Best Skinning knife for $200

[badbrass]

Just asking! But if you would get a moose or elk you would use the same blade length?

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

No. Why would I need a longer blade than that?

[Pathfinder76]

Here is a bull moose I dismantled alone (completely alone) using a small Havalon Piranha. You don’t need much in the way of blade length in the field.

[badbrass]

Good to know!

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Here is a bull moose I dismantled alone (completely alone) using a small Havalon Piranha. You don’t need much in the way of blade length in the field.

[badbrass]

Nice cleaning by the way!

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Here is a bull moose I dismantled alone (completely alone) using a small Havalon Piranha. You don’t need much in the way of blade length in the field.

[Pathfinder76]

Some will undoubtedly disagree and want more blade length and that’s okay.

[badbrass]

You have shown it is not needed! If you know what to do! And it shows you do! So be it!

[obsessed1]

2.5" to 3.5" blade for me for all hunting applications as well. I have never found the need for anything longer. I do like a 6" semi stiff curved boning knife for butchering though so often de-bone with a longer blade just cause... i have also deboned a pile with my std hunting knife though and wouldnt "need" anything longer.

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

2.5" to 3.5" blade for me for all hunting applications as well. I have never found the need for anything longer. I do like a 6" semi stiff curved boning knife for butchering though so often de-bone with a longer blade just cause... i have also deboned a pile with my std hunting knife though and wouldnt "need" anything longer.

That...

[badbrass]

Got a parcel in the mail today!
Another great knife from Phil,
Thanks Again Phil !

[Savage Bacon]

Originally Posted by badbrass

Got a parcel in the mail today!

Another great knife from Phil,

Thanks Again Phil !

Beauty!!!

Sent from my SM-S901W using Tapatalk

[obsessed1]

Magnacut steel observations.....
So my custom Clint Chissan got a real work out this year.
If you have been following this thread you will find reports of how the edge has held up under different tests and trials, well this season has put my knife edge to the ultimate test. I attemped a different method of gutless this year based on how Fred Eichler does it. My previous method has been zip down the spine and skin down to belly then remove quarters. Its time consuming. This year i started cutting quartes off with the hide still attached then skinned them once off. This method requires cutting through a ton of hair though, and my bull had quite obviously been in a wallow recently as he was covered head to toe in dried mud. Very challenging on a blade. After finishing up my first side i found my edge was not cutting well at all! I couldn't even force it through the hide on the off side quarters. Fortunately i keep a bick lighter wrapped in a peice of leather with stropping compound on it in my kill kit. I took about 20 passes on both sides and tested on my thumb nail.. the knife bit in solidly again! Finished up the second side then another re strop and I removed the head... i cut through the tendons to remove the lower legs on the two front quarters and my knife dulled out significantly. I was not able to bring it back sharp enough the remove the lower rear legs so i just called it quits. Once home i placed it in my dmt jig and hit it with the medium diamond and worked up a burr( probably 30 strokes ) then swapped sides and worked the burr over. Switched to the fine diamond and repeated the process. 10 strokes/side on the strop removed the wire and got the edge back to hair popping sharp! A really careful examination with a bright light showed no chipping or deformation on the edge at all. So in all 20 min of sharpening and is all it took.
Take aways for me.....
This method was much faster in getting the animal broken down but also much harder on a blade/ edge. A small strop is an absolute must have to compleye this type of job and a small diamond pocked stone is probably best to have along as well.
Magnacut cut steel holds an edge very well and is crazy tough to boot but is not so hard that it cant be touched up in field as long as you have the right type of tools along. I have also decided that a small box cutter w serated triangular blades will likely end up in my kill kit for removing leg joints. Last year my knife was put to the test on two big cow elk and it passed with flying colors however the bull being bigger and the hide requiring much more out of my knife i think having that back up will be a wise move.
All in all though Magnacut is a phenomenal choice for a hunting knife.


While i didnt carry my Siembida in the field i chose to use it to debone.. it as well is Magnacut but much thinner and flat ground instead of hollow ground. It still quite thin behind the edge though. Being that i was cutting off the bone i stropped after completing each quarter. The blade never stopped cutting and at no point did i feel like it was requiring more effort to cut or slice. Once deboned i stropped it a final time and its again hair popping. No micro chips or edge damage of any sort.

[Hunter5425]

I like smallish blades around 3" or so and find them easier to control for delicate work around the vent when field dressing. I only make a dozen or so knives a year mostly as gifts for friends and landowners. Here is one I think is going to a nice lady who lets me hunt her land. I've seen such great craftmanship here that it makes me want to improve my own skills.

