Fixed Blade for Big Game

[Deleted member 31469]

I've had all sorts of hunting knives, including some custom knives in D2 steel and Damascus. Also had almost all the knives made by Knives of Alaska. All of them were great but I eventually sold them all on Ebay. Too heavy, rust, hard to sharpen, whatever. I now carry 3 knives---Morakniv companion, Havalon, and Leatherman Wave. I paid about the same for all 3 as for a single Knives of Alaska knife or a third what the custom knives cost. The Morakniv and Havalon are super lightweight and totally dependable. A good friend of mine in Hawaii goes to a ritzy elk camp in Montana every year. Pays about $15,000 for a hunt. He asked me what knife he should get. Told him to get a Morakniv, which he did. When he returned from his hunt he was upset.

"Those other guys almost laughed me out of the lodge when they saw that I had a $20 knife," he complained. "They all carry custom knives that cost $500 or more!"

"How many of those guys ever take their knives out of the sheaths, other than to show them off?" I asked. Before he could answer, I continued, "Never!! They never touch their knives. The guides do all the field dressing and butchering. Those fancy knives are all for show!"

He thought a minute and said, "Yeah. But I don't like getting laughed at."

A couple weeks later he showed me his custom knife that cost about $600. I guess they didn't laugh at him when he went to elk camp the next year.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Give me a decent knife either fixed or folding blade with no more than a 4' blade. I think Larry would agree

 

[Muledeerhunter]

Give me a decent knife either fixed or folding blade with no more than a 4' blade. I think Larry would agree

He would agree, but it would take about 4,000 words to do it.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 31469]

What fixed blade knife do you recommend for big game? I plan on doing the gutless method if I get a buck this year, if that changes your recommendation.

I've gone the gutless way many times with pigs and sheep on the Big Island, but never with deer. How do you access the tenderloin when you go gutless?

 

[HATCHET1]

I've gone the gutless way many times with pigs and sheep on the Big Island, but never with deer. How do you access the tenderloin when you go gutless?

Same way you do with swine and mutten..get in close to that spine and get some! Larry showed me that technigue...I miss Larry...Ed does not miss Larry.

 

[Hunter527]

Apparently getting to the heart isn’t too hard either. I saw a couple videos, you just have to cut out a couple ribs and cut the lung away.

 

[ilovesprig]

Apparently getting to the heart isn’t too hard either. I saw a couple videos, you just have to cut out a couple ribs and cut the lung away.

I like reaching in...........

.

 

[HATCHET1]

God I hate touching them..

 

[Lungpopper]

My Havalon Piranta gets a little crazy when it gets around dead animals. Gutless is my favorite.

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

just a standard Havalon Piranta and a Leatherman Wave+ for me. I can get a deer done fast gutless. No reason to carry a big knife if you need a saw or to get around elk joints the Leatherman is fine. For deer the Havalon is all I need.

I do the same these days. For years I ran 2 fixed blade knives -- a Buck gut knife and a custom Damascus steel one. But now I run the Havalon and Leatherman like Drew. The Leatherman helps switch blades on the Havalon and has a bonesaw in case I need to gut the thing and wanna saw the pelvis. Can usually gutless field dress a deer with a single Havalon blade.. it's that sharp.

 

[ilovesprig]

Still like old school....Kind of.................

.

 

[Deleted member 31469]

Speaking of gutless, when I was USMC at about the time that George Washington was crossing the Delaware, a sergeant instructor referred to me using that exact term.

 

[sherpa]

Case pocket knife ....if it's good enough for Larry..it's good enough for me!

Ditto on the case, I lost the one I’ve had for over 45 this last year dove hunting, but still have my dads, one is a 4” blade and the other twins are 5” , I’ve gutted a lot of deer in the last 65 years and skinned them when I got home with the same knife, can’t beat the old case brand oh ya a cow elk a few years ago

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

I'll let you know how the Havalon Titan works once I drop a deer..used it on a few duck breasts earlier this year but its dying to get in on some real action..

 

[Hunter527]

35 year old Buck light and a Havalon for me. The Havalon does 90% of the work. Sorry, I'm not into knives... Ed F

Is this the Buck light you have? Tonight I saw that Buck makes a 112 now thats pretty similar to it, they even make it with an orange grip. Looks pretty good for $30.

 

[BOWUNTR]

Is this the Buck light you have? Tonight I saw that Buck makes a 112 now thats pretty similar to it, they even make it with an orange grip. Looks pretty good for $30.
View attachment 49294

Yes sir that's it. I even have the camo case. It's done well over 100 animals. Easy to sharpen.... love it. Ed F

 

[ilovesprig]

Nobody has mentioned Benchmade knives...I found one awhile back...Seems to be dang sturdy and sharp.

Found this:

What are the top 5 knife brands?
Making The Cut: 15 Best Pocket Knife Brands

• Benchmade Knife Company. Our Pick: Benchmade Griptilian. ...
• Boker Manufactory. Our Pick: Boker Anti-Grav Knife. ...
• Buck Knives. Our Pick: Buck Knives 110 Hunting Knife. ...
• Cold Steel Knife & Tool Company. Our Pick: Cold Steel Spartan. ...
• Columbia River Knife & Tool Company. Our Pick: CRKT Homefront. ...
• DPx Gear. ...
• Emerson Knives. ...
• Kershaw Knives.

 

[Bowman]

I used a 110 buck knife for over 40 years, I finally gave it to my son, I purchased a new 110 buck, they are hard to sharpen, but it takes technique. I alter them to my needs.
old grinding stone , I don't like my gutting knifes to wide. but a la gutless method has become more popular. use two knifes , a small one to remove the glands on hind legs, and
second one to gut, skin, and process, time have changed.

 

[Hunter527]

Nobody has mentioned Benchmade knives...I found one awhile back...Seems to be dang sturdy and sharp.

Found this:

What are the top 5 knife brands?
Making The Cut: 15 Best Pocket Knife Brands

• Benchmade Knife Company. Our Pick: Benchmade Griptilian. ...
• Boker Manufactory. Our Pick: Boker Anti-Grav Knife. ...
• Buck Knives. Our Pick: Buck Knives 110 Hunting Knife. ...
• Cold Steel Knife & Tool Company. Our Pick: Cold Steel Spartan. ...
• Columbia River Knife & Tool Company. Our Pick: CRKT Homefront. ...
• DPx Gear. ...
• Emerson Knives. ...
• Kershaw Knives.

I found one too, it was on the ground near a yellow post campsite in the san bernardino mountains. I keep forgetting to mail it in to get it cleaned up and sharpened.

 

[Hunter527]

I have thought about the Benchmade Steep Country. What are the advantages of a Benchmade over this Buck knife?