Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades New Hunter starter knife

Would you say this (orange handle is $17) is a better starter knife for a new hunter than a vic parer or a mora?

https://www.buckknives.com/product/bucklite-max-small-knife/0673FAM01/

Not a thing wrong with that knife. I've got one stashed in my hunting book bag.

And for that price ($17), grab two.

Great looking knife for a new hunter. +1 on the suggestion of the orange handle, many times during field dressing you'll lay your knife down in the leaves the orange handle makes it easy to find.

Depends on what you use them for.

I do luv me some Victorinox knives. Taken apart quite a few critters with them. I use my small Vicki's daily. Hit em' with a steel and voila!




veined two pounds of jumbo shrimp with the small curved blake Vicki this evening.

ya!


GSB

I like Vics (and Moras), have one of those little hook blade versions myself. Handy for picking blue crab too. I'm wondering if that Buck would be a better value. I have a Buck folder that I like but don't know their fixed blades..

For $17 it is a no brainer if you like the ergonomics. Moras are good knives but the Buck at that price is the best value because of the lifetime warranty. Plus, you can send your Buck back to get it sharpened for like $5 if you can live with the soul crushing shame of being a hunter that can't sharpen his own knife.

Can't go wrong with a buck. I gave my daughters buck sheath knives and buck pocket knives as gifts. I avoid the non USA models (the one you show is USA). You can also typically pick up a 119 or folding hunter for cheap at Walmart or academy if their tastes run more toward the traditional.

Edit to add, some of the nylon sheaths they come with are not the best. They work well but are bulky and kind of ugly (if that matters). The leather sheets on the 119 and similar knives are nice, and the nylon sheath on the folding hunter is fine. I have a nighthawk that has the nylon fixed blade sheath and I don't really like it (the sheath) although I will admit it does the job.

For an inexpensive truck/pack/loaner knife, I like the Cold Steel Pendleton Lite Hunter and Canadian Belt Knife styles that can be bought for around $17 on eBay 24/7/365.

Either of those knives with the blades touched up and a Sagan Saw is all a person needs to field dress a deer. It isn't a lifetime knife or a knife that will ever be an heirloom, but it is quite serviceable.

I'm not a fan of Moras, particularly those with a carbon steel blade, as the grind makes for a thin/fragile edge and the carbon steel Moras seem to rust almost instantly.

It's basically a case of personal preference. I like Moras because of the thin edge which makes touching up the edge very easy. They aren't fragile for anything that I will do with a knife. They will cut wood or split ribs without any problems. I won't be cutting wire or heavy bone with one. I don't care if the carbon blades rust. I like that they sharpen easy and the rust won't hurt anything since I won't let it go for months without cleaning.

I would be perfectly fine using either the Buck or a Mora to field dress an animal. I do think the plastic Mora sheaths suck.

I've had both of these and they work well.

I read several reviews before I purchased the CS PLH...........


http://fineblade.blogspot.com/2011/09/blade-of-month-cold-steel-pendleton.html

ya!


GWB

You're right about personal preference, I'm just not a fan of rust/corrosion of any sort, anywhere. I know folks who don't care if their firearms are rusty/corroded, but that would drive me batty even if the rust/corrosion didn't negatively impact the firearm's function. Perhaps it is something ingrained from my years in the Army, never putting anything away that hadn't been cleaned and, if appropriate, lubricated.

My first hunting knife was a Schrade "Sharpfinger" . It's one of those in the "Old Timer" lineup. I got it when I was 12....back in 1981. I still carry it to this day.

Buck’s shipping is lightning fast! That was less than 24hrs!
Never could like the sharpfinger shape for much. For general field dressing large and small game, I use a vic or a mora just because I’ve not found anything significantly better, and they’re ok to lose or give away. Never tried a high end knife, hope to some day.
Praise for the Pendleton lite hunter is noted. I’ll put it on the list for the next need.


For me, the handle could be a half inch longer.

Don't forget to include outdoor edge in the budget knives.

Aus-8. Sharpen easily.

From deer camp.

a little more scratch, but nothing wrong with the Havilon's as long as you're skinning/slicing and not batoning or prying




ya!


GWB

I've got a outdoor edge change out blade knife. I believe they are a tad thicker than the havalons. Can be sharpened. Either way. One blade makes peelin' a dirty hide pig a breeze.

Go with the Buck. It is comfortable in the hand and has a good all around blade design for gutting and skinning a deer. I cannot tell if it is a full tang but it would be nice if it is.

It wouldn't matter if it wasn't. I have some big $$$ custom knives and I've made a bunch of custom knives but we honestly obsess way too much about knives. I could field dress any animal I've ever killed with a cheap $2 Chinese convience store folder and sharpen it on a rock. Sure It's nice to have good tools but sometimes we get a bit crazy about choosing the right one.

When it comes right down to it,I would much rather spend my money on good,easily sharpened processing knives than a field dressing knife. Even then they don't have to be expensive. I use Dexter Russell white handle knives with a Dexter Russel sharpening steel.

got my sharpfinger for my 13 birth day 1974 and it is still cuten anything that needs cut

I resemble that remark.

Don't do much "Mossy Oak", but I can certainly relate to the slogan "its not a passion, its an obsession!




a few "Russell's" and EDCs, all hafted by VinceM.


ya!


GWB