Best general purpose hunting knife under $75

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SteelyDan

New member
My brother's birthday is coming up in about two weeks. It pains me to admit that he is probably a better all-around hunter than I am (geese, pheasants, ducks, deer). He does not, however, own a good all-around knife for cleaning game, camping, and whatever. So, I'd like to get him one.

I've always been a big fan of Marbles knives, but they recently changed their steel and I'm not sure how good the new ones are. I've read good things about the Cold Steel Master Hunter, but I don't own one and I really don't know.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.
 
Buy & try yourself before you give as a gift .... a Victorinox Huntsman/Hunter folder. The name may have changed (I dunno), but it's the lock-blade Swiss Army Knife that has a ~3.5" main blade, a bone saw + a few other goodies with the "zipper" - worth the price. Compact package & easily enough to do elk+

My main blade for doing elk, besides an all-round "handy thing" to have in the woods.

Yup, you can have a "way better knife" that's all tricked out, or you can have something that'll just do what you want .... difference will be $35 versus $100+
 
I use a Buck folder, the Ranger, as my all-around hunting knife. I have fixed blades but rarely use them. Bucks are under $50 if you shop around. I think one was on sale at Shooters.com for $35 last week.
 
Cold Steel Master Hunter is indeed a good knife. However, Buck outsells all other hunting knives in our store 10 to 1. If you're looking for a good all around fixed blade take a hard look at the Alpha Hunter fixed and Alpha Hunter folders. Their new in the market but are hot. Schrade's Sharpfinger is another huge seller and inexpensive. One of the best deals in a caping knife is the Knives of Alaska Bear Cub. Can't keep them in stock once October rolls around. Kerhsaw has my favorite fixed blade but it might be out of your price range. It's called the Deer Hunter. Also, any of the Ka-Bar stacked leather (Hunter) knives would make an excellent and classy knife.

Best Wishes,

WB
 
Really it looks odd but a wyoming knife is the bee's knees of dressing game. That and a swiss army kniofe can do just about anything.

Cold Steel makes great knives. I'd recommend a "recon" tanto for that sort of price range. that or a Cold Steel "Bushman"

Rob
 
The knife I use is the AG Russel Deer Hunter.
http://www.agrknives.com/agrussell/agdh-34.html
For skinning and dressing, it is absolutely perfect. Ergonomic, cuts like crazy and holds an edge really well. The downside is that it is very thin, and I don't trust it as an all-around knife because if I did any prying I'm afraid I'd break it. So I end up carrying two knives, one for all the soft work and one for beating up a little more.

My buddy on the other hand has a Cold Steel Master Hunter. Just a touch thicker than I'd like, but very ergonomic and holds an edge. I don't like it quite as much for skinning as my Russel, but it's a great compromise. I'll be getting one before hunting season this year and retiring the AG Russel to the kitchen.

I tried the wyoming knife on an elk and didn't like it at all. Looked like it would be fantastic, but for some reason I couldn't get the angles quite right, and while trying to get into tight spots around the forelegs managed to cut myself a couple times (just little ones, my finger brushed against the blade inside the guthook).
 
SPYDERCO has a new fixed blade out that they call the Temperance. It can be had on-line for ~$80. I really like the design, and the steel is one of the better ones (VG-10).

As an example of on-line dealers, look at http://www.1sks.com/store/spyderco-temperance.html

Here 'tiz:

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db
 
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In a folder, Spyderco's Pro Grip, or Pro Grip lightweight are supposed to be good. ( I've handled other spydercos and they are very high quality, never had a pro grip though)
And so is the Wenger Jr.

For Fixed blades, you should look at Fallkniven's lineup along with the suggestions above
 
Owned a lot of good knives, including some mentioned here. My current favorite is the best USING knife I've ever owned, used or even seen.

And it cost somebody else about $40.

It's a Helle, Tor model. About a 4 inch blade made of laminated steel. Two tough slabs of one kind of steel have a very hard slab welded in between them for an edge that's both sharp and tough. Same kind of construction as Japanese swords.

We dressed 7 or 8 deer with this last season, including cutting through the brisket. The edge will still make a perfectly smooth area on my forearm, taking off hair like a razor.

The traditional style sheaths look a little archaic, but they work well. The handles are of birch and are larger than many US made knives, but it'll take about 5 minutes work with one for you to prefer it.The knife also ckeans up well.

C J Winans,the outdoor writer and biologist, used mine and said it was awesome. CJ takes about 3 minutes to field dress a deer, having done literally over 1000 deer as part of his job.


helleknife.com is the website....
 
Sounds like a pukko, swedish knives can be had for surprisingly cheap and will outlast a lot of knives that cost several times as much. The laminated blades are very good, I have several knives with them.
Biggest problem is the handle can be very lacking in some respects. They are comfortable for carving general cutting etc. but can be clumsy because they're big and round with no gaurd or anything to really aid your grip. Some of the blades can be pretty straight and narrow too, no belly to them.
If you find one you like, buy 3 or 4, they're great knives. Just don't always meet everyones needs.

On a side note, if you get one with a wood handle, a few coats of danish oil will improve it alot. The 3 that I have weren't sealed real well. Not a big deal by any means.
 
Cold Steel "All terrain Hunter". A leaf shaped carbonV blade, that holds an edge, does not rust easily, and looks good to boot. Less than $40 if you shop around. Dump the crapy plastic sheath, and have a local leather guy make up a cross draw form fit sheath. I love mine.
 
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