Show Us Your Hunting Knife

[BeeMaa]

This is what we use on our deer. The curve inside the groove is sharp all the rest is blunt. You literally can’t puncture the innards.

I love everything about that picture. Takes me back to my childhood hunting in Upstate NY with my grandfather. Doing it on the front porch is icing on the cake. LOL.

I've gone back and forth with zipper knives...sometimes I really like them, while other times not so much. Your knife appears to be a top quality piece of kit and I bet it holds an edge for a good long time. I've sold all my zippers to others and I hope they are enjoying them, no plans on another one at this time.

What I have found is that I prefer a fixed blade for nearly all of my hunting knives. The only exception is a Havalon Piranta Forge (orange handle so I don't loose it in the leaves) I keep with me for traveling light when hunting birds.

I also find this thread humorous because I have more hunting knives than I could possibly use on a safari...even if I had to skin the game myself. To top it off...I'm looking at another one. I'll bet I use my hunting knives in the kitchen more often than I do in the field. But no one clicks on pictures of chopped up carrots.

 

[MS 9x56]

I love everything about that picture. Takes me back to my childhood hunting in Upstate NY with my grandfather. Doing it on the front porch is icing on the cake. LOL.

I've gone back and forth with zipper knives...sometimes I really like them, while other times not so much. Your knife appears to be a top quality piece of kit and I bet it holds an edge for a good long time. I've sold all my zippers to others and I hope they are enjoying them, no plans on another one at this time.

What I have found is that I prefer a fixed blade for nearly all of my hunting knives. The only exception is a Havalon Piranta Forge (orange handle so I don't loose it in the leaves) I keep with me for traveling light when hunting birds.

I also find this thread humorous because I have more hunting knives than I could possibly use on a safari...even if I had to skin the game myself. To top it off...I'm looking at another one. I'll bet I use my hunting knives in the kitchen more often than I do in the field. But no one clicks on pictures of chopped up carrots.

Yeah it is a Boker 3 blade, knife blade, saw blade and zipper. I picked it up at Smokey mountain knife works while on vacation in pigeon forge. It quickly became my favorite big game knife.

 

[HankBuck]

I'm not too sure about the Outdoor Edge knives. As I understand it, at least in respect of their swing blade zip knives, they appear to be a cheap Chinese knockoff of the original Eka G3 & G4 which are made in Sweden.

@Hunter4752001 - Outdoor Edge does not seem to highlight or mention the steel used in some of their knives. Most knives made with better steels “advertise” the steel used because it is a Selling Point and explains/justifies higher prices. Now, in all fairness, I’m not sure I would know the difference between S30V, S35V etc… based just on using them or even sharpening them?? I have a couple of cheaper knives that I don’t even know what steel was used for the blade but for whatever reason - just seem to sharpen up Great and I get a razor edge on them….I can’t do that with every knife I own so it could be the profile/angle that the blade was ground.
I don’t mind spending time sharpening and honing my knives, I’m “OK” at it but not the best, I have several stones and strops that I use - as well as a few diamond infused stones (I prefer composit man made stones). For Me, sharpening a knife takes time but I enjoy it (it’s relaxing). Most of my knives I can get a very sharp edge on, especially a few Benchmade S30v, but I have a couple that Nothing I do works — one is a cheaper Buck 4” straight blade, never can get that razor sharp like I can the Buck 112s or 110s….I’m tempted to take a Belt Sander to it!!

 

[MS 9x56]

The belt sander and grinding wheel are both enemy's of knife life.if you need to rest blade angle use a coarser stone.

 

[HankBuck]

The belt sander and grinding wheel are both enemy's of knife life.if you need to rest blade angle use a coarser stone.

@MS 9x56 - yes, sure - courser stone? I’ve done that - it’s still a lot of time (for me) and results vary —— a “great” Knife sharpener would get a dull knife RE PROFILED in 20-30 minutes and have a razor edge on it 10 minutes after that….I am Not a “great” knife sharpener !!

 

[MS 9x56]

Sharpening by hand is not fast for sure. My Dad taught me how and within a year he was having me sharpen his knives. You know that guy in every hunting camp that everyone asks to sharpen their knives? Yeah in my camp I am that guy. I tried to teach my son but he has yet to get the hang of it. I have several knives I have owned for over 50 years that the blades look almost new. When I finish a sharpening job my final test is shaving hair off my fore arm.

 

[HankBuck]

Sharpening by hand is not fast for sure. My Dad taught me how and within a year he was having me sharpen his knives. You know that guy in every hunting camp that everyone asks to sharpen their knives? Yeah in my camp I am that guy. I tried to teach my son but he has yet to get the hang of it. I have several knives I have owned for over 50 years that the blades look almost new. When I finish a sharpening job my final test is shaving hair off my fore arm.

@MS 9x56 - your Dad taught you right, as did my Dad. If you use a stone your blades will last 100 years because very little steel if removed during each sharpening…but it takes more time and some skill to get a fine edge. I’m “OK” at it but there are certainly better.

 

[rifletuner]

I like the "zipper" style blades a lot. They are not that common in Australia, but there are enough people that know what they are doing that choose to carry them.

