Best Skinning knife for $200

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by M.C. Gusto

I’d like to know about the D2 and corrosion also. My bench made D2 knife rusted after one day in the field and that was the reason my last 2 customs I chose a different steel.

Corrosion on any steel is "Man Made".

When not used, they need to be properly stored.

When used, prior to storage, they need to be properly cleaned/dried.

Many will put them back in their sheaths not cleaned. Blood is your worst enemy...just saying...

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

Corrosion on any steel is "Man Made".

When not used, they need to be properly stored.

When used, prior to storage, they need to be properly cleaned/dried.

Many will put them back in their sheaths not cleaned. Blood is your worst enemy...just saying...

I agree with the exception of lc200n and possibly magnacut. The lc200n I have experience with and the steel can’t rust due to the nitrogen bonding with the carbon.

My boat knife is lc200n and it lives on the bait board right here





I only ever wash it with fresh water when I’m going to sharpen it. Here it is right now from the fishing trip the other day. Still covered in fish blood and saltwater.







And after a quick rinse.

[Ken3134]

I order a Crotts Semi skinner that was for sale on the Arizona Custom Knives website. It’s out of CTS-XHP steel not the D2, so hopefully he has the heat treatment figured out. Should be an upgrade if so.

I really didn’t know I needed another knife, buts thanks to this thread I realized I I do. I’ll have to cull the herd here…….

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Chuck

I agree and I think you a right about it being one of each in his hand. The Dozier is a flat grind and has a flatter spine. I actually like the convex spine on the Crotts and the hollow ground blade. The edge shapes however are very close to my eye.

I see coiloil was posting at the same time. Really looking forward to trying the new knife out on game.

Did you figure out what handle you wanted?

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Ken3134

I order a Crotts Semi skinner that was for sale on the Arizona Custom Knives website. It’s out of CTS-XHP steel not the D2, so hopefully he has the heat treatment figured out. Should be an upgrade if so.

I really didn’t know I needed another knife, buts thanks to this thread I realized I I do. I’ll have to cull the herd here…….

Crazy nice, Ken. Congrats. Pics when you get er.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by Ken3134

I order a Crotts Semi skinner that was for sale on the Arizona Custom Knives website. It’s out of CTS-XHP steel not the D2, so hopefully he has the heat treatment figured out. Should be an upgrade if so.

I really didn’t know I needed another knife, buts thanks to this thread I realized I I do. I’ll have to cull the herd here…….

He will have it sorted. CTS-XHP is the PM version of D2 which gives you a cleaner, finer grained steel with smaller carbides. I’ve never used it but from everything I’ve read it should be better then ingot d2.

Congrats on the knife, you should be very happy with it.

[justsomeguy]

So this thread got me talking to Clint and ordering a knife, the sharpening one has me drooling over sharpening hardware and the youth one had me grab a 223 for the 12 yr old to graduate out of rimfires to…….

If anybody starts a thread about new pickups before Rona isolations end I’m going to end up divorced

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by sns2

Did you figure out what handle you wanted?

This is pretty pretty much exactly what I ordered. Semi Skinner, so slightly different blade shape to this one, D2 steel, single finger groove, stag handles.



Blade shape with Desert Iron Wood handles and no finger groove



Same but with much plainer wood.

[tranq78]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

So this thread got me talking to Clint and ordering a knife, the sharpening one has me drooling over sharpening hardware and the youth one had me grab a 223 for the 12 yr old to graduate out of rimfires to…….

If anybody starts a thread about new pickups before Rona isolations end I’m going to end up divorced

You are just getting started. May as well just give in. Next step is a hunting caliber for your 12 year old. Plus a hunting knife.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by Dean2

This is pretty pretty much exactly what I ordered. Semi Skinner, so slightly different blade shape to this one, D2 steel, single finger groove, stag handles.



Blade shape with Desert Iron Wood handles and no finger groove

So the straight hunter handle on a semi skinner blade? My old straight hunter is on the bottom here.






I found stag and ivory to be heavy. I always did a tapered tang on knives I had built to offset its effect.




One of these days I’ll take the boys a little bit south and shoot a sambar stag with them. Send part of the antler to Dan and have him build me three matched knives.

[Pathfinder76]

Dean, I’m not saying your choice of handle is wrong. I’m not inferring that you should rethink either. Just showing this as a bit of humour. Loveless’s demeanour reminds me so much of how my grandfather was (now you know where I get it from) I had to chuckle at this.

Start watching at 54:50

https://youtu.be/_kV3kHo6z_c

[Ken3134]

Originally Posted by chuck

Dean, I’m not saying your choice of handle is wrong. I’m not inferring that you should rethink either. Just showing this as a bit of humour. Loveless’s demeanour reminds me so much of how my grandfather was (now you know where I get it from) I had to chuckle at this.

Start watching at 54:50

https://youtu.be/_kV3kHo6z_c

Well Bobs entitled to his opinion like anyone else. Idk, if you like stag handles go for it. They are more expensive and add to the price of the knife, also seems like they have more tendency to chip.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by chuck

Dean, I’m not saying your choice of handle is wrong. I’m not inferring that you should rethink either. Just showing this as a bit of humour. Loveless’s demeanour reminds me so much of how my grandfather was (now you know where I get it from) I had to chuckle at this.

Start watching at 54:50

https://youtu.be/_kV3kHo6z_c

No offence taken as for sure none was intended. I have this little weak spot, I like my tools to be completely functional and look really pretty at the same time. I know dam well you have it too, just from the rifles you have built and carry.

