# Skinning knifes



## J.T. Barely (Jan 28, 2012)

What is the best skinning knife you have ever owned, that didn't break the bank?


----------



## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

Buck Kalinga, bought it new back in 86 for an what was back then to me an incredible amount of money (145.00 or thereabouts) Still have it, still use it above all others.


----------



## cadjockey (Jul 30, 2009)

J.T. Barely said:


> What is the best skinning knife you have ever owned, that didn't break the bank?


A $15 green river sheep skinner blade with a homemade handle.


----------



## Fish Slime (May 3, 2006)

Havalon.


----------



## Wett'n my Hooks (Mar 26, 2011)

$20. folding Buck, I bought 25 years ago. Still holds an edge, and can't tell you how many deer, hogs, and exotics I've skinned, and butchered with it.


----------



## 9121SS (Jun 28, 2009)

Wett'n my Hooks said:


> $20. folding Buck, I bought 25 years ago. Still holds an edge, and can't tell you how many deer, hogs, and exotics I've skinned, and butchered with it.


Me too!


----------



## Charlietuna (Jan 23, 2012)

Havalon X2


----------



## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Charlietuna said:


> Havalon X2


x3..Havalon Piranta...scary sharp...they take a little getting used too, but I like mine.


----------



## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

I like a buck skinner. Gut hook included, nice non-slip handle, stiff enough to split a pelvis and brisquit, not too hard to resharpen.
BB


----------



## T_rout (Jul 25, 2013)

CRKT no clue where I bought it or how much I payed for it!! I was going thru my bags one day and found it. Must have been a Christmas present that I threw in the bag. Anyway, it has a great edge and holds it for a long time. Cleaned three deer last weekend with it and it was still sharp!


----------



## DEXTER (Jun 28, 2005)

Kershaw that I found 25 years ago. Skinned many a deer and hog and sharpens very easily.


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Probably the best low cost knife I've owned for gutting and skinning deer is my old Case Trapper with carbon steel blades.

Scary sharp.

TH


----------



## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

Although my buddies make fun of me sometimes for my "Scimitar", I really like this skinning knife. It's especially good for hogs where you might be slicing between hide and fat. Only downside is it doesn't come with a sheath, so I had to make my own.


----------



## LazyL (May 15, 2013)

This buck is a good one for sure. Like others said, its easy to sharpen and holds a great edge for the price.. I have cleaned plenty of deer with it in the years. Still waiting to try out my bubba blade on a deer or pig though..


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Havalon X3
I just got it this year and it is an awesome skinning/caping knife. No sharpening. Best I own and I have a BUNCH of skinning knives.


----------



## llred (Jun 30, 2008)

Case Trapper or sod buster. Easy to sharpen and they hold the edge.


----------



## tamucc04 (Jun 21, 2011)

Another vote for Havalon.

http://www.havalon.com/

Have used them for a few years now and hands down my favorite.


----------



## G-O-T-B (Jan 15, 2010)

I just use an old buck knife


----------



## SpeckReds (Sep 10, 2005)

www.outdooredge.com

The Kodi Pak set. Is a great set.

Comes with a meat knife, skinner with hook, small bone saw, leather holder.
On their site they are $105
Academy usually sells them around $85

We have used them for years. Hold a good edge and a nice set. Everyone kept wanting to use my set to clean deer and hogs with, so I started giving them as Christmas gifts. I have given a dozen or so of them over the years and everyone loves them.
I always take my dremel tool and etch initials on them so my boys, dad, brother, etc did not get our knives mixed up at camp.

For the $ I think they are great.
They have some other knives I have tried that I do not like. But the ones in this set are good.

I like the look of the Havalon knives posted above. I may have to order a couple of these.


----------



## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

goatchze said:


> Although my buddies make fun of me sometimes for my "Scimitar", I really like this skinning knife. It's especially good for hogs where you might be slicing between hide and fat. Only downside is it doesn't come with a sheath, so I had to make my own.


This knife is hands down the best skinning knife ever. If you look hard enough you can find a sheath for it. Comes in a couple of lengths. I use them for trimming meat I process myself, skinning and cleaning fish, trimming meat. THEY ARE GREAT KNIVES!!!!!!!


----------



## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

The little victorinox paring knife is as good as any, and you can buy them by the box of 10. Super sharp, easy to control, easy to resharpen. Cost about 2-3 bucks per knife.


----------



## BIG PAPPA (Apr 1, 2008)

*These*

These are some of the best (or so I have been Told) by their owners..LOL
made by yours truly..


----------



## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

I have always used a 2-3 blade lock blade. My first was a 3 blade Browning big game stag, awesome knife that I used for 15 years or so, had to give it to my son cause my x-wife had bought it for me!! 

