What steel do you prefer for hunting knives?

Scaniaman said:
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Really like this one, I remember it from a while back. I may have to copy you on that G10 guard concept at some point ;)
I have an order of orange G10 coming in as well (I love the stuff) and plan to put it on both chefs and hunters.
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I have 6 more of these on the go. People really like this knife. I copied the g-10 from John Doyle iirc.
 
I generally like my hunting/skinning knives to be tough and easy to maintain. Although I’ve tried some “modern steels” I seem to always end up back where I started....with A2
 
I am in the camp that i do not want to have to touch up my hunting knife while in the field. Spending 2-4 hours in the cold butchering an elk to pack out is not a time i want to have to worry about pulling out the sharpening stones. From my experience yield strength is far more important than toughness for a hunting knife, M2 is a good point in case in point, a relatively weak steel but at 64-65rc it would take some major bone contact to have issues. I also like thin stock and smaller knives to keep the weight down. Field butchering is defiantly differnt than simply gutting.
 
Seedy Lot said:
I am in the camp that i do not want to have to touch up my hunting knife while in the field. Spending 2-4 hours in the cold butchering an elk to pack out is not a time i want to have to worry about pulling out the sharpening stones. From my experience yield strength is far more important than toughness for a hunting knife, M2 is a good point in case in point, a relatively weak steel but at 64-65rc it would take some major bone contact to have issues. I also like thin stock and smaller knives to keep the weight down. Field butchering is defiantly differnt than simply gutting.
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Many hunters/friends around me got knife like this one from me .............M2 steel , most are 2.5-3mm thick on spine some like this one with hidden tang are 5mm , most of them hollow grind .The only complaint is that they are too sharp for skinning ..is there any truth about that ,too sharp knife ?? :mad:
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Natlek said:
Many hunters/friends around me got knife like this one from me .............M2 steel , most are 2.5-3mm thick on spine some like this one with hidden tang are 5mm , most of them hollow grind .The only complaint is that they are too sharp for skinning ..is there any truth about that ,too sharp knife ?? :mad:
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The people that i know who brian tan only use a knife for initial cuts then use their fists or a bone tool to remove the hide so they do not nick and cut the skin, they are professionals so any damage to the hide is loss in revenue. I personally do not have an issue using a very keen knife for skinning, I cut the carcass away from the hide instead of the hide away from the carcass and use only very light pressure.

I could see how people would say a knife is to sharp but i would also say this is just lack of skill and fine muscle control.
 
Seedy Lot said:
The people that i know who brian tan only use a knife for initial cuts then use their fists or a bone tool to remove the hide so they do not nick and cut the skin, they are professionals so any damage to the hide is loss in revenue. I personally do not have an issue using a very keen knife for skinning, I cut the carcass away from the hide instead of the hide away from the carcass and use only very light pressure.

I could see how people would say a knife is to sharp but i would also say this is just lack of skill and fine muscle control.
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I hear people say knives are too sharp for skinning. I don’t hunt, so no personal experience. I personally find sharper knives easier to control.
 
Willie71 said:
I hear people say knives are too sharp for skinning. I don’t hunt, so no personal experience. I personally find sharper knives easier to control.
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I also hear a lot of people contend it is best to leave a knife edge coarse and toothy in the 320-600 grit range, i have tried this and do not like it myself.

I went and helped a friend pull a deer out of the woods last year and had to cringe at how dull his knives were, I was going to hand him mine but new there would be human blood spilled if i did.

I think at times being makers we actually have better fine motor skills with our hands in regards to knife use than the average Joe. The only other groups of people who i have seen who pick up a knife like i do are butchers and professional chefs.

Can a knife be to sharp for skinning, no. Can the average user not have the skill to use a keen edge tool, yes.

When i am skinning, and i do tan my own hides so concerned about nicks, i only use the weight of the knife to make the slices and like i said i angle the blade so i am cutting the carcass of the hide.
 
Seedy Lot said:
I also hear a lot of people contend it is best to leave a knife edge coarse and toothy in the 320-600 grit range, i have tried this and do not like it myself.

I went and helped a friend pull a deer out of the woods last year and had to cringe at how dull his knives were, I was going to hand him mine but new there would be human blood spilled if i did.

I think at times being makers we actually have better fine motor skills with our hands in regards to knife use than the average Joe. The only other groups of people who i have seen who pick up a knife like i do are butchers and professional chefs.

Can a knife be to sharp for skinning, no. Can the average user not have the skill to use a keen edge tool, yes.

When i am skinning, and i do tan my own hides so concerned about nicks, i only use the weight of the knife to make the slices and like i said i angle the blade so i am cutting the carcass of the hide.
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Not using too much force, then slipping is the advantage of a sharp knife. Same with saws, chisels, scalpels, scissors. I don’t get the “too sharp” argument.
 
