Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What's the smallest fixed blade, folding knife you use for cleaning your Game and Fish?

I've made custom knives full time for 20 years and learned quickly that everybody has their own idea of what makes the perfect hunting knife. Most seem to want one that is a half inch shorter or a half inch longer than the one you have in stock.

I've used a lot of them that were between 3 and 6 inches long. I decided that I like one that has a blade that is a drop point, 5 inches long with a full size handle. That combination just suits what I use a knife for better than anything else I've tried.

Below is a picture of the knives I've used the most over the last 55 years. The stag handle drop point at the bottom is the hunting knife I made myself a few years ago. I don't see any reason to change it.

Very nice! Any one of those would suit me fine.

SO TO ANSWER THE OP’s QUESTION



I used to gut deer with a little black plastic keychain Case. With about 1-1/4” blade on it.
Was perfect for reaching up inside and catching that corrugated windpipe.
Limbsaw the the pelvic canal, finish cuttingf out the tail pipe.

The 110 I mention was my and still is my skinning knife. Nothing fancy. And I ain’t no gopher gunner dipshît that’s only popped 2 deer in my whole life. 🤣

Lost a couple little knives in gutpiles. No sadness, $10 for a gutpile blade. Did a couple with a box cutter blade in my Stanley roofing knife.

I like knives like that to keep stashed around in trucks, SHTF pack, etc., but moved on to the Zyliss paring knife because it has a larger handle that fits my hand better. I'm going to try the Ontario Camp Plus Chef folder for field dressing whitetails next season, but will bring along a Sagan Saw to cut the pelvis bone.

A long time ago I had a buck trapper folding knife, one pointed blade and one clip point. I gutted lots of deer with it until one day I reached into my pocket and the tip of my middle finger hit the point of the blade and cut me pretty badly. What happened was the back spring broke in my pocked somehow and allowed the blade to open. I will never buy another Buck knife, my sheath folders are Case knives and my pocket knives are Gerber. They sharpen easier and hold an edge better than a Buck.

I like a little longer blade for deer. The 3 3/4" blade of a typical folding hunter is good. Makes it easier to core out the ass hole. I ain't carryin a saw.

I keep a couple of $2 florist blades in my pack.
blade maybe 2"

Ahh man, I figured you as one of those $900 knife guys that kills one doe every 15 years.

😂😂

While carrying his florist knife for the real work and wearing his polka dot pink crocs ? LOL

Only wear those when I know there won't be any dogs to kick

Blackie- you ever posted a pic of any of those deer you killed?
oh wait.........

You can never be sure when something might need the shyt kicked out of it. It must look like a gay pride parade in the woods down there during deer season. Don't need to post pics for the likes of any of you dirt bags. Do you deer hunt with your gas piston semi automatic inertia operated double barrel shotguns ? LOL

You aught to try it sometime.......[hunting]

If NY still lets y'all handle guns that is.

My wife has killed more deer than your puzzy azz

She must be a better deer hunter than you then. Do you fight over who gets to wear the pink crocs ?

Let’s see some pics.

ya!

GWB

I use a Gerber Pixie, Pendleton Lite Hunter, or Opinel#6 in the field. A Mora Companion for breaking down at home

I've taken elk completely apart with the Gerber LST and CRKT Wrangler - both have 2.5" Blades. This past year I used an Opinel no. 8 with its massive 3" blade.

Opinel no. 8 is my edc.

They're good little knives. When I'm backpacking in the summer and after highcountry trout I take a no.6