Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game What knives have you seen?

OK, just a question for those that have been on several guided hunts. What knife is seen most often in the hands of a guide? I figure there will be a ton of various answers. Just wondering. I have a bunch of knives and seem to carry a different one every time I go hunting.

I'm a guide. Have been for years. I'm around a lot of other guides. No longer in TX but guide totally in Alaska now. Big stuff.

To the last one, the only knife I've seen used by guides is Havalon with replaceable blades.

I think we all carry a fixed of some kind for other situations, I carry a big fixed Gerber when trailing bears as a final resort or to chop limbs off around tents etc..

but for the work of skinning, gutting, quartering, I've not seen anything other than a havalon in a number of years.

IE my Randalls and such never leave the house.

Taking care of a traditional blade takes a lot of time when you do as much cutting as guides do. I prefer the Outdoor Edge Razor to the Havalon, but it’s the same idea, just with stronger blades that are a more typical size and can be touched up a few times before being replaced.

Buddy is a guide in Texas. Outdoor Edge is what he uses ( with the ORANGE handle ). lol

Yup, orange handle for sure. Much easier to see a knife you’ve set down in the dark.

When I did a few weeks of guiding a year in the early 2000s (if I recall correctly predating the havalon trend) I found that the buck 119 worked best for me. I could do 8 caribou without need for a touch up. I tried others but nothing seems to suit as well.

When I was guided I first saw the Havalon on a hunt in Texas.

In Africa, well if you are a knife fan you’d be heart broken by the way knives are treated. My last trip I gave one of the tracker / skinners a single bladed 2”? Swiss knife to skin a Buffalo. He was very skeptical because how small the knife was, but as I had honed the blade to a razor like edge he was in awe and used it to great effect even letting his buddies try it. Once that little knife lost its edge I’m sure I was sharpened on a chunk of concrete or a random flat rock like most knives in the hands of skinners are.

When you have to actually use a knife (or almost any other gear) for work, in volume, and on a timeframe, any romance to the story behind a piece of gear goes out the window and getting the job done well in a timely fashion is the only thing that matters.

Guides who are up working and/or chatting w/their hunters until bed-time and then up before their hunters wrangling grub, horses, and gear probably aren't going to take the time to also worry about putting an edge back onto a blade when they can just snap in a new one.

My Randall got used for 50 years.. went through 3 sheaths...till I passed it on to a friend to use for another 50 years...

Nowadays its an Outdoor Edge.

Thin. High carbon. 5 or 6 inch blade.

A lot of chicom junk mostly. I've never seen anything of quality with any guide I've been with.

With that being said, I guess I'm on both sides of the quality/practical fence. I appreciate a good custom blade, but for the money, those little mora knives ain't terrible. I also like a thin vicky. Gerber ain't a bad blade. I skinned over 30 big game animals this year with a mora. For 10 bucks, I'm not complaining.

Mostly Havalon, for > 10 years, now. The guys @ the hog place in the GA swamp have been using the same Old Hickory since we started going in 2008. To my knowledge, it's never been washed.

FC

I've been a professional butcher for 45 years.
Hands down the most popular knives are Forschner/Victornox stainless/fiber knives.
Nothing else is even close.

I guess the only knife I’ve seen in use the last few years is my own, a Bucklite 422 with an orange handle—the orange handle comes in handy when I drop it in 18” of fresh powder……

In 2013 I was in Wyoming hunting Antelope and I believe NR deer season had just opened. On public land I came across quite a few guy piles and I was very surprised at how many Havalon blades, blade wrappers and rubber gloves were left lying around in the guy piles. It turned me off ever wanting to try one. A friend of mine bought me a Havalon a few years ago, but have no interest in using it yet. I may start using it for caping instead of my 20 year old scalpel.
I know lots of guys that really like them.

I use the blades I make. No complaints yet!

