Field Dressing Knife

[yooper77]

I use a Old Timer 30T made by Schrade for field dressing.

yooper77

[XD9]

I use a Old Timer 30T made by Schrade for field dressing.

yooper77

That looks identical to the one I'm using...except mine has more of a greenish handle on it for some reason.

[yooper77]

Well I love this knife, but I need to send it in for repair, the lock mechanism is broken.

yooper77

[Hofs01]

I Can gut a deer just as fast using a strait edge blade as you can with a gut hooked blade.
I make a cut and slide in my first and second fingers and spread the cut some and push the "goodies" down while I put the blase facing up between my fingers and just slide the blade and fingers up very quick and easy.

I have a Wyoming knife with leather case and a few knock off blades that is in great condition that I will be happy to trade for great condition a buck 110

I used to do it that way until about three years ago. I was in northern Illinois and cut my index finger really bad while preforming this task. I wrapped it up with a hunting glove finished gutting the deer one handed. Drug it to my truck one handed. Had to find a low area to back into so I could get the deer in one handed. Drove immediately to the nearest Emergency room and got like 25 stitches!

Guthooks might be a little cumbersome up in the chest cavity, but I will take them over 25 stitches any day!

[Drilling Man]

I Can gut a deer just as fast using a strait edge blade as you can with a gut hooked blade.
I make a cut and slide in my first and second fingers and spread the cut some and push the "goodies" down while I put the blase facing up between my fingers and just slide the blade and fingers up very quick and easy.

I have a Wyoming knife with leather case and a few knock off blades that is in great condition that I will be happy to trade for great condition a buck 110

I used to do it that way until about three years ago. I was in northern Illinois and cut my index finger really bad while preforming this task. I wrapped it up with a hunting glove finished gutting the deer one handed. Drug it to my truck one handed. Had to find a low area to back into so I could get the deer in one handed. Drove immediately to the nearest Emergency room and got like 25 stitches!

Guthooks might be a little cumbersome up in the chest cavity, but I will take them over 25 stitches any day!

  Don't blame "operator" error, on the knife!

  I've never cut myself doing that since about 50 years ago when dad taught me how to do it, and i've never seen dad ever cut himself splitting the belly, either.  And he's been doing it that way for over 80 years now...

  Knives, like guns and all other tools, are only as safe as the operator.

  DM

[Hofs01]

Exactly why I have a guthook

[plumberroy]

Y not have a gut hook its not like its in the way or make the sharp edge bawler or any thing like that i have no problem with mine after i unzipp him just turn the knife over and start useing the edge for what ever u might be doing ,there cant be any down side to a gut hooked knife that i can tell but to each his own

The first thing that bothers me is the attitude a lot have in today times of, buy a gadget, instead of just learning how to do it. It is the same with serrated edge they were first marketed  as never have to sharpen, remember Ginsu. The only gut blade I ever had. the damned gut was hooking something every time I turned a round.
   I agree with Alan An American made sharp finger is as good as any thing made for field dressing game. If you can find one made of carbon steel even better. Mine is 25 years old and has dressed, skinned, cleaned ,and cut up more game than I can load on my f-150. That being said I have field dressed deer with various folding knives  and several  fixed bladed knives. I field dressed a road killed deer once with a hatchet. Some one borrowed and bugged out with my pocket knife(I carry 2 now) so we made do
Roy

[nodlenor]

I've used a Buck Zipper for the last few years. It is like Vangard but has a rubber handle and a guthook with a partial serrated blade. I used to use a Western L66 Boy Scout knife which worked just fine. This year, if I manage to get the big one, I'm going to use a custom knife that I bought from a local knifemaker.
Here is my Buck Zipper

Here is my Western Boy Scout knife

And this is the custom made knife

[rickt300]

Possibly my preference for 5-6 inch blades is based on the fact that I will skin and butcher the deer generally with the same knives and a Rapala fillet knife. If gutting is all I need to do I have done that with some pretty small knives like the Schrade Trapper.

