new knife, high qualit, small game, advice?

[Osiris]

hi all,

i'm looking for a new knife or set,
it should be ideal for small game,
it needs to be high quality!
and it has to have high durability,
with minimal maintance it should still last me a lifetime.
(you know what i mean)

i've been looking on a few,
but i don't know if they are worth anything,
or if they just are for show.

i hope you can help.

Gerber Myth Field Dress Kit
mora bushcraft survival knife
Light My Fire Swedish Fireknife Black

i must admit, i'm leaning towards the first one
but i've heard a lot of bad things about gerber,

so what is your advice?
something else or?

[M118LR]

Everyone has opinions or advice, so I'd start here: http://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=4

Small game: http://www.knivesofalaska.com/item.a...%2Easp%3Fc%3D4

Don't let the ax fool you, it's extremely small and excellent for bone & joints. This is probably more than needed without a rifle.http://www.knivesofalaska.com/item.a...2Easp%3Fc%3D38

These knives are constructed of D2 steel, hold a working edge for longer than anything else I've ever used, and shall easily last a lifetime with the minimum of care.

[finallyME]

From those three, I would pick the mora bushcraft.

What small game are you talking about. Generally, if you are filleting fish, you want a different knife then say skinning a rabbit. That being said, I have used a Mora 511 for cleaning a fish (not filleting it) and skinning a rabbit or chicken. It works really well for these tasks.

I am not too worried about it lasting a lifetime. I want it to sharpen easily.

[Osiris]

sorry for not specifying
it's for all around use, anything from rabbit to fish etc.
yes, even chicken..

yeah, i know it's not ideal.

[hunter63]

For small game and birds I like the Remington Waterfowl folder

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REMINGTON-UM...EAAOSwFe5XyPC7

[Osiris]

hi, hunter63, thanks for your suggestion,
it could be an fine choice
it's a lot different from my initial thought,
and a bit cheaper. (i like it!.)


i'll give this thread a lil. bit longer and see if someone else has anything to add.

[kyratshooter]

I have to admit that most of the small game, fish and birds I have taken were skinned, scaled, filleted, quartered and such using my pocket knife.

I found out early on that a 3 1/2" or 4" blade was overkill for small game. I was probably 8 years old when I threw the prized hunting knife aside and fished out my pocket knife to finish off a batch of squirrels my G-dad had shot. It is also difficult to work with a 3/4" wide blade and I have never been all that partial to a scandi grind blade. I can use them if I have too but they are not my preferred blade.

I have had many good pocket knives over the years and most of the good brand names will give you excellent quality for your money. Even some of the old brands that have been transferred to China.

Besides, I always had my pocket knife and adding/removing and worrying over a belt knife was/is not convenient.

[M118LR]

This might sound a bit off, but for small game, birds, etc, the Old fashioned one piece stainless steel scalpel is unbeatable. http://austos.com/sterile-scalpels-s...ives-scalpels/
With a little searching they can be found for a good price.

[kyratshooter]

E-bay is your friend!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...apels&_sacat=0


There are also these little items that are now included in most of the military survival kits for light duty cutting. They come in assorted colors.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Folding-Util...EAAOSwmtJXYYVr

[Old Professor]

I am 76 now and for most of that time, my choice of a small game knife has been a Case Trapper.(a folding knife).

[kyratshooter]

Yep OP, but you and me and Hunter are from a different era, when the pocket knife was expected contents of every pocket on any occasion.

The generation that followed us considered a knife an option and its use a special occasion.

I think that is one reason younger people consider a belt knife as their first option.

[hunter63]

.....and a whole lot less small game hunting....but more wood batoning and Zombie stuff.

There is an upland version with gut hook......but I never use a gut hook.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[tundrabadger]

.....and a whole lot less small game hunting....but more wood batoning and Zombie stuff.

There is an upland version with gut hook......but I never use a gut hook.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Is that what that is? I thought it was for winning ontological arguments quickly.

[kyratshooter]

I have never used the gut hook either. You are still going to have to get in there with your fingers to pull everything out so the gut hook was a waste in my opinion. I would swap it for a pen knife blade any day.

I was doing some cleaning and organizing today and came across the stash of sentimental, knives. All of them pocket knives owned my myself or family members going back to before I was born. Grand-dad's 2 blade Imperial, a Barlow I bought when age 12, a couple from the 1970s. It took me back for a few moments, cleaning all those rabbits and squirrels, skinning/dressing deer with a Buck 3 blade stock-man, slipping the Case lock-back scout knife in the back pocket beside the wallet and concealed by the pocket comb.

