need knife suggestion

[GoldTip]

Under $30 won't buy a quality knive

Not firm on that price, just hoping.  I have a Gerber Gator that I got for about $30 that I use for work.  It's a good work knife, just don't know how it'd do on an animal

I've got a Gerber Gator (nothing but blade, no serrations or gut hook) that I've used on animals since probably 1990 or so, been resharpened probably 30 times or more probably gutted and skinned 50 or so animals I'd guess.  I have other knives, a few customs (one from Rainshadow on this board) and a couple of Bucks and whatnot.  But I could throw all the others away and never miss a beat and use nothing but that Gerber.  Buy another one of those and use it for hunting and you'll be fine.

[Copperwood]

Under $30 won't buy a quality knive

Not firm on that price, just hoping.  I have a Gerber Gator that I got for about $30 that I use for work.  It's a good work knife, just don't know how it'd do on an animal

I've got a Gerber Gator (nothing but blade, no serrations or gut hook) that I've used on animals since probably 1990 or so, been resharpened probably 30 times or more probably gutted and skinned 50 or so animals I'd guess.  I have other knives, a few customs (one from Rainshadow on this board) and a couple of Bucks and whatnot.  But I could throw all the others away and never miss a beat and sue nothing but that Gerber.  Buy another one of those and use it for hunting and you'll be fine.

+2 for the Gerber gator. I have used it many times and it works great. I always have it in my pack but it comes second to my benchmade which costs $175 (Bday present from my hunting buddy)
Buy one and you will be set for a LONG time.

[klickitat]

for skinning you can get the best skinner on the market for about 19 dollars,green river russels,buffalo skinner,quick to sharpen comfortable.they have some cool blades,Ive skinned several hundred cattle with them..

  How dare you suggest such a thing! That technology is over 150 years old. Just because it worked all this time does not mean it will work in the 21st century. Those are not even stainless steel. They will rust if not taken care of.

BTW: I have two of each of those in my knife box. Green River boning knives are the very best out there as far as I am concerned.

[wapiti hunter2]

I've been using Buck folding hunters for 40 years.  I carry two of them.  also a sharpening tool of some sort.

[sako223]

I have many different makes Benchmade, Buck,  Case, Gerber, KBar, Knives of Alaska, Schrade, and a few higher end knives that I use but often forget.
The first knife I grab is a Gerber, second is a Gerber Gator. Third is a toss between the KBar and KOA.
The Gerber is easy to sharpen and holds an edge pretty well. They have a good design that handles well. Pretty hard to beat for the price.
The Spyderco Triangle Sharpmaker is a great way to whip them in shape.

[Curly]

Will the Havalon go through bone and joints?  They look sharp but not that stiff.

Sorry, I said field dressing but what I meant was the "Bone out" method.

Looks to be some ok deals on Ebay for knives.  One you may want to consider is Cutco; they make good quality knives.  Here is an example on Ebay

[shedcrazy]

I've got a sweet Al Mar that goes through animals like a hot knife through butter. great for skinning a de-boning. I'm also using a Havalon knife. It's got replacement blades. For only 35$ THe blades are stainless surgical steel, come sealed and are only 6$ a dozen. You don't ever need to sharpen, just simply change the blade. I used on my bear this season, and worked awesome. Pretty good deal.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I've got a sweet Al Mar that goes through animals like a hot knife through butter. great for skinning a de-boning. I'm also using a Havalon knife. It's got replacement blades. For only 35$ THe blades are stainless surgical steel, come sealed and are only 6$ a dozen. You don't ever need to sharpen, just simply change the blade. I used on my bear this season, and worked awesome. Pretty good deal.

Yep these work awesome, if you get one, just make sure that you have a hard small case in your pack to throw the used blades in so they don't cut through your gear. I think these knives are decent, but seen some extra used blades discarded by a kill last year. Even though they are small can still do damage if left behind.


Joe

[Kent Hunter]

For that price range, I would buy a Buck 110. They are a bit harder to get a edge back on once they are dull. But once you learn how to sharpen them it's no big deal. Been using the 110 that I have for over 30 years. Look on EBay.

[hoyt5199]

I bought the outdoor edge knives kodi pak last year and they work great. The gut hook opens them easy as cutting butter. plus I de-boned the whole deer and didn't need to sharpen them once.

[lokidog]

I have a couple of different knives, folding bucks, butchering set and others.  I always have a new filet knife, one of those little red handled ones like from Sportco for $5-7 (Rapala maybe?).  I have butchered/boned out many animals with these.  They also resharpen quite well.

[carpsniperg2]

heck one of my favorite knives is a razor blade skinner that i use. i could do a whole animal with it but most times just use it to skin and a bigger knife for gutting and splitting

[follow maggie]

I'm still using the Buck 110 folder I got when I started hunting in the early 90s.  I touch it up with an Arkansas stone when it needs it, still works great.  For skinning I actually use a hatchett.  Sharpen the sharp end with a file to make it super sharp for cutting, and use the back end for pulling the hide of the meat.  Works great.  Bought both almost 20 years ago for about $50 and still using them.

[ICEMAN]

I own elcheapo buck knives and old henry knives....  they work. Keep them sharp.

To help out with what I already own, I spent ten bucks and could not be happier:

What I have learned and am doing these days is keeping a carpet installers knife with throw away blades in my success pack. When we get game down, someone runs for the packboards and the installers knife is in the packboard. These installers knive blades are surgically sharp, double sided, and are cheap. As I am skinning, boning out or whatever, I switch between the Buck/Carpet knife. They work great together...

[Special T]

Columbia River Culterly Co Has soem pretty good knives for 20-30 buck on sale at Big 5  Local and prett good bang for the buck.