[badbrass]

Thanks for your observations on Magnacut. Always a good read!

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Magnacut steel observations.....
So my custom Clint Chissan got a real work out this year.
If you have been following this thread you will find reports of how the edge has held up under different tests and trials, well this season has put my knife edge to the ultimate test. I attemped a different method of gutless this year based on how Fred Eichler does it. My previous method has been zip down the spine and skin down to belly then remove quarters. Its time consuming. This year i started cutting quartes off with the hide still attached then skinned them once off. This method requires cutting through a ton of hair though, and my bull had quite obviously been in a wallow recently as he was covered head to toe in dried mud. Very challenging on a blade. After finishing up my first side i found my edge was not cutting well at all! I couldn't even force it through the hide on the off side quarters. Fortunately i keep a bick lighter wrapped in a peice of leather with stropping compound on it in my kill kit. I took about 20 passes on both sides and tested on my thumb nail.. the knife bit in solidly again! Finished up the second side then another re strop and I removed the head... i cut through the tendons to remove the lower legs on the two front quarters and my knife dulled out significantly. I was not able to bring it back sharp enough the remove the lower rear legs so i just called it quits. Once home i placed it in my dmt jig and hit it with the medium diamond and worked up a burr( probably 30 strokes ) then swapped sides and worked the burr over. Switched to the fine diamond and repeated the process. 10 strokes/side on the strop removed the wire and got the edge back to hair popping sharp! A really careful examination with a bright light showed no chipping or deformation on the edge at all. So in all 20 min of sharpening and is all it took.
Take aways for me.....
This method was much faster in getting the animal broken down but also much harder on a blade/ edge. A small strop is an absolute must have to compleye this type of job and a small diamond pocked stone is probably best to have along as well.
Magnacut cut steel holds an edge very well and is crazy tough to boot but is not so hard that it cant be touched up in field as long as you have the right type of tools along. I have also decided that a small box cutter w serated triangular blades will likely end up in my kill kit for removing leg joints. Last year my knife was put to the test on two big cow elk and it passed with flying colors however the bull being bigger and the hide requiring much more out of my knife i think having that back up will be a wise move.
All in all though Magnacut is a phenomenal choice for a hunting knife.


While i didnt carry my Siembida in the field i chose to use it to debone.. it as well is Magnacut but much thinner and flat ground instead of hollow ground. It still quite thin behind the edge though. Being that i was cutting off the bone i stropped after completing each quarter. The blade never stopped cutting and at no point did i feel like it was requiring more effort to cut or slice. Once deboned i stropped it a final time and its again hair popping. No micro chips or edge damage of any sort.

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Magnacut steel observations.....
So my custom Clint Chissan got a real work out this year.
If you have been following this thread you will find reports of how the edge has held up under different tests and trials, well this season has put my knife edge to the ultimate test. I attemped a different method of gutless this year based on how Fred Eichler does it. My previous method has been zip down the spine and skin down to belly then remove quarters. Its time consuming. This year i started cutting quartes off with the hide still attached then skinned them once off. This method requires cutting through a ton of hair though, and my bull had quite obviously been in a wallow recently as he was covered head to toe in dried mud. Very challenging on a blade. After finishing up my first side i found my edge was not cutting well at all! I couldn't even force it through the hide on the off side quarters. Fortunately i keep a bick lighter wrapped in a peice of leather with stropping compound on it in my kill kit. I took about 20 passes on both sides and tested on my thumb nail.. the knife bit in solidly again! Finished up the second side then another re strop and I removed the head... i cut through the tendons to remove the lower legs on the two front quarters and my knife dulled out significantly. I was not able to bring it back sharp enough the remove the lower rear legs so i just called it quits. Once home i placed it in my dmt jig and hit it with the medium diamond and worked up a burr( probably 30 strokes ) then swapped sides and worked the burr over. Switched to the fine diamond and repeated the process. 10 strokes/side on the strop removed the wire and got the edge back to hair popping sharp! A really careful examination with a bright light showed no chipping or deformation on the edge at all. So in all 20 min of sharpening and is all it took.
Take aways for me.....
This method was much faster in getting the animal broken down but also much harder on a blade/ edge. A small strop is an absolute must have to compleye this type of job and a small diamond pocked stone is probably best to have along as well.
Magnacut cut steel holds an edge very well and is crazy tough to boot but is not so hard that it cant be touched up in field as long as you have the right type of tools along. I have also decided that a small box cutter w serated triangular blades will likely end up in my kill kit for removing leg joints. Last year my knife was put to the test on two big cow elk and it passed with flying colors however the bull being bigger and the hide requiring much more out of my knife i think having that back up will be a wise move.
All in all though Magnacut is a phenomenal choice for a hunting knife.