My second wife bought me a Remington 2 blade lock blade, also an awesome knife that I've used for 12 years. They both had gut hooks, serrated "saw" blades for bone and a main skinning/butchering blade.


----------



## CDHknives (Mar 17, 2012)

Make my own for about $50-75 plus 4-12 hours of work.

Better steel than anything short of $200 on the market, custom shaped to perfectly fit my hand, custom shaped to cut like I like to cut.

It really isn't that hard...it just takes patience and time. I highly recommend trying a kit blade at least once.


----------



## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Bubba Blade's new Woody is super sharp and handy...little bigger than what we use though but man it does a good job.

During the field test it passed with flying colors and would still shave when we were done.

TH


----------



## wine6978 (Jun 2, 2010)

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/dex...fillet-knife/pid-14353?N=845454856+4294936812

This is what I used when I guided hunts!!! I'll use it this evening cleaning deer for a hunt I'm volunteering for.


----------



## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

I use scalpel's for cleaning everything but fish. You can get a handle and a 100 pack of blades online for around $15.00. When I worked at a taxidermy shop we used them to clean everything from Alligator to Zebra. You don't have to waste time sharping a knife, when it gets dull it takes less than a second to pop the dull blade off ,and put on a new one. It usually takes me 4 blades on a deer, and 6 to 8 on a hog, and that's skinning, quartering, removing back strap and loins, and removing feet and head. Everyone on the deer lease made fun of me the first time they saw me pull out a little scalpel to clean a deer, but now they all ask me to clean their deer because I can do it twice as fast and a lot cleaner with those little scalpel's.


----------



## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

sharkchum said:


> I use scalpel's for cleaning everything but fish. You can get a handle and a 100 pack of blades online for around $15.00. When I worked at a taxidermy shop we used them to clean everything from Alligator to Zebra. You don't have to waste time sharping a knife, when it gets dull it takes less than a second to pop the dull blade off ,and put on a new one. It usually takes me 4 blades on a deer, and 6 to 8 on a hog, and that's skinning, quartering, removing back strap and loins, and removing feet and head. Everyone on the deer lease made fun of me the first time they saw me pull out a little scalpel to clean a deer, but now they all ask me to clean their deer because I can do it twice as fast and a lot cleaner with those little scalpel's.


Dang Sharkchum, ur the outdoorsman "Jack the Ripper" LOL!!!

Hell of an idea though!!!


----------



## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

goatchze said:


> Although my buddies make fun of me sometimes for my "Scimitar", I really like this skinning knife. It's especially good for hogs where you might be slicing between hide and fat. Only downside is it doesn't come with a sheath, so I had to make my own.


Google "buffalo hunters skinning knives pictures" and see if you don't see an exact profile of these scimitars. I used to make knives in my mountain man days using Green River blanks and antlers, etc.- the same green river that made all of the skinning knives for the mountain men in the 1800-s. The shape is perfect, and the steel is great.


----------



## poco jim (Jun 28, 2010)

Wett'n my Hooks said:


> $20. folding Buck, I bought 25 years ago. Still holds an edge, and can't tell you how many deer, hogs, and exotics I've skinned, and butchered with it.


This^^^^^, they are great, and easy to sharpen!


----------



## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

THE JAMMER said:


> Google "buffalo hunters skinning knives pictures" and see if you don't see an exact profile of these scimitars. I used to make knives in my mountain man days using Green River blanks and antlers, etc.- the same green river that made all of the skinning knives for the mountain men in the 1800-s. The shape is perfect, and the steel is great.


Well how about that? I'll have to use that as ammunition next time I get harassed!

I like that it is always "slicing" due to the curvature, rather than "scratching" like I've always done with my pocket knife. The curvature and the fact that the tip is so far up means you can both push and pull with the blade. So when using it, I just put the knife on where I want to cut and gently rock it, no long swiping or sawing. Pull the skin tight, place the knife there, and some gentle pressure and movement, and you're in business. I can skin twice as fast and twice as good as compared to my old knives.

The relatively thick blade (sharp edge to back) makes it easier to keep the angle you want while cutting as well, either during skinning or cutting up primals.

It really is a good skinning knife, and it does look very much like this one:










I originally got it after seeing the knives my BIL was using while on the meat judging team at TAMU.


----------



## txsharkbait (Jun 25, 2004)

I have a couple of favorites, one is a Meulla Piranha sp? small blade with a stag handle. But I got a Cutco serrated knife a while back, just used it for the first time on a big pig this week and I am really impressed. It really cuts well and is still super sharp.

I'll have to look it up, but I think it needs to be sent back to the factory for sharpening. I'm just going to see how long it will hold an edge.


