Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Best Squirrel knife ?

I’m going to start doing squirrel this year, but all my knives are deer & elk - I can’t even find my old small game blades.

Well that’s good enough of an excuse for me (I may have quit looking early on purpose).

Show me some nice squirrel and bird blades !!

One like this is what my dad used for as long as I can remember. It was the only pocket knife he would carry.

I would post a picture but for some reason postimages seems to not be working. Most of the cutting I do on squawk is with game shears. The four legs, head, guts and being separated into four quarters and back saddle is done with an old pair of Gerber game shears. The tail cut to initiate skinning is done with a Menefee Trapper folding knife or a small fixed blade like a Bob Dozier Canoe Knife.

I'd get an Ontario Rat 2 with D2 steel. Best for the money that I know about.

It is hard to beat a Case Trapper or Mini Trapper. However, Lazy R Cowboy Knives makes one called tree rat that I hear is pretty special. They aren’t the best looking, but pretty specialized for the purpose. There may be a YouTube video of a guy skinning with one.

My absolute favorite is the Dozier K-12 Small Game Skinner. Can't be beat.

RS

http://www.dozierknives.com/images/documents/k12.jpg

i've had this one for close to 50 years and hundreds of skirrels. i bought my sons each one as well. they are not a super high quality knife by todays standards but they will sharpen easily to razor sharpness and are just the right size for most game.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.co...-bird-and-trout-fixed-blade-sheath-knife

That is one heck of a good looking knife.

Queen steel is harder than anything I have ever sharpened, I’ve had people bring them to me because they couldn’t touch them with regular stones.

Thanks!

I like Dozier, but I don't care for the finger grooves. I prefer the Canoe Knife from Dozier because I can slide the knife around and change positions with it easier and it's more comfortable in different hand positions without the grooves. Good D2 steel will take you through a bunch of squirrels and still be razor sharp afterward.

I make the tail cut with the small blade of a Swiss Army Tinker and everything else I do with a set of Gerber game shears.

you can get them for a lot cheaper than that link too. i don't think i paid over 30 or so bucks for either of my sons a few years ago. one was newish and the other was used and the sheath was beat up. my nieces husband made really nice little monogrammed sheaths for them anyway.

I use a TL 29. I have had it for more than 50 years from when I first went into the army.. it was issued to me but I don't know what year it has a wooden walnut handle but the metal loop is gone and I don't know what happened to it... I also have a later one that has a plastic handle, it is still complete with the carry loop.. I was issued it just before I retired. the blade is shaped very well to skin squirrels... I keep the older one razor sharp for skinning squirrels...they can be bought on line .. just google them up..

My Case SlimLine Trapper has worked on several for me, I carry it every day for everything.

If buying a knife just for small game I would look at a Mini Trapper.

I do have a Jap made Cold Steel Mini Hunter that would be a handy fixed blade for the nut munchers.

I picked up a set of Open Season knives from Buck with S35V steel and micarta scales. This one is pretty handy.
Buck Open Season S35V

Been using a Case or Schrade medium Stockman pocket knife to clean small game and for all the critters I trapped over the last 50 or so years. Never saw the need for anything special for skinnin' little critters.

The Opinel kids knife works well. File a notch in the blade for breaking bones.

Some squirrel hunters use the least expensive Marlin or Savage .22 rifle they can lay their hands on and are happy with that. Others use a Cooper Jackson Squirrel Rifle. Both kill squirrels.

I prefer a small drop point fixed blade knife for squirrels or rabbits. I've used a variety of folders and fixed blades with different shapes and lengths; I like a 2-3/4"-3" length thin blade, overall knife length in the area of 7". Two favorites l use are an Easler custom and A.G.Russell Gents Hunter. Game shears are handy too, along with fish skinning pliers to grasp and pull with, as I have some nasty arthritis and neuropathy issues making some days pretty painful.

That sir is one pricey do-dad...

I like the Opinel #8 Gardening Knife. Stainless, sharp, good blade and handle shape. Add a lanyard made from #275 paracord and you're ready to go afield.

I have used a case stockman ss since about 1972, any small sharp knife will work

If you like fixed blades - I’m partial to Case or Queen “mini Finns”. I use these on a lot of game.

PennDog

8OT, 93OT, 34OT or maybe a 3347. Whichever one I happen to have in my pocket. Really didn't know there was such an animal as a "squirrel knife", but my ignorance knows no bounds.

