Good cheap skinning/deboning knife

Dexter-Russell or Mercer are equally good options. They hold an edge well, sharpen easily and are very affordable.
 
For most things I like a 5” Forschner semi flexible boning knife ($35) and a tiny Gerber ultra light folder to skin ($35). I saw a Wustof kitchen knife at the thrift store with a thin 6” blade and bought it for ($1). When one of the young kids asks for a boning knife I’ll give it to them. The steel and shape is very good. lol

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If doing a lot of skinning and weight isn’t an issue I’ve skinned a few hundred animals after school for a processor with an old school Buck skinner and find it works great with no complaints, and as easy to keep sharp as a Forschner. Many skinners are less expensive and if it had this basic shape and held a nice edge it would be just as usable.

A skinning knife is never going to be good at unzipping legs (cutting from under the hide quickly in one continuous motion), the point is just not the correct shape. That’s where a “caping” knife is ideal. It is the correct angle to get between hide and meat. I smooth off the non cutting side of the point so it doesn’t dig into meat. In between animals these two knives would get a couple of very light strokes on a sharpening stick to stay shaving sharp. No need for more than that.

If someone likes to tinker you could cut down good quality kitchen knives from the thrift store ($2) or a set that’s being replaced ($0) to these shapes.

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I would never carry one in a backpack, but if you skin animals at home a boning hook speeds up the process considerably. It’s kind of like a small hay bale hook that makes it easy to grab the hide and pull much harder than you could with just a handful of hide.

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Any of these victornox knives are good cheap knives.
Dexter-Russell or Mercer are equally good options. They hold an edge well, sharpen easily and are very affordable.
Yep, these three knives work wonders. Personally, I've used all three, the best for me was the Vic. with Fibrox. Vict., Dexter, Mercer ------ in that order. The Mercer may leave you wanting more, though.
 
the dexter will take a lot of abuse.

i have three that were given to me by a butcher who had sharpened them so much that they were an inch shorter.

they are my favorites for about everything.
 
Like others have said, Victorinox. I work at a poultry processing facility and that's all we use. I recycle all the knives so i normally keep a few boxes and hand out to friends/acquaintances, and everyone I give them to always ask for more as they are a great knife, plus easy to sharpen.

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Like others have said, Victorinox. I work at a poultry processing facility and that's all we use. I recycle all the knives so i normally keep a few boxes and hand out to friends/acquaintances, and everyone I give them to always ask more as they are a great knife, plus easy to sharpen.

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Dang. Will you be my friend?
 
Like others have said, Victorinox. I work at a poultry processing facility and that's all we use. I recycle all the knives so i normally keep a few boxes and hand out to friends/acquaintances, and everyone I give them to always ask more as they are a great knife, plus easy to sharpen.

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But, so many colors is hard to pick one. lol
 
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