On your last one?

I started out on a recent moose with a #103 Buck Skinner, and realized as I was finishing up, that I had never moved on, as I usually do, to my Marbles... don't usually think of the Skinner as being a versatile knife but it did the job alright, and I was at less risk of stabbing myself with the thing I suppose, as I worked alone.

Never cut a pig, but that critter looks like it probably oinked before it got boinked....?

I've used only the knives my buddy George Herron made for about the last twenty-five years. They are incredible.

Rest In Peace, my dear friend.

Steve











Mastadon Ivory Herron Folder ... kinda nice

I used a (very dull)Leatherman Charge, that lives in my pocket, to gut the only big game animal I shot last Fall. Just a whitetail buck, no big deal. More of a pain cleaning the 'knife' than it was gutting the deer.

Looked in my pickup for a brand new (sharp as chit)Buck folder but of course couldn't find it until I got home.

Used the Buck to skin the rapidly freezing deer.


Kitchen knives to butcher a week or two later.

Wow Dogzapper, that is quite a collection. VERY nice!

Indeed, nice knife stash Steve!

Yes indeed...

Reminds me of a friend who came around a bend in the river on the first or second day of moose season in an area where the chances of finding a moose were very slim....so he hasn't hunting moose of course. And there was a big bull offering itself up. Well, there was a 338 on hand and it went to work,... quick work, but the Leatherman in his pocket wasn't sharp enough to skin a moose. As I recall, he managed to torture the hide - barely- with that blade, get the guts out, then motor 30 miles downriver and back with proper tools.

That first, and last one are gorgeous!

The first one is a Herron Number Two. I've butchered a good many elk and deer, a fair number of mooses and speed goats with it. It may be a many-hundred dollar knife, but is a work knife at heart.

A couple of times, when cutting mooses, if I took a break to rest my fugged-up back, a friend would grab my Herron and put it back to work.

George's blades will do several elk before needing a slight touch-up on the blade. Just bloody incredible.

The top Number Two in the second photo is made of dall sheep horn. It's one-of-a-kind and George made it for me as a surprise present. We shared just a few brews, celebrating the cool knife.

Blessings,

Steve

Put a "wanted to buy" in the classifieds a couple weeks ago. My last was with an old Case folder a good friend gave me almost 30 years ago�wouldn't you know I somehow lost it after dressing the deer. I found a "replacement" on ebay this week but it won't replace one from a friend. I'm sure that is the sentiment Steve is relaying. Just hope he doesn't lose any of those beauties!

Never get tired of seeing those knives Steve, thanks!

Love that folder..Been bugging Menefee to build me an ivory folder.

THe knives i used this year aint picture worthy. Havalon piranha and a vic parer.They just work.

A Bucklite Max and a Vicoronix Fieldmaster. I used a Gerber saw with a bone blade also.

Klik; I used my old Buck 119. Too big yes but I use the knife to split the ach bone to open the pelvic channel. figured out early on how to manage the "too long" blade. For skinning once we get the animals home I prefer the Buck Skinner. I find the USA made Buck knives hold an edge very well and are good tools for the price point.

Steve; beautiful knives and great touchstones to a friend.

I hope y'all have grand and wonderful weekends and god smiles on you.

George

Wore this twice this year, but never got to use it.

Buck Vanguard. I love this thing. 'Twas the sharpest knife out-of-the box that I've ever had.






FC

I'm down to using a vicky paring knife and a Havalon when hunting.

The 'disposable' pairing knives do work very well where weight is an issue. I pick up Kuhn's at Marshals for like $5 and could carry multiple for the same weight of a normal pocket knife. Bright colors help avoid losing them in the leaves and they even come with a sheath.

http://www.amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-4-Inch-Nonstick-Colori/dp/B000GZDY6Q

I've been using a KOA Alpha Wolf in S30V the past few years, including on last fall's buck...

Good eye

[img]http://i1120.photobucket.com/a...-ACCE-6F81E426B2B8_zpsz78upheu.mp4[/img]

I've been using this Spyderco Bill Moran for a few years. Not an expensive knife by any means but the ergonomics of the tool have me reaching for it each season.

Crappy stock photo. Sorry

Gerber Gator, which has a customized "rubber" grip. (Tripper Lab, now 12, but then 3 months). Both were new at the time...used exclusively on Nov 2 moose.

