Best Skinning knife for $200

[Ken3134]

Originally Posted by Dom4

Ok thank you for the advice guys. I’ll lean towards the Scandi grind then with a 90 degree spine for the Ferro rod. I’ll send Clint an email and see what kind of sketch we can work up.
I also second. SNS2 that Clint is an absolute pleasure to work with.


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By all means chat with Clint on the grind, but scandi is not the best for taking any real abuse, and is probably the worst for slicing. It is easy to sharpen and is probably the best for working wood. If you are looking for the best grind to take abuse it’s a convex edge. That’s why your axe is convexed grind. The next best for abuse is a saber grind with secondary bevel. The saber grind is probably the best all around compromise of toughness and slicing. Convex grind is great until you have to sharpen it in the field.

[Dom4]

Originally Posted by Ken3134

By all means chat with Clint on the grind, but scandi is not the best for taking any real abuse, and is probably the worst for slicing. It is easy to sharpen and is probably the best for working wood. If you are looking for the best grind to take abuse it’s a convex edge. That’s why your axe is convexed grind. The next best for abuse is a saber grind with secondary bevel. The saber grind is probably the best all around compromise of toughness and slicing. Convex grind is great until you have to sharpen it in the field.

Thank you for the insight I appreciate it. I will take it all into consideration. I have to admit I am very gentle on knives when using them and watch all of the material I am cutting if that counts for anything. Maybe in one way I am over thinking this but I just really want to consider all of the options when I am spending this much money on something that I want to carry frequently and hopefully not have to buy any more cheaper knives such as my Mora's that I have bought over the years. Which quite honestly for an affordable option to use and abuse and not think about too much has treated me very well.

[sns2]

I would go with Magnacut. It was made to shine in what you are looking to do with a knife. Toughness and edge retention. Unicorn good stuff.

[Phil McCracken]

Intesristing concept...

https://www.horl.com/us/en/

[Dom4]

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

Intesristing concept...

https://www.horl.com/us/en/

I also saw an advertisement for these while watching a Youtube video and I was thinking the same thing. I think for someone wanting to sharpen and not have to free hand it would be an interesting thing to try.

I mean at $139 for the basic version it is a reasonable price to give it a try if you compare it to some of the other sharpening systems out there. Only thing that I can think of is that it might lack some versatility by not offering more options with the grits of the stone.

Has anyone on here used one before?

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

Intesristing concept...

https://www.horl.com/us/en/

Worksharp has a similar system. Looks like it would work well for most Chef knives.

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Worksharp has a similar system. Looks like it would work well for most Chef knives.

Didn't know that. Checked it out and basically the same design as Horl...thanx...

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

I get your perspective but i view a camp.knife a bit different than a hunting knife. Battoning, striking a ferro rod, carving/ whittling ect put different requirements on a blade than skinning/ breaking down an animal. Scandi grind is ideal for this kind of work. Its not about the blade shape but grind imo. I wouldn't batton my Chisan through a chunk of wood or carve out a set of tent stakes or feather a stick for starting a fire because it grind is not ideal for that task. If we are just talking about slicing your sausage and cheese i totally agree that what he has is all he needs...when im camping/ bushcraftling/ quadding/ hiking/trapping i generally use my blade harder than skinning and gutting...i totally agree that the blade shape/ design of Dom4s custom is about ideal for bushcraft jobs i would say the grind is not and there is chance of edge damage simply because of geometry. Plus im all about enabling people to spend money on great knives.

From his description of the tasks, I’d say most any knife would do. Unless really thin behind the edge, his MagnaCut hunter would do just fine, I am sure. He didn’t mention splitting would and other heavy uses. I’d use an axe for that personally. Also, striking a ferro rod with a 300-dollar knife (or whatever the cost is) is the same, regardless of the design (unless the spine was grounded specifically for such task) - I mean you are still striking the rod with a 300-dollar knife, haha.

Hence, my recommendations. The tasks you specified, I’d get something entirely different. For steel, I’d probably go with CPM 3V in that case as it will hold the edge or 14C28N if corrosion was a concern.

You certainly know better though because I never held a Chisan knife before and that one in particular. I’d agree with Ken on the grinds though.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Dom4

I also saw an advertisement for these while watching a Youtube video and I was thinking the same thing. I think for someone wanting to sharpen and not have to free hand it would be an interesting thing to try.