That is a really old memory since I have not had any hair to comb since 1990!

[Rick]

Pocket comb. Back when we had hair, right?

[finallyME]

.....and a whole lot less small game hunting....but more wood batoning and Zombie stuff.

There is an upland version with gut hook......but I never use a gut hook.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

I think that hook is a parcel carrier, back when you wrapped a parcel with string.

Osiris, if you are serious about getting good advice, I wouldn't necessarily put a timeline on how long you are going to follow this thread. Of course, listening to old timers who have done this for thousands of years won't hurt.

Another thought is.... everyone has different experiences with different knives. Eventually you just have to buy one and try it out. Then buy another and compare. When you ask a bunch of people for their opinion, you get wildly different answers. You will never settle on a knife from a forum. Only experience will get you that far. In other words, buy a bunch of knives, try them out, tell us what you thought of them.

[kyratshooter]

Here you go Osiris. The WSF crew buys these by the case and leaves them around like a trail of brad crumbs. That way there is always one nearby. Amazing little knives for the money and if you don't like the blade shape just take a file or grinder to it and make what you want out of it.

http://www.chkadels.com/Wahoo-Killer-Knife-1038

[Osiris]

yeah, i think you're right, i'm gonna sit tight for a lil. while,
and see how this thread progresses

if it dosn't, i might go for the one M118LR refers to, the Alpha Wolf, maybe the d2 instead

or the one hunter63 mentioned, but then again, i'm not especially keen on pocket knives,
(i really like the fact, that you guys knows that, just form the few post that i've have made here,
that says something!.)

now, i'm not gonna comment on the scifi stuff, but that one is also quite nice,
and it seems to me that there is a consensus about gut hooks usefulness on smaller game,
my initial thought was that it would be a big advantage, as i think, it can be with bigger game,
but from your comments, and what i have found most places, is that it isn't, unless it's used on
bigger game.


i think a scalpel is way too small, even though i can see the advantages in it,
but i would never buy or use one, i might be wrong here, but imo. a scalpel is for doctors.


kyratshooter, that one seeams a lot like my mora knife, maybe i should just get a new one,
they are in fact quite nice imo. i've liked it alot for cutting ect.
but i've never used 'em for food stuff, only work, the reason i haven't thought about it,
is the sheere size, thay are way to big?.
but maby such as a mora fishing fillet or a mora precision,
would be a better choice..

[M118LR]

Long before KOA, 3 Buck Knives used to ride in the game-bag.

102 Buck Woodsman: http://www.buckknives.com/product/10...ife/0102FAM01/
105 Buck Pathfinder: http://www.buckknives.com/product/10...ife/0105FAM01/
103 Skinner: http://www.buckknives.com/product/10...ife/0103FAM01/

The sheaths have changed since the days when I carried them, but with proper cleaning and oiling they should last for awhile. The grips on the Bucks are a bit harder to hold on to than the KOA Suregrip when smothered in blood & guts. The Buck High Carbon Steel needs more frequent stoning (won't hold a working edge as long as the KOA D2 steel) but I can attest that they all work perfectly well for the tasks they are designed for. They will also last a lifetime with normal maintenance.

The Mora's are great products for what they are, they are easily resharpened and make a great addition to any tackle-box. I wouldn't call them a knife that lasts a lifetime, but at thier price point it's easy to purchase enough of them to last a lifetime. Even after you have purchased a knife that lasts a lifetime, don't forget to toss a Mora or two into every tackle-box, there is always a use for them. JMHO.

So while scalpel's may be a Doctors tool, there should always be one in your emergency kit! I advise that it be the one piece stainless steel variety that won't collapse and cause further damage, and there just might be a time when it could be the only knife available for your small game gutting & skinning tasks. I can attest that it works well, we can just dispense with the long boring story of how I know.

Good Luck, hope you don't end up like so many of us other lifetime knife junkies! They seem to be like Lays potato chips, bet you can't stop at one! LOL

[hunter63]

As my Remington Folder Waterfowl Knife was in the Duck hunting bag....I used a Wahoo Killer knife to process my turkey this last spring.....
Also have one residing next to the recliner as a potato chip bag, UPS package, and apple slicing knife after the dogs ate the wooden handle of the Mora #1
And of course one in every tool box....truck, car, shop shed, basement.....and at $2 buck each....can be used as tent stakes .....LOL