What knives are you using for mountain hunting?

[BroodBuster]

A Victronix hunter is my pocket knife and a "Vickie" is my boning knife. Vickie being the safety knife you see all commercial fishermen and crabbers carrying. Pretty much does anything for around 5 bucks.

 

[Vance in AK]

This is one of my own making. I used to build custom knives for a living before I moved here & it took me a few years before I found a good all round design I liked.
The blade is 4-5/8", straight spined with a roach belly edge. Flat ground 1/8" O1 carbon steel hardened to 58rwc
The scales are blaze G10.
I've been using nothing but this for breaking down game for the last 5 years. I've butchered well over 100 critters with this knife (some mine, most for friends) & I can't imagine using anything else now!

Nice blade!!!
Very practical design & looks like nice workmanship

 

[idelkslayer]

I voted "Folder by itself" but usually I am a folder with a fixed kind of guy. I am never without my folding knife but I do sometimes find myself without my fixed blade. The reason I will not switch over to the havalon and similar style interchangeable knives is that I consider the ability to sharpen and maintain a blade to be an essential skill every hunter should possess, continual use of the skill is necessary for mastery and retention. My hunting buddy has a havalon and I have seen it in action but I have never used one. I take pride keeping a razor edge on my knives which see service in everyday use as well, not just in breaking down an animal. Maybe I also see the interchangeable blade as lazy and dumbing down the average hunter in much the same way that GPS systems have done.

 

[16Bore]

I reckon the same could be said for scopes. Hell, rifles for that matter.


I'm going back to sticks and rocks.

 

[mcseal2]

I voted Havalon and multi-tool. In reality I mix and match from several tools I have depending on the planned hunt.

I actually carry 2 havalons, the barracuta and piranta with a couple blades for each. They both fit in the barracuta sheath with blades. The piranta I use just for caping. For skinning and quartering I like the larger barracuta. I also carry a couple fillet blades at times if I will be boning my game out instead of packing quarters. I have some other good hunting knives but haven't used them on game since getting the Havalons.

My multi-tool is a Leatherman Wave. I use one on the ranch working every day and am just used to carrying it. The pliers is handy for hot cooking pots, the little saw is useful, it's heavy at 8.5oz but it seems worth it for me. The sheath that came with mine has a nylon stretch sleeve on each side that I use for an emergency fire kit. I have a 3" magnesium rod on one side and a 3" firesteel on the other. I run a loop of nylon cord through the lanyard holes in them and around the bottom of the sheath to keep them from sliding out. The back of the saw blade works great for striking the firesteel and the metal saw/file blade is good for getting shavings off the magnesium rod. If I ever get separated from my pack I will still have this (plus a mini Bic lighter in my pocket).

Depending on the trip I sometimes pack a little Gransfers Bruks mini belt axe that weighs 12oz. It is handy for driving stakes for my shelter and feeding my little kifaru stove.

Another tool I like real well is the Camillus bushcrafter knife (8.5oz with sheath). I really like the blade shape and ergonomics on it. I'm a believer in having the right tool for the job, but if I ever went with just one tool this knife would be it. It processes game well and holds up great to abuse around camp. To maintain edges in the field I use a little Smith's pocket sharpener to get by until I get home.

I also have a real lightweight Benchmade Emissary folder with S30V steel I have packed some as a camp knife to back-up the Havalons.

 

[16Bore]

Just picked up a Barracutta off fleabay for $40'ish shipped. Think the guy had a handful left at that price.

 

[Kotaman]

Havalon and Leatherman Skeletool CX.

 

[gmajor]

Father-in-law to be gave me an old buck 110 with the original leather sheath/pouch. A bit hefty, but a solid knife any way you slice it.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I have a couple Kestrel knives (should be here tomorrow) that I just purchased about a month ago. I bought a titanium skinner and a stainless caper, both with skeletonized handles. Hopefully I'll be able to report on them here in the next few months.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Just picked up a couple Kestrel knives and thought I would post up a few pictures. The weights that are displayed on the scale are in grams, and I went ahead and got both types of sheaths for them. They are super sharp, and I'm really looking forward to trying them out. The skinner is in titanium, and the caper is in stainless steel.

 

[16Bore]

Barracuda is a big hog, mighta just replaced my Vic boning knife though...

 

[stevenm2]

I have the Havalon and a Huey Custom fixed blade I carry when hunting. I do not get out of the truck without that knife. The havalon is a recent adder but the Huey has been with me for years. It has broke down several Mule Deer at least a dozen Elk and a Bighorn Sheep. The havalon has it's place but it is not for heavy work.
I feel very confident with this set up.

 

[Chem-E]

Havalon- Piranta
Bark River Knives- Fox River
Leatherman- Charge TTI

Each one has it's purpose. I have thought of only having two, but I can never decide which one to sacrifice! I feel the fixed blade is a very important part of my survival strategy. The Havalon weighs nothing and is very important for processing game. The Leatherman is my tool kit for my bow and rifle since I have the bit accessory package. But I do carry a few key allan wrenches that are not a part of the bit package.
I wish Leatherman would have made the bit package a standard hex drive. The damn thing is heavy enough already, why not add a few extra ounces for extra versatility?
I just got a Outdoor Edge changeable blade knife, the Razor-Lite, as a gift. I like the feel of this knife more than the Havalon, although it is substantially heavier. I haven't decided which one to take this year.

 

[gmajor]

Father-in-law to be gave me an old buck 110 with the original leather sheath/pouch. A bit hefty, but a solid knife any way you slice it.

Forgot to mention that this isn't what I actually carry. I have a Leatherman Squirt, Havalon, and Morakniv Companion heavy duty. I bring the leatherman and one of the other two. The mora if it could be a long trip. Debating bringing a Laplander saw.

 

[boom]

Mora companion.

I opened up a rib cage. Just pushed hard where it meets in the middle and zipped it opened. My hands were not strong enough to pry thru the pelvis.

 

[hunter1000]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...Crosslock-Knife-by-Buck-Knives-reg/728891.uts

3" blade with a 3" saw with gut hook and S30V steel. My perfect backpack hunting knife at only 4oz!!!

 

[GoatNuts]

Havalon plus a few blades for me and my hunting partner carries a "real knife". Together as a team its more than enough.

 

[Chem-E]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...Crosslock-Knife-by-Buck-Knives-reg/728891.uts

3" blade with a 3" saw with gut hook and S30V steel. My perfect backpack hunting knife at only 4oz!!!

That is a sweet knife!

 

[diesel7]

I usually carry a fixed blade and a folder, my cousin had one of those havalons on an elk hunt a couple years ago. I didnt care for it, I dont like the flimsy blades. Just an excuse to not sharpen, but I like a knife with some beef to it. I had a custom built this year, its 5.5 inches, .20 inches thick, out of a steel called cts-pd1 cryo hardened to around 61 rc. It should hold a hell of an edge, hopefully i'll find out this weekend, going on a youth muzzle loader elk hunt here in N.M. I also carry a small tomahawk, and a zt 0560 folder.

 

[16Bore]

$20 Pirantas at Midway..................http://www.midwayusa.com/product/979679/havalon-piranta-edge-folding-skinning-knife-abs-handle-orange-60xt?cm_vc=ProductFinding