to knife.

I never go without a good pocket knife also.
OOPS! Wrong Knife

[sgtt]

Fixed blade, Solingen steel, 3-4 inches would do.  I prefer a stag handle but......  I have never had a need for a gut hook.  I am not sure how to sharpen that.  If it works for you, fine.  They can be had used on auction sites and gun shows.  No matter what you choose it must be sharp.

[iowaforge]

Small general purpose knife made for a friend. Forged from a large ball bearing. He said the edge holds up real well dressing out deer and domestic goat.

[hunt-m-up]

Wow, old thread that just keeps hanging around. I just picked up a SOG Field Pup that I'm going to try this year. I still have my old Western with the stacked leather handle, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to play with good knives because I've planted more of them than I care to admit, including an Old Timer that I looked for a long time in the dark:(

[jdtuck]

Cutco hunting knife, double "D" edge. Do multiple deer every year finally decided to try thier sharpening service which was great. their customer service is awesome also. I just wanted to trade a knife for a different style blade and handle, NO problem.

[rugerman]

My favorite is a buck selector with a drop point. I also don't like gut hooks, they cut hair and it gets all over the meat. If you cut from the inside out you don't cut hair and the job is much neater. I start my gutting between the legs and cut down thru the muscle until I hit bone then move slowly foward until I get to the skin on the stomach then I gently cut thru to the intestines, insert 2 fingers and place the blade between the two fingers and move it foward as I push the insides out of the way with my fingers as I slit the hide up to the ribs (actually the sternum) then I use a short bladed butcher knife to rip open the rib cage. No cut hair or dull knife from cutting thru the breast bone.