Author Topic: knife for skinning the whole deer (Read 3445 times)

rockymtn eagle · « **on:** March 30, 2010, 06:35:16 AM »

I can't seem to find knife that will hold it edge while skinning & quartering a deer. Where I hunt I have to quarter and pack out my game. I usually go through 3 knives to skin out an entire deer, using a bone saw when needed. I usually go through 2 Frost-Mora knives and a Gerber Freeman. By the end they are all fairly dull. The last hunt resulted in some nicks and cuts. I'm just afraid that one of these days I'm going to seriously injure myself. I'm using the edgemaker pro to sharpen these knives.
I'm not sure where to upgrade? If I need a better knife what's going to hold a good edge? I'd like to keep it at $100 or below if possible. I've been satisfied with the edgemaker pro as a sharpening system and may get the spyderco system if it's that much better.
Any helpful suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Dee · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2010, 07:48:07 AM »

I use either a Case custom knife from Solingen Germany, or a Buck Vanguard, and a Cold Steel Tomahawk that is shavin sharp for the pelvis. I also don't cut hair when I'm skinnin. I have skinned three deer without resharpening, and could have sawed thru a couple more.

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2010, 11:32:08 AM »

I don't know much about your sharpening systems but it sounds like you are getting a wire edge and then are breaking them off as soon as you start using the knife. I used a Benchmade Mel Pardue on a deer this fall to do what you described and it was still able to shave hair from my arm when finished. After about six licks on a crock stick to true up the edge the hair would pop off my arm. I don't think the knives are of poor quality and certainly 3 of them didn't get a bad temper.

I've never been much of a fan of the drag it through a v type sharpeners, many folks are though. I'll use the Lansky system to get an edge then touch it up with the crock sticks for a few deer before it needs metal removed again.

Most factories will resharpen for little more than shipping. Try starting over with a fresh factory edge, if that holds up rethink your sharpening technique. Otherwise watch hitting bone with the edge, make sure you are going through cartilige at brisket. Prying around in joints can bend the edge over as well. Carry a small steel to realign the edge in the field.

Dee · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2010, 11:44:17 AM »

I always sharpen for a wire edge, and the strap it off on a leather strap. Hair is the worst enemy of an edge. Once inside the hide, I cut from inside to out.

Hodr · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2010, 05:11:29 PM »

Try and Google Firestone at McGowan tools for life. My brother in law and his son skinned out two elk in three days using one after finding thier knives were dull. The cast axe is a touch pricey and the lighter one may be too light but they do get the job done and resharpen with nothing more than a medium pocket stone.

blindhari

Oldshooter · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2010, 05:25:55 PM »

I never was patient enough to put a real nice edge on a knife. so I got a lansky sharpening system years ago. That little kit can make a knife ready to shave your face and quickly too. Best part is that with a good knife it holds its edge for a while and with a little touch up with the fine smooth stone it is ready to shave again.

There may be better ones now but mine aint broke! my lansky is about the size of a box of bullets and weighs a lot less.

RON17T · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2010, 06:06:42 PM »

I use a cheap remington fixed blade that cost 15.00 and a carbide v-type sharpner.Just deboned 2 hogs with it with no problems.I'd buy a better hunting knife but this one does the job just fine.

dukkillr · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2010, 06:34:13 PM »

I skin and quarter several deer each year with my 77-OT. I've skinned and quartered elk, hogs, caribou, and antelope with it as well. It's the old kind when they were still made in America and had high carbon steel. I carry a collapsable sharpener with me and it has 2 trapper blades.

The myth that you need some rambo type knife to clean deer is perpetuated by people who haven't cleaned many deer but have read a lot of magazines.

The top one is my backup and is a decent second option.

Dee · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2010, 03:45:34 AM »

I too have an old yellow handle Case carbon steel Trapper, and have used it a many a time for skinnin. And no, it doesn't take a big knife to skin a deer.

