Does the perfect fixed blade for Africa exist? Whether it does or not, what should it look like?

[mdwest]

No one blade is best at everything… what’s great for opening boxes and cutting twine isn’t going to be very good at breaking trail… and what’s great at breaking trail isn’t going to very good at caping an animal… and what’s great at caping isn’t going very to be worth a damn at battening through firewood.. etc…

As a client I prefer a general purpose 4” fixed blade.. something that is decent at most tasks.. but not necessarily the best at anything..

Not that I’ve ever had to clear leather on a hunt in Africa with my knife..

But as stated in another thread recently.. I’d rather have and not need.. than need and not have..

I’ve got a 4” spear point that is about as ”bushcraft” as a knife can be.. a general purpose knife made from nearly indestructible materials.. that keeps and maintains an edge easily… that’s the knife I typically take with me to Africa for a hunt…

 

[HWL]

The Puma "White Hunter"..

HWL

 

[Nyati]

Blade is 120mm long 6mm thick, 52.100 steel, hand forged. Micarta handle.

This is mine.

 

[Phil Giordano]

To me, my beloved old Randall is the perfect hunting knife for Africa and for everywhere else

 

[Bullthrower338]

Redleg summed up my thoughts perfectly. Regardless of your intent, bad situations happen. The other thread it was said that you essentially don’t bring a knife to a gunfight, although I tend to subscribe to that thought process myself, when you can’t have a handgun, a well designed fighting knife would be my next choice in a dark alley. Most criminals are maybe 1 IQ point above a coyote turd and are typically trained by other hoodlums with similar cognitive abilities. I personally am much more worried being 7 feet away from a man with a knife intent on killing me than a guy with a handgun. So, one more vote for Von Gruff’s JT Ranger, it also opens a can of snuff perfectly!

 

[HankBuck]

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View attachment 587113
To me, my beloved old Randall is the perfect hunting knife for Africa and for everywhere else

Phil, finally someone posted a pic of a knife with Form, Function, & Quality all combined !! That knife would meet every definition of an “overall” African hunting knife —- Not perfect at any one thing but very good at ”many” things. That’s my opinion and others mileage will vary but your knife is classy-Not flashy, quality materials, functional form….gets My Vote !

 

[Phil Giordano]

Phil, finally someone posted a pic of a knife with Form, Function, & Quality all combined !! That knife would meet every definition of an “overall” African hunting knife —- Not perfect at any one thing but very good at ”many” things. That’s my opinion and others mileage will vary but your knife is classy-Not flashy, quality materials, functional form….gets My Vote !

Thanks Hank!
Yes I love it, add that is easy to resharp, something not so common with many super steel of today.
Definitely a classy knife, but at the same time an heavy duty tool!

 

[IvW]

Hunter Stabs Buffalo to Death to Save Pinned Guide - Sporting Shooter

These guys were huntingCape Buffaloin South Africa when they had to deal with every PH’s nightmare situation: a wounded buffalo. When they followed it up, the buffalo charged and pinned one of the hunters to the ground. In a last ditch effort to save him, the victim’s son bravely intervened...

sportingshooter.com.au

 

[Red Leg]

Hunter Stabs Buffalo to Death to Save Pinned Guide - Sporting Shooter

These guys were huntingCape Buffaloin South Africa when they had to deal with every PH’s nightmare situation: a wounded buffalo. When they followed it up, the buffalo charged and pinned one of the hunters to the ground. In a last ditch effort to save him, the victim’s son bravely intervened...

sportingshooter.com.au

If you listen they are begging the client to shoot. He apparently froze. Brave young man.

 

[zephyr]

An fine example of that $1 steak knife found in every skinning shed plus the river rock used to sharpen them

 

[steve white]

The Puma "White Hunter"..
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HWL

If I had known that the upper side of the blade could be sharpened to split kindling, I might not have sold mine...but I just didn't use it that much.

 

[HankBuck]

An fine example of that $1 steak knife found in every skinning shed plus the river rock used to sharpen them
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Wow, that is one CRAP knife

 

[zephyr]

Knife design a collaboration with knife maker Jim Bensinger... 8"s overall length Pattern Welded steel with Water Buff scales..It has been used on numerous game from pigs to elephant ... with 2 sets of witness marks on the blade's spine fore and aft for fine and gross work

 

[baxterb]

An fine example of that $1 steak knife found in every skinning shed plus the river rock used to sharpen them
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This isnt even a joke. The Victorinox paring knives are awesome. You look in most kitchens butcherhouses they will be stuffed with vics and dexter knives and thats ALL they do...

 

[BigGame]

Randall Made Knives No.1 has been my go to through the years. I stopped bringing it because a friend of mine lost his knife when it disappeared out of his luggage in transit. Too many memories to lose this knife.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I packed a Buck 119, which was fine as a frog’s hair for the situation. PH was carrying the same. I think just about any sturdy 3.5-7in blade is a good choice.

If I was in the bush for a long time, one of those pangas would be handy.

 

[D-Orcutt]

I have a pile of nice hunting knives - none were used in Africa - but I can tell you what every skinner I saw used… a $0.99 cheap ass plastic handle, flimsy junk metal blade. And they made my skinning skills look pathetic in comparison.

Always the Indian not the bow

 

[112Savage]

I took no knives on my first safari because I was originally scheduled to go through Amsterdam. If I had two perfect knives, I would suggest the Von Gruff hunter-skinner or the Siembida northern shrike/ Magpie.
They are totally different knives and steels but should serve the visiting hunter well.

 

[fourfive8]

Curious as to why it should look any different from any knife used for field dressing, skinning or cutting up an animal on any other continent? Seems like a loaded question- more of a question about selling to and marketing of current trendy/fashion.

If you include really big, thick skinned game like elephant, better add one or more of the locally produced hand axes and a file for sharpening. The most trendy, custom handled, expensive, drop point fashion knife won’t account for much for something like an elephant without assistance from some significantly heftier tools like axes and even as @BRICKBURN suggested possibly a heavy panga

These are serious tools for larger jobs. Custom mastodon ivory handled, faux "Damascus", 4" drop point.... not so much.

 

[Red Leg]

These are serious tools for larger jobs. Custom mastodon ivory handled, faux "Damascus", 4" drop point.... not so much.

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Brought two of those home. Don't use them (though they would work), but they make a useful conversation piece.