Hello everyone...good friend of mine is a hunter (dove, pheasant, etc). Also owns a farm. Would like to get him a nice hunting knife that works well for cleaning birds and maybe a good knife for chores around the farm. If one knife is good for both then that's great too. I was thinking of a nice Case knife for the birds.....like a Copperlock, but to be honest I'm clueless if that would be a good choice. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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Hunting/Farm knife recommendation
- Thread starter sean1999
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whats the price point your shooting for?
what about a buck selector. has options for clip point, drop point, combo drop point, small game blade, skinner, gutting, hoof pick. just a thought. small game would do okay on birds or finer cutting needs, but wouldnt be perfect.
what about a buck selector. has options for clip point, drop point, combo drop point, small game blade, skinner, gutting, hoof pick. just a thought. small game would do okay on birds or finer cutting needs, but wouldnt be perfect.
Most farmers I know (several in my family) are pretty utilitarian about their knifes and tools. I wouldn't get too expensive, as the knife might get hammered on or lost.
Cleaning small game usually just needs a small fine tip and sharp blade. Farming use can mean cutting strapping and zip ties and scraping metal fittings on machinery. Somewhat different needs.
If he can cope with either belt holster carry or rear pocket carry, a standard Buck 110 or lighter 110LT would be a solid choice. The thin tip is a bit out in front for small game, but its a versital blade and can do it just fine. It's been used by farmers and hunters both for decades.
If he prefers loose front pocket carry, the Case Copperlock is a solid choice, if a bit pricey. On par with that is the Buck 500 Duke, although the drop point might have too much belly for birds. The Case Sodbuster Jr is another good choice in this size range.
A classic solution for this combination would be a large Stockman pattern, like the older Buck 301. Case and many other make them too. The long thin blade could be kept sharp for bird and trout cleaning while the sheeps foot blade can be used for hard scoring and scraping.
If he wants a modern knife with clip carry, I would lean towards a Spyderco with a fairly narrow tip for better game cleaning.
Lastly and off the wall, a Leatherman Wave is very capable of cleaning birds and trout and may be more useful than any dedicated knife.
Cleaning small game usually just needs a small fine tip and sharp blade. Farming use can mean cutting strapping and zip ties and scraping metal fittings on machinery. Somewhat different needs.
If he can cope with either belt holster carry or rear pocket carry, a standard Buck 110 or lighter 110LT would be a solid choice. The thin tip is a bit out in front for small game, but its a versital blade and can do it just fine. It's been used by farmers and hunters both for decades.
If he prefers loose front pocket carry, the Case Copperlock is a solid choice, if a bit pricey. On par with that is the Buck 500 Duke, although the drop point might have too much belly for birds. The Case Sodbuster Jr is another good choice in this size range.
A classic solution for this combination would be a large Stockman pattern, like the older Buck 301. Case and many other make them too. The long thin blade could be kept sharp for bird and trout cleaning while the sheeps foot blade can be used for hard scoring and scraping.
If he wants a modern knife with clip carry, I would lean towards a Spyderco with a fairly narrow tip for better game cleaning.
Lastly and off the wall, a Leatherman Wave is very capable of cleaning birds and trout and may be more useful than any dedicated knife.
cbach8tw
Gold Member
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I wonder if the Case Sod Buster or Sod Buster, Jr would be a good all around Knife. Plastic handles or bone handles. If like was mentioned, a large stockman with three blades, one blade for a main user and the others saved back for lighter duties. Or a two blade trapper. Just my thoughts.
shortwinger
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A slam dunk would be a Buck 110. Many of the people that own them have had the same 110 on their belt for decades. It can do most farm chores except chopping and yet it has a nice fine tip that is a great small and big game processing knife.
If you want something a little more special, take a look at the Grohmann Bird and Trout knife or the #1 Original Pattern. They are truly something special in hand and are like scalpels processing game.
If you want something a little more special, take a look at the Grohmann Bird and Trout knife or the #1 Original Pattern. They are truly something special in hand and are like scalpels processing game.
