Best skinning knife?

Shotgun said:
I'm really digging the camp knife from Green River. Anyone know what kind of steel they use?
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It's some kind of high carbon. The camp knife model is where I started; it's my first GR. It had a sticker on it which said only it was a "special steel". I've never found out what kind. I will say whatever it is, the heat treat on every single one I've bought is very well done; the blades are reasonably tough and very sharp, and edge retention is very good. I've yet to be disappointed in the quality.

Now, if you've never had any experience with these knives, be prepared for their thin blades, which was the norm for those early american trade knives. The Sheep Skinners and Buffalo Skinners have the thickest blades at about 1/8" but the other ones are, well, they're butchering, carving, and paring knives, and have the typical thin blades... and the Camp Knife (some sites/catalogs call it the Hunter) is one of them.
 
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I use these round flint knives, they probably havent been sharpened in over 5000 years or so. And theyre made in America.
 
Codger_64 said:
I am just finishing up the first buck of the season. The skinning and much of the butchering is being done with the Sharpfinger. The rest of the butchering is being done with it's bigger brother the 165OT Woodsman. I'd better get back to it.
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i use both of those when i butcher.theyre a couple of my favorites. the sharpfinger especially.
 
jim in ohio said:
i use both of those when i butcher.theyre a couple of my favorites. the sharpfinger especially.
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I've used this combo since the early seventies at least, and while I do experiment with other brands and patterns, I always seem to come back to these two.

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If you notice somethng different about this particular Sharpfinger, it is because it is the Camillus produced 'Gran'Pa' GP152, their pattern of the Sharpfinger produced for a short while after Schrade closed in July of 2004. Camillus closed in February of 2007. The Baer family owned both companies.
 
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My next project for today:

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And one of the knives I have chosen to use, a Schrade Safe-T-Grip 141OT:

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Buck 105 Pathfinder, Buck 103 Skinner are both good ones. My neighbor uses Outdoor edge skinners on his game. I have a Kershaw Echo that works really well. Old Hickory (Ontario knife) has a carbon steel skinner thats a good price. I also have some really old Western Skinners I got off the Bay for good prices. One of them is a persian style skinner with a 5" blade. That knife takes and holds a wicked edge!!
 
I like using a Mora knife, they're easy on the wallet (less than $20) and sharpen quick. Touch up on a blade usually only takes a few strokes on a diamond steel and they are shaving sharp. I also like them because the handle design fits my hands great.
 
i love my gerber ez skinner. great handle and design which wont slip out of your hand and cut your finger off. gut hook lets you skin without the worry of cutting into the intestenes.

much better then using a #22 scaple without a handle which I use to have to use.
 
Wolf_1989 said:
My favorite is the Green River Sheep Skinner. It comes sharp, it can be made literally as keen as a straight razor, and holds that edge well. And they're cheap! Generally you buy the blade and affix your own handle. The blade costs usually about $15 or less but they're not cheap Pakistani junk; they're made in USA since 1834.

I use mine for not only skinning, but other butchering and field dressing, even cleaning fish and slicing up food in the kitchen.

The Sheep Skinners are the curved blade knives in this photo:

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Who makes the top knife?
 
well, Im not sure how cold steel is looked at now-a-days, however I used their roach belly model and was super impressed with it. Its a cheaper knife, using 4116 krupp, however it stayed sharp while cleaning an entire moose, infact it still picked hairs at the end.

It is for sure the one that surprised me, easy to use, comfy and cut like a dream.
 
Fonly said:
well, Im not sure how cold steel is looked at now-a-days, however I used their roach belly model and was super impressed with it. Its a cheaper knife, using 4116 krupp, however it stayed sharp while cleaning an entire moose, infact it still picked hairs at the end.

It is for sure the one that surprised me, easy to use, comfy and cut like a dream.
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How a brand is "looked at" doesn't matter, IMHO. Use what you like and like what you use. Heck, a cheap Imperial or Camillus that originally sold for $1.25 still works as intended. :thumbup:
 
RichardJ just made me a skinner. 5 inch ridiculously sharp blade of 3/16 stock and neoprene handles. I cannot wait to try this out on some meat.
He's making one that is very much like a Sharpfinger. I hope to end up with that one or one like it as well.
It is far beyond what I used to think was scary sharp.
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I just gutted, skinned and dressed, butchered and processed my fourth deer of the year with the antique duo, Sharpfinger and c.1966 designed 165OT Woodsman in 1095HC. Makeing a big batch of cracked pepper and brown sugar jerky today. That is all.

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You simply can't beat what has worked for so many years can you?
I wish I was in Ten uh see, I'd love some good jerky right now.
 
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