Gerber model "Bear Grillis?" ( The survival flake). Can't stand the guy, but the knife is a good one. Found it on the beach 3 years ago. Used last on 3 caribou Nov 1/2.

Both still need touching up later today. Thanks for reminder!

Of course I had with me my original model Leatherman, not used at all. Got a bigger fancier one around someplace - I think in the PU camper in Soldotna. Never carry it.

I like Buck knives too and have had a laminated Vanguard for around 20 years. The only picture I have is one that I took to show how thick the hide of a moose is:



And they make fine utility knives which is why I often grab mine for opening moose (along the spine) where hair and hide are thick. The edge-holding ability they have was demonstrated well most recently when my #103 kept working well enough that I never thought about going for a sharper knife. (Last time I did that I was operating a Marbles model.)

When I most recently pulled out my Vanguard, I noticed that the edge was very dull and there was a small crack along the edge - so evidently one of the stepsons or their friends had gotten their hands on it. (Anyone know if Buck will give their attention to abused blades?)

Klikitarik;
Good afternoon to you sir, hopefully this finds you and your fine family doing well.

Thanks for the interesting thread and of course thanks to those who've contributed too as it's always an interesting topic for me.

As others have mentioned, I drool every time Steve shows those Heron knives. The top knife in the third photo - horn scales and a bit of a Russell belt knife feel to it - is about perfect to my way of thinking.

Anyway we didn't shoot much at our house this fall so I believe this one was used for gutting. It's built from a 52100 blade I picked up on ebay, white maple scales and I cobbled a sheath up one afternoon too.


As far as the Buck knife goes, we've been fans of US made Bucks for years and became even more so after touring their factory a half dozen years ago.


That visit started my appreciation for their Vantage Pro line of folders and there's always one in my back pocket all season.


From what I understand of the good folks at Buck, they're quite good about customer service, so I'd certainly recommend giving them a shout to see what they say on your Vanguard.

Thanks again for the fine read and views Klik and all the best to you and yours this weekend.

Dwayne

I shot two deer this past season. Used an old {1972} Puma Game Warden on the first and an olive drab carbon steel Mora clipper on the second.

Knives of Alaska Cub Bear.

I never was very good at sharpening so I have succumbed to the cult of the havalon piranta.

I did loose my good, ancient, hand-me-down case folder on an antelope hunt in Sep. That knife had been on 6 continents and been through 3 wars. That sucked but at some point it was bound to happen.

I've got plenty of somewhat cheaper fixed blade knives but plan to use the piranta for all my big game hunting from now on.

'Cobbled' evidently has different meanings than what I generally think of it as��.very nice cobbling as well as knife-making! Thanks for the kind words and same in return.

Piranta almost exclusively like we have since it came out.... I just don't see the need much for anything else.

And when I do, for whatever reason its not a big name knife.. pair of knives from LEM has done the best for me lately if not using piranta, one a small skinner the other gut hook/filet sort of combo...

Awesome cutlery you got there, Sir

What model Zero Tolerance please?

Livin' here in Texas, having critters to skin is easy........




Rocky Menfee "16 bore"





another one of Rocky's blades.





Two handed "Brisket Breaker" by Dale Howe




6.5 Mag by Gene Ingram




Lil' Dumplin' by Rick Menefee (aka, the "BSWD Boner")





#1 Bird and Trout by Gene Ingram


[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/latestgunstuff/IMG_13491_zps7c647914.jpg[/img]

Cold Steel Outdoorsman and "FUBAB" by Rick Menefee


[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/Bear%20Hunt/IMG_0101.jpg[/img]

Randall #28 Woodsman


[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/IMG_0382_zps354698cc.jpg[/img]

Father and son Winstons.



JAPPF,

GWB

I also like my Buck Vanguard. I have the Cabela's S30V version.

Gutted critters with a medium stockman pocket knife to a Puma Bowie, but most were and will continue to be done with a older Buck 110 with a 440C blade.

Skinned and butchered is done with a variety of knives most of which are Forschner.

Nothing like elk, a Leatherman Wave and a Kauffman #15...

Anyone use an Opinel at any point in time? The newer blades seem kind of soft and easily bent, but the older carbon steel blades we used to use for pocket/utility were sharp and easily sharpened as I recall. Haven't used one for awhile but I have put one of the larger ones to use on occasion.