I have used everything from mystery carbon steel in oldddd knives and 440 to D3V from CPK knives for hunting. I am not sure I have a true preference in the steel but I do like the D3V and AEB-L has been really good so far with minimal use. I would like to try a Cruwear knife for hunting and skinning i think it might be a nice option. But 52100 and .. D2 ... and more recently CPM 154 ... S35VN and Elmax have all served me well.

I do not believe you can have a knife TOO sharp ... and a toothy edge works much better to field dress and skin big game ... it bites the silver skin and takes minimal pressure to move the hide as you pull or work the hides off with your hands (or fists in some cases is easier than pulling). It also holds up far better with the hair on game animals being very abrasive and ruins a polished edge in short order ... a toothy edge will keep you working much longer without need to touch up the edge. And unless you are careless in splitting pelvic bones I like a thinner blade stock myself. I don't normally split the pelvic bone but can cut out what is needed with a sharp thinner blade.
 
Willie71 said:
Not using too much force, then slipping is the advantage of a sharp knife. Same with saws, chisels, scalpels, scissors. I don’t get the “too sharp” argument.
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I’ve skinned/ butchered atleast a couple hundred caribou in my life. Up until 2015 , I’d only ever used cheaper knives (the victorinox sentinel is a local favourite) and when I switched to a 440c blade my brother made for me I could not get used to the sharp edge for half dozen or so ‘bou that I harvested. Now? I stick to a 600 grit edge that’s thin and can butcher/ skin one in 20 minutes.
Anything over .1 is over kill and I actually use 2 blades now. A 3.75 skinner and a 5 inch “butcher” blade.
 
This folding gutting tool, I find an excellent accessory to my 5" sheep skinner I posted above. It makes gutting and skinning so much easier.
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I think part of the reason that people feel that knives are to sharp is that if you use a dull knife for a long time you change how you cut. If you notice most people who don't sharpen their kitchen knives they have their fingers under or in front of the blade for extra power. Give them a sharp knife when they are used to cutting that way and they will cut themselves.

I have made some M2 knives and really like them. They hold a edge and a very rust resistant. On the other hand I have been using CPM M4 folder for at least 10 years and have never had more than a couple of mild rust spots. That's pocket carry on the humid east coast. I do not oil them at all. I have never had anything that holds a edge or cuts like M4. It also takes a very fine edge and is surprisingly easy to sharpen although changing the edge bevel without diamond stones is a joke. I have one of Willie71 Willie71 knives in non PM Z-wear and it is a great steel as well. I'm sure the PM version is a big step up. All of these steels should be run hard. Softer M4 just doesn't sharpen as well and doesn't have that same feel that makes these steels great. Also if you are going to use these super steels take advantage of how good they are and don't leave them with super thick edges.
 
Storm W said:
I think part of the reason that people feel that knives are to sharp is that if you use a dull knife for a long time you change how you cut. If you notice most people who don't sharpen their kitchen knives they have their fingers under or in front of the blade for extra power. Give them a sharp knife when they are used to cutting that way and they will cut themselves.

I have made some M2 knives and really like them. They hold a edge and a very rust resistant. On the other hand I have been using CPM M4 folder for at least 10 years and have never had more than a couple of mild rust spots. That's pocket carry on the humid east coast. I do not oil them at all. I have never had anything that holds a edge or cuts like M4. It also takes a very fine edge and is surprisingly easy to sharpen although changing the edge bevel without diamond stones is a joke. I have one of Willie71 Willie71 knives in non PM Z-wear and it is a great steel as well. I'm sure the PM version is a big step up. All of these steels should be run hard. Softer M4 just doesn't sharpen as well and doesn't have that same feel that makes these steels great. Also if you are going to use these super steels take advantage of how good they are and don't leave them with super thick edges.
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I prefer making slicing knives vs prybars. That's why I started with AEBL but it's just too much of a PITA to meas with warping wise. So I'd definitely like a steel that can support a very fine edge. So far my choices seem to be z-wear, 4v, m4,m2, elmax decisions decisions!
 
Try the new S45vn, finer Carbides at lower volume than Elmax = more stability without really any loss in edge retention thanks to having a better ratio of harder Carbides vs sheer volume of softer ones.

Best of all, no warping issues like AEBL has.

Justin Schmidt said:
I prefer making slicing knives vs prybars. That's why I started with AEBL but it's just too much of a PITA to meas with warping wise. So I'd definitely like a steel that can support a very fine edge. So far my choices seem to be z-wear, 4v, m4,m2, elmax decisions decisions!
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DeadboxHero said:
Try the new S45vn, finer Carbides at lower volume than Elmax = more stability without really any loss in edge retention thanks to having a better ratio of harder Carbides vs sheer volume of softer ones.

Best of all, no warping issues like AEBL has.
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What's been your experience with the s45vn?
 
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