Winkler Knifes?

[TimberHunter]

Thanks all for the feedback. I’m going to look elsewhere, likely the custom knife route


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[112Savage]

If you’re wanting true custom, I would suggest siembida magpie in magnacut. I love my two knives from him. I also have two from Von Gruf knives in New Zealand. I love the Hunter/skinner from Von Gruff but mine is 1040 steel and requires a lot of care.

 

[Outlaw99]

I’m a knife nerd, own a little from a lot of the big names. Do yourself a favor and support a fellow rock slider and buy one from Cyprus Creek Knives. Tell him your ideal knife, and he’ll build you the only knife you”ll ever need.

Hand-Crafted Custom Knives | Cypress Creek Knives

For hand-crafted custom knives check out the craftsmanship at Cypress Creek Knives.

www.cypresscreekknives.com

 

[Outlaw99]

Also, whatever model you choose, have it made out of AEB-L

 

[intunegp]

Also, whatever model you choose, have it made out of AEB-L

Magnacut will have better edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. OP you should also talk to @Slalomnorth if you want to go the custom route and support a forum member.

 

[Outlaw99]

Magnacut will have better edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. OP you should also talk to @Slalomnorth if you want to go the custom route and support a forum member.

I worked up 3 elk and 2 deer in 2 days without touching up AEB-L this year…..I’ve never had that success with Magnacut

 

[intunegp]

I worked up 3 elk and 2 deer in 2 days without touching up AEB-L this year…..I’ve never had that success with Magnacut

Then you probably got poorly heat treated Magnacut, or perhaps the geometry of your Magnacut knives wasn't as optimized, or both. I was wrong about toughness but edge retention with Magnacut should be noticeably better.

 

[Outlaw99]

lol, I know all about the various metals, heat treat, ect. Here’s my brothers website, he does this for a living https://www.adkinswoodandknife.com/. I own knives from Benchmade, Half faced, Dozier, and everything in between. In a years time, I work up a minimum of a dozen animals. I’ve tried or used them all. I don’t care what Google or any graph says. I’ve been more impressed with AEB-L than any other steel I’ve used.

 

[intunegp]

lol, I know all about the various metals, heat treat, ect. Here’s my brothers website, he does this for a living https://www.adkinswoodandknife.com/. I own knives from Benchmade, Half faced, Dozier, and everything in between. In a years time, I work up a minimum of a dozen animals. I’ve tried or used them all. I don’t care what Google or any graph says. I’ve been more impressed with AEB-L than any other steel I’ve used.

We all have anecdotal experiences that differ from the data and testing, I was just sharing the latter so OP can reference it when listening to everyone's personal favorites. Not caring what Dr. Larrin Thomas thinks is just ignoring something you don't want to hear as he is without a doubt one of the leading experts in the world when it comes to knife steel. There's nothing wrong with AEB-L, but your fondness of it doesn't change its real world performance compared to steels with objectively better edge retention.

 

[Outlaw99]

I don’t speak of my “fondness”, I speak from real world experience breaking down numerous animals in a years time. What’s your real world experience beyond the books and research?


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[TimberHunter]

Either steel would be a massive upgrade from the replaceable blade knifes I have been using in the field.

However, I would likely benefit from an easier to sharpen steel since my sharpening skills are essentially zero. Does that change your reccomendarion?


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[intunegp]

I don’t speak of my “fondness”, I speak from real world experience breaking down numerous animals in a years time. What’s your real world experience beyond the books and research?


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I've been collecting and using high-end knives for the past 20 years or so in just about every steel imaginable from production brands, boutique custom makers, and everything in between. I also break down multiple animals per year, spend plenty of time in the kitchen, break down lots of cardboard and packaging materials, and sharpen knives that will already tree-top hair just for fun and to improve my abilities.

As I mentioned before there are plenty of reasons why your particular AEB-L knife may cut longer or better than the Magnacut knives you've handled, but the steel itself having better edge retention isn't one of them.

Either steel would be a massive upgrade from the replaceable blade knifes I have been using in the field.

However, I would likely benefit from an easier to sharpen steel since my sharpening skills are essentially zero. Does that change your reccomendarion?


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It wouldn't change my recommendation, I would just add to your arsenal either a guided sharpening system or some cheap knives from Goodwill paired with a good stone or diamond plate and enough practice to refine your technique.

"Easy to sharpen" is a line of thinking that I take a bit of issue with. All sharpening comes down to the same techniques and processes...some steels just take a bit more of it. If you can sharpen an "easy to sharpen" knife you can sharpen a "hard to sharpen" knife, it will just take a little longer.

 

[Outlaw99]

Either steel would be a massive upgrade from the replaceable blade knifes I have been using in the field.

However, I would likely benefit from an easier to sharpen steel since my sharpening skills are essentially zero. Does that change your reccomendarion?


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Another reason I prefer AEB-L, it’s easier to touch up

 

[Slalomnorth]

Winkler has a great reputation but in my eyes are overly thick and I would never carry something like that in my backpack for hunting. We should also keep in mind that geometry is the number one factor in edge retention (over steel, heat treat, etc). Jared (cypress creek) makes a fantastic knife and perhaps the knife has a thinner grind than the magnacut knives you’ve used. I use 14c28n (basically AEB-L but more chromium) and it is a fantastic steel capable of fairly high hardness (about 63 HRC). It has a very fine and evenly dispersed grain structure making it very tough, and capable of holding very thin geometry (the #1 factor in edge retention). I think it probably takes the best edge out of anything I use. Magnacut is also very tough and can be taken quite thin. From a cutting “feel” perspective I do find the higher carbide super steels to be advantageous on hide, hair, muscle. A lot of times I use 14c28n/aeb-l on knives meant for push cutting i.e. bushcraft/kitchen knives and the higher carbide steels on knives that are doing draw cuts. No reason to get in a tizzy about it. They’re all fantastic steels if made properly by the maker.