Overkill, but I've used a mora companion before. Most with a buck 110, no problem pushing down to crack bones.

I have two of these, great knives for small game. Does a great job field dressing deer too!

AG Russell Woodswalker,thin and sharp.Pair of shears in camp for trimming.

I have cleaned lots of squirrels. I use a hatchet or cleaver to cut the feet, head, and tail off. cut a slit in the back insert fingers and rip the skin off like a pants and shirt. I like a knife like a Trapper pattern or a small fixed blade with a sharp point.

After resisting for years as seeming too gimmicky, I finally tried the Havalon with replaceable blades. They're great.

For me, a scapel blade knife and a pair of game shears are the way to go. I have a Havalon, but find myself using the Gerber Vital more as the blade change is easier.

Cleaned lots over the past few years, I have an old fixed blade - like a full sized knife, not sure of the brand, but it's Carbon steel and has rust and pits, but sharpened - it cuts..........

Also, use shears ALOT. I cut the feet off with shears, tail off with knife, sometimes slice under the tail and around it on top of the hind end, to pull the hide, other times just start at the middle of the back with a slit from the knife. Skin, cut off the front quarters with knife cutting along shoulder blade down. Next I cut off the head with shears, then the back quarters with shears either side of the back. Then trim off ribs and keep the back half of the back.

Shears makes it SO Much easier, you can use the to slide under the hide after you cut the feet off, and slice along the sides of the legs to split the hide to make it easier to skin.

Lastly, a Pressure cooker does wonders to make the meat tender.........my fave lately, using Squirrel for Gumbo

Yup.

Those Dozier blades sure are sweet

Case Stockman, Trapper or one of their lock back pocket knives . Easy to keep sharp and excellent for the task of skinning squirrels.


Joe

this little knife by Tim Olt is what I take when out for squirrels. S30V steel. I designed it, Tim made it a reality. Keeps a razor edge and is small enough for small game.

Here is my small game knife, ok it’s with a turkey but it works with all small game and birds. Wayne Olsen, it was my father’s and will be my son’s one day. Hope not to soon. 😳

Respect that!

Squirrel knife

Check out McCroskey Custom Knives
405-624-9900
Stillwater, Ok

mccroskeyknives.com

Look at the Trapper Set...they are unbelievable. You will skin 300 squirrels and never touch up the blade...sharp as a surgeon's knife. A friend that was a trapper skinned 300 Beaver with his before he sharpened.

Same here, have a old med stockman Case.

Anyone ever try a Bark River Micro-Canadian? I’ve got an oldie that I’m going to carry again this year after several years in the gear pantry.

Really liked my Knives of Alaska Bear cub

I have an old Buck 107 that seems to get used most but I have a 2 knife lockback set (1sheath) also made by Buck that I carry most days and have used more than once.

Old K-Bar folder that was my uncle's.

I've used custom knives of all kinds, but a Case Slimline Trapper works as well as anything knife wise. Use a hatchet for cutting off the head, tail, and feet.

4" or 3 1/4" Victorinox paring, straight blade. Less than 10 bucks.

I'm seldom without an Opinel #6 in my pocket.

Folding knife, any small stockman style from a reputable company is fine. Case knives are always great.

Medium stockman's work very well. I have a Mike Sanders skinner that I've had for a long time that works well. I think a bark river smaller lightweight fox river could do.

Like!

Guess you can call me cheap, but my go-to knife for cleaning squirrels and bunnies is a 4" Rapala fillet knife. Good for skinning and deboning. Game shears then make quick work of cutting off the feet and head.

I believe smart it the word you are looking for. I could clean a squirrel with a flint.

Also used a Case slimline trapper for many years, and would first cut the feet and tails with an my old faithful sidecutters. Recent years went to a Kershaw Leek. Dandy knife, and love their Skyline also for a camping, deer hunting knife.

L.T. Wright Frontier Valley.

I also like a Fillet knife for Squirrels!
Have used several different kinds of knives, for them, but I always seem to wind up with a fillet
Knife in my hand!

Nice little blade.
Looks like a handy size with many uses

Local guy put this one together for me. My design, specifically for small game. Giraffe bone handle. I need to get a nice leather sheath made for it one of these days.

Yes, 2.6" blade, 4" scales. Perfect for a lot of uses

My grandfather used to use the tiny coping blade on a Buck Lancer pocket knife .I think he thought it was like a little scalpel ,it was !