One of the few things I got from my grandfather’s estate after he passed was a schrade sharp finger knife. It is one of my favourite to carry during hunting season. It’s a handy little knife I have several others that I keep on hand aswell.
Maybe watching to much Forged in Fire over the Holidays but debating taking a crack and building a couple of knives .
Just curious what others use and personal preferences.

I use the top Barky for skinning moose and the middle Russell Belt knife for deer. The elliptical cutting edge works at any angle and the drop point is a bonus for slitting hide esp on the legs. Perfect shaped for skinning. The steel is better on the Barks.

The bottom Bark is my field knife for deer hunting.

Very nice , I haven’t figured out pics on this sight yet.
I’ve always liked the style of the russel

Gerber gator....

Randall #5 stays attached at my hip during hunting season.

Something with replaceable blades. I hate sharpening and I’m really good at dulling.

Can totally understand the sentimental attachment to a special knife or just appreciating a fine one.

But what I most appreciate is scary sharp with little to no effort on my part

Kestrel skeleton caper

For a long time my choice of knife for skinning was a Buck General. I don't have the hand strength I had in those days. Most recently I'd been using Buck Vanguards with the rubber handle. I have a new Cold Steel Master Hunter I expect to like better all around and a Benchmade Steep Country which I'll like in my pack.

When it comes to skinning, most anything sharp will do, some just do a little better than others, but truly, it's a lot more about the indian than it is about the arrow.

Bucklite 422, own five of them, been using them for 30 years. Like the orange handled one the best.........

Tom like you I have a Cold Steel Master Hunter in 3V steel. Resently with that knife I cut up a large heavy duty box that a snow blower had shipped in. I really could not believe how the knife held up to that tough job. For me it's a keeper.

Regards

Havalon with replaceable blades.

I used a Buck 110 for years, but got one as a gift a few years ago and don't see myself going back.

Skinning ?

Old Hickory or Dexter Russell butcher's
skinning knife
I got a Dexter Russell beaver knife to try
out, but haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

For breaking down the carcass a boning knife
either Old Hickory or Dexter Russell or whatever
the longest butcher knife I have with me

The OP mentioned "Forged in Fire.". My Christmas gift from the Mrs. is a drop point hunter made by Seth Borries, champion of episode 26, season 6.

Buck Vanguard with the rubber handle or a Buck 103 .

Lately, it has been a Buck Max Lite in two sizes - Small and Large. The ones with the orange handles.

Problem is I have several knives.

My youngest boy got me a Benchmade Steep Country Hunter with a guthook for my birthday. I put that in my large kill kit. I bought a drop point one as well. I will try them once and see. I doubt I will change.

I often pack some of those for elk. Nice knives.

Buck Skinner

A real sharp knife, works for me. Rio7

This one?

https://www.randallknives.com/knives/model-5-camp-and-trail-knife/

Buck 103

A buck 118, don’t need axes, sazalls, chainsaws, machetes, to skin and quarter a deer.

In the elk mountains or on trips I keep a Blind Horse Frontier patch knife and a Busse Combat SAR4 on my belt. Generally between the two I can break down an elk or moose or skin a couple bears before I need to worry about sharpening.

Around home hunting deer or peeling the occasional backstrap out of a pig, I just use my normal pocketknife. Always some type of jumbo trapper, currently a Great Eastern with micarta scales and carbon blades.

Buck 105

Puma Warden for 20+ years now.

Any knife could be used to skin game, but what defines a knife as a "skinning" knife?

I have used many different styles to skin, and have come to prefer whichever knife is sharp.

Small Camp with 4 inch blade and stag horn handle.

I'm on my 2nd over 30 years. I broke the first blade skinning a deer. Randall said send it back so they could check and see if it was abused (me) or a grain in the metal. It ended up being the metal and they sent me a new one, probably 15 years ago. It holds a good edge and I have broken down many critters up to elk with it. For skinning it's a great knife. I have caped with it but carry along a Havalon specific for detail work, as the razors are fantastic at that.

Thanks ...... Nice knives!

