Question about Puma Skinner Knife

[bhp9]

I have one of the older carbon steel (not stainless) Puma Skinner Knives. My question is this. The top of the blade is almost as sharp as the bottom of the blade which of course is used for most of your cutting needs. Why is the top of the knife sharp. If you want to cape out a hide the bottom of the blade would do nicely so why is the top of the blade sharp???

 

[TC]

Does it have a legible reference number on the blade? Might help to know which model exactly you are talking about (also: pics?). The top false edge is usually not sharpened. Perhaps some prior owner did this on his own.

 

[kwackster]

The top of the Puma Skinner blade is actually one long swedge, and that feature noticeably improves twisting & turning the curved blade during the process of skinning & disassembling a carcass.
On vintage ones that swedge can indeed be a bit sharp, almost like a bluntish knife,, but that seems to vary a bit per knife.

I know a few old school hunters who very much like that specific model (only the vintage ones btw) while others don't, mainly because of the upswept tip that will pierce a hide or organs more easily compared to the various broader tipped Puma blades designed by German head forester Walter Frevert, like for instance the Jagdnicker and Hunter's Pal.