Best Rat for Field-Dressing/Skinning Chores

Tolly

Tolly

Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
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I know I know, ideally you would have at least two different knives or maybe even more depending on animals size and what not, but for fun's sake I have to ask. What would you consider to be the best Rat ever made past or present for handling both field-dressing and skinning chores on deer size(from 90-400lb) and hog size(60-350lb) game. Now remember, you can only have ONE knife. You can have either a small axe or saw for splitting the pelvis, but other than that, only one blade, what would it be out of the Swamp Rat line? Not being a Swamp Rat owner yet(but hoping to be soon) I was just looking through the picture thread and I personally like the looks of the Rat Hunter, but I haven't heard much mentioned about them here. Let's hear your choices.
 
The Rat Hunter being kind of hard to find, though I'd go with it first, the Howler LM is a good choice. Sharp enough to skin well, easy to steel back to razor sharp during processing, and tough enough to stand up to being batonned through bone if you dont have an axe or saw.

The M6 might be a little pointy for skinning, but it might work in a pinch.

Ideal situation? A piggyback sheath with a Rat Mastiff/Battle Rat and Rat Hunter/Howler LM. :)
 
Rat Hunter or Howling Rat. Neither will be a slouch in the game dressing department.
 
Bumppo said:
Safari Skinner in D-2
Click to expand...

What he said... hands down.

SS.jpg
 
If I had only the knife, I'd go with the HRLM for the same reasons Leatherdude said. If I had a small hatchet, this is tops for me :thumbup:

Custom Dog Skinner in D2

DS2.jpg
 
Is there going to be a rerelease of the Rat Hunter? I really like the looks of that custom Dog Skinner. I have never owned a knife made from D2, how does it compare with S30V?
 
I've used the Safari Skinner many times and it worked great ( but i like the trailing point, some swear by drop points.)

That Dog skinner would sure do it too.

The new howler would be an easy to find knife -- and still a great choice.
 
Yeah, I guess I'm a drop point fan. I've got knives of both persuasions and like them all, but I just feel more comfortable with a drop point for big game. Probably just because that's what I started out using. :D

Tolly, D2 is great stuff for this kind of work. It's not technically stainless, but about as close as you generally see without actually being stainless. Takes and holds a great edge, and certain makers (like Swamp Rat) have figured out how to process it so that it has greater toughness than most D2 you see out there. S30V, a true stainless, was developed to have very high wear resistance while being tough at the same time, an area in which most stainless steels are lacking. The S30v will be more corrosion-resistant, but I'm not sure which would be tougher, as in lateral strength tests. They may end up close in this department, although neither would fare as well as a Battle Rat ;) . I do know both hold an edge like big dawgs!! :thumbup:
 
Tolly

You ought to post this over at Rat Chat where Ian (Trumby) will see it.

I think about the only Swamp Rat/Busse he hasn't gotten bloody is his custom HR with the scrimshaw handle.

Or, bop up to the Busse forum. He has a thread about goat races in NSW.

He does type upside down, but the trick of flipping the monitor over is soon mastered. LOL

Rob
 
Don't mean to hijack but I'm not a hunter. That being said, why do you need to split the pelvis?
 
Depending on the method, you'd need to split the pelvis to get the 'junk' out when cleaning the animal.

I'd probably go for a dog skinner as my first choice, then either the Rat Hunter or the Safari Skinner. I am a bit of a drop point fan, although I do like the Safari Skinner a lot.

Other good options: Bog Dog or Howling Rat.
 
BruceWayne said:
Depending on the method, you'd need to split the pelvis to get the 'junk' out when cleaning the animal.

I'd probably go for a dog skinner as my first choice, then either the Rat Hunter or the Safari Skinner. I am a bit of a drop point fan, although I do like the Safari Skinner a lot.

Other good options: Bog Dog or Howling Rat.
Click to expand...

Ahh. I was asking because I saw this tutorial where the guy just used a knife. Let me see if I can find the link. Link of a guy gutting an animal so viewer discretion advised. http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4
 
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