Exactly! Any knife is good, as long as you learn to sharpen it. I have some expensive knives, but they are no better than cheaper ones for skinning, gutting etc. With custom, the sky is the limit. For commercial knives, it is hard to beat Buck, Knives of Alaska, or Puma.

Buck 110 or it's little brother - Buck 112.

Buck 110

It does all the field work too

I have used all sorts of knives for skinning and have never found a "skinning" knife to be that much of an advantage.

I have been carrying the same Western sheath knife since I was 12 yrs old. It still works as good as it ever did, but being a knife nut, I have found the Gerber Gator , and a few custom knives actually do the hard stuff better, but the Western still gets the skinning work! It's the one with the upswept blade.

Yep that’s me too

A few I like. The orange howe mountain Wyoming skinner is my favorite

Havalon Piranta. Not even close.

Case folder

Victornix skinning knife or the 8 dollar paring knife and a piece of steel.

Like the carbon cold steel master hunter too.

I like that Wy skinner

Grohmann #1.
The one on the bottom.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I have never gotten too worked up about what knife I'm using. Within reason, they all work okay. Most of the time, it's whatever I have been carrying clipped in my pocket. Also, I try to get deer hung up and skun as soon as possible, when they're still warm so they cool quicker and peel easier.

This being the "General Big Game" forum I guess we're not talking about skinning for skins, but for furbearers I do like a bit more purpose-built knife. I tend to use a Case Trapper for that.

The shape isn't nearly as nice as something like the Wyo skinner that Jud posted, but an Olfa utility knife has always gotten the job done in my "skinning shed", and it sure is nice to be able to just snap off the dull tip.

A Cold Steel Master Hunter and a Gerber Gator and now this little beauty from Godogs57

I find the shape does matter, a sweeping curve works better for me. I cut through the hide much less with the skinning blade design. I use several: Gerber Flayer M2 steel, Shrade D2 Skinner, Victorinox skinner, Godogs Loveless M4, Ansi skinner old file blade. These all have some curve to them and the Shrade is almost an Ulu in shape. All of these have good to great steel and will only need touching up if I hit the gambrel or other steel with them.

My neighbor gave me a carpenters hatchet re-shaped as a round head tomahawk, this works well for flaying where you hammer off the hide. I will have him round and taper the blade some more so it will work by itself. Now I hammer with the right hand and use a knife in the left. The less cutting the better.

An Ulu makes a great skinning tool.

I was just seeing what guys preferred to use or carry during hunting season. No real definition just a general consensus.

My hunting knives are all fixed blades, 3.5" to 5" long, with a flat grind.

All are either drop point or spear point ( allows cutting hide without catching viscera/soft tissue). Dislike clip point design for this reason (tip catches soft tissue)

Specifically: Cold Steel Master Hunter ( carbon V), Spyderco Bill Moran FBO2 (vg10), Northwoods Knives Canadian Skinner ( 52000), Benchmade 190 Hunter (440c), Mora Robust (carbon steel), none-branded Solingen steel knife ( dad gave me 40 years ago).

The Spyderco Moran drop point, and Cold Steel Master Hunter are my two favorites- but I like them all.

This is where I have found myself for the last several years.

What's my fav-o-rite skinner.........

Depends.........

















Typically something with "belly" such as a semi-skinner.




but from time to time I will use a " Hunter" style blade.












ya!

GWB

geedubya,

I'm liking the looks of the Sheep handled blade, second photo, as well as the ivory (Micarta?) twins, third photo. Would you mind telling me who made them, and maybe some contact info?

Dale Howe, Howe Mountain Knives, Buffalo Skinner, Rams horn, 3V steel



https://www.howemtnknives.com/


The knives in the second photo are by ABS Master Smith, T K Steingass. They were inspired by pix of S R Johnsons repros' of RW Loveless "Lambs"



I'm not a player on $10K knives so I asked TK if he would do a repro of two of the three.




Loveless "Lamb" repros, 154 CPM, Ivory Micarta with black G10 plugs in Loveless bolts, 416 Stainless furniture, Thin Black liners, Tapered tangs.



http://steingassknives.com/


ya!

GWB

now thats a man with problems or priorities i am not sure which....showing up at camp with literally a case full of knives

Wow there are some nice knives posted above.