Don't know what your budget is, or if a fixed blade is a consideration, but there are always some reasonably priced hand made knives posted by the makers here.... a one of a kind is always a nice gift!
A few that might work:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/1095-hunter-edc.1611056/
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/cru-forge-v-apocalyptic-edc.1610633/
Search around, there's always someone offering nice work in the $100-$150 range.
A few that might work:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/1095-hunter-edc.1611056/
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/cru-forge-v-apocalyptic-edc.1610633/
Search around, there's always someone offering nice work in the $100-$150 range.
Maybe go with the good ol Case 54 Trapper, or get exotic and get the new-fangled Case Trapperlock. The 54 probably has 1000s of different scale options. Lots of great BF dealers engrave too, for that extra personal touch. Trappers can be pocket carried and I have seen lots of great sheaths as well. I have skinned a deer with a Trapperlock, but it wasn't so much fun that I have done it again. It handles birds and small game easily. I have a CV steel model in classic yellow delrin, but lots of stainless options are out there too.
My dear old dad, a lifelong farmer, swears that a pocket knife is no good without a screwdriver of some sort. He prefers the TL-29 electrician's knife, which is available from a variety of companies, past and present. Almost none of these options are going to be very fancy.
Case recently came out with a mini-trapper with a clip blade/caplifter combo. A neat little knife that could probably get the job done.
My dear old dad, a lifelong farmer, swears that a pocket knife is no good without a screwdriver of some sort. He prefers the TL-29 electrician's knife, which is available from a variety of companies, past and present. Almost none of these options are going to be very fancy.
Case recently came out with a mini-trapper with a clip blade/caplifter combo. A neat little knife that could probably get the job done.
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Leathermans are very handy to have on the farm, and the knife is small enough to work well cleaning birds. I’ve been eyeballing the Charge Plus.
Buck 110 or 112 are also good suggestions due to robustness and awesome warranty.
Buck 110 or 112 are also good suggestions due to robustness and awesome warranty.
Lots of farmers carry either a soduster, trapper, or stockman. This covers a lot of ground with many choices in brands and sizes, but in my opinion you could not go far wrong with any of them. My personal pick would be a Case 75 pattern stockman. Enough knife to do anything a knife should be used for.
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Hey thanks for the recommendation man.
Sean shoot me an email justin.schmidt23@yahoo.com and I can give you a good deal on the cru forge v knife I have available. Great steel that can handle anything a farmer will throw at it
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The GEC Buffalo Jack #44 would make a respectable present for this use Stag versions are available at DLT.
No problem. I'd love to buy a knife from one of you guys over in the marketplace at some point. Just not in the budget at the moment. So the least I can do is steer people to you guys.
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Complete understand man no worries. Means alot sharing the love though!
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I tend to agree that a 4 to 4.25" closed length slip joint is a very effective general use knife around the farm or ranch with excellent hunting use applications. The GEC #42 frame (Missouri Trapper) works for me and if I want something a little larger, the GEC #23 frame/pattern. The Northwoods Madison Barlow was another good one which came in either one or two blade models.
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Hey, Sean. A bit of background on me: I'm a rancher in an area of mixed farming and ranching. These days I carry a Victorinox Swisstool and some type of modern folder that I can open and close one handed when I'm working and a fixed blade of some sort when I'm hunting. Today (working) it's a Benchmade 810 Contego, but the (unfortunately discontinued) ZT 0909 is the one I'd pick if I had to pick just one modern folder for work. In the past I've carried various traditional slipjoints, lockbacks, liner locks and, for a long time, a Camillus electrician's knife. Then again, I post on blade forums so obviously there's a good deal of knife nut mentality that goes into my choices so I'm atypical. 
As far as what other, non knife nut farmers and ranchers in my area choose to carry:
Traditional slipjoints- Large stockman of varying makes. No other slipjoint pattern even comes remotely close in my area for popularity in farm and ranch pockets. If you're carrying something else now, you almost certainly used to carry one... and used it for everything from peeling apples to scraping gaskets.
