What kind of skinning knife do you use and why?

[6mm Remington]

I used a Benchmade mini-Barrage on my grizzly bear hunt in Alaska in 2019. I had a Ruana 5AD made for my guide as part of his tip. He loved the knife and that's what he used on the bear also. Attached is a Ruana 5AD which is mine. I love the knife and the size. It's not too big nor too small. I like a fixed or locking folder such as Benchmade or Buck knife for hunting and I just don't care for the switch blade style. Ruana knives in Bonner Montana make some outstanding knives also!!

 

[SpringM1A]

The Buck 103 skinner is also a wise and proven choice.

 

[Mojave]

Tim Olt. That is my knife maker. I think i have 6-8 of them.

 

[jnawalaniec]

LT wright small northern hunter

 

[cuerro viejo]

I’ve gone full circle from havlon, to sv30 to back to a $21 buck skeleton that easy easy to reshapen in the feild

 

[TheHammer]

I have a handful of knives but for me I am partial to the argali carbon. Holds an edge long enough to completely break down an animal and the angle is about 18* so it is beyond sharp. Plus its 2oz.

 

[yycyak]

I went in a weird circle. Started with a Buck 110, did a bunch of fancy-steel fixed blades ($$$), then the Havalon scalpel stuff.

Wound up settling on these paring knives for a skinning knife. A whole $9, easy to sharpen, light weight, and a good tool. Did my whole elk with one last year. Rides in my kill kit til I need it.

I stopped being a knife nerd after seeing these in action. Paired with a decent "work" knife (Like a Mora or a folder) and you're covered.

 

[TxxAgg]

I went in a weird circle. Started with a Buck 110, did a bunch of fancy-steel fixed blades ($$$), then the Havalon scalpel stuff.

Wound up settling on these paring knives for a skinning knife. A whole $9, easy to sharpen, light weight, and a good tool. Did my whole elk with one last year. Rides in my kill kit til I need it.

I stopped being a knife nerd after seeing these in action. Paired with a decent "work" knife (Like a Mora or a folder) and you're covered.

I use these in the kitchen. They are sharp and easy to touch up on a $3 ceramic

 

[Weber]

I use a Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter (S90V). Very happy with it, but the sheath is a bit meh for a 200+ dollar knife. The blade retains its edge well and I can get through an entire caribou without sharpening (biggest animal I've done). I've also done a black bear and 2 deer without sharpening, so overall the S90V has worked as advertised.

Not as important but I alsoo like the overall look oof the wood grain handle, but the touch of orange they add around the edges help me not lose it.

It's a short blade but I prefer that for dealing with the chest cavity/Trachea and having to reach up in there.

3.11 oz aint bad either.

 

[Wilderness Spirit]

 

[sndmn11]

View attachment 453824

Don't tease me like that. What am I seeing?

 

[Wilderness Spirit]

Don't tease me like that. What am I seeing?

Just finished a few of these Back Country Hunter II in NitroV
I'll be carrying one this season.
Ultralight weight at 3.8oz. including the kydex sheath.

 

[magtech]

My dad had a coworker name Bill Behnke make him 4 knives about 20 years ago. I had one stolen my brother has one n my dad had 2. Now I have one of his and I do it with that. No need for ultra sharp flashy whatever.

A few years ago I bought a Benchmade in s30v with a guthook n bone handle. Works okif I keep it sharp.

 

[nobody]

Esee Izula in the kill kit, and since I always carry an EDC type blade, I've started packing a Leatherman Wingman clipped to my pocket for random stuff like food prep and cutting cord and such.

I carried a Havalon until this year, I watched my dad cut himself with his too many times. The blades on the newer models just don't seem to stay put very well. Makes me nervous enough I'd rather just carry a skeletonized blade.

I also carry a small benchmade pocket sharpener with a ceramic hone and a leather strop. With all this I have no fear on any animal.

But hey, I'm just some random guy on the internet...

 

[Tx270WT]

Kind of like many other questions, really comes down to you and what you like/need. I recently upgraded to the SV90 class steel and it fits my needs. Already put it through 4 WT and it’s not close to needing a sharpening yet. The scalpel blades are fine if you either don’t have high quality steel or don’t want to mess with maintaining a quality knife. To each their own I guess.

 

[Mitchell Cross]

Outdoor edge in the kill kit and a fixed blade usually on the hip.

 

[Lovecouesdeer]

I carry outdoor edge with the gutting blade and then benchmade griptilian. I love how sharp the outdoor edges is with replaceable blades, and then gutting blade makes capping the animal a breezy!

 

[mustang50]

Folding Havalon in the bino harness with a Benchmade Steep Country in the pack. I use the Havalon for most of the process and have the fixed blade for backup.

 

[chocolab]

Depends on if I'm gutting or not. Gutting I like a havalon. Skinning/quarter I'm a big fan of my Benchmade mini barrage with D2 steel. Good shape for skinning and super tough for removing heads/joint separation, though I can make a havalon work there too.

 

[100 others]

lightweight setup: benchmade hidden canyon.
shorter hikes: Swiss army ranger-grip hunter. It's got a sturdy main blade, swept gut knife, a saw, plus a few of the other standard Swiss army doodads. The saw really comes in handy brushing up quick ground blinds.