My field knife is a buck 119, not perfect for anything but usable for almost everything. After many years of use i am very confident and comfortable with it.

For skinning any small sharp (I think it was Rio7 and CRS who stated this previously ) knife.

At the beginning of deer season I have a selection of small knives shaving sharp, works grant for skinning and the rare event I need to cape.

Camillus double locking Jumbo Trapper. Been carrying in for 20 years.

I've enjoyed using my Spyderco Bill Moran for a few seasons with no issues.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Moran-Stainless-Durable-Handle/dp/B0888TSH4G

My go to and all time favorite for the last 20 years is the Buck Vanguard 192. Mine is a rebber handled version. I find it about the perfect size in every aspect for a hunting knife.

G-W. those are some sweet looking knives, thanks for posting

10/4

IIRC, between 2006-2008 my original BM Syderco, I used extensively. I gave that one to a hunting buddy. I recently acquired a replacement.



ya!

GWB

This is where a drop point really shines.

[/UR]

For those who don't know what a "skinning knife is.... Here are examples of What A Skinning knife LOOKS like.
Guys..... there is a diff.


[quote=geedubya]What's my fav-o-rite skinner.........

Depends.........

















Typically something with "belly" such as a semi-skinner.




but from time to time I will use a " Hunter" style blade.












GWB
-------------------------------------

You don't know what you're missing if you don't use a real 'skinning' knife.

Jerry

I prefer an orange handled one...

That way I always know where it is and am less likely to accidentally kneel on it or other dumb stuff.



Seriously though, a combo of a Mora and a Havalon work perfect for me, or just a Mora. That and a bone saw and I am G2G.





Pic of elk just because.




The rifle used was not my usual .308. This one got hit with a 6.5 Manbun and 143 eld-x. at 485.


While I love my little Schrade Sharpfinger and older Gerber, I have not taken them to the field in forever.



Another elk from this year, also a 6.5 Manbun. 385 this time.




While I like looking at the fancy knives and think they are quite cool, the Moras are just too practical. Kind of like showing your friends your fancy Les Baer 1911, but carrying a Glock!




Cheers!

BTW I always like looking at GWB's knives.

He makes me wish I had something fancy, since my most fancy knife is my old Sharpfinger.

Classy stuff!

I too favor the replaceable blade knives. Have a Havalon and a Gerber and prefer the latter for the ease in changing blades. Always have a stouter bladed knife along as well. Took 'flave's advice and bought some RADA sharpeners. Silly easy to use and put a good edge on a blade. They are cheap enough and lite enough I have a few stashed around, even in the pack. Works well for touching up the scapel blades to extend their life as well.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rada-Cutlery-R119-4pack/111872862?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=916&&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-430887228898:pla-51320962143&wl5=9016665&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113134359&wl11=online&wl12=111872862&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlsv_BRDtARIsAHMGVSZTfx2FcOg-4PYp9hZkjzHi-SHWpt5v-1Uvk6M5prt9h4ucFWErmTIaAirJEALw_wcB

Thanks geedubya,
Might be a good place to spend some stimulus money....

Did Someone mention an Old Timer "Sharpfinger" (Schrade USA 152)



This one could tell a few tales if it could talk!



ya!

GWB

I have all my knives on a long belt. I have a schrade on their as well. Good skinner. I have a buck and a gerber which I use also. I also have recently been trying the havalon . Sharp as all get out.....

Second!
I have been using a Buck Skinner for many years now. I save the other knife blades for gutting, etc., and when it's time for skinning, out comes the Buck. Fairly easy to resharpen, and holds an edge well.

Dozier Yukon Skinner

10/4,

Don't Skin "Grizz" or even moose,

but do skin deer and hogs aplenty'.



A Knives of Alaska Yukon Belt Knife and two by Gary Duckeman, Squawsatch Knives,

Top is his Oklahoma Belt Knife, bottom is a repro of the Grohman #1 Canadian Belt Knife

ya!

GWB

Cool Pic!

My old Sharpfinger sits around a lot these days since I tend to use Moras. I need to find someone to make me a better sheath for it as I never cared for the original one. Too floppy. Nice old Colt too. My "Woodsman" is the economy version, the huntsman!

