Want a new knife

[MACHINIST]

So i am in the market for a new knife,I have always carried a buck 110 and love it but want a saw to go with it but dont want to carry another thing with me in the woods.I want one with a good blade and also a saw to use for a bone saw and trimming limbs here and there.I like the looks of the buck alpha crosslock as I have always loved buck knives.What would you suggest?I would like to be able to cut a decent limb if needs be and also gut my deer when I get one down.Let me know!!

 

 

This is the buck alpha crosslock

 

http://www.buckknives.com/product/183-alpha-crosslock-knife/0183FAM01/

[RoadKill44]

I love my Gerber saw. A little bigger than what your showing. Measuring 6-1/2 inches closed the exposed teeth are 5-1/4 inches when opened. It's a lock back blade in a plastic handle and carries easily in a cargo pocket.

I've had it about 15 years and its stayed sharp enough to tackle two and three inch limbs nicely.

Unfortunately there is no stampings of part numbers and I looked online but couldn't find it. If you want I'll send a photo.

[MACHINIST]

I have a few gerber saws but I want to minimize what I am taking in the woods each time I head in

 

[wolc123]

I also use an old "made in USA"  Buck 110 and an "imported" Gerber folding saw (I think they sell for less than $15).   The saw comes in handy for quickly opening the pelvis while field dressing as well as easily trimming branches around my stand up to 3" or so in diameter.  I also like to minimize cost, weight, and space.  The Gerber folder is cheaper and takes up less room in your pack or pocket than one of those plastic but-out tools.  If you must limit yourself to just one tool however, that Buck combo you posted looks pretty good.  I see that it is made in USA and given that, the cost seems reasonable at $75.   It would not be for me because I like redundancy on critical items. I could complete the field dressing job, a bit less efficiently, with just the Gerber folding saw or the Buck 110 knife, if the other was lost.      

Edited January 25, 2016 by wolc123

[Critter4321]

I understand using a saw for limbs but gutting a deer??

[nyantler]

Got this one from Denn Handmade Knives... handmade in the ADKs...

[Critter4321]

Got this one from Denn Handmade Knives... handmade in the ADKs...

my knife.jpg

 

now thats a good looking knife

[turkeyfeathers]

I understand using a saw for limbs but gutting a deer??

Cutting thru the rib cage I presume ?! I never did that however.

[Lawdwaz]

now thats a good looking knife

 

Good looking but looks don't necessarily cut it in the field.

 

If you're only field dressing a deer, a saw is never needed. There is no need to split the pelvis or brisket, IMNSHO.

 

Most of the time, less is more when it comes to hunting knives for field dressing. Even skinning, quartering and boning out a game animal in the field takes far less blade than many think.

 

Edge retention and blade geometry are paramount.......................

 

[Lawdwaz]

 A quick addition.......heck, you don't need a saw to butcher in the field either unless you want/need to remove a skull cap.

[grampy]

I was given the Buck Alfa from my grandson's, at Christmas. I like it but have not used it yet. So can't really help with an honest review. Not sure how the saw blade will hold up on a thick branch or a big ol buck. But it seems sturdy enough. And just the right size. And plenty sharp enough too. Have fun with your new knife search!

[wolc123]

I use the saw for splitting the pelvis because I am a little anal (no pun intended) about making sure it is real clean in there.  If I did not butcher my own, I would not worry about that as much.  If I ever did loose the knife, I am certain I could get the whole job done with the saw, just a little slower and messier.  What would you do if you lost your combo unit and that was all you carried?   Maybe an old-style car, truck, or house key would work in a pinch.  Those new electronic fobs wouldn't do you much good.   A broadhead would probably work ok during archery season, especially if it were a fixed blade type.  

 

Speaking of gutting, a buddy once told me that he knew of someone who gutted rabbits without a knife.   He said he just squeezed them in his hands while slamming downward against his knees and the guts just flew out the back on impact.   Although I am not from Missouri, this I had to see. The next time I shot one, just a few days after hearing the far-fetched tale, I immediately drove it over to his house.   Outside of the entertainment, he was completely unsuccessful in his attempt, and my Buck 110 was required to complete the task.  That poor rabbit would probably have been a bit tastier if I had gutted it immediately like usual, rather than 30 minutes or so after the kill and the squeezing.         