While i didnt carry my Siembida in the field i chose to use it to debone.. it as well is Magnacut but much thinner and flat ground instead of hollow ground. It still quite thin behind the edge though. Being that i was cutting off the bone i stropped after completing each quarter. The blade never stopped cutting and at no point did i feel like it was requiring more effort to cut or slice. Once deboned i stropped it a final time and its again hair popping. No micro chips or edge damage of any sort.

Excellent review and thanx for sharing.

As you indicated, frequent "touch ups" regardless of what the blade is made from, is a must. Many people get hurt with dull blades...

[sns2]

Just firmed up an order with Clint C. My buddy got one that I posted on, and was super impressed. I thought I better try one. I was teetering on ordering a Canadian Skinner from Hank Hammond, but then closely went through Clint's Instagram account, and saw he had his own version of that design, except he makes knives with Magnacut, which I wanted to try. He was also willing to use 3/32" stock when I asked. He indicated a preference for a full flat grind with thin blade stock. I am happy to take a suggestion from the maker. Gonna be this knife, but with green canvas micarta scales, toxic green liners, and stainless Corby bolts.

Excited to get her.




Sent from my MP24 using Tapatalk

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by sns2

Just firmed up an order with Clint C. My buddy got one that I posted on, and was super impressed. I thought I better try one. I was teetering on ordering a Canadian Skinner from Hank Hammond, but then closely went through Clint's Instagram account, and saw he had his own version of that design, except he makes knives with Magnacut, which I wanted to try. He was also willing to use 3/32" stock when I asked. He indicated a preference for a full flat grind with thin blade stock. I am happy to take a suggestion from the maker. Gonna be this knife, but with green canvas micarta scales, toxic green liners, and stainless Corby bolts.

Excited to get her.




Sent from my MP24 using Tapatalk

That looks just like mine from Clint. Its a fantastic design.

[DirtShooter]

What's his IG account?

[flyon]

Anybody have experience with these knives?

https://northarmknives.com/product/l...heath/#reviews

[sns2]

Originally Posted by DirtShooter

What's his IG account?

Chisan Knives on Instagram

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by sns2

Chisan Knives on Instagram

Thanks

[averagejoe]

Originally Posted by flyon

Anybody have experience with these knives?

https://northarmknives.com/product/l...heath/#reviews

I have one in Magnacut from their first few batches and it has worked very well for me. Holds an edge for a long time and it is quick to touch up. I have not had any issues with chipping. I posted some pictures a few pages back.

[Lostinthewoods]

Been running a Montana knife company speedgoat for past few years, broke down a whiletail and a black bear other day without sharpening in between. Awesome knife for the weight and edge retention. A little pricey but well worth it!

[Phil McCracken]

Recently finished this pair for a fellow AO member. He supplied the wood.

The blades are CPM Magnacut steel, hardened at 62. Thickness is 3/32", and sharpened to 17 degrees. Length of the blade is approximately 3 1/8 inches.

Scales are Amazon Rosewood. One cut vertically, the other horizontally. Finished with stainless steel pins.

[sns2]

Nice work on those knives!

[badbrass]

Very nice!

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

Recently finished this pair for a fellow AO member. He supplied the wood.

The blades are CPM Magnacut steel, hardened at 62. Thickness is 3/32", and sharpened to 17 degrees. Length of the blade is approximately 3 1/8 inches.

Scales are Amazon Rosewood. One cut vertically, the other horizontally. Finished with stainless steel pins.

[Dom4]

Wicked work on those knives there. Whoever gets to use those this November out in the bush is one lucky person.

[sns2]

I got bored, went through all 58 pages of this thread. A lot of custom knives have been made as a result of this thread.

And, I changed the name back to the original. Just cuz. May as well drag a few moe down the rabbit hole

Finally, what a harmonious thread.

A needed break from the crazy that is this world.

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by sns2

I got bored, went through all 58 pages of this thread. A lot of custom knives have been made as a result of this thread.

And, I changed the name back to the original. Just cuz. May as well drag a few moe down the rabbit hole

Finally, what a harmonious thread.

A needed break from the crazy that is this world.

Wimp!...hehe...Actually agree with you bud...

[no-regard]

Originally Posted by sns2

Looks great, a touch less curve/arc than a semi-skinner? Does that model have a name?

[sns2]

Originally Posted by no-regard

Looks great, a touch less curve/arc than a semi-skinner? Does that model have a name?

I believe he calls that model his skinner.

Clint, if you read this, what is the difference between your skinner & semi-skinner?