Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Best Non-Folding Hunting Knife for the $

What would rate as the best Non-Folding Hunting knife for field dressing deer and elk?

When you say "field dressing", do you mean to include skinning, quartering, deboning ...... or removal of the guts, only ?

Best Knife for the $$$ .........

Until we get further clarification on your needs, I'll stick my neck out here, and suggest the "Clipper", made by Frost's of Sweden. About $10 to $13, in your choice of carbon steel or stainless. Has a 3 7/8" long blade.







The Victorinox (Forschner) 3.25" paring knife is often mentioned as another effective and cheap alternative. (One of Big Stick's favorites, IIRC.) About $4. I don't care much for the skinny handle, but YMMV.

Yep...the Victorinox Parer,is the most for the least.

I've got them ratholed everywhere................

Guts and hide in the field. The main blade I would carry while hunting. Any thougths on the Cold Steel Hunter?

I'd greedily grab for the $5 Victorinox,before the CS Hunter.................

Only have one of the Victorinox parers, mainly use it for sheep hunts.

But the little Frost Clipper blades have earned their place in my kit, there's at least one in every truck, boat or snowmachine I drive. Maybe a few extra laying around besides those.

Have a CS Master Hunter that I don't much care for, it got relegated to a kitchen knife for the cabin for the Mrs.' use.

Can like the CS with the eliptical blade, the blade is thinner, sharpens easily for me and just is handy, I'd buy another of those if I found one.

OOps! My bad, here I sit with one on my belt and it didn't even rate honorable mention, not due to the blade, just my CRS disease.

CRKT's Partner is a $15 dollar knife that I'm pleased with. For the life of me I can't remember where I bought them, but their wood handled ones add about $70 to the bill. I like the rubber handle or whatever it is.

kershaw's ken onion "echo" model. 'bout $29. it'll stand heavy use.

OK, Thoughts on the Gerber Freeman 3 1/2 SKinner Hunter?

I can't like the blade shape..........................

The Gerber Freeman doesn't look good to me, either. Neither the blade nor the handle.


In the $35 and under class, another one I would consider:

A.G. Russell Bird & Trout in AUS-8 steel, though I would lean heavily toward the VG-10 version of the "B&T" or the
"Deer Hunter", if feeling flush.

The CS MH doesn't do anything for me either,nor does the Gerber Freeman.The CS Pendleton Hunter is the factory blade that I carry most often and also the least expensive I have. I took mine to work when I 1st got it to show around and ended up ordering 5-6 more for the guys(and a couple gals).I see they'v got a new one out with a "semi-skinner" blade.
Pendleton Hunter
Mini Hunter
Semi-Skinner

Thanks for all the info guys.

Clark

I gotta agree with Stick and Walker about the Gerber Freeman. The local Cabela's has them with a special run of S30V blades, but the whole thing just doesn't feel right. I'd hate to have to use one any longer than it would take to peel an orange. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Bob Dozier's fixed blade knives of D2 steel are the best IMHO irregardless of price. Upwards of $200, they are a steal.
Nothing else holds an edge, cuts, or feels like a Dozier knife.
He has a web site, and Vintage Knives is a reliable dealer. I have no financial interest. Agree that the Frost type knives are the best on a lower price points.

The gerber freeman worked fine on my elk and mule deer. No problems at all either with the blade or the shape of the grip.
tom

I like the classic Grohmann knife:

Can you point me in the right direction where I might find a Frost "Clipper"? Thanks

Clark

http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html

hope that helps, it's the only address I had saved for them. For the life of me I can't remember where I placed my last knife order. But I really am liking the CRKT Partner just for general carry open this, slice that yada yada yada. I got a couple of those along with another 1/2 dozen versions of the Frost Clipper. Cheap utility knives be a good thing.