Hunting knives opinions

[Commando]

I need to get a good hunting knives. I am thinking either a knives of alaska elk hunter or a buck knife vangaurd. What the general opinions of these knives? Thanks

[Duckslayer89]

I just bought a benchmade steep country hunter. It's s30v steel. Orange handle. Really like it. The benchmade saddle mountain skinner is bad ass too

[WapitiTalk1]

Can't say anything bad about those two choices.  Here's another option you may be interested in, Elk Track Knives (link below to thread on Wapititalk.com). 

http://www.wapititalk.com/Hunting/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7767 

[Commando]

Can't say anything bad about those two choices.  Here's another option you may be interested in, Elk Track Knives (link below to thread on Wapititalk.com). 

http://www.wapititalk.com/Hunting/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7767

I've seen those and really like them but not sure I want to spend 200 on a knife.

[thinkingman]

I need to get a good hunting knives. I am thinking either a knives of alaska elk hunter or a buck knife vangaurd. What the general opinions of these knives? Thanks

What type of knife are you looking for?
Skinning?
Boning?
Camp/survival?

[Commando]

I need to get a good hunting knives. I am thinking either a knives of alaska elk hunter or a buck knife vangaurd. What the general opinions of these knives? Thanks

What type of knife are you looking for?
Skinning?
Boning?
Camp/survival?

I want a fixed blade that I will put in my hunting pack and will be used mainly to quarter/ skin elk and possibly de bone elk quarters in the field

[Thehowler]

Duckslayer,
Did you buy that orange handled benchmade at Sportsmans? Looked at one the other day, was going to go back and buy it. I Get tired of loosing track of my knife while I am dressing game.

[Buzz2401]

Pretty hard to beat a Buck 102 or 109.  I own a lot of knives and multiple replaceable blade knives and I always keep coming back to my Buck 112.  I can get through one elk with out sharpening it and I don't have to waste my money on the replaceable blades.  I do keep a Outdoor edge razor blaze in my pack in case multiple animals are down or in case I need another sharp knife before I get a chance to sharpen my 112.

[JDHasty]

Which ever style best suits your needs.  Long gone are the days of my youth when these knives were sold in every sporting goods store in Montana for $20 though.   


http://www.ruanaknives.com/

[Duckslayer89]

Duckslayer,
Did you buy that orange handled benchmade at Sportsmans? Looked at one the other day, was going to go back and buy it. I Get tired of loosing track of my knife while I am dressing game.

Ya man I bought that exact one. It was between the saddle mountain and the steep hunter. I liked the orange handle and a little shorter blade. Plenty long though.

OP When choosing a knife I would take a hard look at the steel used when comparing the knifes your choosing from. Also I made my decision on made in USA vs out of country.

[300rum]

You will not regret a Knives of Alaska Elk Hunter.  I am very picky and sentimental with my knives and I turn to the Elk hunter every time now.  I can easily get two animals boned out without touching it up.  It is a very solid knife that allows me to choke up on which I prefer when boning out an animal.  The sheath is not a cheapo and is a steal at the price, I would pay $30 or more for a sheath of similar quality for my other knives.     

[carpsniperg2]

If I am going with a quality fixed blade I go to benchmade. They are solid quality and served me well.

[Commando]

You will not regret a Knives of Alaska Elk Hunter.  I am very picky and sentimental with my knives and I turn to the Elk hunter every time now.  I can easily get two animals boned out without touching it up.  It is a very solid knife that allows me to choke up on which I prefer when boning out an animal.  The sheath is not a cheapo and is a steal at the price, I would pay $30 or more for a sheath of similar quality for my other knives.   

I am really starting g to like that knife the more I look at it. I think I might get the trekker series combo set. It comes with the elk hunter and the cub bear in think? 
But if I go that way way go the elk tracks way like phantom suggested. That way I've only got one knife instead of two. I don't know 

[fishngamereaper]

I carry three different knives, crkt, knives of Alaska and a sog...guess you never know. Don't limit yourself to just one, that's no fun.

[Buzz2401]

I had two Benchmades because my buddy was a dealer and I still can't see the hype behind these knives.  They are of great quality but I have found nothing to support the crazy retail price that is asked for them.  But of course most American made knives these days are of high quality and it really all just comes down to personal preference.  My buddy has a KOA knife and it seems like a pretty nice knife for the price.

[Duckslayer89]

I had two Benchmades because my buddy was a dealer and I still can't see the hype behind these knives.  They are of great quality but I have found nothing to support the crazy retail price that is asked for them.  But of course most American made knives these days are of high quality and it really all just comes down to personal preference.  My buddy has a KOA knife and it seems like a pretty nice knife for the price.

I didn't think 90 bucks was to high really for what your getting. Seems like an average price. There was more expensive knives made with less quality steel and made in Taiwan for more money.

[Buzz2401]

That does sound like a good deal.  I have never seen a Benchmade for less then $150 but haven't been in the market for a new knife in years.  I do think it is super crazy that companies sell foreign made knives above $50.  But people buy them.

[Magnum_Willys]

Havalon for backup. Not impressed with outdoor edge - seems to dull really quick. Going back to sharp buck for primary.

Buck 103 Skinner is $40 on Amazon.  All you need.

[Ingwe]

Buck knives

[Thehowler]

Inherited a nice older Ruana from my dad. I carried that knife for years in the woods. Almost lost it once so no longer carry it.