Very nice! ...... The belt knife design is my favourite overall. It's small enough to use for dressing game but shaped well for skinning. The current Grohman stainless knives are lacking in quality steel. The one I posted is an old carbon steel knife found in a pawn shop for $20.It works better than the SS.

I think some folk shun those knives as they have a bit of an odd euro look about them but one they use them realize how well designed they are for the task at hand.

Watch the 1st 5 min of this video as he goes into the knife shape and its advantages.

GW - I gotta tell ya I always enjoy your posts. You are a great photographer and my what a collection of guns and knives you have. Obvious you have a great place to use them too! Thanks for sharing and keep em comin!

GW - I gotta tell ya I always enjoy your posts. You are a great photographer and my what a collection of guns and knives you have. Obvious you have a great place to use them too! Thanks for sharing and keep em comin!

Thanks for the kind words gents!

When I accidentally started collecting knives years ago, as I've mentioned to "The Knifefather, VinceM, (I call him that because he's made me so many deals that I could not refuse) I did not know "beans about knives.




one of several sets Vince "hafted for me with scales from differing wood types.




Still don't know much more, but I do have an affinity for the dang things........



















and use them every chance I get!







ya!

GWB

Winch and a golf ball

This. Hands down. Anything less has to be sharpened along the way. Fancy ones are pretty. But I'm a get it done kind of guy and move on.

For skinning, an ATV, a chain, and a rock work the best I’ve found. 😁

But for knives, I like Cold Steel Comercial Series curved boning knife or the same from Victorinox.

Plane old Buck 103, I like the heft and it flickability.

I'm surprised I don't see many folks mentioning Puma. I have a Puma skinner that's my favorite. It holds a good edge and can easily be touched up with a rod or stone. The sweep of the blade is great for skinning and the stag handle has a good grip even when bloody. In addition, the shape of the handle helps with "indexing", so you can feel the blade angle/direction when you can't see the blade. It also has one of the best sheaths for a factory knife.

My old Sako along with my skinning knife in the swamps of Louisiana.

Geedubya, I don't know what is more impressive, your knife collection or the fact that you have an attaché case to pack them around in!

Have several knives that have served me well, these are a few of my favorites. Oregon Gerber, USA Browning, and a Winston.
Probabably done more deer skinning and gutting with a slew of older USA Old Timers than anything else.

Western on the left.

The Puma Skinner has been used extensively followed by the White Hunter. The Hunter's Pal, not so much!

ya!

GWB

Are any of the current Pumas equal to the quality of those from a few years back?

I do not follow Puma knives any more, but the last time I paid a bit of attention, I was not impressed with the visual quality.

ya!

GWB

There are a couple of different Puma knife lines. If you see Puma IP, it's internationally sourced and generally not as good quality as the Solingen Germany made knifes. My Solingen made Puma Skinner is very good quality and also has a hardness test mark.

I've NEVER been impressed.....

Peeled quite a few with one of these....

Dozier Professional Skinner

Also like Gene Ingram's #1 Semi.

Thanks to some help from Judman for putting Simon Stonehocker on my radar, and especially geedubya for helping with measurements and dimensions for design( based loosely on his loveless sheep skinner). Gave Simon some modern artistic freedom, and may have driven him nuts making changes!

One of a kind as of now! Made by Simon stonehocker

Calling it the “Jinks skinner” at my request If you want to order one
S90v
Orange liners
Carbon fiber handles

The spike is the same handle and steel





Sheath is so I don’t lose it in the dang woods lol Purely functional

That is a rather unique looking knife IMHO. I could be mistaken but its almost like it has Nessmuk, Loveless, Canadian belt influences. What are the dimensions?

GWB

I’ll Throw a pic of measurements tomorrow. I once again can’t thank you enough for your help geedubya.

It isn’t a replication of the loveless obviously, just maybe a modern Adaptation.

I can see the nessmuk and Canadian as well in it. Skinned two does already. Functionality is it’s best asset!!

It’s not as big as it appears in pictures either

Knives of Alaska Lite Hunter - Stag
Charles May Malibu Fire Ant

Both are D2, which I prefer.

