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  #31  
Old 10-24-2021, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
Dick

I tried the Razor style blades and I have a Piranta that I really Like for caping stuff out and doing the pads etc on bear. The issue I had with them for general duty is the blades aren't strong enough. I use my buck to open the breast bone on deer, by cutting straight up the beast bone along the cartlidge joint and moose, by cutting through the cartilage joint that joins the lower breast bone to the ribs. The razor ones I tried won't tolerate that.

In the picture you can see where the breast bone meets the ribs on a moose. This join is held together by cartilage that is easy to cut with a sturdy knife.This way you don't need an axe or saw to split through the middle of the breast bone. The whole breast bone comes out in one piece.

For deer I don’t split anything, I have long enough arms to reach up into the rib cage and cut off the “vacuum cleaner” hose. And I do the ring a rang a roo on the vent.

What this thread does illustrate is that everyone has their own twists on doing “the deed” once the animal hits the ground. Is any one method superior to another will be the subject of many fire side discussions long beyond our days.

Good hunting
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  #32  
Old 10-24-2021, 11:20 AM
OL_JR OL_JR is offline
 
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The issue with needing 3 or 4 knives to gut and clean an animal is you have to have them on you when you shoot something. That is why I have always been a fan of one good knife that can do all the chores well, with a little practice by the user. I see guys in the field with 3 knives, and axe or a saw hanging off their belts. I also see guys hauling 20-30 pound packs along for all their junk, that is way too much hardware for my liking. I have always hunted with what fits in my pockets and on my belt.

I own lots of knives but I don't carry all of them. I have a 3 blade stockman I carry every day, push come to shove I can gut and skin a deer with that alone. Hunting I carry an SV30 blade Buck 110. There are spare knives and skinners, axes, hatchets, saws in the truck, and the quad bag has a hatchet as well as a spare skinning knife but they don't usually get packed into the bush.
Nothing wrong with being minimalistic if you want but not everyones cup of tea either and lots will depend on what type of hunting you are doing.
I couldn't be without my pack. Always carry two knives and to me a small saw is a must as well that can be used for processing but mostly for cutting shooting lanes if I decide to sit somewhere random. Pack has room for clothing layers. Extra snack or two and plenty of water, fire steel, marking ribbon. Phone, sometimes an inreach. Headlight, tags, a few extra rounds etc. Depending on the day might even pack a small chair. Swapping out a knife for a gutting blade wouldn't be a big deal to me but to some it might and that is fine to.
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  #33  
Old 10-24-2021, 06:25 PM
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Well that derailed a bit...but you know...all good! It is AO right?...

As stated. Many know how to do it with "one knife", which is great. I can do it to.

Many don't...or hesitant with it. I know, we can all learn...

Purpose of the thread was a "design" that some may want to "consider"...

So as an update, blade was heat treated/tempered today. Should have a HRC 56-58. Handles will be installed in a bit, and I will post a picture of the final product.

To he ones that provided input on the "design"...Thank you...appreciate it...
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  #34  
Old 10-24-2021, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Phil McCracken View Post
Well that derailed a bit...but you know...all good! It is AO right?...

As stated. Many know how to do it with "one knife", which is great. I can do it to.

Many don't...or hesitant with it. I know, we can all learn...

Purpose of the thread was a "design" that some may want to "consider"...

So as an update, blade was heat treated/tempered today. Should have a HRC 56-58. Handles will be installed in a bit, and I will post a picture of the final product.

To he ones that provided input on the "design"...Thank you...appreciate it...
Sorry, I was part of the derail. Long and short, a blunt tipped knife is far from my idea of ideal or remotely required. Minimal skill is needed to use a needle point razor sharp knife to gut, and for every other use I find it far superior.
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  #35  
Old 10-24-2021, 07:33 PM
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Phil McCracken Phil McCracken is offline
 
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Sorry, I was part of the derail. Long and short, a blunt tipped knife is far from my idea of ideal or remotely required. Minimal skill is needed to use a needle point razor sharp knife to gut, and for every other use I find it far superior.
Duly noted. Thank you Dean2...
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  #36  
Old 10-24-2021, 08:17 PM
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Make it so it holds an edge and feel good in the hand it will do the trick.

Another man guilty of being caught up in the side track
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  #37  
Old 10-24-2021, 08:57 PM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
For deer I don’t split anything, I have long enough arms to reach up into the rib cage and cut off the “vacuum cleaner” hose. And I do the ring a rang a roo on the vent.