[Rodent]

Use pretty much whatever you like as long as it has a good edge. Does not have to be fancy. I have found that the smaller the better. Nothing over a three inch blade. Gut hooks are good, but not really needed. I have used pocket folders that clip to my pocket and I have used belt held knives. I like them all and use the new season as an exuse to get a new one. Non folders are easier to clean afterwardsa though.

Mike

[SHOOTALL]

CUTCO , Virginia knife ,
both do a good job at a reasonable cost

[ttank0789]

I have a Buck 110 Folding hunter that my grandpa had for a quite a while before he gave it to me. It holds a good edge and gets the job done and cuts up through a deer's ribs very well. They are like $35.00 at Cabela's. Just about any knife made by buck will be a good choice. I have a Cabela's Pine Ridge fixed blade with a gut hook but I don't use it because it doesn't hold an edge and I have found a gut hook to be a useless feature. My friend has a KA-BAR with a blade that is serrated at the bottom. It holds an edge extremely well and the serrations go through the ribs like butter. That knife is $43 for the 5-1/4" blade and $55 for a 7" blade.

[SHOOTALL]

The VIRGINIA BLADE knives have nice gut hooks . I used a cutco for a while , a buck 110 and others , schrade some . They all worked lets face it we learn to use what we have ! A good gut hook works nice as it goes not only thru. the skin it can be used to go right on thru. the rib cage ( at least the VA. BLADE and Browning do) . But a good job can be done with out one .

[teddy12b]

I've only field dressed two deer so my knowledge & experience is very limited.  I bought a case xx changer,  http://www.wrcase.com/knives/view_all/browseview2.php?Family=%22Lockback%22&View=1&Item=0110 because my grandpa always like Case knives.  This knife can switch blades from a regular drop point, to a clip point, to a guthook and also a saw.  On the deer I used it on sunday I used everything but the saw and it's handy.  It's not cheap, it was around $65 when I bought it, but it's a great knife.  I also used a savage hunters edge,  http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_fixed_blade.htm  and it's a good knife too.  I don't see what a serrated blade can hurt, but the guthook does get caught on stuff.  To me it's not a big deal if it gets caught on anything because I do such a hack job anyway.  I'd highly recommend the case xx changer though.

[mechanic]

Having been a blacksmith and knife forger for several years, I can tell you that the knife is as personal to a man as the wife.  Pick the style that looks best to you.  Anything with a sharp edge that isn't too big will work if you use it correctly.

The best value on a "store bought" knife is the Schrade / Old Timer carbon steel.  If money is no object, just look until one jumps out at you.  Don't buy a cheapo from Pakistan or China and you'll be fine.  I have more knives than you can shake a stick at, and I use my Dad's old Sharpfinger.  Its about 40 years or so old I'm guessing, and will outlast me.  I never keep one I make very long before someone talks me out of it.

Ben

[deltecs]

Having been a blacksmith and knife forger for several years, I can tell you that the knife is as personal to a man as the wife.  Pick the style that looks best to you.  Anything with a sharp edge that isn't too big will work if you use it correctly.

The best value on a "store bought" knife is the Schrade / Old Timer carbon steel.  If money is no object, just look until one jumps out at you.  Don't buy a cheapo from Pakistan or China and you'll be fine.  I have more knives than you can shake a stick at, and I use my Dad's old Sharpfinger.  Its about 40 years or so old I'm guessing, and will outlast me.  I never keep one I make very long before someone talks me out of it.