Joel · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2010, 04:07:25 AM »

I make my own, so I tend to do a deer or two before sharpening. The big difference between custom(if done properly) and factory is that most(not all) factory knives are "soft" to allow for ease of sharpening by amateurs. That's not a slight, it's just that a lot of folks use whatever they can find at Walmart or Cabella's etc. because of the price and aren't interested in more than that. Both my personal deer knives are in 3/32" steel and are fully flatground with a lot of distal taper from the handle to tip...makes for an excellent, low drag slicing blade. Both have 3 3/4" blades. I can field dress, skin and butcher a buck with one and it's still reasonably sharp. It does sound like you might be leaving a burr on the edge of your's. Mora's should hold an edge long enough to do at least one deer. I know it's a strange concept in this country anymore, but it is possible to save money over a period of time until you can buy something with more edge holding. Before I started making knives that's what I did.

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2010, 08:11:43 AM »

Once many years ago I did a review on a couple of knives from Sunrise River Custom Knife Company. One of them was called a #21 small drop point and that was the darnest knife I've ever laid hands on I think.

We gutted, skinned and cut up all the hogs on that trip with that one knife and it never required resharpening the entire time. I had a steel with me and if it began to slow down even a little in cutting I'd whack it a few times on the steel and hand it back within ten seconds and it was again cutting as it had when first sharpened. I've long since forgotten how many critters were field dressed and skinned out with that knife before I let it go back. I sure wish I'd have bought it but had so many knives already I didn't. Here is the review:

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/product_test/review-86.shtml

A better knife for the job I've never seen.

rockymtn eagle · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:43:30 AM »

I think I'm going to get these knives sharpened professionally and then compare them to the edge I get from the drag through v-shaped sharpeners. At the same time I'm not going to quit looking at getting another knife.

Thanks to all who replied the info was useful!

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:26:35 AM »

I keep a flat Old Timer steel in my pack to true up the blade every so often.
A steel straitens the sharp blade that may be knocked over a little and heavy Mussle. skin and bone will fold over the thin sharp edge and the steel will straiten it with out removing metal.
That V thing may rip the sharp right off the blade.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:53:25 AM »

Quote

That V thing may rip the sharp right off the blade.

I jus't cant use one of those, It may be just me but i dont get a good feeling when I use one, sorry cant do it. Now a smooth slick v stone will sure put a polish and edge on a stone sharpened blade. Gotta be the same angle as the stone tho.

mechanic · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:10:28 PM »

I have an Oldtimer "sharpfinger" that has been around a lot of years. I've blunted and reground the tip a bit because it was too keen a point. I carry this and an Arkansas stone in my pack. I can cut all day, with just an occasional drag across the stone, or across my leather boot. Most knives will do the job, but sharpening a knife is a skill that must be learned. I don't care for the fancy "sharpening systems".

I build knives and forge them from scratch, but usually wind up selling or giving away the ones I make. IMO the cheaper lines like Old Timer are plenty for the job.

As noted, one of the best "store bought" knives is a Case, but they've become just a bit pricey for me.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:13:16 PM »

My new favorite Skinner is the Ka- Bar Dozier folder with the sheeps foot point. holds an edge well and we used the same one no sharpining to get the hides off of three Javilina's last month.
I used to get them from my friend that was the Ka- bar rep for about $10 but see them in the magizine for $20. really light weight. made in Taiwan
(the Good China) and is model #4063.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:29:55 PM »

There must be "some" factory knives that have good steel in them, as i bought this Gerber C-375 many years ago, and i have no idea how many animals i've gut/skinned/quartered and boned out with it.

One time i gut, skinned and quartered, with some boneing out, three bull moose with it in one day, without doing anything to the edge, and it wasn't dull either... It's one he!! of a knife, and i'm glad i reconized it at the time and bought a couple extra's...

I bought this Gerber S30V a couple years ago,

I've only gut three deer with it, skinning two of them, and it is ready to be touched up, but it's far from being dull right now...

DM

charles p · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:12:49 PM »

I once had a steel that had ribs running the long way. It was the best steel I have ever seen and would really sharpen a knife. It was a little aggressive and you could feel it working. I left it in a friends hunting camp by accident and when I called to inquire about it, they thanked me for the steel. I didn't have the nerve to ask them to return it and pretended I had donated it.