What this thread does illustrate is that everyone has their own twists on doing “the deed” once the animal hits the ground. Is any one method superior to another will be the subject of many fire side discussions long beyond our days.

Good hunting
I agree. I don’t split anything.
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  #38  
Old 10-24-2021, 09:11 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
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I do split the rib cage or pelvis on deer, elk or moose, or other big game. I carry my regular knife, and a Wyoming saw that I have carried in my fanny pack for about 40 years. Before I retired, I was given a Swingblade, and I now use that to open the belly, because it is so easy to use for this purpose. And the other blade also doubles for a utility knife, to use for things that I prefer not to use my custom skinner for. A couple of friends were so impressed by the Swing Blade, that they bought their own. So while I wouldn't use the dull tipped blade as my only blade, I do see some value in the design.
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  #39  
Old 10-25-2021, 04:33 AM
OL_JR OL_JR is offline
 
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Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
I do split the rib cage or pelvis on deer, elk or moose, or other big game. I carry my regular knife, and a Wyoming saw that I have carried in my fanny pack for about 40 years. Before I retired, I was given a Swingblade, and I now use that to open the belly, because it is so easy to use for this purpose. And the other blade also doubles for a utility knife, to use for things that I prefer not to use my custom skinner for. A couple of friends were so impressed by the Swing Blade, that they bought their own. So while I wouldn't use the dull tipped blade as my only blade, I do see some value in the design.
I could see a dull tipped blade coming in handy not only for gutting a typical kill but let's say an animal has had to have been left overnight, or for whatever reason it's a longer tracking job- there can be some bloat there. The guts are really tight up against the lining and skin so it can be especially tricky with a regular knife.
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  #40  
Old 10-25-2021, 07:24 PM
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I have used a 110 for ever. Just did 2 deer and one elk this season. It just feels good to me. Like mentioned previously I work slow. My problem with knives period is properly sharpening my blade.
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  #41  
Old 10-26-2021, 07:50 AM
North40Rules North40Rules is offline
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Originally Posted by Sitting Bull View Post
I have used a 110 for ever. Just did 2 deer and one elk this season. It just feels good to me. Like mentioned previously I work slow. My problem with knives period is properly sharpening my blade.
Me too, the sharper the knife the better both for getting the job done and for safety. I am horrible at sharpening knives and I do like my blades razor blade sharp. A few years ago I discovered the Accusharp Knife Sharpener, this sharpener gets the job done in seconds with a few swipes, the only drawback is that it does take steel off of the blade. You can get one at Walmart for $10.00. I never go hunting without one in my backpack.

I use it in conjunction with an Outdoor Edge Swing Blade and can not be happier.
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  #42  
Old 10-27-2021, 08:28 PM
Ken3134 Ken3134 is offline
 
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Default Knife design

Well, it will absolutely work for what you are designing for not much question on that in my mind. A suggestion would be to make this knife part of a set.

I have looked for this function in a hunting knife and I found a custom WC Knife called “the nessy” to fit the bill.

Ken
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  #43  
Old 10-27-2021, 09:06 PM
jcrayford jcrayford is offline
 
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I carry a few knives (who can say that one is enough?) but my favorite again is this one:

Outdoor Edge Skinner

With the T-handle, it allows my hands to remain safer from sharp blades and when flipped over for the gut hook, I can use my pinky finger to help guide the knife through sensitive (gut sack) areas. I can rip from knee joint down to pelvic region in about 3 seconds being completely safe.

And the curved portion allows my index finger to rest on the spine of the blade just above the gut hook - easy to skin when you just point your finder where you want the blade to go.

Too bad it's discontinued, but I won't be ever without mine during hunting season.

J.
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  #44  
Old 10-28-2021, 07:48 AM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is offline
 
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The Kershaw Gentleman’s Folder is also a great knife (Swiss Army knife show for size reference). It has micarta scales, brass pins etc. Sadly it is long discontinued.

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  #45  
Old 10-31-2021, 09:28 PM
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Well I hope the pics come out...

Completed the gutter today. Will field test it when I go up to elk camp on November 11th for 10 days. Hope to try it on elk or deer then.

I will keep you guys updated...

https://i.imgur.com/GrFvW5W.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/ov3DY4M.jpg
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  #46  
Old 10-31-2021, 09:39 PM
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Looks great, waiting patiently !
Hopefully you don't get some moron driving right past your truck and into the hay bales where you are set up to ask you if you are hunting like happened to me!
Cat
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  #47  
Old 10-31-2021, 09:39 PM
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Looks Great! Good luck on your hunt!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil McCracken View Post
Well I hope the pics come out...

