Knife Setup

[frostlicker]

What are you lightweight guys and gals using for knifes? I think everyone is packing a havalon these days. I don't personally like the havalon for everything, it gets caught too easy on bones when trimming the rib meat off the ribs or taking the backstraps.

I'd like to carry a knife as well without adding a bunch of weight. I love my Buck 110, Outdoor Edge Swingblade, and some others but they each weigh about half a pound.

Show me your setups! Thanks

 

[nobody]

I love my Havalon personally, don't weigh anything or take up much space. But, I would look at an Esee Izula if you're wanting a lightweight, well made, simple blade. The 1095 Steel is cerakoted to protect it from corrosion, and it sharpens up easily and stays much sharper than many blades made of other steels. And, it's made in the USA and cheap to boot! Lifetime no questions asked warranty, can't go wrong. I love mine, carry it as a neck knife while in the woods. The red isn't for everyone, but it is easy to see when you set it down!

ESEE Izula Fixed Blade - Fire Ant Red Neck Knife | Blade HQ

The ESEE Izula is a classic neck knife that every knife lover needs to own. This model comes in Fire Ant Red with a sturdy, concealable, fixed blade design.

www.bladehq.com

 

[frostlicker]

I love my Havalon personally, don't weigh anything or take up much space. But, I would look at an Esee Izula if you're wanting a lightweight, well made, simple blade. The 1095 Steel is cerakoted to protect it from corrosion, and it sharpens up easily and stays much sharper than many blades made of other steels. And, it's made in the USA and cheap to boot! Lifetime no questions asked warranty, can't go wrong. I love mine, carry it as a neck knife while in the woods. The red isn't for everyone, but it is easy to see when you set it down!

ESEE Izula Fixed Blade - Fire Ant Red Neck Knife | Blade HQ

The ESEE Izula is a classic neck knife that every knife lover needs to own. This model comes in Fire Ant Red with a sturdy, concealable, fixed blade design.

www.bladehq.com

Thanks! I like that price point! A lot of the light-weight knives I've seen are $200 a pop. (Argali, BM Altitude, etc.)

Have you used it to process yet?

 

[wildcat33]

Havalon wasnt for me. I think its hard to beat the cold steel pendelton lite hunter

 

[nobody]

Thanks! I like that price point! A lot of the light-weight knives I've seen are $200 a pop. (Argali, BM Altitude, etc.)

Have you used it to process yet?

No full processing on big game. I love my Havalon for that, but for popping joints and stuff the Esee is bomb. Great edge stability, and holds the sharp edge forever with the hard use. I use it for general camp purposes too, basic feather sticking for firewood and cutting food and stuff, and it's great. I touched the edge up after each trip with a small hone, took about 30 seconds, and it would shave when I was done.

EDIT: I will say, the Benchmade S30V steel they use has some questionable heat treating reputations in the knife world. Way too hard, chips too easily, especially when being used around bone. Also, the Altitudes and other knives are very slick when your hands are covered in blood and stuff. The cerakote finish on the Esee is rough and makes a difference when your hands are wet!

 

[Outlaw99]

Sharp & Compact 533 Mini Bugout® Folding Knife | Benchmade

Shop the 533 Mini Bugout® Family AXIS® Lock Satin Knife. Offered in three different colorways, it features the same material as its full-sized counterparts in a 1.5 oz package.

www.benchmade.com

Sweet little knife that’ll handle breaking down a whole animal and still have an edge when you get done

 

[Mike Islander]

I carry an Outdoor Edge RazorLite. Light weight and very easy to use. But I also usually carry a "real" knife. It's a camp tool I'm not willing to do without. There are a few fixed blades in the 5 oz range with sheath (Steep Country). And even then I also carry my Bugout, which is less than 2 oz.

If course a Steep Country will skin any animal in North America. So you could cover everything with a 5 oz knife/sheath combo.

 

[Decker9]

I use to pack plastic knives, nice and light, but never could warm up to them. Love my solid knives.

 

[oenanthe]

Victorinox paring knife. Incredibly cheap and highly effective. Not sexy.

Seriously, these things are awesome. I've been using them exclusively for about 5-6 years now. Moose, sheep, caribou. And after bringing the meat home they are what I use for butchering, too. Had to buy an extra one because my wife kept taking mine.

 

[Mike Islander]

Victorinox paring knife. Incredibly cheap and highly effective. Not sexy.

