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Jaxom · Senior Member

I know this post doesn't have anything to do with air guns, but it is applicable to hunting. Reciently I lost a pocket knife a good friend gave to me for my 40th birthday. It was a really nice Kershaw folding knife. I had been using that for field dressing. But it is gone now. I was going to buy another one just like it, but right now that's out of the budget.

I'm wondering what all you use for field dressing small game? I just might have something that will work, in as much as I inherited alot of my grandfather's fishing and outdoors related gear, including some knives.

I just don't want to spend any money on a trashy knife that I'll end up having to replace in the long run.

Jax

Legendpilot · Member

Honestly I've never field dressed anything, other than a fish if that counts Laughing

, but this knife has always served me well and it's your brand. I've had it over ten years and never did anything to it except tighten it now and again. I paid less than $30 at wally world and they still carry it for the same price.

fritz · Silver Status Member

Look for a fixed blade (easy to clean, because it doesn't hold dirt or germs), 3-5" blade knife.

I like my old '40s Remington knife. It has a fixed 4" blade, and holds a great edge. I sharpened a bit of the back of the tip for reverse cutting. I can skin a squirrel like a champ with it. The small blade lets me get under the skin and cut it without rupturing intestines.

Just look for a small fixed blade. Go with a major brand to help insure quality. Bigger blades are much harder to handle when using them on rabbits and squirrel.

kanyon · Silver Status Member

LOl..Ok guys..if I gut a bunny in the feild I use a carpet knive.
Those small hooked knive that is used for cutting carpet.
Stone it till its razer sharp.
Hold the bunny by the ears stick it in just under the chin &
then rip him open to his a$$ hole Then give him a real hard flick
and all his gut flys out.

thepaladin · Senior Member

Obviously depends on what you're field dressing. A squirrel, a couple of careful cuts and you can rip the skin off. A deer on the other hand requires a bit more, and then there is everything in between. I have a Buck Skinner that's about 35 years old (they don't make the same knife now) but I haven't deer hunted in years. When I was still working I carried a fixed blade Case with a blade a little over 3 inchs. It works for about anything.

fritz · Silver Status Member

When I skin a tree rat I only use the knife for the first few bits then rip the skin off. With such a thin skin it is easy to cut through.

Eatamoose · Member

Here's the ones I use the most.

From left to right;
- The Wyoming knife. Good for smelly things like coyote that you want to get done with fast.
- The Buck "Pathfinder". This is the one I use the most. It holds an edge far longer than the others.
- The Queen Steel "Rabbit hunter". Not sure if they make this one anymore, but it's easy to sharpen, holds a good edge, and is thin enough for delicate cuts.

Jaxom · Senior Member

I was going through what knives I have. Some I inherited, other's I just came by in trade or just impulse buy. Honestly, most I wouldn't use to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with. El cheapo buck knock off's and the like.

Two that I've found so far might have "life" in them. The first of these is a craftsman folding pocket knife that I inherited from my grandfather. I found it in one of his tackle boxes. Problem is, the longest blade looks like it was sharpened with 60 grit course sand paper. The other two smaller blades, for some odd reason, my grandfather rounded the points off. Not withstanding those same two smaller blades as well as the insides are conciderably rusted. I'm wondering, since this has the craftsman logo on it, if I could exchange it, like any other tool?

The other is a Schrade "Old Timer" skinning and gutting knife. It's actually a really nice knife, but I'm having issues with it. It keeps rusting on me! And it's not like I don't know how to take care of knives. It's just this one seems to rust very easily. I always make it a policy to cover any knife with a light coat of honing oil or machine oil after every use or after sharpening. The last time it took me days using 1000+ grit emmery paper to get the blade back to a nice finish. Then I resharpened it, oiled it then stored it in it's sheath. I keep this and all my other camping, fishing and certain tools that I feel would be harmed if I stored them in the garage, are stored in my basement. The basement isn't overly humid. I would notice if my wood working tools started rust, wouldn't I???

stewartlittle · Member

thepaladin · Senior Member

The Old Timer is high carbon steel...it will work great and hold an edge pretty well, but you'll need to keep it oiled and cleaned. You have to be careful storing them in the sheath to as condensation can form. I Had a folding hunter years ago and carry a small folding one now. It'll rust to if I don't watch it.

I've had two Buck folders, both Stockman models. The oldest one was better, lost it (I used a knife on my job a lot). I also had a Kabar folder I carried all the way through mu hitch in the army...and then dropped and ran through a "pug-mill" in a plant after I got home...came out in pieces.

Jaxom · Senior Member

I had to run an erron that took me near Sears today. My local store doesn't carry that pocket knife anymore, have to go to a larger store.

So, is the Old Timer worth saving, or should I clean it up and sell it off on Ebay? Use the money to buy a good quality stainless steel knife? Kinda sad though, I actually like it. It's a nice size and weight. Has a 3 1/2" long blade and a skinning/gut hook.

I have alterior motives for wanting a good knife, but I'll save that for a different topic/thread.

Until I make my mind up, I'm wondering if there's anything I could do with this Craftsman? As I said, it has three blades. The longest is 2 1/2", the other two are 1 1/2". Although one is wider then the other.

thepaladin · Senior Member

I'd keep it and use it... High carbon steel has some advantages over stainless, it just requires a little more care. Look into the two steels and what you plan to use it for. I've got knives of both (and other) types they all have their own pluses and minuses.

http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.html

May be more than you want to know... Originally Buck knives were hand made from leaf spring steel...today they are stamped out like most knives. Still for squirrel, a good pocket knife will do. Sort of up to the indivual.

Rogerflat · Silver Status Member

I've got more knives than I could ever use, however, for hunting I just use a small little Walmart issued Case pocket knife. It's held it's edge for two years without sharpening. Small, simple, effective. What more do you need?

Jaxom · Senior Member

Rodger,

I'd really have to agree. If I'm "hunting" at home. I've got my full cutlery set at my disposal. I really liked that Kershaw that I had. Great blade on it, never rusted, and held a really sharp edge.

Because of my love of nature and interest in anything outdoors, I reciently downloaded the Woodsman series on survival in wilderness area's.

Now the odds of me being put into a survival type situation are slim to nill. I don't have money to go anywhere to get lost in the first place. Well, other then my local forest preserves that is.

For that one in a million chance that I do end up in a survival type situation, it's recommended to have at least one good knife, if not three seperate different knives.

The first class of knife mentioned is the multi-tool. Like a true Swiss Army Knife or one made by Leatherman or Gerber.

The second must have class is a good small to med sized pocket/folding knife. Good for skinning, gutting, whittling, ect.

And finally a good heavy duty sheath knife, with a blade size of 10" or more. Heavy duty blade with full lenght shank. Something you could hack down small trees, strap onto a stick and use as a spear, durable enough you can use as a log splitter if ya pound on it with a rock.

For now I'm just thinking about the second class of knife. The other two will have to wait until I can find employment. Or I work some sort of deal out on stuff I'm selling on ebay/craigslist.

Jax

23ib0d0n · Moderator

Swiss Army has a good 'field' blade. I use one . . . the 'wood' saw works quite well on bone also.
http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/Product.aspx?category=sportsandleisure&product=53641&
http://www.knife-depot.com/knife-34936.html

An effective anti-rust . . .
http://www.firehawktech.com/catalog/BALLISTOL_LUBE-1-1.html