Pliers based multitool- I see some Gerbers and the very rare Victorinox, but the Leatherman Supertool is king here. I know guys that keep more than one on hand so they can still have one on their belt if they need to send the one they normally carry in for warranty work. All in all the multitool is the "knife" that most farmers seem to carry these days.
Lockback- Buck 110 style. Mostly Bucks, but some people carry cheapie copies. It is what it is. Incidentally, it's a more popular hunting knife than work knife here, and it's still a reasonably popular work knife.
Modern folders- A fair number of guys and gals carry these, but they're mostly very cheap and very dull. Leaving those aside, the Griptillian/Mini Grip is the one I recognize most frequently, followed (rarely) by various Spydercos. One hand opening and closing and pocket clips are fantastic for "one quick cut and then put your knife away" jobs like opening bags to dump into something like a planter seed box, salt feeder, etc. It would be very, very difficult to get me to give up one handed operation on my work knife at this point.
My general recommendation is for a one hand operating folder plus a multitool if you're looking for maximum utility for hunting plus farm work if that's in the budget. A large stockman would also be a decent and classic choice. It's tough to give specific recommendations without a better idea of your budget and your friend's tastes though.
As far as what other, non knife nut farmers and ranchers in my area choose to carry:
Traditional slipjoints- Large stockman of varying makes. No other slipjoint pattern even comes remotely close in my area for popularity in farm and ranch pockets. If you're carrying something else now, you almost certainly used to carry one... and used it for everything from peeling apples to scraping gaskets.
Pliers based multitool- I see some Gerbers and the very rare Victorinox, but the Leatherman Supertool is king here. I know guys that keep more than one on hand so they can still have one on their belt if they need to send the one they normally carry in for warranty work. All in all the multitool is the "knife" that most farmers seem to carry these days.
Lockback- Buck 110 style. Mostly Bucks, but some people carry cheapie copies. It is what it is. Incidentally, it's a more popular hunting knife than work knife here, and it's still a reasonably popular work knife.
Modern folders- A fair number of guys and gals carry these, but they're mostly very cheap and very dull. Leaving those aside, the Griptillian/Mini Grip is the one I recognize most frequently, followed (rarely) by various Spydercos. One hand opening and closing and pocket clips are fantastic for "one quick cut and then put your knife away" jobs like opening bags to dump into something like a planter seed box, salt feeder, etc. It would be very, very difficult to get me to give up one handed operation on my work knife at this point.
My general recommendation is for a one hand operating folder plus a multitool if you're looking for maximum utility for hunting plus farm work if that's in the budget. A large stockman would also be a decent and classic choice. It's tough to give specific recommendations without a better idea of your budget and your friend's tastes though.
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It would be really hard to beat a Byrd Meadowlark. One-hand opening that isn't too bad with gloves. And it locks. I lived on a cattle ranch and I stabbed stuff. Feed bags, fertilizer, hay bales and so on. Stabbing with a non-locking knife is not a good idea. The back lock is also not too bad to manipulate with gloves.
Inexpensive so if it gets broke or lost no one will feel awful and easy to replace. Also a good starting point for discovering likes and dislikes. I would stick with the full plain edge and not the combo edge.
The 8Cr will be easy to maintain and take a very nice edge and it is tough.
Inexpensive so if it gets broke or lost no one will feel awful and easy to replace. Also a good starting point for discovering likes and dislikes. I would stick with the full plain edge and not the combo edge.
The 8Cr will be easy to maintain and take a very nice edge and it is tough.
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For a folder, the Spyderco Tenacious is great! The steel holds a great edge and is very easy to sharpen! And above my post they mentioned the Byrd Meadowlark. I personally love my Meadowlark II, amazing knife. Same steel as the Tenacious, but a back lock instead of a liner lock, and costs less. The steel is considered a budget steel, but it really holds an edge better than a lot of higher end steels!
For a small fixed blade, I really love the Real Steel Pointman. Good tough little stainless steel EDC fixed blade
For a small fixed blade, I really love the Real Steel Pointman. Good tough little stainless steel EDC fixed blade