Attention deer hunters

tdkfm

tdkfm

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
1,577
I'm on the never ending search for the perfect deer knife. Obviously something that works for skinning and gutting is most important. However, given we are on a knife forum, aesthetics, steel, history/maker, pretty much anything you would value come into play. I've spent a bunch of bored nights browsing all over for way too many years. I have a ton of good options from Randall, Bark River, Benchmade, Buck, Blackjack, Puma, and several others. My most used combo is probably a blackjack drop point, sometimes a puma white hunter, and a benchmade meat crafter for the boning part and backstrap. I'll probably always use the meat crafter or a similar boning knife for the backstrap, but I'm heavily leaning towards a Randall model 11-4 in stag and carbon blade for everything else. Looking for other suggestions to further confuse the search or just pics of your favorite hunting knife/knives. If anyone has used a Randall 11 I'd definitely appreciate your input as well.

A couple pics for inspiration. Randall model 5 and puma white hunter plus a buck Kalinga, random boning knife and benchmade meatcrafter in the sink after cleaning a couple does with a buddy. Sorry, best pics I could find of actual use. Usually busy getting the knives dirty.

Anyway, what's your go to combo or knife and what's your dream hunting knife?Screenshot_20230803_000549_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20230803_000555_Gallery.jpg
 
Lots of good options out there, and it looks like you've already found several. I've used a large number of knives to dress and skin whitetails and currently call these my favorites:

Marbles Woodcraft
https://imgur.com/oFH8iJ5

Carothers UF2
https://imgur.com/5RhnpQw

Spyderco Mule (this one's in Magnacut)
https://imgur.com/ZvvPChy

I've also thoroughly enjoyed using a Swamp Rat Ratmandu and an ESEE 4 in recent memory. A Becker BK-15 or BK-16 should also serve you well.

For detailed butchery I usually use a Victorinox filet knife and/or a Dexter Russell boning knife.

Lots of good options. I recently picked up a Cold Steel Master Hunter (San mai) and hope to put it to good use.
 
I admittedly hunt smaller deer species (Roe, Muntjac, Fallow) and having tried various knives settled on a SOG SEAL Pup. For my use, it works well, FRN handle is grippy even if it does get blood on it, the serrated portion can cut through the ribcage cage and the blade is not too large for fine work.
20230330_064046.jpg
 
Have a look around here!!! Some great makers here doing some solid work!

For Sale: Fixed Blades

www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Also this gentleman's knives always catch my eye!!

Thread 'Deer Rock Knives- Finished Work' https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/deer-rock-knives-finished-work.1928724/

I have a clip point made by this guy!! Its fantastic..... His work is impeccable!!

Thread 'Various knives - Fighter, Gut Hook, Sheepsfoot, skinner.' https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/various-knives-fighter-gut-hook-sheepsfoot-skinner.1937224/

Thread 'Two hunting Nessmuk D2/Micarta' https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/two-hunting-nessmuk-d2-micarta.1938319/

Just got one of these..Can't wait to get it blooded up!!

Thread 'Another Spay Blade - W2 and Light Hamon - SOLD' https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/another-spay-blade-w2-and-light-hamon-sold.1934930/

Happy hunting..
 
I’ve tried a bunch, collected a bunch, had a bunch handmade, etc, there is no perfect deer knife other than the one you have on you after pulling the trigger! I switch up what I carry quite a bit so thats literally what happens.
 
I’m mighty partial to the Buck 105 or 102. Also the Case Finn. I use the 5” blade model. Sorry no pictures yet I’ll include some as soon as I can though. Most of my hunting knives are at my parents house. One that has always been a favorite of mine is the Buck 475. It’s about the perfect size for me and it’s real easy to clean up afterwards. Some years ago my brother got me a real inexpensive Camillus hunting knife at Walmart for birthday or Christmas, has a real thin blade and came with a gut hook on it but I ground that off and made it a kind of drop point. I disdain a gut hook personally. I’ve butchered a lot of deer with that knife. To be an el cheapo it holds its edge remarkably well and is very easy to sharpen back up again. I reckon it’s some sort of garden variety 440 stainless? Also has a very good rubber handle and decent sheath. It’s the one I’ve used for the last 6-7 years. It’s here and I’ll photograph it later after dinner. I’d 10/10 receive it as a gift again, I’m very pleased with it!IMG_2243.jpegIMG_2244.jpegIMG_2245.jpegIMG_2238.jpegIMG_2239.jpegIMG_2242.jpeg
 
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Here's a nessmuk inspired skinner designed to get inside carcasses, with enough belly to be an effective meat cutter. blade is just shy of 3"

5dVu1ww.jpg
 
received some feedback from one of my customers regarding the above skinner design. He admitted that he himself was not very capable with a knife, preferring a saw for processing game. He told me that when he went to bleed a deer he couldn't get a good cut and was sawing at the neck. When he turned the knife over to a more experienced skinner, the other hunter processed three deer with no degradation in the edge and said the edge worked well around bone and tendon as well as the meat.

This puzzled me a bit until I started to think about edge geometry. I take my knives to a thin edge (usually between .010-.015) before sharpening. If he is used to a more obtuse edge this may account for the failed cut as the more acute angle would lend itself to a more precise cut, vice the sawing motion.

Either way, it appears the skinners performed as expected. Just a reminder that I am always open to feedback so I can improve the designs.
 
I have never used a better deer knife than this MKC 'Blackfoot.' The size and blade shape are perfect, imo (3-1/2" blade).
Field dressed a whole whitetail with just this knife last Fall (I'll spare the bloody pics):

9yXBJt.jpg


Post-hunt, with the gore wiped off, but no touch-ups to the edge at all, and it was still cleanly slicing paper:

VLN8Dz.jpg
 
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