[Pygmy]

Good looking but looks don't necessarily cut it in the field.

 

If you're only field dressing a deer, a saw is never needed. There is no need to split the pelvis or brisket, IMNSHO.

 

Most of the time, less is more when it comes to hunting knives for field dressing. Even skinning, quartering and boning out a game animal in the field takes far less blade than many think.

 

Edge retention and blade geometry are paramount.......................

One day in early September, 1989, my partner and I had the bad judgement to drop not one, but TWO Alaska bull moose within about 50 yards of each other.. Since we knew we would be several days getting them packed back to the river, my partner hiked backed to the river to get more supplies from our raft and I spent the day butchering and boning both bulls with my 4" Buck 110... The single toughest job was cutting of the antlers/skullplates with a 12" Wyoming saw.

I slept VERY good that night when I got back to the tent at our spike camp.

[MACHINIST]

Actually I have at least 2 knives with me just in case.I never hunt far from the truck around home but have been getting into "big woods hunting" more and more the last few years.I find the big woods is a lot more fun and also rewarding when you outsmart one of those bucks rather than the farm deer I've been hunting.So thats the reason.I never go into the woods without a few knives as you never know.Im not much of a fixed blade guy though so I tend to stick with quality folders.I think I will always have my Buck 110 with me but want the spare with the saw on it.I also thought about a nice leatherman but don't have much experience with them so I don't know about that.

[RoadKill44]

 A quick addition.......heck, you don't need a saw to butcher in the field either unless you want/need to remove a skull cap.

I agree with you and a couple others. A saw is not a good idea for field dressing.

 

I use a tiny Buck 425. Blaze orange handle and neon green lanyard.

I hold my finger along the back of the short razor sharp blade. I know where the cutting edge is when reaching inside and I know where the knife is if I set it down. Not fancy but for me it's the best knife ever. Comes in around $12 to $15.

 

Oh yes and here is the saw I use but never on deer parts.

Edited January 26, 2016 by RoadKill44

[The_Real_TCIII]

I saw through the pelvis on each side and take a 2" section out. It only takes a minute and I can get everything out super cleanly

[ants]

I have dressed out a lot of deer. Most with an old Buck 110 that I have had since I was a kid. And a good amount with an older Camillus lock back, that I use when I bow hunt and muzzle load. I don't know what model the Camillus is but its a bit smaller and slimmer than the Buck 110. My sister gave me the Buck 110 for my 15th birthday and my younger brother gave me the Camilllus for my 30th. I love them both. The knifes I mean…..LOL!

 

I have never needed a saw to do a basic gut job. But one guy I hunt with, likes to cut the pelvis. He  has a lock back that has a regular blade and a saw blade. I have no idea what brand of knife it is, but it works for him.

 

[stoneam2006]

I saw through the pelvis on each side and take a 2" section out. It only takes a minute and I can get everything out super cleanly

I use a hatchet to do the same job works great

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[nyantler]

Good looking but looks don't necessarily cut it in the field.

 

If you're only field dressing a deer, a saw is never needed. There is no need to split the pelvis or brisket, IMNSHO.

 

Most of the time, less is more when it comes to hunting knives for field dressing. Even skinning, quartering and boning out a game animal in the field takes far less blade than many think.

 

Edge retention and blade geometry are paramount.......................

No reason if you do your homework that you can't have a good looking knife that's excellent in the field. Although keeping it clean sometimes is a problem... I mean with all the blood and such

[Critter4321]

I will be the last person to tell another how to do what ever they please. I myself do not cut the pelvis bone or the skin covering it I cut from the rib cage to where the pelvic bone starts. I have no need to dry out any more meat then is necessary by cutting through it and exposing it to air.

    for the record I have been a butcher for over 25 years not just deer but livestock also   and believe me I have seen my share of field dressing jobs that make you say what were they thinking.  . 