Completed the gutter today. Will field test it when I go up to elk camp on November 11th for 10 days. Hope to try it on elk or deer then.

I will keep you guys updated...

https://i.imgur.com/GrFvW5W.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/ov3DY4M.jpg
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  #48  
Old 10-31-2021, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Phil McCracken View Post
Well I hope the pics come out...

Completed the gutter today. Will field test it when I go up to elk camp on November 11th for 10 days. Hope to try it on elk or deer then.

I will keep you guys updated...

https://i.imgur.com/GrFvW5W.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/ov3DY4M.jpg
Can’t see them
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  #49  
Old 11-01-2021, 05:41 AM
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Can’t see them
Good now?



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  #50  
Old 11-01-2021, 09:50 AM
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The more II look at it the more I like it!
Cat
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  #51  
Old 11-01-2021, 10:18 AM
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Pretty cool little knife, I have a swingblaze like others, use it a lot when I can.
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  #52  
Old 11-01-2021, 10:43 AM
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Good now?




Thx
That’s a beauty eh!
Ya got talent for sure.


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  #53  
Old 11-22-2021, 07:11 AM
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Just returned from our hunt, and as promised, here is an update:

This gutter was used on a couple of cow elk, and a WT deer.

I am pleased with the overall design/geometry of the blade. It was sharpened at 20 degrees, which is good because it is not designed as a drop point where bones can be nicked, which is a reason why the bevel is usually around 25ish degrees on them.

Handle was comfortable (for me).

Blade held it's edge beautifully. Although it did not require "honing" between animals, I always do it anyway.

Bad news...one of the guys at camp bugged me throughout the week wanting this gutter, so I sold it to him... He tried it on a WT he harvested and loved it.

Guess I'll have to make another one...
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  #54  
Old 11-22-2021, 07:26 AM
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Glad it worked so well. You said it held its edge great, did you do more than zip open the belly with it?
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  #55  
Old 12-26-2021, 01:44 PM
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CAT , that Puma folder is GORGEOUS ! where did you find it ??

Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat View Post
These stay with me all the time on every hunting trip.
Note the Puma folder.
BTW, at one time I actually field dressed and skinned a deer completely using nothing but the hatchet, just to see if I could do it!

Cat
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  #56  
Old 12-26-2021, 01:48 PM
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I carry one of these in my hunting bag or Fanny pack for honing the knife as I gut/quarter and clean. has a sharpener, ceramic honing part, serrated edge pike and a ceramic blade steel for fine tuning your edges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za32c1LGIjk



Quote:
Originally Posted by North40Rules View Post
Me too, the sharper the knife the better both for getting the job done and for safety. I am horrible at sharpening knives and I do like my blades razor blade sharp. A few years ago I discovered the Accusharp Knife Sharpener, this sharpener gets the job done in seconds with a few swipes, the only drawback is that it does take steel off of the blade. You can get one at Walmart for $10.00. I never go hunting without one in my backpack.

I use it in conjunction with an Outdoor Edge Swing Blade and can not be happier.
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  #57  
Old 12-26-2021, 02:17 PM
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CAT , that Puma folder is GORGEOUS ! where did you find it ??
That folder was brought back from Germany in 1966 by my father.
They were not available in Canada until the late 80's I think.
Bit of a pain to clean after finishing a field dressing job, but I don't mind, it works amazingly and reminds me of my father every time I use it!
I have used it on every animal II have killed since 1992 when he gave it to me.
edit note: the Puma also has a corkscrew as it is of German design! LOL
Cat
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  #58  
Old 05-08-2022, 07:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil McCracken View Post
Just returned from our hunt, and as promised, here is an update:

This gutter was used on a couple of cow elk, and a WT deer.

I am pleased with the overall design/geometry of the blade. It was sharpened at 20 degrees, which is good because it is not designed as a drop point where bones can be nicked, which is a reason why the bevel is usually around 25ish degrees on them.

Handle was comfortable (for me).

Blade held it's edge beautifully. Although it did not require "honing" between animals, I always do it anyway.

Bad news...one of the guys at camp bugged me throughout the week wanting this gutter, so I sold it to him... He tried it on a WT he harvested and loved it.

Guess I'll have to make another one...




Just completed another one.
Same blade design, and used Dymalux (black/orange/green) with G10 orange liner for the handle.