[thinkingman]

I used a Spyderco Bill Moran Droppoint on an elk this year.
VG10 blade was scary sharp when I started and scary sharp when I finished.
Love the size, shape, balance and handle.
Great knife.

[ribka]

i have benchmade, havalon, spyderco, buck, cold steel master hunter (scary sharp), finish knives and a couple custom damascus hunting knives and i find myself using these more and more:

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-Paring-Knife/dp/B005LRYE36/ref=zg_bs_289859_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ND1BDB

decent steel and sharpens up nice

a few in the pack with a stone

and this one

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Skinning-Blade-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B000MF0YD6/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1486703721&sr=1-6&keywords=skinning+knife

[cooltimber]

buck 119 and Havalon

[Firedogg]

Fallkniven Idun... it will become a family heirloom you will hand down. Amazing knives.

[actionshooter]

I use several knives but I keep going back to the Buck Paklites, They were freebies at RMEF banquets for a couple of years and work really well.

[JeffRaines]

Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter made quick work of a deer this year. I think one of the nicer points about the Benchmades are the warranty and 'ever sharp' guarantee. At the end of the season just send it in and get it inspected and sharpened.

[Labs07]

I carry a Ruana, a folding buck and a swing blade

[JDHasty]

My cousin who was recruited to go up to Alaska to guide for Ray McNutt used to say:  If there is another knife that is as good a fixed blade hunting knife as a Ruana it is a well kept secret.   

[724wd]

the old ruanas are better than the later ones.  I can't remember if you're supposed to look FOR an M, or the other way around.  I have one that's 30 plus years old.  It's made for small hands, so my kids get to carry it (once I build a new sheath... a dog ate the last one)

[JakeLand]

Look into POST knives ! They are made by Jim Post and they are awesome he mainly does knives for trappers for skinning but I have several and they very well done and very affordable and not fancy

[Bofire]

I have a Buck Vanguard and others, Special, 102, they sit in the safe. Have a Alaska knife set that lives in my truck for emergency. When I carry a belt type knife I carry a WR Case and sons I like a 4-5 inch blade.
Carl

[pianoman9701]

I've always carried a Buck and a Schrade until the last few years. I've also had a couple of Camillus and a couple of SOG. Wazuki made me a really nice knife that is always on my side now. I keep a Razor Lite Edge in the pack with plenty of replacement blades. I like the heavy Wazuki fixed blade in case I need to chop or for survival applications. The Razor has enough blades so that even if they do dull quickly, it doesn't matter. But the blades themselves are heavy enough so a few quick swipes with the diamond steel and they're sharp again. I can't really see the need to have anything else.

[Commando]

Do you guys think the Benchmade hidden canyon hunter would be a good knife for taking down a elk? Or is it to small?

[Duckslayer89]

Do you guys think the Benchmade hidden canyon hunter would be a good knife for taking down a elk? Or is it to small?

You could definetly clean an elk with one but deboning and everything I would want something a little bigger. I really liked that knife though. It's pretty small in person but nice and lite. Trade off I guess. They have the full line up at Sportsmans warehouse in Puyallup

[Commando]

Ibwas planning on going to the sportsman's in silverdale tomorrow. I'll give it a look. I really like this one so far.

[Commando]

Well I'm going the bark River route. I found a good deal on a bark River bravo 1.

[NW SURVEYOR]

I have used and old Schrade Scrimshaw for over 30 years for deer and elk.
It's a two balde folder taht takes a nice edge.
I have quartered out about 15 elk with it and close to 30 deer.
A couple of swipes on a diamond lap and it's good to go.
It doesn't need a sheath and works great for me.
Two blades in one easy carry package.

Before that, I used a Case two blade folder that my dad gave me in 74.
Carried that for about 12 years.
Still have it but keep it at home for sentimental reasens.

If your set on a fixed balde, can't help you.

[jbauch357]

I used to use a Buck Ergohunter in S30v but found the blade to be too short and rounded for most of the tasks I was taking on.  Now I'm using a Benchmade saddle mountain hunter and it's been perfect for field dressing and rough quartering deer.  Once back at the camp and doing actual butchering we use Victorinox and Zwilling Henckels knives.

[Night goat]

Real men use thier teeth

[Commando]

Real men use thier teeth

Tried that before, the hair kept tickling my nose making me sneeze. And I kept getting stuff stuck in my teeth. Not a fan

[theleo]

Real men use thier teeth

When a bull still has wet mud on him from wallowing, the taste can be a little off putting.

I've been packing around a double bladed Case and a Marbles Outdoorsman since my dad got them for me when I started hunting 20 years ago and I've never needed more. However My grandfather passed away about 10 years ago and I grabbed his old Buffalo skinner from his pack as a sentimental thing to have in mine, that old knife with a big curve makes short and easy work of skinning like nothing else I've had my hands on.

[Night goat]

There is a company in Alaska called Dancing Man knives, he makes his from reclaimed saw blades, so true old old skool high carbon tool steel, I've been eyeballing one of his for a while now, not the easiest to track down, but, ive seen plenty of his blades and know a guy or two up north who swear by em
http://www.dancingmanknives.com/site/60df2f819f50482380d8654ca4bdefc2/default?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdancingmanknives.com%2FAbout_the_Knives___Ulus.html#2705