We agree...!

Shamelessly stolen pic from another member, but this one now resides with me and I see it doing some skinning next fall...

This is my favorite set. Made by a guy that goes by the screen name of Tusker, or Tuskbuster, I forget.

Buck 103 Skinner.

Andrew Nunley AKA Tuskbuster



52100 Steel & Weathered Elk (IIRC)

ya!

GWB

Seriously love that blade. I ordered two more last month. I don’t know which fit my hand better, the surgical glove or that knife!

I have been skinning animals since I was about 7. I am now 65. As a country boy I was skinning things many times a year, not just in hunting seasons. I can't say I have or ever had a "favorite". Any knife that holds a good edge and has a blade from 2" to 4" is about as good for me and any other. I can't count the game I have skinned with pocket knives. In fact, if I were to be able to count them all, I'd bet at least 2/3s of all the animals I ever skinned in my life including cattle were skinned with folding pocket knives. Many years ago I found that having an EZ_Lap was more useful to me than trying to find a "perfect knife"

I like good knives and I have about 2 dz, but none of them are really head and shoulders easier to use than any other. To me the ONE thing I want in a good skinner is edge retention. Blade shape and handles angles and so on seem to make no difference at all to me.

I've only had one KOA knife and I thought it was terrible. I believe it was D2, which I've had that same steel with other knives with no issue. But that KOA could be sharp as you could get it, but it had no grab at all when you started cutting meat. I believe the issue might be with the micro serrations of the blade edge that make it lack a "toothiness", maybe it's an issue of how it was hardened or tempered.

I've noticed a similar issue with some of my other knifes, where a medium grit stone makes the knife actually have a better grab and meat cutting sharpness, as opposed to sharpening with a fine stone. However, I never found what worked for that KOA knife and finally parted with it.

Anyone else have a similar experience with a knifes grab or "toothiness".

I have a beat up skinner like the middle one in the first Supercub photo. And a model just like the one in Judman's photo on top, with a partial tang. Both are older knives. Lots of whitetails skinned by both. I got the boat knife, sans sheath , at a gun show by the KCI airport in with a case of odd magazines. The guy sold anything, but specialized in magazines. He seemed happy to get rid of the knife for what I offered. Be Well, RZ.

As they say in big game hunting, "the fun stops when you squeeze the trigger." To make things a little easier, I like to have the best tools on hand for the after-shot chores. For breaking down an animal, I generally use the two knives shown below. On top is a Lionsteel M4 in M390 steel patterned in the super useful drop point configuration. On bottom is a Brad Zinker fillet knife in CPM154 steel.

The M390 steel is crazy hard, and holds a razor edge forever. The steel is so hard, that anything less than diamond hones will require lots of patience to sharpen it. I can clean a lot of animals with it, and still split hairs with the blade.

The CPM154 steel of the Zinker knife is a well know high performer. The fillet style blade is great for carefully cutting out backstraps, and for "cleanly" executing the all important butt-ectomy.

I have a Russell Morseth laminated Cascade Skinner for close to a dedicated skinner and a Russell Morseth laminated Loveless influenced semi/simi skinner a little more versatile and still a real skinner for bigger northern game where a real skinning knife is fun.

Very much agreed that there is no universal best and regional fashions are a useful guide.

I long ago had a brother in law in the piney woods country of Alabama when the whitetail limit was one a day where a Wayne Hendrix -from the days when they were a great bargain before A.G. Russell took them up and the price jumped -.was the perfect all around hunting knife and something to brag about buying as a great value to boot. The Wayne Hendrix is a handy daily use kitchen knife in a way the Cascade Skinner could never be - may be that the Cascade Skinner is better for cutting pizza though.

Ganzer,
I have nothing critical to say about the KOA. I processed 21 animals with that blade before I ever considered it needing a hit on the steel. When the season was over I sent it to KOA for a resharpen. It cost $8 & came home looking twice as good as new. Have been extremely happy with it.

But, I have experienced the condition you mentioned with other premium blades in my bag. I need to check to see what the material is.

