Gunter337
Member
I'm using the Benchmade Hidden canyon Hunter and love it
What is a Really Good Hunting Knife
- Thread starter Small Lady
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Small Lady
Well-Known Member
I had never heard that about giving someone a knife before this thread.
Amazing suggestions, thanks again.
Amazing suggestions, thanks again.
ObiWanKannoli
Well-Known Member
Love my winkler.
I had never heard that about giving someone a knife before this thread.
By the way, the gift of a knife is a great idea. It is a thoughtful personal item. A person can never have too many knives.
Lots of them may look nice, and have fancy handles, artistic blade shapes, etc., but if you expect the recipients to use the knives, durable materials and good ergonomics might be a good choice. You hang out with practical people who do real work, so to my eye, that could be a criteria to consider - pretty vs practical.
On average I always have 2 or 3 on me, depending on what I am doing. I always keep the Griptilian or Mini-Griptilian as the sharp, perfect blade just in case I have a serious social situation or emergency that requires a solution. A smaller Gerber folder is the one that gets dulled regularly. If fencing, a Leatherman joins these. If hunting, my go to Gerber(s). At other times a tactical/bushcraft knife. But there are usually several others within ready reach in my truck, pack, toolbox, or other places. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all with knives.
By the way, the gift of a knife is a great idea. It is a thoughtful personal item. A person can never have too many knives.
Lots of them may look nice, and have fancy handles, artistic blade shapes, etc., but if you expect the recipients to use the knives, durable materials and good ergonomics might be a good choice. You hang out with practical people who do real work, so to my eye, that could be a criteria to consider - pretty vs practical.
On average I always have 2 or 3 on me, depending on what I am doing. I always keep the Griptilian or Mini-Griptilian as the sharp, perfect blade just in case I have a serious social situation or emergency that requires a solution. A smaller Gerber folder is the one that gets dulled regularly. If fencing, a Leatherman joins these. If hunting, my go to Gerber(s). At other times a tactical/bushcraft knife. But there are usually several others within ready reach in my truck, pack, toolbox, or other places. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all with knives.
You know, I recently bought an outdoor edge with a few replaceable blades and after using it on a elk recently, feel it was a waste of money. The steel in the blades is garbage. While it takes an edge really well and gets super sharp when I sharpen it, the steel is super soft and dulls extremely fast. On top of that, the blades don't come from the factory all that sharp and I have to sharpen them before use anyway. While its nice to be able to replace the blade when it gets dull, you have to do it alot just to get through gutting/ skinning an elk. When your fingers are slick with blood and fat, the last thing you want to do is risk getting cut trying to wrestle out a blade that's stuck in there from a little dried blood. Id rather just carry a few knives (each with different purpose) like I always have than put up with that junk.
I have my old 1980s schrade, a 1990s sog, and a 1970s victorinox, plus a 1970s imperial wildcat skinner that was my dad's that still perform very well compared to my benchmades. But I do like benchmades for semi- reasonable priced production knives you can still buy.
Before I get too old to use one, I'll wind up getting or building a knife with one of the modern premium steels, just to see what I've been missing...so this thread is appreciated for the info.
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del2les
Well-Known Member
A good, high quality carbon steel. While I have several stainless knives, they never seem to get as sharp nor hold as well as my carbons. YMMV
I have been using this little saw for years, I'm really happy with it... the blade is a quality high carbon steel that's still sharp after at least 10 elk.
It's made so you don't cut through the intestine when splitting the pelvis (if thats the way you do it- I've found its easier to keep the meat clean splitting the pelvis). I also use it for getting through the rib cage but it's not necessary to use a saw if you cut through the soft spots in the ribs on each side of the brisket. Just makes it faster.
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Bret GRAVELINE Graveline
Well-Known Member
I look at knives the same way I look at guns, I have more than I need but not as many as want, I have many fine custom knifes, as well as some of the best factory knives available, since 1971 there has not been a year that I haven't gutted and processed a handful of deer elk antelope bear and pigs, I have a couple of favorites, but one a cherished S & W outdoorsman knife I will never give up been using it since 1975, however if I were starting over and pick a new knife to accompany me in the field, I would suggest the buck vanguard, they are within you're budget they of two blade styles as well as two handle styles, as well as a couple of limited addition offerings, They have a 4 inch drop point blade that is big enough for just about any game animal while not be overly big or cumbersome, lends itself well for both field processing and skinning, with places like eBay and Amazon you can have them delivered to the door at a reasonable price, I won one in 95 at a NRA fundraiser, the next fall I tagged a good size black tail buck, I gutted split the brisket and pelvis as well as skinned the deer, when my hunting partner commented on how well the knife held up, he asked if it was still held a edge, I proceeded to shave the hair from my arm, which surprised me, A lot of knives won't hold a edge after all that,
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I would suggest you take everything that has been suggested and then study each of the recipients. If they carry a knife daily and you are close enough to to observe how they use it, you can better tailor the gift to exactly how they use or need it.