I have about 5-6 other steels now but none do as well as the one I left in Georgia 30 years ago.

I like a spring steel product made by F.Dick of Germany but it is pricey. The fish cutters in my village all swear by these. They use Dexter-Russel knives.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:54:46 PM »

Do you guys realize how much money I'm gonna have to spend to get all this stuff!

Dee · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2010, 04:07:40 PM »

Heck Oldshooter, I go huntin all the time with nothing but an old carbon steel yellow handled Case Trapper in my pocket. You'll be alright with what ya got I'll bet.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2010, 05:04:27 PM »

Yep, I know Dee, but these guys sure make it hard on a fella, I read the posts and start thinking "yea I need one of those!" I've got to old knives that have been riding in the door of my truck for a while and in the door of the last truck I owned. One of these days i'll sharpen em to nuttin and buy two more I guess! I have one old buck that fell overboard in the Gulf and before the hole closed behind it I jumped in and swam down 35 ft to pick it up on the bottom and saved it. Now that was 20 years ago. today if they fall overboard they are on their own. I love a good knife! some nice ones have been mentioned.

squirrellluck · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2010, 05:11:27 PM »

Always carry my Case trapper and I carry a Forsner skinning knife as well. Really like the swept blade on that knife

myronman3 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 01, 2010, 11:57:03 AM »

yup, small knives are definately better for deer. i have a few puma knives, and they hold an edge very well. the fixed blade knives are sweet, but a little big for deer. i have a puma folder that i bought when i was a kid, and that is about as perfect as it gets for field dressing a deer. for skinning, i use the bigger knives.

Dee · « **Reply #23 on:** April 01, 2010, 01:47:17 PM »

For skinnin I use a fist size rock, a short length of bailin wire, and the wench on my jeep. Any knife will work like that.

8iowa · « **Reply #24 on:** April 01, 2010, 02:37:29 PM »

I have an older Marbles knife that has served me well for boning out several elk. Now that Marbles has been sold, and knife production moved to China, this would no longer be my choice.

A couple of Marbles former employees now make knives on their own. Rapid River Knife Works, www.rapidriverknifeworks.com , has a large selection of high quality, high carbon steel knives. Hess Knives, www.itsdan.com , is a smaller operation, but his knives are extremely high quality, and reasonable in cost.

The key to a sharp edge is having fine grain high carbon steel for the blade. Stainless steel blades will never be able to be sharpened as keen.

kevthebassman · « **Reply #25 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:31:03 PM »

Myself, I gut it out with my Kershaw, but when I get home and the real work (skinning, quartering, boning) starts, I switch over to a small fillet knife I got from wal-mart for about $4, touching it up with the steel every 5 minutes or so. Done many a deer the poor man's way like that.

drdougrx · « **Reply #26 on:** April 01, 2010, 04:33:01 PM »

I use a buck #560 titanium folder...it's a 110 with thin, titanium scales. It also has finger grooves that I don't like, but it's so thin when folded, I'll suck it up!! In a fixed blade, I like the #105, pathfinder and or a #118 personal. The titanium folder and the personal have been discontinued for awhile. I also carry a 4" diamond stick in my pack for touch ups.

saddlebum · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2010, 08:12:26 PM »

USA made Schrade Uncle Henrys with Schrade+ stainless blades. I don't touch up the blade until I start boning. I use an Eze-Lap for touch up. I use a Lansky 3 stone sharpener.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2010, 10:37:51 AM »

Lots of good knives available but for my money a Buck 110, folding knife will get the job done and then some.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #29 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:42:37 AM »

Quote from: Dee on April 01, 2010, 01:47:17 PM

For skinnin I use a fist size rock, a short length of bailin wire, and the wench on my jeep. Any knife will work like that.

I forget about the TEXAS peal.
Will also work with an old water ski rope handle with a slip knot and stand on it. Reposition and do again.
Short lenght with the handle may be a good idea for your pack. the handle also works well to drag a deer and is light weight.