Buck 422 folder with the orange handle. It was given to me as a tip from a client 25 years ago. Had never used a folder, wasn't sure about the "nontraditional" orange handle. Threw it in my knife box.

A year later, in the course of lightening my daypack load, I decided to try that knife. First elk I killed was after 20 inches of powder fell the previous day. Of course I dropped the knife in the snow and it went right to the ground. When I dug it out of the snow I decided that orange handle was the most brilliant idea to ever hit knifedom.....Been carrying that knife in my daypack ever since.

The 422 sharpens easily and holds a pretty good edge. Over the next few years I received two more 422's from clients as tips. They are my backup knives.

Casey

Didn't get too bloody this year. The top knife, a light hunter from Gene Ingram dressed and carved up my buck.



My Dozier Yukon Pro got a few licks in on my Son-in-Laws bull elk as well.

Menefee.

Something about a Negra Modelo that goes well with a hog-skinnin' knife. Here's one with a Ready's 24HCF knife:







And with a Kershaw Blur folder:





FC

I look at those beautiful knives, an realized that I should never have one, simply because all of knives spend a good bit of time after every usage in a bleach and water soak. Makes for clean knife but would really screw up the nice wooden, horn and antler handles.

Still love sees pictures of beautiful tools.

Thanks GRF

This pair




And this one did the gut work

+1



My motto:

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me,
than a frontal lobotomy!!!

Do favor a Negra Modelo now and again.

with pork





Fiddle-fartin' around





or kickin' back


Menefee Swayback


JAPPF,

GWB

I am using just a paring knife 99% of the time.

Couldn't find it on the sheep and ended up using my dull as church buck mayo kaala for the whole thing. I like that knife when it is sharp, but that sucked. The sharpener was "lost" with the vicky - in my pack.

Have used the Havalon on the last 4 deer and could not be happier for most of the work.

I like those.

Don't forget the rubber gloves and hand-sanitizer before AND after bloodying those blades. And always wear a dust mask. Animal dander is an muchly under-recognized danger that all hunters eventually face. Even those that have household pets, can be susceptable to the occasional sneeze. And don't forget to burn any clothing that comes into contact with animal body fluids, immediately upon contact. Call 911 as soon as you think you've been exposed to even the most minor of germs. Get into the habit of taking antibiotics every morning, right after your One-a-Day.......

Hell's Bells, you're skinnin' critters..........





I hear urine is sterile,

Piss on it and wipe it down.

JAPPF,

GWB

I asked the biologist at Kerr WMA about diseases in hogs and he said they carry stuff like brucellosis, psuedorabies, and tularemia. He said he used to clean them without gloves and would put dip in with bloody hands and says it's a miracle he's still alive. Now he wears gloves and mask.

I've been using an old Puma Hunter's Pal for 14 years now. My wife just started hunting two years ago and I thought she should have a knife of her own, so I just picked up a Bark River Springbok with antique linen micarta scales.

huntsman;

Thanks for the chuckle tonight Don, I hope this finds you well.

I'm pretty sure that the GRF I've come to know a wee bit via the phone and PM's won't need all of the medications prescribed and hopefully he gets a chuckle too.

In light of my cyber friend GW upping the ante with porcine testicular photographic contributions - I'll just say I'll see GW's pork bits and raise him one blowed up mulie heart.


Now I do realize that this isn't from this year and I'm not wearing the gloves you suggested - but hopefully I can be forgiven both faux pas.

I've really enjoyed this thread folks - thanks to all who've contributed and all the best to you and GW and your respective others in the up coming week Don.

Dwayne

PS;
Eldest daughter has actually developed allergies to deer hair and needs to wear gloves now....

I just gotta pack reading glasses along with the knives now - a by product of passing a half decade on this earth no doubt.

Best to you all again.

Can't be too careful these days........

You might tell yer biologist buddy about these new-fangled protection devices now used by the most discrimination hunters.
Have him google 'haz-mat suit'. Available on Amazon, I reckon......

PRAISE JEEEEZUS........

In alpha order;

Bark River Mikro Canadian
Cold Steel Pendleton Light Hunter (loaner)
Harvey King Small Game

I keep a few Opinel #8s around. I gave the #8 Trekking style with the red handles to my son's scout patrol. I dumped the little leather lanyard and made a longer and more useful paracord lanyard for them.

Another couple of inexpensive folders that I like are the older Buck 442 and 455 with partially serrated blades. The 455 is so small that it easily fits in the watch pocket on my jeans.

