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Evening, Judman could you please tell me the blade size on the antler handled knife. It's perfect in my eyes. If it's one that's from Godogs 57 I need his contact info please. I make knives on the side but not that good, when ya only make 3 to 4 a year it takes awhile to get that good. Would love to have that knife in 154 or S30v or d2 or or or.??? Like about a 3 5/8 to 3 3/4" blade that style. Handle,,, oh about 4-1/2 to 4-3/4. It's a lot like George Herron, Wayne Hendrix style. I got into making a few when I trapped, thought I could come up with a design that would work for everything, we all know that's impossible but hey I was young & stupid back then!!! Would appreciate any info. Thanks in advance. Bill out, 🐾👣🐾👣🐾🐾🇨🇦

Nice, looks like the skinner brother of the middle one in my picture. You ever use it? Mine seem to have quality blade steel and are built to last awhile.

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Thanks hank..

I've used it before but she just sits in the gun room mostly. I'll give it to a grandson someday..

Lil chub in snakewood, sadly its no longer mine. The old man glommed onto it, so it’s his now... 🤣🤣

B&T snakewood, lil chub in 70’s vintage micarta and a ultra light skeleton knife, all from uncle Hank
where is the closest shell service station

One of the best/fastest dressing knives I ever used was the Cold Steel Recon 7" blade! I gutted, ripped up the brisket/neck for the windpipe, reamed the bunghole and all. It still shaved when I was done! I was way disappointed in the ?Cold Steel master Hunter later on. It wouldn't hold an edge worth spit. My Wegner Clipit is awesome, as is the Cold Steel Outdoorsman San Mai. Buck/Shrade folders get carried in the pack or belt pack. I just take a good handful with me, ha. I like Gerbers too, but just never used a Havalon type. My friend in south Africa uses the cheap box cutters! ha. I suppose everyone has something they like, or several!

REALLY like this one!!

Thanks for posting.

Ingram Lite Combo Dropped in S30V in my pack. I've worked through parts/pieces of 17 elk, 1 moose, 5 caribou, and a LOT of deer.

Used a rubber handled Buck Vanguard 692BK for while before the Ingrams. Grew up on a Schrade LB7.

I pack both a 3 1/4" and a 4". D2 metal.

Drop point or semi skinner is my favorite too. Some nice looking knives.

Whatever size comes on the Havalon Piranta😉

Think that’s my pal Judman’s favorite as well. 😛

Knife choice is based on individual emotion, most any knife can field dress and break down an elk... handed down or a present, what you were taught with or just catches your eye.

My first field knife was an Uncle Henry brass and wood, still have it somewhere in my stuff. Then my daughter when she was 10 gave me a buck protege rubber handled knife from Kmart for Christmas, I was skeptical as it wasn't as stout as my UH, dressed my next deer with it and it did well, I've used it on more than 50 animals and still carry it in my pack.

During my backpacking years I went to cheap light paring knives, back then 1 dollar for 4, 50 cent worth of knife would skin an elk on the ground slicker than snot, toss them when you get home... pre Havalon disposables I guess.

A butcher turned me on to the paring knives both cheapos and the birds beak Victorinox, which I used next, nothing beats it for skinning.

The last elk 2 years ago I used an old lambs skinner I keep in my butcher box, just because I wanted to... emotion... It worked well just like any other knife.

The birds beak in the picture is a henckel, same profile as the Vics which are packed away.

The only Havalon I witnessed in use on an elk broke a blade early on by the user, I had to find the piece then continued with my knife... so because of emotion I wouldn't use one again.

I have old skinners in my box and if someone brought an elk into camp whole I would use one for nostalgia sake, but not carry in the pack.

The Havalon has no cool factor. I just inferred a backpack scenario. All my cool knives stay home, except for Campfire meetups 😉

Jeff, a couple years I carried 2 paring knives and a 4" rapala for boning, which isn't a cool setup but very effective.

Thanksgiving weekend on 'kill the son in law hunt' aptly named by my SIL. First day was heavy rain, foot of snow over night, raging creeks and he killed a spike the afternoon of the second day. We had less than 2 hours to get back 2 miles. I wanted to be on the flat trail by dark not still in the rough. I skinned one side and boned the meat, he loaded a pack, then flipped it and did the other side. All packed in 45 minutes, made it to the trail and then the miles back to the truck right before dark, no headlights needed. Weighed my pack on the bathroom scale and it was 87lbs.

I admit to using a certain knife because of cool factor if time permits, otherwise it's get out of the way, peel this critter now.

Kent

That sounds ... memorable. To be honest, I have a small folder that goes with me most places, including with the Havalon. I remember a night on Kodiak when leaving everything but my clothes, headlamp, and rifle was sounding better and better☺️

😂😂

I left out that I did this with a Carbon V Recon Tanto and it was on a big cow elk. I've always been curious about one of the DiamondBlade knives. I just can't make myself spend the $400 or so they ask for them, ha.