----------



## reelgame04 (Sep 10, 2013)

Trouthunter said:


> Probably the best low cost knife I've owned for gutting and skinning deer is my old Case Trapper with carbon steel blades.
> 
> Scary sharp.
> 
> TH


i have the same old carbon steel knife also

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -


----------



## shhhh...ducks (Feb 22, 2010)

Knives of Alaska........"muskrat"


----------



## Tmackcj5 (Sep 1, 2012)

sharkchum said:


> I use scalpel's for cleaning everything but fish. You can get a handle and a 100 pack of blades online for around $15.00. When I worked at a taxidermy shop we used them to clean everything from Alligator to Zebra. You don't have to waste time sharping a knife, when it gets dull it takes less than a second to pop the dull blade off ,and put on a new one. It usually takes me 4 blades on a deer, and 6 to 8 on a hog, and that's skinning, quartering, removing back strap and loins, and removing feet and head. Everyone on the deer lease made fun of me the first time they saw me pull out a little scalpel to clean a deer, but now they all ask me to clean their deer because I can do it twice as fast and a lot cleaner with those little scalpel's.


This the whole idea behind Havalon knives.

I have the Havalon piranha.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Handmade Blacksmith knife, maker unknown. Sharpest blade I have ever touched. I paid sixty five dollars for it.


----------



## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

Havalon, and I do this stuff for a living. That knife has made things a lot easier....just watch your fingers, extremely sharp.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk


----------



## txsmith1 (Feb 13, 2012)

+1 buck


----------



## txdukklr (Jun 30, 2013)

havalon havalon havalon!!!


----------



## The Last Mango (Jan 31, 2010)

6" Rapala fillet knife


----------



## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Something not mentioned yet- the two types of skinning. There is the skinning #1 to just get the skin off, so as to clean the animal. Then there is the skinning #2 with the goal of having a tannable/presentable skin.

Anyone doing a "skinning #2" worth his salt, would never use a knife with a point. No matter how careful you are, you WILL puncture the skin. Thus the buffalo guys, who were skinning #2 ers, needed to have as perfect a hide as possible to sell, used rounded skinning knives. So if they were concerned about puncturing a buffalo hide, watch out on a skinny hided whitetail. One little slip with a pointed "skinning knife" and your hide is tarnished, if not ruined.

If you are doing a skinning #1, then hack away with whatever.

By the way I have always like that alaskan rounded end skinning knife. Looks like that would be a good one.


----------



## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

agree with the Rapala filet knife.


----------



## msf62000 (Aug 24, 2007)

Cutco with a double d edge and gut hook.


----------



## Loden (Sep 16, 2012)

*case skinner*

I have owned this Case skinning knife for over 20 years, bought it in High School, and it if my favorite skinner. Easy to sharpen and holds an edge pretty well. $20 back then and they came with green and orange handles. I cannot find a model # on it, and cannot find another one. I am sure it is discontinued, and have been wanting to pick up another one if I can find one. If anyone if familiar with this knife let me know so I can try a more refined search online.


----------



## KIKO (Oct 24, 2006)

*Forshner Victorinox*

Hands down on forshner skinner. I also have a 6" boning knife same brand. You can get both for under $40


THE JAMMER said:


> Google "buffalo hunters skinning knives pictures" and see if you don't see an exact profile of these scimitars. I used to make knives in my mountain man days using Green River blanks and antlers, etc.- the same green river that made all of the skinning knives for the mountain men in the 1800-s. The shape is perfect, and the steel is great.


----------



## piratelight (May 2, 2008)

I use the dexter


----------



## jimk (May 28, 2004)

My old Case I bought in '66...


----------



## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Best Skinner*

I use 4 knives when dressing an animal. For just skinning I use all 4. One is a Buck Vanguard 691 fixed blade guthook, the next is a Case Arapaho (gift from a knife collector friend), the third is a custom made small skinner (short, heavy, thick, wide blade made by Billibob) and a Havalon Piranta. Sharp is good but sometimes too sharp is not so I use the Piranta the least. All hold an edge well even on hogs with mud on their hide. The Buck is the most versatile thus it is in my hand the most. I use it to skin, cut the hide and belly open with the guthook (it also has a not too sharp/pointed pickup on the guthook so it rarely pierces the gut/intestine/stomach/paunch which is very important when you dress an Axis as their stomach starts to bloat as soon as they hit the ground; one slip and your front is covered with smelly "guacamole"!). The blade is long and heavy enough to easily split any hog or deer breast/rib cage. The Case holds an edge very well, was from a friend and has collectors' value (but I would never sell it). All have their place but if I had only one it would have to be the Buck. I never go out to cut a cord of wood with just one chainsaw!


----------



## TexasSlam18 (Aug 26, 2010)

Agree with Victorinox. You can get a 2 pack for 9.99
And they are very sharp and last a long time


----------

