"Hunting" knife vs fillet/boning knife

[Remington92]

I'm thinking about changing up my knife game for the season. I currently run a gerber vital folder and small saw in my pack and a benchmade osborne 940 on my hip for field dressing. I usually have the opportunity to gut in field but haul out and then skin and debone in the shop later. At the shop I almost exclusively use differing size fillet or boning knives.

That being said I have a scheels gift card burning a hole in my pocket and was eyeing a benchmade steep country. Looks like nice size and everyone talks highly of. But I find myself going back to what I know and eyeing something along the lines of a 5-6" Victorinox curved boning knife.

My question is what do the traditional hunting knifes like the steep country provide or lose compared to a boning knife? When I first started hunting my dad always carried a serrated cutco long blade hunting knife and thats what I started on as well but that got old quick once I was on my own.

 

[Truaxdw]

Havalon in the field, a boning and fillet knife at home for processing

 

[Mully]

If you like Benchmade, the Meatcrafter is a good boning knife. Works good in the kitchen, too. Where the lanyard attaches could use a little fine sandpaper to smooth the edges. CPM 154 steel. Hard to beat the Victorinox for price, but will need to sharpen more often.

 

[Marbles]

A belly on the blade works better for slicing motions. Pointy, long, thin blades work better for getting around bones and cutting things off of bones.

I prefer a knife with belly to it. Some of that is style and there is not really a right or wrong answer, well unless you talk to a skilled butcher, they probably have stronger opinions that are better ground than mine.

 

[TaperPin]

I'm thinking about changing up my knife game for the season. I currently run a gerber vital folder and small saw in my pack and a benchmade osborne 940 on my hip for field dressing. I usually have the opportunity to gut in field but haul out and then skin and debone in the shop later. At the shop I almost exclusively use differing size fillet or boning knives.

That being said I have a scheels gift card burning a hole in my pocket and was eyeing a benchmade steep country. Looks like nice size and everyone talks highly of. But I find myself going back to what I know and eyeing something along the lines of a 5-6" Victorinox curved boning knife.

My question is what do the traditional hunting knifes like the steep country provide or lose compared to a boning knife? When I first started hunting my dad always carried a serrated cutco long blade hunting knife and thats what I started on as well but that got old quick once I was on my own.

In the backcountry I’m boning everything, so the Forschner (same as the Vic I’m pretty sure) is always in my pack - it’s literally what all game processors use, why use anything else?

However, if you don’t bone anything in the field you don’t need this knife.

 

[Zdub02]

First off you can't have too many knives and using a new one is always fun. But with that benchmade you will gain some edge retention not requiring as frequent touch ups. Could also use that knive for more tasks from gutting, skinning, and deboning. I personally use different knives for each task and use the filet/boning style knives for processing in the kitchen. Lots of personal preference, but grabbing a new knife sounds like a good choice.

 

[Remington92]

In the backcountry I’m boning everything, so the Forschner (same as the Vic I’m pretty sure) is always in my pack - it’s literally what all game processors use, why use anything else?

However, if you don’t bone anything in the field you don’t need this knife.

That’s sort of how I’m feeling, I know boning knives and used to how they work for skinning and processing. I also watch a lot of the bearded butcher guys and they say they use 6” curved boning knife for everything. I just can’t see what I’m missing with a traditional deep place hunting knife. That being said I think a 4-5” would be the sweet spot for deer sized game.

 

[2-Stix]

I carry the steep country and a case trapper, or a light weight buck 110 with it. I keep the 110, a lighter and matches in my bino harness if I get separated from my pack. Kill kit has the steep county and a light weight work sharp sharpener.

 

[TaperPin]

That’s sort of how I’m feeling, I know boning knives and used to how they work for skinning and processing. I also watch a lot of the bearded butcher guys and they say they use 6” curved boning knife for everything. I just can’t see what I’m missing with a traditional deep place hunting knife. That being said I think a 4-5” would be the sweet spot for deer sized game.

yep

 

[Mully]

If you could find a Dozier fillet you would be happy. Not really flexible, but a great boning knife for me with awesome edge retention with his D2.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Always found the small wood handled rapala fillet knives to be rather handy

 

[schwaf]

For me a hunting knife should be suitable for camp, bushcraft, and survival tasks in addition to breaking down an animal. I don't see a havalon or boning knife being suitable for firecraft or making a tent peg. Considering a quality fixed blade is only a couple ounces heavier, the added utility and durability more than makes up for the small weight savings, especially in today's super steels. I think of blades like the steep country more of an all round useful knife that is generally good at all tasks, but doesn't specialize in a particular craft.