Ben

I'm a minor hobbyist knife collector of used knives myself and have used each to find which I like best.  The older Shrade Old Timers with the carbon blades were relatively easy to sharpen and held an edge better than most with a good deer size game design for field dressing and minor camp chores.  My personal best preference is an old styly Puma Cub lock back with 3" blade.  It is extremely sharp and maintains an edge on game that is unbelievable, if not going through bones or camp chores abuse.  It strictly is my field dressing knife on deer.  I also use a Randall field and stream 5" sheath knife for other chores and bigger field dressing on big game, if I find the heart to use it.  Other than these 2 knives attached to my heart, I fiind that I really use my old Herters Canadian knife much like the Russel, for most hunting along with an extremely sharp Leatherman tool at my belt.  I find I can use them equally as well as my fine knives and they will also double better for camp chores or boning.  Depending on my whim at the time I also carry the Shrade Sharp finger or the near duplicate drop finger for hunting.  It is fun to determine different hunting situations in which knife works the best for overall performance.  I don't sell or give my knives away as they bring back similar memories as do my rifles and handguns. 

[Mr. Slumberjack]

I tend to carry about 2-3 knives in my pack and atleast 2 on my belt. I normally use a buck omni hunter camo guthook, an old timer supersharp guthook, shrade fingertip, a buck 110, and a small pocketknife. A man can never have too many knives  . When it comes to splitting her open, I normally just make a small incision midchest and let the guthook do its job. I like the feel of the guthook knives because normally there more hefty but in the finness areas such as the anus, I take out the fingertip. I proceed to skin the deer, quarter it then let it sit for a while. After this stage I've got kitchen knives. I normally just shove the knife back into its sheath, and deal with the mess later.

[Davemuzz]

I decided that I wanted a new knife for Christmas. So I was shopping around...and came across this one:


which I had "Santa" buy me at http://www.casexx.com/DisplayDetailPage.asp?ProductCode=2031 Shepard Hill Cutlery.com.

This is a really nice knife! Sharp enough to shave with...yes...all three blades. Easy to exchange blades and the blades lock! These knifes are made right here in Pennsylvania. (Bradford Pa.) I love to buy USA made products. Quality stuff!

I managed to down a doe and field dressing was quick and easy with the fillet knife, and skinning was done quick and easy with the drop point. I did not use the saw blade....but it is just as sharp as the knife blades. All the blades are held in the sheath in a sewn in holder of excellent quality. And the price is very affordable.

Dave

[Drilling Man]

  I saw this knife a long time ago at a Cabela's store, and really liked it...



  A year later when i was in the area, i went back to the same Cabela's, with the idea of looking at "that knife" again.  After looking and holding it a second time, it came home with me.   

  I'll give it a workout this fall...

  DM

  Here's an update...  I had this knife on me last month when i shot a fairly big buck...  I used it to gut, skin, and also some cutting up of that buck...  It's still sharp as all get out, so i don't know about sharpening it yet, it hasn't even needed a touch up...

  I really like this knife, and i'm glad i bought it...  I wish i had it on me for more "deer duty" but i didn't, so i guess we will have to wait a while for a more extended roadtest...

  DM

[rockbilly]

After loosing a prized Randall I received as a gift in the swamps of Louisiana. I decided the old double bladed case 6562 SAB would be my “hunting” knife.  She has worked well to field dress elk, deer, antelope and hogs.  I also carry an old AF issue survival knife to quarter or do heavy work if necessary, but it hasn’t been used in years.

One thing that I never leave home without is a small set of limb loppers.  They work great for cutting the pelvic bone and make it easier to field dress an animal.  They also come in handy for eliminating that branch that blocks your view.

[Mohawk]

  I use a 2 1/2" Gerber folding knife. Don't know the model but I bought it at Academy last year. Field dressed three deer and a Hallmark channel advertisement and still going strong.

[charles p]

I skin my deer on a gamble on a winch.  Feet are up and head is down.  I need a knife with a point (not a drop point) so that I can cut from the inside out.  I use a gut hook also.  If you use a drop point, it is difficult to cut around the legs and anus without cutting hair.  A pointed knife will allow you to cut fron the inside to the outside, and will not leave hair on your meat.