Amazing how quickly a guy can take apart an animal with a sharp paring knife.

Used this parer on everything from elk to lion. Weighs almost nothing on backpack hunts. Did a javelina last month.

Going to reshape this old carbon knife into a skinning parer, it should be unique.

My Clark Kent EDC









no phone booth required.






just blood and gore.

JAPPF,

GWB

These 3 were used so far this year on deer. Fox was an old pic of the knife. One more weekend coming up.

I saw that�.. but save it for later





I beg to differ. It's far to easy to freeze one's finger tips while wearing rubber gloves versus cotton skinning gloves�.and the 'blood puddle' in the insides is pretty darned handy at -30 when feeling in one's digits quit several minutes previous.

Besides, I think that rubber/latex/nitrile tend to degrade the subtle flavors of fresh warm liver, thinly sliced, when you lay it upon your tongue, fresh with the juices of life ebbing from them.

Is that before the 'dip', or after?....

I typically use the Anza on the far right. Made from a file blade. 2.75 inch blade. Holds an edge quite nicely. However, this year I used the Cold Steel on the far left for my elk. No idea why, I just did.


I think these carbon steel Mora's are under rated. For 10.00 they're a heck of a knife.


Paired with a 6.5x55.... They just go together.

I've used this one for 20+ years. It was one of the earliest in ATS34 and it fits me.

The last one was with the 25OT dad got me when I was 11. I killed the deer with his 35

I have the same knife, and it is the one I reach for if I have a big skinning job.

The goofy-looking handle is wonderful to use -- especially by the time you have half-way through skinning a big moose!

John

Tonight utilizing a new gift from 'fire member Kenjs1 on a fawn I shot w/ the ML at beginning of this month:



Redhead laminate folder bought on clearance did yeoman's work on Tx hogs



And Wyoming pronghorn



along w/ my "everyday carry" Cold Steel Code Blue tonto folder and first choice for versatility, the Wyoming knife.

Rocky Menefee's interpretation of his brother's "16 bore"




Made short work of this Tom



JAPPF,

GWB

EFW- Lemme know how she works out for you.

Oh- it is sunny and over 70 degrees on my ride home tonight!

Gerber Magnum LST for the outside work, small Gerber LST for inside. The silly assed things are cheap and, once you get an initial edge on them, seem to stay sharp fairly well. If I lose one, I regret the time it took to get it sharp the first time more than the $$. That isn't a bad combination.

I suppose the little knife blade on my Leatherman "Micra" might have to be counted, too.

The only other knife I pack ... and that's only occasionally ... is a Buck Vanguard with a rubber handle and no gut hook. I can't see the point of packing a heavy knife if a light one gets the job done for me. I still use my Buck Special and General and my Gerber LMF but they stay at the truck / at home.

Tom

This knife by Twin Blades is the one that I have used to butcher the last few deer I've killed. It has a 4 inch blade of CPM S30V.

I've got a bunch of knives. Some are very nice, hand-made, expensive cutlery.

But I always seem to have a Buck 110 on my belt and an old Buck trapper in my pocket. Sometimes a Marbles 99.

Gene Ingram Chukar in Black Ash Burl and S30V.

Last I used was a boker plus dozier copy . Great knife for about $45. I have quite a few knives so I switch around quite a bit. My most used knife is a old western folder that I have had for probably35 years. Not an expensive knife but it has dressed a number of deer

Couple more from earlier in the year......



Ram's horn Menefee




Menefee FUBAB


JAPPF,

GWB

My Buck 110 is my typical go to knife. I do sometimes mix it up with a very nice custom made and three other Bucks. Next year I am going to try a new to me Uncle Henry 153UH Spikehorn.

Not a single Schrade Sharp Finger mentioned?

Sold my old Sharp Finger after not using it for many years. I didn't see the need for carrying a knife only for skinning.

Used my Okamura built knife on the only deer this season.

Just fer schitz n' giggles..........

JAPPF,

GWB

A blade from K.A. Swearingen. Forged 5160H. It cleaned two deer last year, and is still sharp. It is his Elk Skinner II model

I always have one of them with me when hunting whitetails in Indiana. It was my dad's. I really like it.

Had one of those I picked up 30-some years ago; not sure what happened to it. It never was as sharp as I thought it should have been. Based on that knife, I wasn't much impressed with the steel Schrade was using. I liked the concept of the shape, but it was a bit on the small side for dealing with moose.

