Ultra light skeleton hunting knife Recommendations?

[sndmn11]

Spyderco stil has some Mules left https://www.spyderco.com/?s=mule

 

[Blacktail_Packer]

I have a paklite caper it was part of a set with a non skeleton gut hook knife that I already have 2 more of. I intend to make a sheath for just the caper and keep it in my kill kit.

 

[mcseal2]

I have an Altitude and like it for caping and fine work. I would like more of a handle if I was to use it on a whole large animal. I like bigger knives though, I always have a fixed blade with a 4.5" to 5" blade in my pack or on my belt. They say everyone packs their fears, I pack at least 2 knives and one is a bigger tougher one. It's weight I just feel better having along if I need to abuse a knife a little. I tried the Tyto and Havalon, I prefer the Altitude for the jobs I used them for.

I think I'm just to hard on a blade for those scapel blade designs. For example this year we were taking my buddies muley apart in the dark with a heavy wet snow falling. After we got him out we had a 25 mile Ranger trip partially on nasty, slick, 2 tracks that were already pretty questionable in the daylight. He was doing a Euro mount so we weren't caping. A 4.5" fixed blade with a longer cutting stroke and a tough blade I can pry on a little makes that job faster and safer for me. It's what I'm used to, others who use a blade differently could probably do it as fast with the scapel blades. Anyway for me it's not broke and I'm not fixing it.

For what it's worth I have a Benchmade Bugout folder as well. The blade size and shape are almost identical to the Altitude. The handle is more comfortable (to me) and it's lighter. It has S30V steel so while it isn't S90V it's not bad. It might be worth considering for your needs also, it can ride in a pocket and doesn't need a sheath. I pack it in a pocket at times as my 2nd knife and keep the bigger one in the pack.

Also worth considering is that a lot of the newer pants are being made with a built in belt. My Kuiu Yukon pants are like this. I used to always carry my bigger knife on my belt, but anymore as I change layers and take puffy pants on and off I lean toward a folding knife on my person and the fixed blade in the pack. It just seems to be a better option with my current layering options at least in the later seasons.

 

[Linedawg]

Love my benchmade altitude skinned and deboned 1 cow elk and 3 whitetail deer and is still very sharp that’s all the knife I need for the gutless method

 

[bowtech101st]

I've used a Havalon for years, and I like it, but I'm ready to try the skeleton knife because I'm tired of breaking blades. Right now I'm pulling out my hair, trying to decide between the Benchmade Altitude and the Argali Carbon knife. They both look awesome, but they seem to have pros/cons over each other and I can't decide which pros outweigh the cons.

The Argali's handle looks a lot more comfortable to me, but I'm not sure if I'll mind the Altitude's handle that much.

But the Benchmade is S90v (as opposed to the Argali's S35vn), and I really want a knife that I can debone an entire bull elk without having to sharpen it in the field. Does the S90v retain an edge significantly better than the S35vn? I'm not concerned about how hard S90v is to sharpen.

So what do you guys who own these two knives think? Does the handle on the Argali beat the Benchmade? Or is the S90v noticeably better than what the Argali has to offer?

 

[camelcluch]

I just bought the altitude for $149 from Camping World if that helps.

 

[bowtech101st]

I just bought the altitude for $149 from Camping World if that helps.

Wow, I just checked it out and that's an amazing deal! It didn't say on the website but do you know if it came with a kydex sheath? And I also assume it's the orange color?

 

[Glendine]

Thanks again to everyone for there help

Regards,
Glendine.

 

[16Bore]

Skeleton knives are nice until you actually use one.....

 

[camelcluch]

First Light camo sheath and mine is orange. There wasn’t a place to choose color options.

 

[bowtech101st]

First Light camo sheath and mine is orange. There wasn’t a place to choose color options.

Thanks for the tip on this deal. For $80 off the normal price, I don't think I can pass up this deal!

 

[Anozira]

Skeleton knives are nice until you actually use one.....

This 100%. I had a Tyto Ti and while its about as light as the come and really neat looking, I sold it after the first elk I tried it on.

 

[jolmaco]

Tyto and Kestrel

 

[bowtech101st]

This 100%. I had a Tyto Ti and while its about as light as the come and really neat looking, I sold it after the first elk I tried it on.

Was it because you found the skinny handle too uncomfortable, or were there other reasons?

 

[Randle]

Gerber and Randy Newberg have come out with a skeleton lightweight exchangeable blade knife that looks interesting , I think it will be available in june

 

[mcseal2]

I've used a Havalon for years, and I like it, but I'm ready to try the skeleton knife because I'm tired of breaking blades. Right now I'm pulling out my hair, trying to decide between the Benchmade Altitude and the Argali Carbon knife. They both look awesome, but they seem to have pros/cons over each other and I can't decide which pros outweigh the cons.

The Argali's handle looks a lot more comfortable to me, but I'm not sure if I'll mind the Altitude's handle that much.

But the Benchmade is S90v (as opposed to the Argali's S35vn), and I really want a knife that I can debone an entire bull elk without having to sharpen it in the field. Does the S90v retain an edge significantly better than the S35vn? I'm not concerned about how hard S90v is to sharpen.

So what do you guys who own these two knives think? Does the handle on the Argali beat the Benchmade? Or is the S90v noticeably better than what the Argali has to offer?

I can't answer your question directly, but I do own the Altitude. If I was buying today I'd choose the Argali, just due to the more substantial handle. The Benchmade isn't bad, but I wouldn't want to do a whole elk with it personally.

On the steel I have carried a ZT 452CF with S35VN steel for a couple years. It has been awesome. I don't know that it holds an edge quite as well as the S90V, but it seems easy to maintain. I use it on the ranch every day to some extent. I also carry a Leatherman Wave, so if I'm going to abuse a blade I use that. I cut a lot of round bales with the ZT knife though. About once a week, twice if I'm cutting a lot of bales, I give it a dozen strokes per side on a ceramic steel. If I have ever had to put it on a stone I don't remember it. I like the steel. I have nothing against the S90V either and it holds an edge awesome, but it takes a little more time and effort to re-sharpen. I have not let it get very dull either, I carry the rod from a ceramic steel in my kill kit and every 15 minutes or less I touch up whatever blade I've been using. I only let the Benchmade dull to far once and it took the coarser rod on my Spyderco sharpmaker to get it back to where the steel and strop could finish it.

 

[208backcountry]

Not a skeleton knife or as light as some of the options here.

The outdoor edge razor lite is a big winner for me. Weighs in at roughly 3.5 oz, stiff like a fixed blade knife, surgical sharp, I can easily do a whole critter with one blade. Clips on my pocket for general use.

this was a new piece of gear for me this past season, I put through its paces, and it fills all the boxes for me, and under $40!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I like the Tyto Titanium

 

[alexanderg23]

I’ve got the Iron Will it’s not impressive AT ALL. Absolutely no finishing work, the back side might be as sharp as the blade. I talked to Iron Will and he basically said, yeah we didn’t do well on them. It’s rough for $150 or whatever. And probably like the broadheads it will rust just mentioning water.

 

[sndmn11]

I’ve got the Iron Will it’s not impressive AT ALL. Absolutely no finishing work, the back side might be as sharp as the blade. I talked to Iron Will and he basically said, yeah we didn’t do well on them. It’s rough for $150 or whatever. And probably like the broadheads it will rust just mentioning water.

For those who dislike their Iron Will knife, let me know how much you want to sell for.