slip joint for field dressing deer?

deltablade

deltablade

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I recently got this Case back pocket skinner which feels great in my hand and has really good walk and talk. I have never used a slip joint for field dressing deer, using lockbacks instead. Yet this knife feels like it could do the job. So my question is...can this knife be (carefully and) safely used to field dress a deer? does anyone have experience with it for such?

Also, I have noticed that the small downward projection at the edge end of the choil is very helpful in using the knife, giving the index finger, when choking up on the blade, a solid "stop" before encountering the edge.. What other similar knives have this feature?


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I used a Mooremaker stockman just yesterday to skin a deer. I have used everything under the sun for skinning whitetail, from a Victorinox Farmer to a Case trapper. As long as your careful I think that knife you have there will be fine!
 
It should be fine. Field dressing a deer does not require much of a knife, but it's nice to have a knife that clleans up easy. In my younger day when I did hunt, I used a sheath knife. I owned two knives, a Buck 301 stockman and a Buck 102 woodsman. The stockman was for pocket knife jobs, and the 102 sheath knife was for the huntin' jobs. Then for a while there in the late 1990's and early 2000's, I experimented for the sake of nostalgia, with using my pocket knife of the day for everything. It worked, if a bit messy to clean up. Then I got over it and went back to pocket knife and dedicated huntin' knife idea from my youth.

I'm not sure just when the folder became popular for everything. When I was a kid, everyman had a pocket knife on him, and it was used for just about everything. But if he went huntin' he carried his sheath knife. Maybe one of the stag handled Edge Brands from Germany, or a stacked leather handle Little Finn made by Case, Kabar, or Western. The sheath knife was always the huntin and fishin' knife. Okay, for fishing it was permissible to use the slip joint yellow handle fishing knife that was a toothpick pattern with a scaler blade tucked in there. The top drawer ones had a small hook sharpener on the handle.

But if ya had to, a decent size slip joint will do just fine, and the one pictured is a nice one.:thumbup:

Carl.
 
Hi,

When I was a deer hunter, (just do upland birds and duck anymore), I used my trusty Schrade 34OT a lot. Never could stand those brush catching, kidney poking, oversized, give me a hernia from totin' fixed blades. :D:D:D I honestly did try a Buck 119SP a couple of years, but it just couldn't compete with the easy carry.

As Carl says, it takes very little blade to field dress or skin most game. I've taken to carrying a Case Gunboat as my huntin' knife these days. Your's should be every bit as good to use. Just clean it well when done. I like the scales, the black and yellow are a nice combination.

Dale
 
sgbeskin said:
I used a Mooremaker stockman just yesterday to skin a deer. I have used everything under the sun for skinning whitetail, from a Victorinox Farmer to a Case trapper. As long as your careful I think that knife you have there will be fine!
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sgbeskin knows his way around blades . This is a bingo post imho.
 
This past hunting season I used a case trapper and buck 119 fixed blade to field dress deer. While the 119 may be "too big" by some people's standards and the trapper is "too difficult to clean" to others they both worked as well as any knives that I've used. The most important thing when field dressing and doing other knifely duties, know your knife and know what you are doing with it. With that said, of course the Backpocket can work well, and look good too.
 
My dad was an opportunistic hunter. All he ever carried was a medium whittler. He was a firm believer in cleaning the deer on the spot to preserve the quality of meet. He did break the large clip blade one time splitting the pelvis but that came after a number of deer. And he said he goofed because he twisted the blade trying to force it through too fast. His only complaint was cleaning the knife.
 
Just have to use proper knife handling. Last deer I dressed, I used a full sized Sodbuster, and it was an excellent choice. You just need to be mindful of how to use it.
 
Never used a backpocket but have field dressed several with a Case Folding Hunter,a little hot water and soap and a little oil and worked great.