 

[JollyRoger]

I've got a Winkler Woodsman that was given to me as a gift a little over year ago. Yes it's stout but I love it, comfortable handle, good blade shape, and I love the leather sheath with some actual retention to it. So far its taken apart a half dozen animals or so and has held up great.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Either steel would be a massive upgrade from the replaceable blade knifes I have been using in the field.

However, I would likely benefit from an easier to sharpen steel since my sharpening skills are essentially zero. Does that change your reccomendarion?


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You say that, but it doesn't equate. Not at all being a braggart....so many others posting here have more $$$ in their collections. I am personally frustrated....as I have several thousands into knives.

And the Havalon comes out EVERY time. It's just that simple and that good.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Another reason I prefer AEB-L, it’s easier to touch up

AEB-L is a good steel, but is basically 13C26 found in a nice cheap Moraknifv
IMO it’s a good idea to pick thin geometry/ slicey knives , then pick an easy steel to sharpen, nothing wrong with a fancy knife till you loose it !
My most expensive custom knife has sat in a box for years because it has terrible geometry and is hard to sharpen, looks great and gets lots of compliments but is useless to me over my other knives that are more user friendly! Like all my moraknifv, spyderco folders, victornox, Dexter
All cheaper and designed for gutting and skinning, butchering
Besides my cv20 spyderco endela , moraknifv 511 is my favorite ( and only $15)

 

[tipsntails7]

I don’t speak of my “fondness”, I speak from real world experience breaking down numerous animals in a years time. What’s your real world experience beyond the books and research?


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Im sure you understand that your experience is the definition of anecdotal.

I am of the opinion that the type of steel has been over blown over the last 15 years and most wont even be able to tell the difference if you handed them something to use outside of fringe cases.

Blade geometry, HRC, blade size, composition, handle size and shape, how you sharpen it, and a myriad of other factors go into making a knife what it is.

But I'm also not obtuse enough to think that science doesn't matter or translate to real world situations, or that people don't put animals down every year and process them as if everyone just talks out of their ass.

Eliminating variables, Magnacut has better edge retention, no matter your anecdotal experience thats a fact thats been proven, how that translates to the make up of a knife and if it really makes a difference at the end of the day is case dependent and debatable.

Thats coming from a guy that thinks Magnacut is not that great as a skinning knife to begin with, and MKC's are overpriced, but generally a fine knife. But what is not overpriced these days.

 

[Formidilosus]

Was told to pick out a knife for a gift, otherwise I’d likely never spend +-$300 on a knife.

At first thought MKC, then decided against them. Then tried benchmark lost canyon in hand. Liked the blade size but handle was thin in the hand and I should see losing grip when hand is fatigued. Now I’m thinking about the WK Huntsman.

Any feedback on their knifes for field dressing?


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It seems you have moved beyond Winkler- which in general is a good thing. I have, or have had several Winkler Hawks and knives, never bought one- but they are not optimum for taking animals apart.
In that, most of the suggestions given make it clear that most are knife nerds (that’s ok), and not making suggestions on what actually takes animals apart the cleanest and easiest.

HalfFace Blades- they make about 1-2 knives with blade shapes that are decent, but the awfulness of their handles should obvious the moment someone who knows what they are doing grabs it. This goes for the vast majority of knives made regardless of price or reputation. There is a reason that butcher knives have largely reminded unchanged for hundreds of years, with the smooth, rounded handles and certain blade shapes without guards…


I worked in a butcher shop for a couple of seasons to learn, my average time to gut a deer start to finish is sub 20 seconds, and I field dress on average 30-40 bag game animals a year. I have used most of the super steels until about 5-10 years ago. I say that for an understanding of what I’m about to write….

I want nothing to do with any super steels. I want good basic carbon steel blades that are easy to sharpen in the field and last decently. A smooth, curved blade. Smooth handles, no finger grooves, no sharp edges, no guard- nothing to catch on inside an animal.
Simple, clean, purpose built.

The best overall knife I have used for breaking animals down in the field is the Canadian Belt Knife from Grohmann or other copies with no modifications to the blade or handle angle. Whereas a true butchers knife is phenomenal for skinning and slicing, utterly useless for anything pokie. The CBK’s unique blade shape and blade angle reticle to the handle makes it slice and skin excellently, and stab and poke well.
I would literally rather use the Cold Steel $15 version of the CBK than every “custom” knife thus far mentioned for actual field use on animals. Almost every person I have hunted has switched to the CBK after watching me use them, or using one themselves.

 

[CypressCreek]

If you aren’t the best at sharpening I would recommend AEB-L/14C28N/Nitro-V. They are a more “beginner friendly” steel to sharpen. These steels are basically the same and are all a good choice. They hone well, can be touched up on the bottom of a coffee cup, and most important to me…you don’t need diamonds to sharpen them. You can use grandpas old oil stone. You can seriously sharpen them on anything! Even sandstone out of the creek.

They are tough, moderately corrosion resistant (they are considered stainless, but can exhibit some discoloration if put away wet and dirty and not cleaned within a day or so), these steels have more than enough edge retention to skin and quarter an elk.