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Joined: Mar 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
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About 3 inches.
I have completely taken apart several elk and two moose with blades that size with zero issue. Anything bigger just gets in the way, kind of like my dong but in a bad way.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,899 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,899 Likes: 7 |
Around 3", folder.
Always heard the BS brag about using some tiny pocket knife.
One night I gutted a roadkill, in a ditch, with a little 2" Buck folder. It was razor sharp, but I really missed having a bit more blade.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,936
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
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I am in the 3-4" camp. I prefer fixed blades. Have used some folders, but always go back to fixed.
Ingram, Buck, Gerber, Helle, Schrade to name a few.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2009
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,301 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,301 Likes: 7 |
About 3 inches.
I have completely taken apart several elk and two moose with blades that size with zero issue. Anything bigger just gets in the way, kind of like my dong but in a bad way. Yep, a long blade and a long dong can result in terrible mishaps ...........
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,379
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I was thinking about this thread on Saturday field dressing my buck with my left arm buried up to the elbow with a handful of heart and lungs and my right arm up there with a sharp 3" folder and I didn't want any more blade length than what I had. Opening that belly skin, I was using only the first quarter of an inch of that drop point blade. Scalpels aren't very long for a reason. It's knowing how and where to cut, not how deep.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
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Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,996 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,996 Likes: 1 |
I was thinking about this thread on Saturday field dressing my buck with my left arm buried up to the elbow with a handful of heart and lungs and my right arm up there with a sharp 3" folder and I didn't want any more blade length than what I had. Opening that belly skin, I was using only the first quarter of an inch of that drop point blade. Scalpels aren't very long for a reason. It's knowing how and where to cut, not how deep. Exactly!
I Learned a long time ago to Separate My Want's from My Needs!
A man's Gotta Do What a Man's Gotta Do!
Know Thy Self!
TRUMP DID WIN!!!
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,905 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,905 Likes: 1 |
For my knife I like 3.5-4" but have started using Havalon Scalpels and have had good luck. I still carry my knife, but those scalpels make it much easier for me.
NRA Endowment Member
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,546 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Regular
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Whatever a havalon blade measures.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,032 Likes: 4
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I like 3-4 inch blades with most that I've used being closer to 3 inches than 4. I've processed many animals with folders, but have been enjoying fixed blades more recently. Folders work fine, but fixed blades are a lot easier to clean up after use.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,434 Likes: 4
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,434 Likes: 4 |
I’ve used those Victornox pairing knives for years…. The hardware store here sells them dirt cheap…. I have them laying around everywhere. Also carry a case medium trapper in my pocket everyday. I’ve done elk, deer, hogs, turkeys, whatever….. only time I go larger is when I’m actually cutting steaks and butchering at home, then I’ll go to something like a 8” boning knife.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,185
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,185 |
This, as well as a shorter blade is just easier for me to steer. The longest I’ve use on big game was a 4 1/2” blade and it felt like I was using a machete. I was thinking about this thread on Saturday field dressing my buck with my left arm buried up to the elbow with a handful of heart and lungs and my right arm up there with a sharp 3" folder and I didn't want any more blade length than what I had. Opening that belly skin, I was using only the first quarter of an inch of that drop point blade. Scalpels aren't very long for a reason. It's knowing how and where to cut, not how deep.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786 |
This, as well as a shorter blade is just easier for me to steer. The longest I’ve use on big game was a 4 1/2” blade and it felt like I was using a machete. I was thinking about this thread on Saturday field dressing my buck with my left arm buried up to the elbow with a handful of heart and lungs and my right arm up there with a sharp 3" folder and I didn't want any more blade length than what I had. Opening that belly skin, I was using only the first quarter of an inch of that drop point blade. Scalpels aren't very long for a reason. It's knowing how and where to cut, not how deep. This is a 60's era Randall 3-6 held in my right hand and I have no issues at all when using it inside a carcase cavity, and depending on the intended work I find the extra edge length useful. But I should also mention that I tend to use all the blade when working. Is this size the do all and end all...no, but it is useful on occasion. Added...besides which, eating mangoes with a havalon would seriously suck.
Last edited by JSTUART; 11/27/21.
These are my opinions, feel free to disagree.
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 132
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 132 |
I’ll second jstuart except I use a Randall 3-5. Blade shape and length work amazingly well. To date I have gutted 7 or 8 deer with it on the factory edge. Found dad an old 7-4 that works nearly as well.
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 17,745 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 17,745 Likes: 2 |
3-4 inch blades, but the Best knife was posted by Hunts a Gerber, lite razor knife with the hooked carpet blade in it makes. Great guy hook, iv made up several and have given them to hunting buddy's. Ad gifts!
Deer Camp! about as good as it gets!
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Joined: Sep 2017
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Seeing TSTUART's posted pictures above I know makes cutting toward one's own body parts look worse than it was from the photo op especially for a guy familiar enough with knives to own a Randall. I know, we all do it. My favorite cutting story was when I was up in Canada in the fish cleaning house with another guy from another camp cleaning our fish. The camp owner happened to walk in for something and saw the guy cutting toward himself and proceeded to dress the guy up and down about safety proper cutting procedures. When he was done the guy said that how he did it seemed to work well enough at work. Oh, yeah the camp owner said, what do you do? "I'm the pathologist for the city of Denver." "Oh", quick exit for the camp owner. He must have figured that the guy was qualified to fillet a walleye.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,274
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,274 |
Whatever the blade length is on my BuckLite 422s.
I just measured one, 3" total.
Used to be a fixed blade guy until a client gave me a orange handled Bucklite while guiding archery. Didn't think much of it but decided my daypack was getting too heavy and started looking for ways to lighten the load. I tried it a month later in rifle season, promptly dropped it into 18+ inches of fresh powder when dressing an elk. Boy did I appreciate that goofy orange handle.
The 422's from the 80's and early 90's sharpen easily for me and hold a decent edge. I now own 5 of them. When I broke the tip on one extracting the ivorys from a client's elk I about cried. Sent it to Buck with a note telling them what I did to it and I'll be darned it came back a few weeks later with a new blade. No charge.
I also have two of those 422's and a smaller version[402?] for birds and trout. One other is a A.G. Russel lockback with 2.75" droppoint with some great Japanese steel. All I've ever really needed. Edit: Had to look at my Russel; it's 2-3/8th" blade and says Rogers, Ark, USA. Whew!
Last edited by rifletom; 11/27/21.
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Joined: Dec 2014
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2014
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I like about 3", length of forefinger. A longer blade when boning to pack out would make a neater faster job, but it's not worth packing more 'stuff'. My breaking knife for beef is a full foot of blade, it's like training wheels for the amateur home butcher. Nice uniformity.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2003
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The Puma folder is what I use for field dressing since 1992, the Marttiini belt knife also goes with me for field dressing moose as well. The main blade on the Puma is 3 1/4", the Marttiini is 5" Cat
scopes are cool, but slings 'n' irons RULE!
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