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  #59  
Old 05-08-2022, 08:22 AM
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Nice job. The pics of the first one you made aren't there anymore.

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  #60  
Old 05-08-2022, 10:29 AM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Coiloil37 View Post
In my opinion your creating another tool that’s designed to correct the shortfalls of almost every “hunting knife” on the market. The reality is most knife designs suck and nearly everyone just accepts it. Very few people are discriminating enough to recognise the problem and fewer still have corrected it.

Now as for your design, owning another tool to do one specific task that 99.9% of knives suck at, I would take a hard pass. The answer is to just fix the problem, which is most knife designs suck.

Here’s a very simple solution to the problem. In fact, it answers problems most guys didn’t even know existed.




First we can address opening an animal. It’s got enough tip to easily start a cut. Then you’ve got that little rise in the blade shape about a third of the way down from the tip. It drops away from there both toward the tip and toward the handle. When the knife is upside down like this





in your hand you rest that little bump on the animals stomach and push. Because of the geometry the handle (and your hand) is above the hide and guts. Again due to the geometry the tip is up off the guts and the angle of the cutting edge that the hide touches is so low that it cuts effortlessly and falls off to either side like your opening a zipper. With that knife I can open an elk or moose by simply pushing away from myself in a smooth, single motion. No slicing required, I’ve never opened the gut bag because or snagged the tip either. If your slicing down a leg or the back you just set the depth with the angle you hold the handle and give it a push. It’ll open a bear skin effortlessly with the tip riding on the meat and the blade opening the hide.

In contrast take the knives on either side of that same design




The top one is a standard drop point. Not enough bump in the spine and no drop toward the handle. When you tip the handle up enough to clear the hide behind the cut the tip is digging into the guts and the angle the blade is intercepting the hide is quite high. The knife on the bottom was much worse. Not only is there no bump that straight spine is horrible. It’s all tip and pokes into everything. When your hand clears the hide behind the cut the hide is pushing in perpendicular to the blade.

These two were closer but still left a LOT to be desired




This has the same problems as the two above but does a better job skinning then the two above due to the shape of the cutting edge.




For field dressing that little semi skinner flat out works. It’s always got the blade presented to the media your cutting at an angle. The point is straight off your hand where you expect it, it’s small enough to get anywhere you need it, large enough to do the job, etc.

Skinning I always thought a guy wanted some belly on a skinning knife, kinda like these two







Reality is they suck. About 1/2-3/4” of blade is all that consistently cuts hide. If the animal is hanging as your hand works around the carcass you’ve got to contort your wrist to engage the blade on the animal. Even if the animal is laying down it’s still only the heel of the knife that’s doing the cutting.

This shape




rolls around the carcass cutting with the whole blade. It’s always presented at a low angle and slices like a little demon. There is less wrist fatigue and it’s more efficient. If the animal is laying down, almost all of the blade is engaging the media being cut and it’ll outwork a much larger knife.

I’ve boned out several deer and a moose with it as well. For its size it does very, very well and more often then not I use it instead of a boning knife simply because it doesn’t lose its edge or cutting aggression through the job and I don’t have to stop and touch it up.


I’ve been through a few doz knives and I haven’t seen anything that processes an animal like that design does. It doesn’t require a specialised tool to open the hide so you know where I stand on your idea.
My advice would be to build one and see for yourself. One of the guys who works for me built one and hasn’t shut up about how well it works on the reds and chamois that he shoots in NZ. It’s only made of A2 but he’s sold on the design.

I sold that green micarta handled one to a member on here who may feel like sharing his opinion on it as he has with me.

Trust me, that design will outperform anything else you’ve used. I can’t write all the ways it does every job perfectly which is a rarity for tools.
I read this and chuckled. You see in this thread and others that I have used a Havalon almost exclusively the last few years and have literally, almost, taken apart Alberta’s big game with it. This last fall I, once again, took apart a bull moose with that “disposable” knife. I did it alone. He was a skeleton when I was finished.

Why? Because Coiloil37 is 100% correct when he says most knives, production or custom, largely suck by design. They are horrible. I got tired of packing a pantries worth of knives in my pack. Literally. So packed a disposable commodity that at least worked. If you want to weep openly, pay $350 for a knife that works poorly. What a bitter disappointment.

I have this same feeling toward hunting rifles. Many, many of them, by design, suck at what they are supposed to do. Be good hunting rifles. But that is a discussion for another time and place. Boots, bullets, packs the same.
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