What knives do you use?

[dbHunterNY]

So I process my own deer.  always have and will.  just wondering what knives you all use and are happy with for the different tasks.  I've got a lot but after years of doing I've decided I really need a good flexible boning knife.  so what do you use?  thought about dexter Russell because I can get them through cabelas and also thought about victorinox.  I've got a couple good purpose built skinning knives.  one's a Gerber Myth Series.

[Terry]

I like the ones from victorinox. They work well, are easy to clean and have a good ease of sharpening to edge holding ratio.

[woodchuck]

I have only used my buck knife. Same fixed blade for roughly 20 years. 

[thphm]

My father in law  who was a butcher most of his life would bring 4 things over to cut up a deer a sharpening steel, a heavy kliver, a 5'' boneing knife and a 8'' knife.He was constantly taking a few strokes on the sharpening steel on the knives after a few cuts of meat He did a lot of boneing and trimming.Brand is not important,keeping it sharp to get a nice clean cut is. 

[LIWaterman]

Havalon piranta

Dexter Russell- boning knife

Only two knives you'll ever need

[dbHunterNY]

I was cutting up deer before I was old enough to shoot one.  I've helped and gotten help from various people everyone swears on their hunting knife.  most of the time we use what's in our hands but after 20 years or so I've figured that yea it'd make life a whole lot easier with just a sharpener, boning knife, and bigger knife for single straight cuts using the whole blade and weight of the knife.  right now I'm hurtin for a boning knife though above all else.  Cabelas has got victorinox, dexter Russell, and some others.

 

wondering if I should go with dexter Russell cheap or step up to something more expensive that may hold an edge longer.  cabelas also sells Zwilling JA Henkels knives.  touching up a blade is the norm.  I just don't want to be required to do it every 30 seconds.  I've noticed a knife dulls a lot quicker cutting up a cow vs a deer too.  when we've done those, seems like one guy is just sittin there sharpening knives while others cut.

[dbHunterNY]

any good processing knives that my dad had from his store have been sharpened so much they're spent.  can't even read any markings anymore.  the commercial Hobart grinder is still going strong which is another reason I've got to upgrade knives.  tough keeping them sharp to feed that thing and can't leave it on with meat going through it to keep everything lubricated.

Edited December 5, 2013 by dbHunterNY

[d-bone20917]

I use a Havalon Piranta for gutting and skinning and the Victorinox boning knives with the Fibrox handles for processing.  I have no complaints.  

[CuseHunter]

I have a dexter Russell 10" cimeter with the intentions to cut the steaks ECt, but find 9/10 I don't even touch it when processing a deer.

I use my flexible and semi-flexible victorinox boning knifes and love them both. Razor sharp and hold an edge. The fibronix handles are real nice too

[Early]

Dexter Russell from Cabela's are great....HInt:  Get the black handles

[PSEcopenhagenHUNTER]

Don't know if you care to know my preferred field dressing knife (thinking this op is more meant for after its hanged and skinned)...but for those who haven't tried it, ya gotta try the swing blaze by Outdoor Edge

[Suilleabhain]

I have a bunch of different Dexter Russell's and Russell Internationals and an antique cleaver.

[bluecoupe]

Except for skinning, I use my kitchen knives (which includes a boning knife)  Henckels Professional S knives.

[thphm]

Here is my skinner I made it 45 years ago, High carbon tool steel ( light above  ) ( glare ) ruined the picture.

Did a lot of skinning with it.Wash with soap and water and dry right away. and they will last.

[dbHunterNY]

Here is my skinner I made it 45 years ago, High carbon tool steel ( light above  ) ( glare ) ruined the picture.

Did a lot of skinning with it.Wash with soap and water and dry right away. and they will last.

Skinner 001.JPG

 

nice... yea I'm sure the pic doesn't do it justice.  high carbon tool steel should allow for a nice edge and that blade profile I think is the way to go for a dedicated skinning knife.

 

[dbHunterNY]

 

Don't know if you care to know my preferred field dressing knife (thinking this op is more meant for after its hanged and skinned)...but for those who haven't tried it, ya gotta try the swing blaze by Outdoor Edge

 

 

you're kind right but hey if you're using the knife on the deer lets hear about it.  I'd get one if I didn't already have many that serve the same function.

[dbHunterNY]

for all you Dexter Russell and Victorinox Fiborux handle users.... I preferred the Victorinox stuff but couldn't find it as easily.  Due to Cabelas points and availability, I ended up getting two Dexter Russell white Softgrip knives; one 6" flexible boning and one 6" narrow semi-stiff boning.  Black handles weren't in stock.  Any reason for preferring the black handles versus white?  I think Early and maybe someone else mentioned a preference.

[dbHunterNY]

Dexter Russell from Cabela's are great....HInt:  Get the black handles

 

they didn't have black so I got white.  why the preference?

[dbHunterNY]

came yesterday.  I haven't gotten to use them yet but the Dexter Russell Softgrip white handle knives seem very good.  the grip was nice and non-slip.  the blades right out of the package were sharp enough.  I could hold a sheet of paper out in front of me with one hand, then horizontally and cleanly slice sections off working down the sheet of paper.  i just have to wait to see how they handle on a deer and how long they hold a sufficient enough edge.

[CuseHunter]

came yesterday. I haven't gotten to use them yet but the Dexter Russell Softgrip white handle knives seem very good. the grip was nice and non-slip. the blades right out of the package were sharp enough. I could hold a sheet of paper out in front of me with one hand, then horizontally and cleanly slice sections off working down the sheet of paper. i just have to wait to see how they handle on a deer and how long they hold a sufficient enough edge.

I have a white handle dexter cimeter, it does the job when necessary. I don't know their preference to color.

[Suilleabhain]

One thing about Dexter Russell and Russell International, Internationals are imported cheaper grade steel not as good as Dexter Russell and if you can take care of them neither is as good as the beech handle high carbon Dexters fro holding an edge. I have a homemade knife ground out of a file by a machinist. Have to dig that oneout

[covert]

For skinning I use a boxcutter, same one I use for trapping.  For cutting I use my Case hunting knife and the boning knife (sometimes the carving knife too) from our kitchen set of Henckels.

 

I have a Cutco which seems to have a good blade but the handle is too slippery and I don't care for the handle shape.

Edited December 17, 2013 by covert

[518BowSlayer]

I have the victorinox boning knife, really sharp at first but got dull pretty quick. could be my own fault for not hitting it with the steel enough. still think its a good knife for the price, just gotta take care of it better than I did

[landtracdeerhunter]

I have pricey knives and less expensive ones. They all do the same thing intended and all go dull just as fast with the ships and car body steel, their using for blades these days. I prefer a less expensive one afield as prone to loosing them quite often. Some of the China stuff work rather well. A filet knife is my choice for removing the flesh off the bone.

[ants]

I haven't butchered my own deer in a while (too lazy) but I use to use Russell knives that I got at a local restaurant supply store. Pricey but very good quality. I still use them in the kitchen. I have a fillet and a chefs knife.   Good stuff.