Knives that have worked for you.

[Kodiak]

I have used a Case 2 blade folder (not stainless) since 1956 to gut/dress/skin several truck loads of deer, antelope, and over 25 elk, most were quartered in order to pack out. Both blades have been sharpened 100s of times and are not near as heavy as when new. The sharpening tool has been a flat, grooved steel, sold by Gerber Knives Co. I went thru a few flimsy "game saws" until I bought a commercial butcher's 12" bone saw. Works great!

I see no need to change now.

Old Jim

 

[Oldtrader3]

D2 is a Carpenter Steel airhard tool steel. It has some of the properties of stainless being 12.0% chrome but it has no nickel and high carbon (1.5%) to make it hold an edge.

 

[Blkram]

I have a couple of the Buck Vanguard knives in the rubberized handle that was presented earlier...been using the two of them for everything for over 18 years...and they have handled up to 15 head of big game in a single year, from deer to bison, and everything else in between. Still carry them in my pack every outing. But I have to admit that I finally broke down and tried the Outdoor Edge Swing Blade about 5 years ago, (do not like gut hooks...never found them to be worth the time or energy) and was so impressed with it that I got two! Now one is also in my pack, while the other is always on my belt. Last year I did get a Havalon, and carry it in my pack as well...the closest thing I have seen for a good caping knife.
I do have a custom knife that was given to me by a friend years ago, that is also in my pack (when can a guy have too many sharp knives?!?!, and too nice to leave at home...will use it sometime on a special hunt). But have never used it...just too nice!
I guess I am a worker at heart and want my working tools functional more than pretty. A rubberized handle does not get slippery when covered in blood or fat from harvested game, and there must always be a sharp one ready to use when one starts to dull...so no time is wasted in the field sharpening knives when the game needs to be dressed and cared for first. (And I am not afraid to admit that the art of quality knife sharpening has not been one that I have yet acquired, so I wait to get back and have it done for me. I know...terrible! Something I truly need to remedy!)

 

[JD338]

Kurt,

I saw one of Tim's knives yesterday at a campfire get together here in MI. Very impressive knives.

JD338

 

[6mm Remington]

BUCK is good enough for this Arkanite Always has been and i can sharpen them with no issues!

Last one is a CASE !!

Buck and Case both build a very nice knife. Nice collection.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington...the guy building my new F-class rifle in Florance is a custome knife builder and has some really nice knives that you should look at for "Made in Montana" knives.

I'll have to take a peak at them.

I do like these a lot.

 

[6mm Remington]

Mommy told me I was not to play with any sharp objects...... so I became a Marine....

This is part of my functional knives...... The bent K-BAR on the right was NIB when issued.... took me six months in the bush to render it to that condition.....

Both K-BARs were made by Camillus..... as were the 2 Stainless Steel Blaster's knives on the left. The Sykes was given to me by a Brit Marine Corporal when I finished a 6 month TDY with them.

And the little Buck at the bottom was my Father's..... it's skinned over a dozen deer. My newer K-BAR has done a couple deer and 5 hogs..... big, bulky, durable.

The three folders to the left of the K-BAR are Camillus #4 Folders..... the lower one as you can tell has been used alot..... it's opened alot of mortar ammo waterproof cannisters.

Now those are some knives. Nice set!

 

[truck driver]

I've lost more fixed blade knifes than I can remember from forgetting to pick them up after dressing a deer so I prefer a good folder that will fit in my pocket. I love the old Bucks, Case and Western Cuttlery fixed blades.
Never owned a custom because I look at a knife as a tool to be used and I would be afraid of loosing it or wearing it out. My two go to knifes are a Buck Prince and a small Kershaw clip blade.
Heck I use to just carry a small 1-1/4" Scharade pocket folder that I used to dress quite a few deer with when bow hunting. When I was a teen ager I would carry one of the Old Hickory butcher knifes we had stuck in a hand made sheaf. My dad would tell me boy don't cut your leg off with that thing.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I like me a sharp blade and think I will be adding me some Havalon to my kit with some extra blades and band-aids :lol: my best sharpening tool is my Diamond Rod that looks like a plain steel! My Ouachita stone means a lot to me being from Arkansas my home town sits on the Ouachita River where I was born and raised fishing and duck hunting it and The Skatters of Bayou Meto as a young kid! Priceless memories no doubt :grin: I have added a few more BUCKS already and love them all as I have the 1 Case that is a limited edition with red stag bone for it handle that sharpens nicely!!
Lotta nice looking blades guys!!