I've never owned a sharpfinger. I've been toying with the idea of picking up one of the older carbon steel models I see on E-bay. I have no earthly idea why I'd want to. I've got a drawer full of knives and really don't need another, but I'm sure you all know how these ideas get inside our heads and just won't go away.

I'm a simpleton compared to you guys. I've been using Puma folders for the past 20 years or so....warden, prince, packer. Love the Havalon Piranta for skinning/caping.

These are the three knives that I have used the past several years on deer, elk and antelope.





From the left;

- A Custom knife that my brother made for me with S30V steel, and G-10 scales.
- A Dozier Skinner with D-2 steel and Micarta scales.
- A Custom Gut Hook that my buddy from Wyoming made with scales from Pa.

donsm70

I used a Moki Banff VG10 and a Joel Clark B&T in SV30. Both worked great. Moki handle is a bit slick.

Like my buddy Pugs says, "were knife sluts".. Here are mine, the Randall 25 Skinner at the bottom I've used the most, to include a bison I killed with ET and Doc Rocket a few years ago, as well as a few African critters. Middle two are still cherry, and the top one, flew with me during my AD days.


And this one, an Arno Bernard "elephant" with Big Horn Sheep handle, I just purchased:

I have a few I use. A Wyoming knife sees a lot of action. So does a CRKT

But my pet is this Bark River Canadian belt knife. Semi custom in Buckeye Burl ( or was it Elder burl ? ) with mosaic pins. Very good skinner.

I've got a couple of Winstons on order. A model 22 hunter and a model 40 hunter with matching Maple burl.

Used this one as well.

Yes,,, Buck has one of the best CS dept's in the country.
Send it in and they'll either fix or replace it, no questions asked.

I too like those Vanguard's.
I have all manners of custom and production knives.
My Vanguard doesn't take a back seat to any of them.



These days I just shoot yearlings or fawn's from the porch so I just grab what suites my fancy that day.
This year it was my old carbon steel Northwoods B&T.

I really like the Alaskan Guide line of Buck at Cabela's. All the nice classic-ness of the varguard, but with S30V steel with BOS heat treat. Not a fan of the Logo on the blade, but overall, it makes a good knfe a Great knife.


My last was a Lonewolf Mountainside Drop Point. N680 steel with a stonewash. These guys were gobbled up by Benchmade, and make a good USA product. I have the Drop Point and the Skinner. I am considering adding some liners to the handles. Just for fun, really.

Most recent was my GS Hunter from Ralston Knives.


Prior was his Lil Caper


Shot of three ralstons


Used the Ingrams and Snow knives a little as well. Really really liking the Ralston knives though

350

So many beautiful knives, so few opportunities - relatively- to wear them out.

Always an Ingram...

Menefee semi skinner worked on whitetails this past hunting season...



Ingram B&T did the same...

GWB,

What's the bottom knife in the brisket of the set showing your "Clark Kent EDC?"

Thanks.

Frank

That is my "two handed Brisket-Breaker". Dale Howe who posts here as Mtnman1 fashioned that for me.

Here is his website should you want to contact him outside 24hourcampfire........

http://www.howemtnknives.com/




Local custom here is not to field dress, but to bring the carcass back whole to camp where we have a lighted skinning rack. We hang our critters from the hind legs using a gambrell. For years I used a Cold Steel "Outdoorsman" for the task of splitting the brisket in order to facilitate removal of the "innards", but Dale was kind enough to accomodate my request for a knife that I could grasp with two-hands for the downstroke. Yes I could use a hatchet, or camp axe or saw, but I like using a knife.

















JAPPF,


GWB

My knives are nothing special. But as long as they are sharp they work as well as any others.

I really like the looks of this one. I need to find one locally to handle. I have big hands, I'm 6'5" and it is hard to find a knife that is comfortable in my hands to work with.

That's a nice sturdy knife with a pleasant ergos good heft and girth for XL/XXL hands IMO.

The Buck Vanguard is a great pattern. Like I said before, I especially like the Cabela's version with s30v.

My hands are anything but big, but it just fits me well. I believe Bud's Gun Shop has the Vanguards < $50.

I got mine from an online shop in Louisiana. They were a tad more expensive, but service was fine.

FC

GWB,

Thanks. Beautiful knife.

Frank

+1.