[shawnhu]

Good looking but looks don't necessarily cut it in the field.

If you're only field dressing a deer, a saw is never needed. There is no need to split the pelvis or brisket, IMNSHO.

Most of the time, less is more when it comes to hunting knives for field dressing. Even skinning, quartering and boning out a game animal in the field takes far less blade than many think.

Edge retention and blade geometry are paramount.......................

I generally cut right through the brisket without a saw, especially on a younger deer. You just need to know where to place the blade and you can work right through the soft cartilage.

As for the pelvic bone, I leave it intact and just work around it or leave it until I get home to finish the job off. I generally carry more than a few knives on me anyway, just in case.

Last deer I got, I dressed, skinned, and quartered with a 3" buck knife.

http://m.llbean.com/product.html?isNewPdp=true&skCatId=66861&feat=sr&term=paklite&SS=B&llbdrd=http%3A%2F%2Fm.llbean.com%2Fsearch.html#66861

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[Doc]

I carry a military Kabar style knife whenever I head up into the woods. It does a good job of gutting deer (even splitting pelvic bones if wanted), to even skinning squirrels. It is virtually unbreakable. It can almost double as a machete for hacking limbs. It is probably the most perfect knife steel I have ever found that can easily be sharpened but yet holds an edge even through abuse and misuse.

 

The only modification was made for safety after cutting a finger, was to grind off the sharp edge that they put on the top of the blade. Working elbow deep in the body cavity of deer, it is not nice to have that extra, unnecessary cutting edge in there.  

[MACHINIST]

The main reason I want a knife with a saw is for the stray branch for shooting lanes and ground blinds,secondary is for boning work.I have always done the brisket with my knife but hate doing it because on bigger deer its more difficult and can also be dangerous if you aren't paying attention.

[Buckmaster7600]

I also like a spare everything. I carry a small folding bench made in my pocket a leather an on my belt and a folding saw in my fanny pack. This is my saw and I think I have owned over 20 in the last 10 years and these are by far the best! I haven't broke one yet but I have bought 5 just incase they stop making them. The sharpest saw I have ever seen!

https://www.theprunerwarehouse.com/corona-razor-tooth-folding-saw-8-in-rs-7255.html?gclid=CPWwq57qx8oCFQsjHwodChcDmQ

[RoadKill44]

I don’t believe there is any one knife that can be the best thing to carry into the woods for deer hunting. Depending on your needs, one size doesn’t fit all. While there are multifunction Swiss army knives, very few deer hunters are carrying them.  Here is what 55 years of experience has brought me to.

Starting left to right:

I have a Gerber saw. The 5-1/2 inch lock back blade folds down to 6-1/2 inches and fits handily into a cargo pant pocket. I use it the cut brush and branches up to 4 inches in diameter. For me it’s a must carry if you intend to patch ground blinds and clear shooting lanes.

  

Next is, what I call, my Toad Stabber. Made by Imperial, this was my first hunting knife and it’s been on my hunting belt since 1959. Nothing fancy, a plastic handle but the blade has held up remarkably. It has gutted and skinned many deer in its time but I consider the blade too long and big for gutting and too awkward for skinning. Still I hang on to it to cut the small twigs and branches too small for my saw. To cut a rope or just whittle a stick to pass time, out comes the toad stabber. I would never dull my razor sharp gutting knife on other uses.

 

Next is my Parker longhorn skinner. Both 3-1/2 inch lock back blades fold to 4-1/2 inches. This knife holds an edge very well but I don’t carry it into the woods. Although it too has gutted a few deer, I consider the blades too long for gutting and use it exclusively for skinning. My Toad Stabber is probably too dull after cutting twigs and my gutting knife is too small for skinning.

 

The last one is my gutting knife. This little 1-7/8 inch lock back blade becomes part of your hand allowing you to blindly reach up inside a deer cavity with both hands. The rest is getting to know where to cut and in what order to cut things. Knowing where and what’s next is probably more important than which knife to pick. Hey, a Mini Buck 425 for $15 is well worth a try. I’ve converted two fellow hunters that I know of. Sharp and small is the key when it comes to gutting.