Mora, Havalon

Yes, any replaceable blade works fine. I touch up Havalon a time or two. Sometimes. Depends on how many hours we have been at it, what the weather/time etc... is and how many blades I might have. I have been guilty of making a mad dash after a moose or brown bear and showing up to the dead animal with a havalon and maybe 3-4 blades max... plus a tiny diamond sharpener.... If I have 20 blades in the pack...

I have used the other brands too a bit, but always thought their blades didn't SEEM as sharp as havalon. Havalon being in the surgical arena for so many years may have something to do with that. Or it may all be in my head. LOL

I've never seen any of our guides with chi com junk.

For caping I use a fat scalpel handle and a 21. I prefer it over the havalon 60.

As to being turned off... I suppose seeing trash of any kind keeps you from drinking soda, beer, eating food and so on.

Don't be stupid and miss out on trying them. You don't have to be like the scum that leaves em. I carry mine in and out. A buddy puts his used blades in a pill bottle. Its not hard. Don't blame havalon on scummy lazy people.

My Randall got used for 50 years.. went through 3 sheaths...till I passed it on to a friend to use for another 50 years...

Nowadays its an Outdoor Edge.




Thats a good fat hog.

You’re absolutely right.
So far I have knives I really like and haven’t felt the need to try my Havalon. One day I’m sure I will.

I hate the bulky, heavy handle, no blade weight of replaceable blade knives.
They just don't feel right to me.
I usually pack a couple new straight edge, stiff blade 6" Forschner knives in my hunting pack.

Those are good blades. I use that brand in a green river style as a bear fleshing knife once back to where we can work the hide.

I"ve lied just a bit. IE if I'm at home and not in a hurry, I catch myself using a regular knife. Not that often. But at times. Not sure why.

I can do it all and quickly enough with a Havalon. And not have the hassle of carrying lots of weight or stopping to sharpen etc.... Time isn't money to me, but its sleep, rest, dry, warmth, food etc..... out in the field. Sharpening knives or loading ammo are a couple of things I never want to do while out in the field vs on an easy home hunt.

I made my living guiding in Wyoming and Montana for 25 years. I used everything made during that time hoping to find the best knife. Gerber, Camilus, Kershaw, Browning, and many more. I was always sharpening knives. After I quit guiding , I discovered custom knives made by Tim Olt and David Winston. They are fantastic and cut incredibly well, and stay sharp. Wish I would have had them back then. I am intrigued by the deposable blade type knives.

I used a Schrade Old Timer folder for 50 years. A couple years ago I tried an Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife. I've used it on 1 deer and 1 elk so far. I won't be switching back any time soon. It's a sweet knife.

A custom knife with good steel is a game changer.

I've had great working knives of every price
range. A good knife doesn't have to cost $100.00 +

I have two butcher friends , both with over 30 years experience. Both them and every one of their colleagues use Vctorianox knives .
When I trapped I used one for skinning, as well as Grohmanns.
I still use a Grohmanns but also a couple od custom built knives.
I don't think it matters as long as a person is happy with what they are using .
Cat

Been a Schrade freak for a long time. Figure any knife I carry is fine so long as its a Schrade! Carry a folding hunter always when hunting with an Old Timer pocket knife. But is one more I usually carry also and that's a Buck 4" blade sheath knife. Was sour on Buck a long time as I had an early folder I couldn't sharpen, had that rounded edge on it and is in the bottom of Flathead Lake now! Also have a newer Buck sheath knife I carry along with me. Hasn't got the stupid edge and I can sharpen it. Love the feel and all I buy are generally drop point knives, it's a drop point! I don't know if Schrade even makes a sheath knife but I'd buy it if they did! have one other Buck, a judging gift at a field trial. short little Mini Alpha they call it. Once again a great sheath and really well made knife. Really like it but it's a skinning knife with a really short blade. Haven't used it but might someday, beautiful knife! Both my Bucks are beautiful and for me, after that folding hunter, that is hard to say. Before I got my Schrade's I was a big Case fan, boy could I get an edge on them! Have one custom, well son has it now. Didn't carry it a whole lot, cost to much to replace if I lost it. Before it I had a Puma Hunter's friend I was never without. Lost it hunting and have never found another. Have found some more Puma's but cost a lot more than I'm willing to pay. Aa knife is a very personal thing to me. and Schrade just got under my skin. I'm sure there are lot's of knives that are as good, just not for me!