http://www.gpknives.com/case523fixedbla ... croll.html

 

[Oldtrader3]

I almost always carry a 4" folder in my pocket and for deer hunting, it has always been enough for what I need. I have about 25 folders and several fixed blade knives. Most are collector's stuff but well made knives as well.

 

[big rifle man]

Charlie, never heard of D3 steel. Does it have advantages over D2?

 

[ajvigs]

I have two Gerber Bell and Carlsons for hunting, one has a gut hook one doesnt. Solid knife.

Then for everyday, I carry either a Kershaw tanto, or my favorite CRKT with a tanto, I call him Mr. Cricket.

I want to pick up the Benchmade Infidel next. Pricey, but after playing with one I want it bad.

 

[Elkman]

I carry an Old Timer, 3 inch two bladed folding knife and a 5 inch buck. That's all I have ever needed, to take care of the cleaning and skinning.

 

[BK]

Kurt,

I saw one of Tim's knives yesterday at a campfire get together here in MI. Very impressive knives.

JD338

Yep. Once I get my life in order I will probably order more.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Carpenter's D2 is Air Hard (1.5% CA, 12%CR) versus Oil Hard (2.15% CA, 12.25%CR). These are property specific special TS's for cutters and blades.

 

[big rifle man]

Charlie, it looks like the D3 is definitely a harder steel. I never see it offered for sale by our cutlery companies, any particular reason?

 

[Oldtrader3]

Jimmy Lile used D2 and more recently, I have seen a couple of D3 knives from custom makers. Plus it is expensive, and hard. These blades are air hardened (D2) to Rc 58-62 on the cutting edges and need to be ground sharp.

 

[truck driver]

With all this talk I dug out a bunch of knives I have just to see what I do have and I guess you could say too many. But one in particular caught my eye and it is a little unique in that it was made by Irwin Cuttlery which I never heard of. It's a gentlemens pocket knife Sterling silver bolsters with mother of pearl scales, it's a 3 blade with one being a nail file and cleaner.
Has anyone heard of this company?

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

Anyone heard of these guys as I have been thinking about adding 1 to my collection and boy is it hard picking 1 but I have a couple in mind! :shock:
http://www.helle.no/products/knives/

Temagami CA would be one I was looking at and the other would be the Odel and one they do not show called Safari ? Anybody seen these before?
http://www.campsaver.com/safari-knife
http://www.campsaver.com/odel-knife
http://www.campsaver.com/temagami-survivorman-knife
The Temagami they had in Carbon and regular stainless at same price what would be the better knife? Any ideas?

 

[dubyam]

I don't own anything collectible. My knives are like my rifles - built and bought to use. I have been carrying a folding pocketknife since the third grade. Back then, my teachers all knew I had it, and occasionally borrowed it from me. I currently carry a Schrade lockback. It's black polymer and about 2" long. Great pocketknife.

As for hunting knives, I've always had a folder on my belt. For many years, it was my Buck 110 Folding Hunter. Great knife, and still gets used when we have multiple deer to clean at one time. Holds an edge almost forever. I cleaned 7 white-tails with it one weekend back when I was in college. These were research harvested deer (I was a wildlife biology major) and I did not sharpen the knife until the next week. It was still sharp enough to shave hair off my arm before I sharpened it. A few years ago, my wife gave me a Buck Alpha Hunter Folding Guthook knife, which I've carried since. It's the best knife I've used up to now, and that includes a number of borrowed Buck, Gerber, Cold Steel, Bear, Case, Old Timer, and Schrade knives. I used it just this morning to dress a doe before dropping her off at the processor. Here's a pic after a quick cleaning on the tailgate:



I think you can still buy these, though some of the Alpha Hunter models are discontinued.