I started making these two knives separately, but then decided to handle them as a pair. Steel on the hunting knife is 3.8mm Elmax, and the zipper blade is 3 mm SF100. The hunting knife has a tapered tang and a full flat grind. The zipper is a weird steep grind using a very small contact wheel. Both have blaze orange G10 handles, with fluro green G10 liners and pins. I forgot to etch my makers mark on the zipper blade, but I can still go back and do that. Sorry the photos are not great - the lighting was a bit inconsistent the morning I took these.

 

[BeeMaa]

Went to my local A/N store for some new fleece watch caps...walked out with these.

Benchmade Anonimus for me and a Benchmade Osborne Automatic for Mrs BeeMaa. Tomorrow is her birthday and I thought I'd surprise her with a new shank.

Quick note - If you don't hear from me for a while...might want to send a search party. She won't be too pissed about the knives, but when she finds out I ordered a custom Kydex sheath for mine...it could put her over the edge.

In my defense, the BM Kydex sheath is crap. They make good knives but need to step up their game on the sheath. More pics when the new sheath arrives.

 

[Mekaniks]

Went to my local A/N store for some new fleece watch caps...walked out with these.

View attachment 633494

Benchmade Anonimus for me and a Benchmade Osborne Automatic for Mrs BeeMaa. Tomorrow is her birthday and I thought I'd surprise her with a new shank.

Quick note - If you don't hear from me for a while...might want to send a search party. She won't be too pissed about the knives, but when she finds out I ordered a custom Kydex sheath for mine...it could put her over the edge.

In my defense, the BM Kydex sheath is crap. They make good knives but need to step up their game on the sheath. More pics when the new sheath arrives.

Very nice

Where did you order the custom sheath from?

 

[BeeMaa]

Very nice

Where did you order the custom sheath from?

Armatus Cary Solutions

Should look like this.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

This guy is really popular on the knife forum

AZWELKE Custom Kydex Sheaths

www.azwelke.com

Also look up Mashed Cat Kydex. They’re really popular too
Also very popular:

Buy Brown Ind.

If you are looking for Kydex sheaths or something really custom please consider us.

buybrownind.com

 

[BeeMaa]

@Wishfulthinker580 - I'm really looking for a fold-over design with rivets on just one side instead of a pancake that has rivets all the way around. This makes the sheath smaller, lighter and with the rivets on one side it has a smaller footprint. Plus the holes are spaced at 1/2" intervals, which means carry options abound. All I'd need to do is order a clip from Discreet Carry Concepts for pocket or IWB. Even the MKC Utiliclip would be an option for deep pocket carry.

 

[rifletuner]

Sorry for a picture intensive post. These are some hunter profile knives I finished up to take to the Sydney knife show in August this year. These are all in a hunter pattern I have made for a few years now. The steel is 3mm NitroV, with cryo treatment after the heat treat. The blade is a full flat grind which is ground to .2mm at the edge. The tang tapers to about 1mm. Its only the handle material that varies on these. Gidgee on the first one, then laminate blue and black G10 and then Ivory G10.

 

[Rare Breed]

I recently sold a bunch of knives (thank you AH members who looked and bought them) and as any proper AH member, already had in mind what my next one would be. So before the funds could hit the bank, I purchased a Smith & Sons Brave with Natural Micarta Scales. Fits my hand well and is now resting on my cartridge belt. This one hasn't had a chance yet to make any memories, but I assure you it will.
View attachment 423992
This also made me wonder what others are using as their hunting knives. Of course I will expect the legion of Von Gruff fans to come forward with pictures of theirs, but I know there are others out there that have some semi-custom, full custom or a Buck 110 that their Grandfather gave them. Share a picture and maybe the story behind it.

You know my very good friend @BeeMaa is such an enabler, lol!!! Because of his post I bought a custom knife for which I post on this thread…but truth be told I love this knife and wore it on both of my April safaris.

 

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi rifletuner

Great designs and workmanship!!!! I would change...nothing!!! Congratulations!!!

CF

 

[rifletuner]

Hi rifletuner

Great designs and workmanship!!!! I would change...nothing!!! Congratulations!!!

CF

Thanks mate. I appreciate the feedback

 

[CBH Australia]

Sorry for a picture intensive post. These are some hunter profile knives I finished up to take to the Sydney knife show in August this year. These are all in a hunter pattern I have made for a few years now. The steel is 3mm NitroV, with cryo treatment after the heat treat. The blade is a full flat grind which is ground to .2mm at the edge. The tang tapers to about 1mm. Its only the handle material that varies on these. Gidgee on the first one, then laminate blue and black G10 and then Ivory G10.

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Don’t apologise about the pictures. It’s a picture post.
Nice knives. It’s good to identify another Aussie here.

 

[rifletuner]

Don’t apologise about the pictures. It’s a picture post.
Nice knives. It’s good to identify another Aussie here.

Thanks mate. I this case a picture really does say a thousand words

 

[rifletuner]

This is one I made a while ago. It has a few flaws, so I put it aside for a while trying to decide what to do with it. I was thinking about grinding the handle off an redoing the bevels. But I decided the wood I used for the handle is too nice to destroy. So I finished it off over the last week and it will be going to a keen deer hunter to test for me,

I think the blade is S35VN steel with a full flat grind and a tapered tang. This one has more of a drop point than what I usually put on my hunters. The handle is Gidgee with blue G10 liners, brass Loveless bolts & brass lanyard tube. First time I have used a blue liner with Gidgee and quite like how it turned out. The handle has about 10 coats of liquid wax rubbed into it, so a new finish I havent tried before.