Lightweight hunting knife

bigbuckdj

WKR
Joined
Jul 29, 2019
Messages
503
So I only use victorinox boning knives on whitetails and fish, I probably have ten of them stashed in different places. The reason they use them in processing plants is because they can be made razor sharp with few swipes on a steel rod. I probably wouldn’t carry one without a little steel rod to go with it.

That knives of Alaska version I shared in D2, i would probably give that one a go. But it’s not light like the knives shared by sndmn earlier.

I also admittedly don’t like really hard steels, I need to work on my sharpening skills. I haven’t found a quick, easy way to get my cpm-m4 or cruwear knife razor sharp after it gets dull. I’m getting better with a dmt diafold but I’m not there yet.


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wildcat33

WKR
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
1,217
Location
CO
Cold steel Pendleton lite hunter is my fav. Very light, good handle, drop point skins well. Cheap. I much prefer this over the nylon handled parers.

The steel is fair. Takes a razors edge but needs a touch up halfway through an elk. Same as the Vic or Dexter stuff.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2021
Messages
482
Location
Salt Lake City
Montana knife company speedgoat, I have the mini speedgoat and stonewall skinner and they’re extremely sharp. LT wright small northern hunter is another solid one.
 

JP100

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
1,227
Location
South Island New Zealand
I will shamelessly plug these every chance I get:

View attachment 522952


Victorinox paring knife. $9. Processes elk no problem. Save your hard-earned money for fuel and getting to the mountains.

Real pros use a piece of garden hose as a sheath for these......
Go chop a piece of hose to length, soak in boiling water.....then jam the knife in...... you'll thank me later
Black alkothene pipe works even better
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
380
Location
Lakewood, CO
I've heard great things about the Iron Will knifes that are lightweight and around $200 but I don't have one. I use a Cutco serrated blade that can go thru multiple animals without needing any sharpening which is more important to me. I use their folder, which is lightweight, when backpacking or the fixed for road camping.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,413
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
Some combination of these are pretty much the only thing I carry anymore, unless I’m moose hunting, and then I usually carry an ulu.
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JohnB

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
379
Real pros use a piece of garden hose as a sheath for these......
Go chop a piece of hose to length, soak in boiling water.....then jam the knife in...... you'll thank me later
Black alkothene pipe works even better
That's a great idea. Once the snow melts off around my shed I'm going to have to give that a try with some irrigation pipe!
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,306
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I’ve processed hundreds of animals with about 25 different knives, my take;

I suppose even a cheap knife can do an elk…that is if you don’t care thats its dull half way through.
The cheaper Mora’s and Victorianox type knives have needed a stone in my experience.

The good Steels like S90v, S 30v, BG42 CPM S3v, , Elmax and a bunch of the newer particle steels will do a whole elk and more without touchup- I’ve done a bunch.

I have the Altitude and the steep country in S90v- my current favorite. Hey, the Benchmade rep takes care of me- Great knives-but take a look at that Ridge Belt knife if you want a deal on S90v..hat tip to WapitiBob for that one.

I’m putting Scales on my Altitude so it handles better with gloves on.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,306
Location
Corripe cervisiam
Oh, and about the easiest project a guy can do is make a Kydex knife sheath.

Masking tape your knife, Heat the kydex in an oven, bend and mold it over your knife. put some weight on it while it cools. Trim and rivet or Chicago Screw it. Done
 

Loper

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2020
Messages
914
Some combination of these are pretty much the only thing I carry anymore, unless I’m moose hunting, and then I usually carry an ulu.
b76d68d452faa609b26717e696c92537.jpg


8aa163be9a86e4d694cd0f5391744514.jpg



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If you had to pick just one of those to use for the rest of your life which one would you choose?
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
7,413
Location
Chugiak, Alaska
If you had to pick just one of those to use for the rest of your life which one would you choose?

That’s a tough one for me, but probably the Altitude. That said, the Kestrel caper has been in my kill kit for the last decade or so and it, along with the Kestrel skinner, has cleaned quite a few goats and sheep, to include my first goat and my sons, first goat, moose, and sheep. I’ve only used the Altitude once, on a moose this past season, so I don’t have a whole lot of history with it, but it worked really well and felt good in my hand. Also, if you’re looking for something incredibly light and holds an edge very well, the Kestrel caper is pretty hard to beat.

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pcrossett

FNG
Joined
May 9, 2022
Messages
91
Location
Colorado
Bugout folder and Hidden Canyon fixed blade are both ideal and ultralight. The scalpel knives are even lighter and work well, some say better.

I have the hidden canyon that I like a lot and then upgraded the sheath to an Armatus architect sheath with a belt clip that is great for either attaching to a belt or my bino harness.
 

mtwarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
9,594
Location
Montana
I really like the Altitude- weight is amazing, great steel that stays sharp, comes in orange but I found the blade length (3") to be a touch short for boning elk (fine with deer/antelope), it's doable as I've done it, but I think adding an inch to the blade length would be perfect. Of course it's now discontinued :(

I ended up going the custom route w/ a Charles May Bird & Trout II LB (4" blade length) in SV30 and while not as light as the Altitude, decently svelte at 3.2 oz

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elfeyes

FNG
Joined
Sep 24, 2022
Messages
21
I'd take a hard look at the hogue deka in magnacut for a pocket knife and spend the rest on the victorinox pairing knife and good sheath.

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