What you lose in a stout hunting knife over a boning knife is the thin, narrow, and flexible profile. Personally I don't like my hunting knife to have too fine of a tip for lack of durability. The steep country, or knives like it will skin and dress game quickly, but you'll lose more meat around the bones, especially in the tight areas. Detailed work like caping is more tedious and difficult. That's not a problem for most people, and particularly for you if you're carrying the whole carcass back. A 4" blade with some belly and a pointy tip with a comfortable handle plus a small folding saw is, for me, just about perfect for whatever situation I might find myself in. I can keep other tools in the truck should I need them.

 

[Seeknelk]

I guess I'm not sure why you'd get another boning type knife for in the field if you always just gut them and do all your processing at home? The steep country is a better knife for gutting and quartering compared to a boning or fillet type knife but it sounds like your well aware of that?
I mean another boning knife for the shop would be great. I've packed a folding fillet knife just for boning in the field. It's nicer for that than my mora's for sure. Yeah get more knives , it's fun!

 

[Lawnboi]

Once you cut up an animal with a knife that is almost continuous belly, like a Canadian belt knife style, you won’t use anything else. Nothing slices like the a willow leaf/Canadian belt knife style.

Personally don’t use a boning knife in the field, too many areas that I don’t want that tip, my boning knives also tend to be pretty thin.

Things I look for in a knife for the field
-good belly
-usable point
-thin stock
-flat grind
-blaze orange handle

 

[MaddMatt]

I'm becoming more and more fond of the 13cm boning knife.
https://www.swiss-knife.com/en/cutl...ning-knife-narrow-curved-semi-flex-blade.html

 

[sierracharlie338]

I love my steep country and use it for field gutting breaking down etc. boning knife comes into play once we get home and am breaking down the carcass for meat cuts and deboning. I won’t carry a deboning knife in the field just because of size and lack of packing options.

 

[Remington92]

If I was going to jump out of the box is the s90v worth the upgrade over s30v? looking at the benchmade steep country vs saddle mountain skinner

 

[rideold]

I carry a hunting knife and a boning knife in the field. I like to have the boning knife if I decide to bone something obviously but I use it for other delicate work as well. Just a personal style thing. When I get home the hunting knife stays in the pack and the boning knife comes into the kitchen with the meat to be processed. If I decided to only carry one it would be the hunting knife but the Fibrox boning knives are so light I don't mind the weight penalty. On an extended backcountry trip I'd probably leave it behind.

As for the S30 vs 90. It's all about hardness and thus time and effort to sharpen. I like the S30v steel just fine and the edge retention is more than enough for my uses.

All that said....I don't use my hunting or boning knife except on an animal. I carry a folder in my pocket for all the other stuff like cutting slices of salami at lunch!

 

[mcseal2]

People pack their fears, and not having a tough knife is mine. I like a stouter fixed blade when in remote areas. I've posted my choice here before, it's a custom version of a Dozier Pro Guides knife. High saber grind 4.75" blade with a 90-degree spine in 3V steel. It's tough enough to abuse, holds an edge well, and does everything I need it to. I don't only use it on game, I use it for everything. I carry a ceramic rod sharpener that weighs 1.2oz that I keep it touched up with. The knife and it's kydex sheath with an Exotac firesteel on it weighs 10.2oz. I've used a lot of blades and this one my favorite, but it would not be for everyone. I usually have it on my belt a folder in my pack for back-up. If I'm wearing rain gear with a built-in belt all the time (Alaska) the custom knife goes in my pack and I move the folder to my pocket.

I'm generally not boning out animals in the field. I will if I need to, but I don't plan my strategy around that. Some of my AK hunts I might have quarters hanging under a tarp on a meat rack for several days and I prefer to have the quarters on the bone for that. I sometimes take a Rapala 4" fillet knife for fish or camp kitchen use and it's only a little over 2oz, about like a Benchmade Bugout. I would not want to use it skinning though, to pointy and not enough belly.

 

[schwaf]

If I was going to jump out of the box is the s90v worth the upgrade over s30v? looking at the benchmade steep country vs saddle mountain skinner

No, imo s90v is one of the worst hard use steels out there. Extremely difficult to sharpen and very brittle. The added edge retention is nowhere near worth the compromise. S30v is fine, but upgrades worth considering are cpm 3v, cruwear, and magnacut. I've had my s90v blades chip out on basic knife cutting tasks. I have no doubt it'll chip against bone, and no clue why benchmade continues to use it so prominently.