This really has been a great thread. I would bet a ton of knives and sharpeners got sold because of it. Purchase mentoring at it's best.

[BaldMallard]

Mora !!!

[Pathfinder76]

Bump. Anyone have any new knives to show off. :-)

[spurly]

Looking forward to see this thread continue. Enjoyed it a lot.

[Athabasca1]

Originally Posted by spurly

Looking forward to see this thread continue. Enjoyed it a lot.

Absolutely, my choice for the best recent thread.

[spurly]

Somebody must have gotten a new knife. Show it off please.

[fishnguy]

Since no takers, I will do an “old” knife:

[spurly]

Very nice.

[WinFwt]

Originally Posted by spurly

Somebody must have gotten a new knife. Show it off please.

Here's a few that I made for family and friends. Someday I'll make one for myself and try to keep it...!

I mostly use CPM 154, S30V or S35VN bar stock and do my own heat treating. Sent 6 treated blanks away for Rc testing to prove / check my process. They all came back in the Rc60 range +/- .5 point. I don't cryogenically treat but do stick the blanks in the freezer which is giving me another .3 to .6 Rc points and a bit more toughness. After heat treating I do a brass rod test and chop a 2x4 with each knife to prove each blade before I put a handle on it.

1. for my sons girlfriend - S30V, 8" OAL, 3 3/4" blade, spalted maple scales, copper bolster & pins (her request). She's used it on grouse, ducks & geese.


2. for one of my best friends - CPM 154, 8 1/4", 3 3/4" blade, California Buckeye burl scales, stainless bolster & pins. He's never used it on an animal.


3. for my son - S30V, 7 1/4" oal, 3 3/8" blade, Amboyna Burl scales, stainless bolster with nickel silver pins. This one has seen a lot of use on multiple deer & and a moose, plus used as a camp knife. Sent it out for heat treating before I started and it came back at Rc 61.5. Took quite a while to put an edge on, but the edge lasts a long time and he doesn't wait till it's dull to touch up the edge.


4. for a friend and former co-worker - S35VN, 9 1/4" oal, 4 1/4" blade, African Blackwood scales w/ red liners, stainless bolster & pins. He has used it on multiple animals and also uses it as a camp knife.



5. this one I donated to a fundraising raffle - CPM 154, 9 1/2" oal, 4 1/4" blade, hidden tang construction, AAA Franquette Walnut handle, stainless steel guard & pins

[fishnguy]

Now we are talking!

Great job, WinFwt! Good looking knives, man!

[Mb-MBR]

Originally Posted by WinFwt

Here's a few that I made for family and friends. Someday I'll make one for myself and try to keep it...!

I mostly use CPM 154, S30V or S35VN bar stock and do my own heat treating. Sent 6 treated blanks away for Rc testing to prove / check my process. They all came back in the Rc60 range +/- .5 point. I don't cryogenically treat but do stick the blanks in the freezer which is giving me another .3 to .6 Rc points and a bit more toughness. After heat treating I do a brass rod test and chop a 2x4 with each knife to prove each blade before I put a handle on it.

1. for my sons girlfriend - S30V, 8" OAL, 3 3/4" blade, spalted maple scales, copper bolster & pins (her request). She's used it on grouse, ducks & geese.


2. for one of my best friends - CPM 154, 8 1/4", 3 3/4" blade, California Buckeye burl scales, stainless bolster & pins. He's never used it on an animal.


3. for my son - S30V, 7 1/4" oal, 3 3/8" blade, Amboyna Burl scales, stainless bolster with nickel silver pins. This one has seen a lot of use on multiple deer & and a moose, plus used as a camp knife. Sent it out for heat treating before I started and it came back at Rc 61.5. Took quite a while to put an edge on, but the edge lasts a long time and he doesn't wait till it's dull to touch up the edge.


4. for a friend and former co-worker - S35VN, 9 1/4" oal, 4 1/4" blade, African Blackwood scales w/ red liners, stainless bolster & pins. He has used it on multiple animals and also uses it as a camp knife.



5. this one I donated to a fundraising raffle - CPM 154, 9 1/2" oal, 4 1/4" blade, hidden tang construction, AAA Franquette Walnut handle, stainless steel guard & pins

Beautiful.........how do I get on the list

[Saulo Castro]

Originally Posted by cody j

My current choice

My current choice as well. If I had $200 if by a Mora and a nice bottle of scotch.

[Demonical]

Watching a pro trapper skinning coyotes and the knife they are using is $7... didn't register a brand name.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Demonical

Watching a pro trapper skinning coyotes and the knife they are using is $7... didn't register a brand name.

And no tears if they lose it.

Grizz

[jungleboy]

Some more made in USA Old Timers. I know they were never what one would consider a premium knife but they were a good quality blade made for the working stiff. Not to be confused with the new Chinese imposters sold in blister pacs today.

[IMG][/IMG]

[jungleboy]

My dads old skinning knife, Ideal products made in Germany; Solingen. Very cool old blade that was used back in a time when you had a hunting knife. not 25 hunting knives
[IMG][/IMG]

[JD848]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

My dads old skinning knife, Ideal products made in Germany; Solingen. Very cool old blade that was used back in a time when you had a hunting knife. not 25 hunting knives
[IMG][/IMG]

That's a very cool looking knife JB ,priceless .

JD

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by JD848

That's a very cool looking knife JB ,priceless .

JD

Thanks , yes definitely a treasure to me.