Best hunting knife

[enoakes]

I've tried a lot of hunting knives from fixed to disposable ones. It seems like I'm wanting more when it comes to the disposable ones as far as their ability to hold a blade. For the fixed-blade ones, I have to carry a sharpening stone which means more weight in my pack.

 

[Michael54]

I've tried a lot of hunting knives from fixed to disposable ones. It seems like I'm wanting more when it comes to the disposable ones as far as their ability to hold a blade. For the fixed-blade ones, I have to carry a sharpening stone which means more weight in my pack.

The outdoor edge hold their blade in better than havalon for a disposable type. For a regular knife my buck 119 folder has held its factory edge for 3 years and about 30 whitetails. I don't debone meat with it though. Just gut and skin.

 

[huntsman22]

Those little Buck 1 1/4"x4" diamond plates don't weigh hardly nothing, and take up about as much space as a longer credit card......

 

[enoakes]

Those little Buck 1 1/4"x4" diamond plates don't weigh hardly nothing, and take up about as much space as a longer credit card......

I guess it's more my inability to get a sharp edge once I've dulled the blade down. I can never get it has sharp as when I buy them.

 

[TheHammer]

I have a work sharp adjustable station with multiple stone kit. Works phenomenal, and I also used it for broad heads as well. This knife is pretty good, they just had/have a great sale through the site here!

Also they offer resharpening, you just cover shipping. I believe several companies offer this as well. I was interested in the iron will knife, but with my broadheads rusting I’m a bit conflicted with the brand.

 

[Powder]

I love the Outdoor Edge. I'm not a guide so it's only for a couple deer and a moose each year but I would go back to a fixed blade.

 

[Powder]

My last post should have said I would NOT go back to a fixed blade.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Moraknif serrated =$18 and last forever if stropped on leather every once in a while

 

[Crowmangler]

I carry about 5 plain straight razor blades in my kill kit just to cut the hide only, which is what dulls the blades. For about 25 cents worth of razor blades you've solved that problem. I then use a Gerber vital & a regular skinning knife to do everything else & no need to carry a stone.

 

[Fjellvei]

Not to be a steel nerd on you but I've processed 6 deer on my Benchmade steep country and the edge is still there as if it's been unaffected ... I'm impressed

 

[dieselchessy]

Currently us a North arm knives Lynx for larger jobs and the Bird and Trout for the smaller stuff. I carry both in my pack. I’ve broke down entire elk and deer with each of them. Never needed to sharpen in the field.

The newer steels are pretty nice.

 

[MuleyFever]

The Outdoor Edge is my favorite. Started with a used blade on my elk yesterday and only ended up changing the blade at the end to get the head off. With a new blade I have done a whole elk and one blade will easily finish a deer, or 2.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

The Havalon with a 60XT blade has excellent retention. You couldn't give me the 60A blade.
The Outdoor Edge Razorpro has provided good blade retention as well.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

Montana Knife Company I personally like. You can resharpen them easily or send them back for them to touch them up. I just used my Blackfoot 2.0 on an elk Saturday and had no issues. I find that it is very rare that I do more than one animal at a time so I keep a sharpening steel at the truck and touch it up there in between animals

 

[jpadia]

Seems like you want a knife that can finish the job without needing sharpening to avoid having to carry a sharpening stone. There are some options for touching up a blade out there that don't require much space or weight. DMT makes diamond sharpening stones that are only 4 inches long. Spyderco ceramic rods are good along with other cheaper versions. They are the size of a pencil. I'm gonna come clean and admit I make knives and for work, need a blade that can finish the job with nothing more than touch ups at the most. As mentioned above, there are some really good modern steels that are capable of so much. I've seen people get by with box cutters but I just don't get it. Many of us spend so much money on a variety of gear but seem to be less willing on good knives. There are a bunch of good makers out there that can make a knife capable of so much. Steels such as S35VN, Magnacut, K390, D2, etc with thin edges and proper edge geometry will do a ton of work and be easy to sharpen when they need it. A maker can do things to help you save weight too. I taper tangs and use wood when weight is important. If I didn't make my own, I would use something from Bob Dozier. I think his fixed blades are affordable for a well known and established maker. I spend more at the grocery store every week!

 

[hemlock1]

The Havalon with a 60XT blade has excellent retention. You couldn't give me the 60A blade.
The Outdoor Edge Razorpro has provided good blade retention as well.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Agree, I enjoy the havalon with the 60XT disposables.

 

[TheGDog]

If you can... borrow somebodies Argali Carbon knife and check it out. Put that AND a Havalon in your kill kit. No weight penalty, and you still have the option of switching over to the Havalon. But I highly doubt you ever will.

EDIT:

Carbon Knife

Ultralight and ultra-sharp, the Carbon Knife from Argali is a "one knife" solution for backcountry hunters that want to be able to cut up an entire elk or deer without needing to sharpen their knife. Crafted in the USA from super-premium S35VN stainless steel, the Carbon Knife is guaranteed for...

argalioutdoors.com

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

Seems like you want a knife that can finish the job without needing sharpening to avoid having to carry a sharpening stone. There are some options for touching up a blade out there that don't require much space or weight. DMT makes diamond sharpening stones that are only 4 inches long. Spyderco ceramic rods are good along with other cheaper versions. They are the size of a pencil. I'm gonna come clean and admit I make knives and for work, need a blade that can finish the job with nothing more than touch ups at the most. As mentioned above, there are some really good modern steels that are capable of so much. I've seen people get by with box cutters but I just don't get it. Many of us spend so much money on a variety of gear but seem to be less willing on good knives. There are a bunch of good makers out there that can make a knife capable of so much. Steels such as S35VN, Magnacut, K390, D2, etc with thin edges and proper edge geometry will do a ton of work and be easy to sharpen when they need it. A maker can do things to help you save weight too. I taper tangs and use wood when weight is important. If I didn't make my own, I would use something from Bob Dozier. I think his fixed blades are affordable for a well known and established maker. I spend more at the grocery store every week!
View attachment 482512

Beautiful knife. Makes me want to add one to my collection

 

[sndmn11]

Buy this for $80 https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/MT38/Mule-Team-trade-M398/2312

Use some xt havalon blades, and you will have a stainless super steel that will cut nearly forever, and replaceables for joints and around bone.

All your bases will be covered and that steel will be top of class for decades.

 

[sndmn11]

I bought two, I made this one up for @TheViking but haven't sharpened it yet. I'll do that tomorrow and let you know.

I do drill those small holes to 1/4" using a $50 fancy carbide bit. From how the bit responds I have a good idea of how the steel will sharpen. For example, with Zmax I had the steel chip out twice on the backside. PD1, Zwear, Magnacut, all drilled out easy with no heat. Rex76, M398, pma11, s90v all drill fine but produce heat. Those last four also sharpen up smoothly at the correct angle with the two stainless being lightly more finicky. I don't forsee any problem sharpening but I also haven't checked the Spyderco forum for any feedback from others yet. I do think it's a steel that should stay away from joints.

@Ucsdryder has the only Rex76 I have finished up yet (of the four I bought), and his s90v ridge knife. he can let you know his opinion of what I think is sharp.