I carry a MKC Fieldcraft EDC, it's a little back up for those moments when you need a quick deploy knife that may save your life. I also carry a Trapper folder for those daily chores of slicing my apple, jerky or cutting a cord/zip tie at work or around the farm. My favorite and the one that holds the edge the longest is a 30+ yr old Hen and Rooster with stag scales, 2nd favorite is a old Case Trapper with Bois D'arc scales.
Every man uses a knife differently, we make concessions when we choose one, because, like rifle calibers, they are a personal choice and there is no perfect caliber or knife for any two men.
I just don't want to see you spend money on a knife they deem to pretty to carry or not useful for their purposes.
I have full custom knives, custom "production" knives and everyday production knives, each fills a different need.
If they don't carry the knife you choose would it upset you or leave you doubtful about the choice. I know that Christmas is fast approaching, but the gift will be more meaningful to them if they see the effort and thought behind it versus the choice. The old cliché line, "it's the thought that counts" is the actual gift that most people overlook.
Good luck, you have your work cutout for you.
Just a few of the different choices I have made. Some I carry/did carry daily, others stay with my hunting gear.
I carry a MKC Fieldcraft EDC, it's a little back up for those moments when you need a quick deploy knife that may save your life. I also carry a Trapper folder for those daily chores of slicing my apple, jerky or cutting a cord/zip tie at work or around the farm. My favorite and the one that holds the edge the longest is a 30+ yr old Hen and Rooster with stag scales, 2nd favorite is a old Case Trapper with Bois D'arc scales.
Every man uses a knife differently, we make concessions when we choose one, because, like rifle calibers, they are a personal choice and there is no perfect caliber or knife for any two men.
I just don't want to see you spend money on a knife they deem to pretty to carry or not useful for their purposes.
I have full custom knives, custom "production" knives and everyday production knives, each fills a different need.
If they don't carry the knife you choose would it upset you or leave you doubtful about the choice. I know that Christmas is fast approaching, but the gift will be more meaningful to them if they see the effort and thought behind it versus the choice. The old cliché line, "it's the thought that counts" is the actual gift that most people overlook.
Good luck, you have your work cutout for you.
Just a few of the different choices I have made. Some I carry/did carry daily, others stay with my hunting gear.
I've used a havalon and benchmade bushcraft for a long time.
The havalon will always stay in my pack but this year I'm adding a mkc blackfoot in magnacut and a hogue extrax in cpm m4 for my son and I to save some weight. The two combined is still lighter than the bushcraft by itself.
The havalon will always stay in my pack but this year I'm adding a mkc blackfoot in magnacut and a hogue extrax in cpm m4 for my son and I to save some weight. The two combined is still lighter than the bushcraft by itself.
Darryle, excellent advice! Knives are very personal tools.
I see you like a particular blade shape, and agree it is a good one, both for work and for sharpening.
I like the shapes of that Paul Bos HT. Good blade shape, and with that handle, I could keep my hand safe while out of sight feeling around for the diaphragm.
You don't appear to be a fan of finger grips either. They never fit my hand, and the tendency to spread the fingers affects my grip on the handle.
The only one I wouldn't likely choose is the paracord handle one. Once dipped in blood and guts it will never be clean again, and if I removed the cord, I don't like skeleton grips.
Gpkhill2
Well-Known Member
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- Mar 21, 2011
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I have some Benchmade fixed blades that are good knives. And they will personalize them if you're giving them as gifts. And it always hard to beat the classic fixed blade Bucks. They will also personalize them. I received an email yesterday saying this is the last week to order personalized knives and get them by Christmas.
Moondoggie
Well-Known Member
Since the Benchmade stick knives are a little out of your budget, at $250-300. I'd go with the Esse-4 (4 being the approximate length of blade, it's actually around 4.3") The Esse will set you back right at $200. Another good knife made in USA is the Gerber Prodigy survival knife. Regular $100, on sale right now on their site for $65 I believe.