Stan
 
All good replies. I once PURPOSELY field dressed/skinned a 200lb feral pig with a Kershaw pen knife. I did use a Jim Sasser custom to split the rib cage (don't remember if it was the midsize slipjoint or fixed blade -I suffer CRS :-P).
 
stevomiller said:
All good replies. I once PURPOSELY field dressed/skinned a 200lb feral pig with a Kershaw pen knife. I did use a Jim Sasser custom to split the rib cage (don't remember if it was the midsize slipjoint or fixed blade -I suffer CRS :-P).
Click to expand...

Now, you should do one with a peanut.
 
deltablade said:
I recently got this Case back pocket skinner which feels great in my hand and has really good walk and talk. I have never used a slip joint for field dressing deer, using lockbacks instead. Yet this knife feels like it could do the job. So my question is...can this knife be (carefully and) safely used to field dress a deer? does anyone have experience with it for such?
Click to expand...

Fear not; all manner of folders have been used to clean all sizes of game for many decades. As pointed out, the real downside to using a slip joint is the need to get the knife perfectly clean afterwards. My grandfather carried the largest CASE stockman they made, and only used his medium fixed blade to crack the pelvis bone. Everything else... the CASE stockman.

I have seen plenty of hunters that swear by the large CASE and SCHRADE folding hunters. With two blades, they can get exactly the cutting surface and profile they want while dispatching the carcass. The one with the CASE folder cleans the knife off as much as possible with paper towels, then drops it into simmering water for about 10 minutes. Sharpens it back up, sprays oil on it, and back in his belt sheath it goes.

And yet another only uses a CASE small soddie. He feels like that is all he needs, and splits the pelvis with a small (tiny) hatchet. He knows where every tiny piece of connective tissue is on an animal and slices them up like filleting a fish. I'm pretty fast, but he is amazing.

Note: none of the above mentioned knives are lockers....

So yeah... slice away with that knife. There's plenty there to get the job done!

Robert
 
I have dressed/butchered/processed, around 30 deer, 2 calves and several goats. Almost all were done with my Old Timer 25ot. I think that is why that pattern is referred to as a Hunter pattern. Peter Hathaway Capstick, professional African guide and writer, won a bet, by caping a Cape Buffalo with a Victorinox "Swiss Champ". Capstick said that he would rather go into the bush without his rifle,than his Swiss army knife. regards Henry
 
Yes it will! No problems at all my friend. Try it out when you can, You'll be glad
you did....imho.

Jason
 
My Grandap ran a trap line when he was a kid and he said he used his Stockman for all his skinning chores with no trouble. I think today we think we need more knife than we really do to get the job done.
 
deltablade said:
Also, I have noticed that the small downward projection at the edge end of the choil is very helpful in using the knife, giving the index finger, when choking up on the blade, a solid "stop" before encountering the edge.. What other similar knives have this feature?

01b88c3c-de2a-47d6-aba3-a1690d1a5350.jpg
Click to expand...



I believe you are asking about the kick on the blade tang. It protrudes like that to stop the blade from hitting the backspring and sets the blade height when the knife is closed. But it also does work as a good "stop" :D

And oh yes use a pocketknife on game! I field dressed and skinned 2 Elk this season with a 2012 forum knife. That knife is perfect for me, large enough for good purchase with slippery hands and those thin blades!! That knife sings :cool: Do gotta carry a hand ax for the pelvis and upper chest cavity though.

Dave
 
knowtracks said:
I believe you are asking about the kick on the blade tang. It protrudes like that to stop the blade from hitting the backspring and sets the blade height when the knife is closed. But it also does work as a good "stop" :D

And oh yes use a pocketknife on game! I field dressed and skinned 2 Elk this season with a 2012 forum knife. That knife is perfect for me, large enough for good purchase with slippery hands and those thin blades!! That knife sings :cool: Do gotta carry a hand ax for the pelvis and upper chest cavity though.

Dave
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Would love to see a photo of your knife
 
come to think of it, I hunted years ago in S Tx with guides there who used Case bulldogs exclusively. Thought all others were junk. and they were fast with those bulldogs.
 
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