Elk Hunting Knife

[jerm8352]

I have used the Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife for all my hunting needs for the last few years. It works great until I inevitably move my thumb onto the stupidly placed blade release button and the blade falls out while I am cutting off a front shoulder or working out the hip joint or something. Even the newer models with the “bump” around the button do it for me. I haven’t had it be a problem yet but it really scares me especially when it happened multiple times with a brand new knife this fall when I was solo cutting up a cow. Any recommendations for a similar knife that can get me through gutless quartering an elk? I am looking at the gerber big game vital or the Gerber Randy Newberg knife. I like how sharp the replaceable blade knives are by I am not necessarily only looking at replaceable. Thanks.

 

[roosiebull]

I have used the Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife for all my hunting needs for the last few years. It works great until I inevitably move my thumb onto the stupidly placed blade release button and the blade falls out while I am cutting off a front shoulder or working out the hip joint or something. Even the newer models with the “bump” around the button do it for me. I haven’t had it be a problem yet but it really scares me especially when it happened multiple times with a brand new knife this fall when I was solo cutting up a cow. Any recommendations for a similar knife that can get me through gutless quartering an elk? I am looking at the gerber big game vital or the Gerber Randy Newberg knife. I like how sharp the replaceable blade knives are by I am not necessarily only looking at replaceable. Thanks.

I personally like the tyto a lot, it’s a replaceable blade knife with no buttons, it’s literally a piece of metal (they make stainless and titanium versions. If you have one of those, and one of those cheap plastic gadgets that havalon makes to replace blades, it’s a pretty safe system.

Havalon BRC4P Blade Remover 4 Pack - Knife Country, USA

Shopping online for the Havalon Knives BRC4P Blade Remover 4 Pack? Knife Country USA is a premire retailer with the largest selection of knives anywhere. We have been selling outdoor survival gear like the Havalon Knives BRC4P at discount prices. Sh

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Tyto 1.1 Cerakote — Tyto Knives

Ultralight. Ultra Sharp. Replacement blade knife. Custom laser cut and precision machined stainless steel Cerakoted handle. The perfect knife for backpack hunting, fishing, or hiking adventures. This custom replaceable blade handle is the first of it's kind. It's simplis

tytoknives.com

 

[264 MHC]

Not a fan of replaceable blade knives for several reasons. I prefer a high quality fixed blade with good steel. My favorite steel is CPM Magnacut. It is very tough and won't chip on bone even at 15* sharpening angles. It is very fine grained and gets sticky sharp fairly easy, and does not require diamond stones, but they make it easier. Magnacut is also dang near corrosion proof. I have a filet knife made out of it that is used in saltwater and I purposefully put it away in the sheath wet all last summer and only had a few specs of rust on the laser markings, none on the blade or edge itself. Even just making sure it is dry, I doubt it would ever rust in normal use.

Take a look at North Arm Knives out of BC Canada:

"Lynx" Hunting Knife - North Arm Knives

The Lynx hunting knife, made in BC Canada, has the blade geometry and edge holding you need to process game efficiently and look good at the same time.

northarmknives.com

Very high quality and reasonably priced (Exchange rate makes them cheaper for US Customers).

 

[sbaker0029]

I'll preface that I have never had the opportunity to quarter or skin an elk, but have lots of whitetail and numerous other animals.

I like the benchmade hidden canyon hunter. I'm a fan of benchmade knives. They hold an edge very well. They are very sharp out of the box.
The hidden canyon hunter is a fairly small blade but feels good in the hand and is easy to work with. Several deer, ducks, rabbit, and squirrel in and it's still got a decent enough edge I haven't sharpened it or sent it in for them to sharpen, which they will do for free once a year from my understanding.

 

[t_carlson]

I used both the Havalon and Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knives for several years, and after several near-injuries, returned to a standard fixed blade knife.

The key is having a good in-field sharpener. I carry this one: https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE

I do caution, DON'T use this on an expensive blade. It takes off a LOT of steel in very few strokes. Good for putting an edge back on in the middle of working on an animal, but bad for blade longevity. I carry an old Buck that I bought at Walmart for $20 several years ago.

I'm never going back to replaceable blade knives again.

 

[Vrybusy]

Any of the Argali knives will do what you need....with ease. Crazy lightweight, and they hold an edge.

 

[Brendan]

I've had good luck with havalon. I carry a benchmade griptillian with me pretty much everywhere and have it sharp as a backup, but still prefer the havalon for breaking down an animal. Have done many deer, 3 elk, an antelope. I'll do a really good job sharpening at home, but have no interest in doing it in the field.