I've got some fairly expensive customs and factory blades scattered throughout wilderness areas in WY, MT and ID. These days I have a gerber gator buried in my pack but haven't used it in years, and I suck at sharpening anyhow. I am tired of loosing expensive knives that never were real sharp anyhow.

Havalon Piranta for me.

Thanks Gdub!! He makes fantastic knives. I love your set as well!!!

Count me as a fan of Mr Nunley as well.

Dave

These Buck knives have worked on a number of elk, antelope, and coyotes.

I'd use my frigging teeth, before I used one of those on coyotes......

Not a fan of the Havalon knives?! Huh...odd

What Bark River is that top one? Something they made or did you modify their Canadian Special handle? Haven't seen one with a CBK type handle before.

Hard to beat a Buck 110 IMHO. Got myself a Barry Gouge with the gut hook that works pretty well too.

Just had this one made and haven’t even put it to the test yet but I’m pretty confident my handful of others won’t be seeing a lot of use in the future .....

Good eye ...... I had the CDN Special modified to approximate the middle Russell Belt knife as close as possible. It was a nice upgrade that Bark should have done on the original.

Here's how it looked originally.

Too many knives in the world to have a favorite..

I think the most iconic is the Sharpfinger.

Here’s one my Dad found in the hiking trail, before and after restoration.





Todd

Well most everything shown has not been a skinning knife...I have been on a quest for about 15 years to find the best skinning knife for deer. I have used most of them available from Randall made knives (Alaska Skinner and the Gary Ward model) to cheap knives. I have pretty much settled on the Buck 103 with the Randall a close second... main difference that I have found is the weight of the two and that is why the buck 103 ends up the most used. I did specifically buy a 103 in 5160 steel for ease of sharpening.... My friends laugh at me at deer camp because I have used so many knifes over the years and generally skin most peoples deer at camp... no telling how many I have skinned over the last 15 years or so... With this in mind, I am talking about a skinning knife not one for gutting as they are different blade designs.

For the whole process, I use a dedicated Gut hook to start off... and 90% of the time we never even gut the animal but leave the chest cavity whole.

Don't worry about it. We do too.....

Here’s a dandy skinner my Ol buddy dale howe built me,

I guess so. There have been a LOT of skinning knives posted and yes some are NOT skinning knives.

eg. Buck 110 is not a skinning knife - I have 3 at least.

My ? is, do you know what a skinning knife is ?


Jerry

Uhh, any knife used for skinning? Do I get a prize?

That’s pimp tight.

Thanks Dave, had him copy a Russell Buffalo skinner, did a great job, weathered elk is nice too

Etched a2?

I think so pard.

Nice job and looks a lot more user friendly after your mods. I would probably have tried one by now if that's how they'd designed them.

One of my favorite finishes



on one of my favorite steels



























page 131



ya!


GWB

Ive used a case pocket knife, a buck 112 and havalons. I just ordered 2 grohmanns and look forward to using them

Just put together an Enso/Brisa Nessmuk knife and I think it will be a good one. Steel seems good and it takes a wicked edge, has a fair amount of belly to the blade. I think it will work well. https://www.brisa.fi/brisa-knives/brisa-nessmuk-125-knife

Just put together one of these and I think it will be ideal for skinning. https://www.brisa.fi/brisa-knives/brisa-nessmuk-125-knife

That curly birch looks awesome!

Sorry for the double post, too late to edit it.

On my handle I used ferric nitrate and potassium permanganate like finishing a muzzle loader. Turned out high contrast with some chatoyance and a lot of grain that wasn't visible before staining/dyeing. I like the dark wood. I have been using this in the kitchen and on various projects, it is a useful design. Sears basically reproduced a buffalo skinner with his design. I couldn't figure out why the high bull nose, one source said it was fro prying the skin off. I went back and read woodcraft and it turns out that Sears used the knife as a spoon hence the high back.

Great looking knives and great photo spreads Geedubya!!! Thanks for sharing them

Haha nothing, I mean nothing is quicker.

My all time favorite is a Kershaw Moose Hunter... I have skinned out two grizzlies on the North West salmon rivers without resharpening... anyone who has skinned a grizzly taken on a gravel salmon stream knows this is an impossible feat.

Especially so with Aus8A blade steel.