The son of a buddy of mine, works as a guide. Elk, deer, bears, and lions. He carries the Havalon with replacement blades.

Like Horse1 said above, guides are looking at convenience and replaceable blades fit the need.

Puma Master folder since early '80's. Lately I also use the orange handled OE replaceable blade and it's great.

Not really germane to the OP's question in regards to what guides use but can't help but wonder how often guides "guide"

and when they guide,

how many animals those guides

skin/cape in a year.

Quien Sabe,

GWB

There are all kinds of variables.

This bull moose was completely processed by myself, alone, using a Havalon Piranha. 100% of it. I believe I used three blades. That included caping the thing off, removing the jaw etc. But, it is fatiguing to do that. A knife that fits your hand well is less fatiguing and nicer to work with.

Most times I carry a fixed blade knife and a Havalon. The Havalon is just there for a just in case emergency.

What did you do with the used blades?

Lol. I always carry a Gatorade bottle or have a pill bottle with me to put them in. They always leave with me.

But like I said, I rarely use them anymore.

But “real” knives work just as well. And they don’t need sharpening to finish the job.

Love the Old Hickory. Sadly Ontario Knife Co. went out of business last year. I've got a few butchers in different lengths, boners, slicers, and a couple of the hunting models they did. I'm not a guide and never hunted with a guide, for my low volume needs you can't beat an old-fashioned, quality carbon blade. This one started out as their "fruit knife" - thin bladed with the hammer forging marks milled off. I took a hacksaw and files to this before I replaced the handle with an antler from one of my bucks, it's my version of a Nesmuck and more than you need for gutting but you could pretty much butcher a deer with it start to finish and I have:

When I saw this thread come up I didn't know what the answers would be because I've never hunted with a guide but had a feeling they would be simple and utilitarian. When I worked as a fishing guide it was the same way, most guys used stuff that was pretty basic. Customers usually had a lot nicer gear than guides did which makes sense, I can afford a lot nicer gear now than when I was guide too.

What Model Randall is that one ? Thanks.

Thats a Model 7...5 inch

outdoor edge-orange handle 99% of the time is what I use

I now use, (last 5 years) a Mora, stainless and I also have a carbon one, for the money the sharpness you get and longevity of it, they are hard to beat.
Before them used to use a good quality butcher boner 5” blade, Victornex or similar, held a good edge and easy to sharpen.
In my early years of Hunting it was a Kershaw or Puma 5” blade, folder or fixed.
Jay

Umm. Well. Lets see. 10 plus foot brown bear. Skinned, feet out, fleshed hide for salt. Yup. never seen one blade do all of that without sharpening. Just getting the meat off the hide for salting our Victoronix I usually hit every 30 minutes or less. And its hours and hours of work. Probably at least 4-5 hours to get it salt ready.

Use the tools you need. If that includes turning and salting a 10’ brown bear, then come prepared for that.

Where do you carry the extra blades? My havalons all have a ballistic pouch/sheath that allows for carrying extra blades. When the old blades are switched out, they go right back into the pouch.

Mora companions in orange, by the dozens.

I have not gotten that far yet but a buddy uses a pill bottle to compress surgical gloves and a pill bottle for new and old havalon blades. The blades are for sure the downfall as to how to safely carry them.

I have used my Havalon knives to cut the fur before skinning elk with a nessmuk. Cutting the fur dulls blades quicker. Nothing in my opinion is more efficient than a nessmuk for skinning. A boning knife removes the back straps and tenderloins with little waste. I also use a Wyoming saw to cut the lower legs before I stuff quarters in their bags and tie them shut. I usually help others in our camp break down and haul out their elk. On average we bag 6-8 elk every year in our camp. We’re pretty efficient by the last several elk. Hope this helps.