knifes

[ecoaster]

Grey Owl,

It says ONCA on the sheath and the blade says made in Brasil. Got it at Crappy Tire when I was a kid. But you are right, it is tough. I use the serated edge for cutting through bone and clearing last minute shooting lanes. Still as sharp as the day I bought it. Touch up the main blade once a year.

[kinger]

does anyone have any experience with the browning line of knives??? the swivel lok to be exact ?

[ecoaster]

I believe you need a sturdy sharp hunting kinfe for in the field when deer hunting, but once my deer is hanging at home, I do all my butchering with fillet knives. They are thin blades that are extremely sharp and can easily work around the bones.

[groundpounder]

Alot of info on knives here, but with a good knife you need a good saw. I like the small Wyoming saw. When I go out west Elk hunting its small enough to pack with me and I feel a must when quarterin up an animal. It also does great on cutting the pelveis out of the way to be able to remove the bladder with out busting it. Best method I've found.

[Grizzly Adam]

I've used these two knives to work up my last 40 deer or so, and offer my unreserved recommendation of them to anyone looking for ideal butchering knives. They're ideal because that's exactly what they're made for ... BUTCHERING and nothing else ... they're the same ones many slaughterhouses employ, and they're designed for daily use.

They're made by FORSCHNER, and are the VICTORIONOX line, with FIBROX handles. This is the 6" skinner and the 6" straight boner, the two essentials. Made in Switzerland, they're scary sharp, hold an edge well, and have impervious handles that don't allow any crud to accumulate or be stored away.

Pretty? Maybe not. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but when I see these I see knives made to work, period, and work they do. I can't suggest a better option for butchering knives because I don't know of any.

Once you know what you're doing, you can gut a deer with just about any knife. I've done quite a few with a 2 & 3/4" Buck pocketknife.

Splitting crotches and breastbones isn't necessary in gutting a deer, unless you just prefer to do it ... and if you do, nothing beats a nicely sharpened hatchet, or a cleaver. I only did it the first time, before an old hand showed me that it wasn't required. Once I learned the trick to freeing the anal tract and extracting the esophagus, I never cut another bone in the field.

I never have used knives designed to be carried in the pocket or in a sheath for working up animals. I used to skin and bone with two Old Hickory knives designed for those purposes, but these Forschners are much, much better. They're made exclusively for the butchering business, and when you're using them, you can tell it. They outshine everything else I've ever used. They are top-notch working knives.

Try 'em, if you're looking for the economical option that does the best job. I do a lot of butchering, and I don't hesitate to advise anyone in the market for butchering knives to try these out.

Not the best picture, 'cause they're shiny ... but here's what they look like:



Grizz

[TPM]

Grohmann bought the Russell line of knives quite some time ago,and they are sold as Grohmann Russell.

Actually the Russell knives that Grohmann makes ( the #1, #2, #3 and #4) were always made by Grohamnn. In fact they were a design collaboration between Deane Russell and Rudolph Grohmann. Grohmann first started producing knives in 1954 and I believe the Grohmann Russell #1 first came out in 1957 or 58.
The #1, which is the knife that BigUgly has pictured in his post, is still one of their biggest sellers and is widely available at many knife retailers. I have one and I just love it. Odd looking knife but very functional.

[Big Al]

Great Knives they certainly are! I have a much larger Forschner I carry in my hunting pack for skinning. But I no longer skin as I did years ago. So I only use it now when I get back to camp and have the game bags handy. You might have a hard time quartering you larger deer (moose, elk, caribou) without cutting bone however. A few of us older guys who can no longer carry from 300 to 700 pounds across broken ground find it to be slightly more comfortable to break the animal down into more sizable pieces. Also I find that quartering, as I do, requires me to cut through bone. Please tell us how you have learned to quarter your game with out cutting through bone? I have seen suit case deer in Va. that looked like you could fold all four legs and carry them home like a suit case.

[NZ Hunter]

The hook is for gutting, after making a small opening through the skin to the belly put the hook in and zip it open, helps not poping the grass bag.
I use a knife called a Mercator, made in germany. Just a flip open pocket knife that will lock open. Good steel, very compact. I do a lot of walking so I keep my gear down to a minamum, it all adds up. I skin and bone my deer out if I am too far from my truck.

[Grizzly Adam]

Big Al ...

We have over 50 deer per square mile right here where I live ... but we're running a little short on moose, elk, and caribou. Got 700+ pound black bears, but our deer aren't too big, far as whitetails go. A mature buck would average 125 pounds, and a doe around 90. Some get bigger, if they live more than three years.

I don't cut a bone on deer, period. I hunt on my own farm, and I don't (typically) have to do anything in the field except drag 'em to the truck ... and in rifle season, I try to eliminate the drag! I bone 'em out on the gambrel and leave nothing but a denuded skeleton hanging there.

Many deer I kill are hanging on a hoist within a half hour of death, and are butchered and dumped within the next hour. You develop a certain efficiency in processing over the years. Once the boned meat is safely in the fridge, my wife and I work together in converting it into various venison delights. It's the good life!

Grizz

[Brampton Mike]

I split the animal at the pelvis and ribs to make for easier cleaning. I do this now with a browning field saw, but use to do it all with my knife. It was handed down to me when my Grandpa quit hunting in 1990. It's a Russel knife from the mid 50's or so I'm told. I don'y know a lot about knifes but I do know this thing is amazing. Will cut ribs of a doe or fawn with ease. Not to big great for gutting and even used it to scrape a hide I preserved last year. This knife really hold an edge all you need to do is use the steel after that. I've cleaned 5 deer in the last two years with this and it's never seen a stone. Just don't know if they still make them I realize it's not very pretty but it works.

That is an awesome knife.........I have 2 of them...the Bird & Trout model and the Canadian Survival model and they are the best knives i've ever owned....i've had them for close to 30 years now! Brampton Mike

[Grizzly-Papa]

My choice for all field work as always been the finger grooved Buck. It needs frequent sharpening in my opinion but ultmately gets the job done including carving pumkins for the kiddies.



For cutting bones, I rely on the Wyoming saw which stores nicely in a carry case.

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Grizzly-Papa

[awshucks]

Another knife junky checking in!! Sportsmans Guide has a swell fixed blade Puma drop point w/ gut hook for around $40.

[Quickshot]

All I use is the russell knife like BigUgly, I hav'nt had it long but does it ever work. Easy to handle and really holds an edge. Great knife.

[TYE]

I can't remember what i did with my BUCK knife, but I could care less, because it always went dull part way through dressing a deer.

I dressed about 3 or 4 deer about 2 years ago with this knife, and it's great. I found it out in the shed, it used to be my grandfathers knife. It must have been re sharpened with a grinder or something, but it gets the job done, and sharp and quickly. It cuts through the ribs like a knife through butter. Never used a knife that could go through the bottom of the ribs as well.

[ecoaster]

For a saw, I really like the folding saws. Pack up real easy and are good for clearing shooting lanes and cutting bone.

Which reminds me, I broke mine the other day, so I better go get another.