I mean at $139 for the basic version it is a reasonable price to give it a try if you compare it to some of the other sharpening systems out there. Only thing that I can think of is that it might lack some versatility by not offering more options with the grits of the stone.

Has anyone on here used one before?

I’ve never used. I also think it is way overpriced for what it is. The WorkSharp what’s the name that was discussed previously would be superior, in my opinion. And cheaper. I think that one would work on your average kitchen knife just fine if sharpened in a timely manner because I think it would be a great pain in the butt to sharpen a very dull knife with it. Maybe not, but it seems to me that that would be the case. Also, you are basically stuck with 2 angles, though both work for kitchen knives very well. I don’t know, I wouldn’t buy it.

[fishnguy]

Had nothing to do today, so I sharpened a few knives. None really needed it, just a touch up, really, but I also reprofiled a couple.

For fun, I put a wicked mirror edge on the cheap Buck folder that I always have in the car. I don’t normally do it, but got carried away, lol. Them things sure are pretty. Couldn’t take a proper photo with the phone for the life of me though because it wouldn’t focus on the damn bevel (there is still some market there on the blade):







That there ^ is reflection of the table and the knife a couple feet away, lol:



I guess you can say I was bored.

[sns2]

What are you using as a sharpener?

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Dom4

I also saw an advertisement for these while watching a Youtube video and I was thinking the same thing. I think for someone wanting to sharpen and not have to free hand it would be an interesting thing to try.

I mean at $139 for the basic version it is a reasonable price to give it a try if you compare it to some of the other sharpening systems out there. Only thing that I can think of is that it might lack some versatility by not offering more options with the grits of the stone.

Has anyone on here used one before?

Can get the china made ones on amazon cheaper

https://www.amazon.ca/RHQNG-Sharpene...%2C158&sr=8-10

[fishnguy]

^ I would worry about the quality of their stones.

Originally Posted by sns2

What are you using as a sharpener?

In this case, an older Wicked Edge unit:

[sns2]

Thumbs up.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by fishnguy

https://www.bladescanada.com/Cold-St...-Sheath-36LPCM

The sheath kind of mediocre, but it is a great knife. Unless you are looking for something larger.

The big brother of that ^ knife is currently on sale in CPM 3V for a great deal of $169.99 at Blades Canada (plus $10 or so for shipping): https://www.bladescanada.com/Cold-St...Ex-Sheath-36CB. For CPM 3V, this is a pretty good deal (usually VG10 or whatever else they are made of sell for that much). This one should cut sausage and carve tent steaks without any issues. It will split wood too, but I would still use an axe for that, haha. The sale is until Feb 3.

CPM 3V is one of the toughest steels out there, has better edge retention and stain resistance than all low alloy steels (what is usually referred to as “carbon steel”). Needless to say, it still needs to be taken care of (such as do not leave wet, etc).

Edit: Just looked it up and the estimated hardness is 58-60 HRC, which should probably put it at or about your average D2 knife in terms of edge retention, but 2.5+ times as tough as that same knife.

[Phil McCracken]

Hehe...

You sure took a lot of meat off that Buck! What is the edge degree?...

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

Hehe...

You sure took a lot of meat off that Buck! What is the edge degree?...

It just looks kind of funky on the photo because it is out of focus (no idea why it refuses to catch that bevel to focus on and I tried for a very long time, relatively speaking, and all kinds of ways and different backgrounds, lol). One side was initially at just a tiny bit over 19 degrees and the other was just over 20. I made all 19, nice, straight, and symmetrical for no particular reason. It’s one of those Buck folders (don’t recall the model name) that goes on sale at Canadian Tire occasionally that is sometimes mentioned in the “found a good deal thread”. The steel they say is garbage (I don’t remember what it is), but it does well, provided I know what it is. Three years ago, it chopped up a deer (gutless, no skinning except for the head) and I could probably do a couple more before it got dull:



Of course there was also other meat than pictured, including the tenderloins that I forgot about and had to drive back and walk the bush in the complete darkness to get them out, lol (you read that thread, I am sure). For the sale price, these knives likely have performed beyond my expectations. Granted, the expectations were set accordingly, lol. Pretty sure I recommended them previously in one thread or another.

[sns2]

Well, I’m quite pleased with myself.