[Drilling Man]

I skin my deer on a gamble on a winch.  Feet are up and head is down.  I need a knife with a point (not a drop point) so that I can cut from the inside out.  I use a gut hook also.  If you use a drop point, it is difficult to cut around the legs and anus without cutting hair.  A pointed knife will allow you to cut fron the inside to the outside, and will not leave hair on your meat.

  Maybe with a "heavy" drop point it's hard to cut skin from the inside out, but i've been using drop points on everything from moose and brown bear on down to one heck of a lot of deer.  I can't see where i need any more point than the knife in my above post has.  You change the angle of how you hold the knife, and get after it...  It works perfectly...

  I've seen my dad gut, skin and quarter a whole deer with a small folding drop point pocket knife many times...  I prefer a slightly longer straight blade, but it's REALLY about knowing what your doing than anything else...

  DM

[teddy12b]

I think the old saying "There's more than one way to skin a cat" comes into play here.  On my last hunting trip other hunters got the hide & meat off a bear without ever gutting it.  They went at it from the outside and I'd never seen that done before.  Doesn't make it any better or worse, just different.  This topic has been interesting to read.

[Davemuzz]

but it's REALLY about knowing what your doing than anything else...

  DM

Amen to that. There is no doubt that a good sharp blade and experience.....actually, EXPERIENCE and then a good sharp blade will get the job done.

You all can probably get it done with a sharp pocket knife.....but that's probably not your chosen or preferred tool. So, that's why knifes of different sizes and shapes are made, and each man\woman has their own personal preference.

Dave

[FLNT4EVR]

I have a Buck brand , Special that I purchased when I was 18. That was 42 years ago and it hasn't failed me yet.

[Snowman366]

I've used my trusty Schrade Sharpfinger for over 25 years. Used a couple Finnish-built puukko knives also and had excellent results. This past deer season the kids bought me the Cabela's "Alaskan Guide" version of the Buck Vanguard. I was a bit suspicious of it being the S30V stainless, by it fits the hand well and holds an edge extremely well.

[teddy12b]

I've used my trusty Schrade Sharpfinger for over 25 years. Used a couple Finnish-built puukko knives also and had excellent results. This past deer season the kids bought me the Cabela's "Alaskan Guide" version of the Buck Vanguard. I was a bit suspicious of it being the S30V stainless, by it fits the hand well and holds an edge extremely well.

I've read a lot of good things about puukko knives being able to hold an exceptionally sharp edge. 

[deernhog]

I carried a scrimshawed Shrade sharp finger for years before I lost it going thru a inpenetratable plum thicket. I dressed out five elk on a controlled hunt in Oklahoma helping other hunters with that knife and did everything but split the pelvis. After I lost it I replaced it with another Sharp finger with the brown /tan handles. The other knife I dressed out more deer with was a Case carbon steel 3 blade stockman. I retired it after the blade sharpened down so much the point was exposed and was slicing my pants pocket and hand when I reached for it. Buck 110 folders are a good bet for anyone wanting a folding knife. I own two gut hook knives but have never used them for gutting. I was schooled in the two finger method and have never changed. I very rarely ever use anything to cut the sternum other than a knife. If you feel for the notch your knife will cut up thru the sternum with only a slight bit of effort. The main thing I believe that makes for a great field dressing knife is a sharp,quality blade and the experience to use it. I watched a guy use an old old Western upswept skinner to dress out a elk on the side of a mountain near Lawton Ok. All he asked was for me to watch for buffalo sneaking up on us and to warn him. He was done fast, wasted no meat and you could have counted the hairs on that meat on your fingers. I always find a way to clean my knives when I'm thru. I usually have water at the truck or a pond or stream near where I hunt.

[Chilachuck]

Rimfire (last year's post):
If nothing else, you can always pee on the knife to cut the crud. It works. I've never been where there wasn't cold water to rinse the knife with, but the cold will keep the salts from eating the knife if it's that bad.

Deernhog:
I've sharpened a few until the point comes out of the handle. Take a file to the back of the point.