 

[hiker270]

Still carry my Buck folding knife I've had for many years. Also a smaller Spyderco folder and a Havalon Piranta. Between those 3 in my backpack I can handle anything from a rabbit to an elk.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

buy once, cry once. I'd suggest the montana knife company knives. I personally like the blackfoot 2.0, but would feel perfectly equipped with a speedgoat or super cub or really any of their offerings

 

[sbaker0029]

I've had good luck with havalon. I carry a benchmade griptillian with me pretty much everywhere and have it sharp as a backup, but still prefer the havalon for breaking down an animal. Have done many deer, 3 elk, an antelope. I'll do a really good job sharpening at home, but have no interest in doing it in the field.

I carry a griptillian as well, great knife. I was scared of how sharp it was a first and didn't carry it often lol. Now it's with me everyday and has been for several years. Made me a benchmade fan.

 

[Brendan]

I carry a griptillian as well, great knife. I was scared of how sharp it was a first and didn't carry it often lol. Now it's with me everyday and has been for several years. Made me a benchmade fan.

Carry mine pretty much everywhere, it's my do-everything edc knife. Got really upset when I thought I lost it and immediately bought a second. Of course I found the first so now I just have a backup!

 

[N2TRKYS]

I have used the Outdoor Edge replaceable blade knife for all my hunting needs for the last few years. It works great until I inevitably move my thumb onto the stupidly placed blade release button and the blade falls out while I am cutting off a front shoulder or working out the hip joint or something. Even the newer models with the “bump” around the button do it for me. I haven’t had it be a problem yet but it really scares me especially when it happened multiple times with a brand new knife this fall when I was solo cutting up a cow. Any recommendations for a similar knife that can get me through gutless quartering an elk? I am looking at the gerber big game vital or the Gerber Randy Newberg knife. I like how sharp the replaceable blade knives are by I am not necessarily only looking at replaceable. Thanks.

Learn to hold your knife differently. Problem solved.

 

[LoveOverAll]

I have field dressed deer with a Swiss Army knife. I much prefer to do it with a better knife. There are a lot of people out there that have never used a good knife so they don’t know what they are missing.

 

[BigNate]

Everyone has different ideas about the "perfect" blade design.

I have come to the conclusion that for me a durable edge on a blade about 4 to 5 inches max length is about right for me. A shorter blade is fine and even better sometimes, but I like a longer blade for a few other things like camp chores. I usually carry one knife.

I have a custom knife in O1 tool steel I carry most. I also have a Bark River that's an homage to Loveless that is in CPM3v and it's actually a better hunting knife, but not as abuse proof in my eyes.

A great steel is worth the extra expense as they will finish the job without touching it up. IMHO CPM3v, O1,D2, S30v are where I'd be looking.

I live near the Buck factory, can get a discount, and I still don't buy them.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Those replaceable blade knives all suck. There's no reason not to just carry a fixed blade. Any decent blade steel will hold an edge long enough to cut up an elk, good blade steel will hold an edge long enough to cut up a dozen.

If you want something cheap and light its hard to beat the buck 110/112 slim. They're like $30 and great for the $$. Lots of good fixed blades just depends on what you want to spend. $100-$150 will get you a solid knife. Benchmade skinners, any of the Esse's.

Personally I carry a quality fixed blade (preference these days Benchmade Anonimus) and I have buck 112 slims in all of my packs because they’re small and light and at $30 they’re almost disposable. I carry a small field sharpener too just in case.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Any decent blade steel will hold an edge long enough to cut up an elk, good blade steel will hold an edge long enough to cut up a dozen.

WTF knife are you using that'll hold an edge through 12 elk?

 

[redneckbmxer24]

WTF knife are you using that'll hold an edge through 12 elk?

Anything S30V or harder will do that. They’re made of flesh, not steel.

 

[264 MHC]

I’d imagine something with one of the extremely high carbide super steels like s90v, s110v, maxamet, or the like would do it if you’re careful not to chip the edge. The high hardness, high carbide steels are a lot more prone to that.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Anything S30V or harder will do that. They’re made of flesh, not steel.

I've got S30V and S90V and there's no way they'd do a dozen elk without being sharpened.

 

[264 MHC]

Could you do it, maybe. Would you want to, probably not when you could touch it up after each one and keep it screaming sharp vs just getting worse and worse. Sharp knives are much safer and more pleasurable to use