Seriously, these things are awesome. I've been using them exclusively for about 5-6 years now. Moose, sheep, caribou. And after bringing the meat home they are what I use for butchering, too. Had to buy an extra one because my wife kept taking mine.

I just started carrying a Victonox 5" Boning Knife. Had a guy on BCUSA make a nice clip on sheath for it. This way it stays safe in the pack until time to process game. And then I can clip it on my belt or a strap until I'm done.

 

[TimberPhantom]

No full processing on big game. I love my Havalon for that, but for popping joints and stuff the Esee is bomb. Great edge stability, and holds the sharp edge forever with the hard use. I use it for general camp purposes too, basic feather sticking for firewood and cutting food and stuff, and it's great. I touched the edge up after each trip with a small hone, took about 30 seconds, and it would shave when I was done.

EDIT: I will say, the Benchmade S30V steel they use has some questionable heat treating reputations in the knife world. Way too hard, chips too easily, especially when being used around bone. Also, the Altitudes and other knives are very slick when your hands are covered in blood and stuff. The cerakote finish on the Esee is rough and makes a difference when your hands are wet!

Is the holster it comes with functional? Looks like a sweet knife

 

[Billy Goat]

Thanks! I like that price point! A lot of the light-weight knives I've seen are $200 a pop. (Argali, BM Altitude, etc.)

Have you used it to process yet?

Argali has a Rokslide discount that helps a little. I like mine. Also carried a bugout this year. Impressed with both.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

I too went from the havalon route at 2oz.
Depends how deep I’m going and what I’m doing.

Handled Kestrel Ovis is a fantastic do it all blade and I’m at the point I might just pack the weight for how nice in the hand it is even for longer trips.

I do have a Handled Mouflon skinner which is excellent. Mountain caper that I’ve done a whole blacktail with zero issues and played around with the mountain scalpel a bit. I prefer fixed to be honest.

 

[frostlicker]

Victorinox paring knife. Incredibly cheap and highly effective. Not sexy.

Seriously, these things are awesome. I've been using them exclusively for about 5-6 years now. Moose, sheep, caribou. And after bringing the meat home they are what I use for butchering, too. Had to buy an extra one because my wife kept taking mine.

How do you carry it? I remember seeing some that come with a holster/sheath.

 

[Sadler]

I use a Tyto Ti with 20A and saw blades, a leather man squirt for changing blades and whatever else I may need it for and Argalis knife. Works well for me and those havalon saw blades chew threw bone extremely well and that Argali knife can break down a few elk before it needs to be sharpened up.

 

[Grady.J]

My Kestrel skeleton ovis Hunter weighs exactly 2oz with sheath and a paracord handle wrap. Nice and light for a 4.25" fixed blade. I got it on sale, black Friday I think, for $99.


Benchmade also recently redesigned the steep country with a thinner blade stock, .121" vs .140" of the original, and a new sheath. 4.1oz for the whole package. I might give that a try, I really like the looks of it, and figure it would hold up better if I ever had to put it to hard use in an emergency.

Edit: The Light My Fire fire knife is honestly phenomenal too. Under 4oz with sheath, super comfortable grippy handle, holds a good edge and sharpens up super easy, and a good firesteel built in to boot. I do like my more expensive stuff, but at the end of the day they don't do anything this knife can't do, it's my go to for hiking/backpacking, there's no reason it couldn't be for hunting as well. This applies to pretty much any of the Mora knives.

 

[22lr]

Havalon for most of the job, backup is a Cold Steel bird and game. Handy little blade that costs all of $25. Used as a backup/poping joints it will hold an edge long enough for dressing out an animal. The loop on the handle is super handy and the handle itself is pretty darn comfy for a 1.4oz knife...

 

[Troubleshooter406]

I purchased this when I started hunting again a few years ago. https://www.behringmade.com/collections/pro-lt/products/behring-pro-lt-alaskan-blued-black made of 01 tool steel. It holds a great edge and doesnt seem to chip, I have 7 marks on the sheath and so far still going strong. Paired with a $20mora companion covers all my bases included bushcraft/having to make fire or shelter. Only thing Id do different is have the paracord wrap orange...

 

[oenanthe]

How do you carry it? I remember seeing some that come with a holster/sheath.

I use a little plastic sheath that came with the serrated version. https://www.litesmith.com/victorinox-little-vicky-utility-knife/ I always figured I'd make my own Kydex sheath, but never got around to it.

Dang, looking around a bit it seems like those are out of stock everywhere.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I made my paring knife sheath out of gorilla tape,cheap and lite.