Need a new field dressing knife

[RB II]

Cold Steel Clik-N-Cut is a very good quality replacable blade knife. I also have several custom knives, but I always carry this Cold Steel knife with extra blades. The blade and handle quality is top shelf with a very positive hook up. No worries about it coming loose. Blades are very good quality with several options.
At $30 or so with a nice pack of extra blades, leaving it on a rock somewhere isn't such a bad deal.

 

[Horse1]

Gene Ingram, Charlie May, Dale Howe, Dan Thor.

They get their heat-treats right. S30V, Elmax, S35V, or AEB-L.

2.75"-7" blades in steels, shapes, and thicknesses to fit the job.

Regarding the OP, a Lite-Hunter set from Ingram in S30V.

 

[ericbc7]

I realize this will be a bit controversial, and I have not dressed out or butchered an elk, but after several deer, I would take 1/2 a dozen victorinox paring knives and swap them out as they dull.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

I actually do enjoy the heart but it's often obliterated anyways.
Here's how I clean it, and honestly I just season it with steak spice and grill it. If its a big heart the thick side can be butterflied to even out cooking times.

Pickle the hearts just as you would beef hearts. Yummy

 

[TexSavage]

I started out 50 years ago with a Buck folder and a Schrade. Quickly added a Sagan saw. Tried a Gerber saw, but it loaded up to fast and had to be cleaned out while doing a single deer. Sagan saw never had the issue. I still have it today. Knife wise I've had a custom made my dad had made for my brother and I, a Puma, and now a Havalon. Would not even think about anything but the Havalon. I've field dressed and butchered 75 deer over the last 10 years or so all with the Havalon. I carry a multi tool in my pack, so blade changing is easy and I keep my fingers intact. Avalon has a small plastic snap on that allows for blade change, but I prefer my multi tool. I use the Piranta which is the small one. Weighs only a few ounces with the blade. First time I used it I field dressed and skinned 5 deer before I changed blades. It won't cut or sever bone, but it's so light it gets the job done quickly and it never gets dull as the blades just change out so quick. Still have the Buck, Schrade, custom and a buddy gave me one of the outdoor edge changeable this past year. Have not tried it out yet.

 

[Mark37082]

I get an email from Smokey Mountain Knives just about everyday. I am amazed at the prices of some of the knives they sell. I get tempted from time to time to splurge on a high end knife, but I can't bring myself to spending over $200 for a knife. I still carry an old buck or two in the field. A friend gave me a Bushcrafter knife when I retired. It's a cool knife, but it's never seen active duty yet.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Not to hijack at all, but I promise this is related. I've never seen a super great way to deal with the rectum on a deer/elk aside from essentially plunge cutting around the tube so it comes free from the pelvis (which requires a long thin blade to do well) or splitting the pelvis with a saw. In an effort to not carry a specific bone saw I'll use the havalon for this task, but never knew if there was a better way to do it with less gear.

I have a Leatherman with a bone saw in case I need it, but I often just take my Cold Steel SRK and wedge it in vertical in the cavity. One hard pull over (with your own butt out of the way) and the bone is broken and you can spread the hips open. A bigger knife like the SRK can only do so much though. I usually separate the rib cage/sternum with the Leatherman saw.

As to the OP's question. Cold Steel SRK for bigger work, Case Ridgeback hunter for caping, and a decent Leatherman on the belt for whatever I need it for. I've got the Cold Steel master Hunter too, but it's too small to break the anal cavity on bigger deer.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I really like Buck knives for the same reason. They're "outdated" or old school or whatever at this point but I find they offer a lot of value and functionality for the price…one might even say "bang for your BUCK"

I like Buck knives too, but I rarely use them these days. The 440 steel in them is a compromise at best. There are better steels out there with better edge retention.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I purchased a Buck Folding Hunter with the Black Tool Steel Blade, about 4 years ago. The Knife guy at the Cabela Knife department said do not ever try to sharpen this blade, send it back to Buck to be resharpened. Never used it yet , but its a great looking knife!!!!

interesting. not even going at it with a diamond pad? odd, my San Mai steel knives from Cold Steel have a very hard core, and they are fine with a better sharpener.

 

[Calvin45]

I like Buck knives too, but I rarely use them these days. The 440 steel in them is a compromise at best. There are better steels out there with better edge retention.

Oh for sure it's not a super steel at all, it works for my intended use at a price I'm able to pay at this present time. And I will say, they do have their heat treatment perfected, they get the most out of basic high carbon steel for what it is.

Perhaps in the future I'll have to try one of the newer steels, what's your personal preference and why?

 

[cabelasken]

I realize this will be a bit controversial, and I have not dressed out or butchered an elk, but after several deer, I would take 1/2 a dozen victorinox paring knives and swap them out as they dull.

About 10 years ago I took a 6x6 bull in Montana late in the evening and since it was early in our hunt the outfitter asked if we just wanted to take it directly to the butcher so he could hang it for a few days before cutting it up. That sounded good to me as I was already tired and it was getting late. Upon arrival, the butcher got it hung up on his hoist and his friend, who happened to be the local taxidermist, was there and started on the skinning. He asked if I wanted the cape and I replied no and that he was welcome to it. I noticed he used the victorinox paring knife. He only had one, but he constantly sharpened it with a small sharpening rod. The carcass was perfectly skinned and the cape was laying on a table in half an hour!!! I went out and bought several of these paring knives, but I soon learned that the secret was keeping them sharp.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Well, if you want easy, I'd go find a simple replaceable blade knife. They work well, blades replace easily with a multitool. Few complaints.

For a fixed blade tough knife, I wonder about these:

Guardian4.2

NEW Guardian4.2

bradfordknives.com

 

[VinceMule]

Magna Cut Steel is supposed to be one of the very best steels for knives on the market at this time, and there are some affordable models with this steel that are just plain jane using knives.

I really detest a steel that looses it's edge quickly.

 

[cabelasken]

knives of Alaska makes a very nice line of hunting knives.