What is your favorite hunting knife?

[ohiohunter]

I have one of those, they make great skinners but dull kinda quick.

Thats why I like s30v. I've quartered elk and never touch a stone.

 

[Timber338]

Thats why I like s30v. I've quartered elk and never touch a stone.

I agree that s30v steel makes for an excellent blade. I always use two knives to quarter my elk. A Havalon for skinning and prefer a fixed blade for removing quarters and Backstraps. Don't have a favorite but Buck And Gerber are at the top of the list.

 

[ohiohunter]

I agree that s30v steel makes for an excellent blade. I always use two knives to quarter my elk. A Havalon for skinning and prefer a fixed blade for removing quarters and Backstraps. Don't have a favorite but Buck And Gerber are at the top of the list.

I like bucks over gerber b/c of their cryogenic heat treatment (bos), the Alaskans are even slightly better IMO b/c of the nitride coating. Plus I prefer the ergonomics of buck and they seem to be of higher quality after checking out the gerbers. I really wanted a gerber gator fixed s30v until I handled it.

I wanted to like the havalon but after breaking several blades on an oryx it kind of scared me. Nothing like cleaning an animal while you're gushing blood yourself. I usually still pack on b/c its light and not an inconvenience, but hands down my go to is buck.

My edc knife is the buck vantage pro. Nice sleek and hair popping sharp.

I have too many knives... wait, is that possible? Like too many guns?

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Thats why I like s30v. I've quartered elk and never touch a stone.

Never owned a knife with a s30v blade. Maybe i will in the near future. A man can never have too many knives.

 

[Timber338]

I have too many knives... wait, is that possible? Like too many guns?

Haha. No not possible. Like Bushman said, a man can never have too many knives.

 

[Timber338]

My edc knife is the buck vantage pro. Nice sleek and hair popping sharp

Ohio, is your vantage pro the larger 0347 model or the smaller 0342? Those look like nice knives for edc.

 

[sp6x6]

Strider tit.

 

[ohiohunter]

Ohio, is your vantage pro the larger 0347 model or the smaller 0342? Those look like nice knives for edc.

I have the 347, the smaller version is too small for me. If you go to buy one make sure it is the PRO. They make several versions (select and avid) of the same knife of lesser steels. Also they make one called vantage pro force, I still prefer the regular pro over the force b/c the blade lacks the big hump. I found it to be excessive.

I've bought these knives anywhere from 50-75$ and can stand to lose one if it happens. No way would I want to lose a strider, it'd ruin my day, but then again I'd never pay the tacticool price tag when there are so many other quality options. To each his own though.

They also make excellent gifts.

 

[ohiohunter]

This is my franken-croslock it is my work horse in the field. I like it most b/c its a folder and has a saw for when you don't have anything else. I've used this saw to cut of horns, and most memorable was when I was climbing in my climber and encountered a wrist sized limb which allowed me a few extra feet.

I don't know if it is possible to make this knife happen again. They've changed the models. The new alaskan doesn't have the "ear" on the blade for one handed open which is a great feature.

 

[ohiohunter]

I keep trying to load the 347. But that vanguard is nothing short of sweet. It is the closest thing to a custom knife IMO.

 

[ohiohunter]

Ok there it is

 

[Timber338]

I keep trying to load the 347. But that vanguard is nothing short of sweet. It is the closest thing to a custom knife IMO.

Thanks for the info and posting the pics! I've always liked the look of that vanguard but just never bought one... Think I'll add a vantage pro and a vanguard to my Christmas list!

 

[Swamplord]

I wanted to like the havalon but after breaking several blades on an oryx it kind of scared me. Nothing like cleaning an animal while you're gushing blood yourself.

Had the same problem with the original Havalon blades, would snap several blades by the time moose is done, especially scary is when you snap off a fresh super sharp blade inside the hard to reach heart area in a moose, forget about it then reach in to pull the heart out and impale your hand on the loose blade ....
good thing I had a roll of black electrical tape to bandage up my hand and finish the job...... that was my first time using the Havalon's when they first came out, Learned how to use them safely and still use them .......
For the 2015 season I got me the new Havalon Titan Jim Shockey knife and a pack of the new 50% thicker blades, not one blade snapped on the three bull moose I skinned, gutted and quartered this year and used only one blade per moose, the fiixed blade is also razor sharp and was absolutely perfect for skinning the hide off, skinned all three moose wthout sharpening and it's still sharp ....
Ordered me a couple more, one as backup in the ATV pack and one for the jetboat ......

Havalon Titan – Jim Shockey Signature Series

 

[MOA Chaser]

I don't really have a hunting knife? I have a whole drawer full of knives but I rarely ever use them! Here at the house where I do 90% of my hunting (deer) I drag the carcasses to the skinning rack and I use an Old Timer boning knife for everything. Soft steel, easy to sharpen, great for skinning and quartering and about $10 at your local hardware store. I have one that I bought in the '80's that I know has easily butchered over 200 deer and a few bear as well. The tip has worn down over the years so I bought a new one last year. So far it has butchered 15 deer and will most likely be involved in another dozen or so before the end of the season. The blades seem to get some kind of black color to them after time and they no longer rust. It may be the fat from the critters.