My buddy whose knives I sharpen, Prinny53, just ordered a 7” Magnacut filleting knife from Clint. I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to do it justice on my KME sharpener, so I ordered up an 8” DMT two sided diamond stone and base. At first I was discouraged, but I kept at it. Danged if I ain’t getting a really sharp edge. So satisfying. I’m 56. Until this thread started I was worse than useless trying to sharpen freehand. Now I’m a badass Ukrainian sharpening Ninja. lol

In all seriousness, I find sharpening a knife to a razor’s edge is very satisfying. It’s a skill that gives back.




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[fishnguy]

^ Haha, that’s true, sharp knife is very satisfying. The downside of being used to it is that the knife that isn’t sharp, could drive a guy nuts. Happens all the time when visiting relatives or whatever. Man…

Well done on hand freeing it. I am not overly great at it - as in can do it, but would rather do something else if I have a choice.

What is the steel on that Delica? In K390, they are one of the better deals. Not a cheap knife, by any means, but a Japan made K390 blade is excellent. Just need to keep in mind that it is not a stainless steel.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by sns2

Well, I’m quite pleased with myself.





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That’s the stone to have. I’ve used that setup for over a decade now. If your using knives with carbide loaded steels consider getting some diamond spray or paste for that strop and go away from the chromium oxide.

[fishnguy]

^ Agreed. Paste, 0.5-0.6 micron.

[Dom4]

Originally Posted by Coiloil37

That’s the stone to have. I’ve used that setup for over a decade now. If your using knives with carbide loaded steels consider getting some diamond spray or paste for that strop and go away from the chromium oxide.

I also use those stones and I have the coarse one that I use for axes also which work very nicely. I think I need to get some paste for my strop though and make another for the straight razor. What type of paste would you recommend that would work for super steels also?

[fishnguy]

^ https://www.amazon.ca/TechDiamondToo...R2M?th=1&psc=1

Just don’t go with anything “cheap” and knockoffs from Jina. Like no name garbage from Amazon or eBay. Those are junk.

Also, look here under wicked edge: https://thunderbirdgear.ca/. To note, I never bought paste separately from them, but whatever comes with straps works fine, so if it is the same stuff (and it should be), the price is good (and free shipping).

Also, this stuff, if you can find it in the grit you want, is great stuff for a good price: https://www.gritomatic.com/products/...29566238982253

[sns2]

https://www.amazon.ca/DMT-DiaSpray-D...s%2C110&sr=8-3

[Dom4]

Awesome thank you guys.


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[Phil McCracken]

So I am making a knife, and tried a new( to me) handle material called Terotuf. I got a few different colors, and tried orange for the first one.

It is similar to canvas Micarta, but it is lighter. This material is made of 100% polyester resin and fabric with no fillers, is non-toxic, chemically resistant to most cleaning supplies, and does not swell in water.

Once sanded to 320 grit, it is "fabric-like", and grippy. In fact, it is more grippy when wet or bloodied. Can be easily cleaned using a toothbrush with Dawn soap/water.

The surface, due to the exposed fibers, has a dull textile look. Not pretty shiny. It does get a little darker after use.

It machined very well. Using a quality brad point bit, I was able to drill nice crisp pin holes. Hand finishing was pleasant to say the least.

I will definitely use this material more often. Thought I would share my review.

[badbrass]

Looks great! Good for you in trying a new material for the handles!

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

So I am making a knife, and tried a new( to me) handle material called Terotuf. I got a few different colors, and tried orange for the first one.

It is similar to canvas Micarta, but it is lighter. This material is made of 100% polyester resin and fabric with no fillers, is non-toxic, chemically resistant to most cleaning supplies, and does not swell in water.

Once sanded to 320 grit, it is "fabric-like", and grippy. In fact, it is more grippy when wet or bloodied. Can be easily cleaned using a toothbrush with Dawn soap/water.

The surface, due to the exposed fibers, has a dull textile look. Not pretty shiny. It does get a little darker after use.

It machined very well. Using a quality brad point bit, I was able to drill nice crisp pin holes. Hand finishing was pleasant to say the least.

I will definitely use this material more often. Thought I would share my review.

[1886]

It’s not a skinning knife but figured I would post it on here anyways. I got asked why she didn’t have a custom knife in the kitchen when I have a couple. So ordered a knife from Clint Chisan for her.

[spurly]

Originally Posted by 1886

It’s not a skinning knife but figured I would post it on here anyways. I got asked why she didn’t have a custom knife in the kitchen when I have a couple. So ordered a knife from Clint Chisan for her.

Very good looking knife

[badbrass]

Haha! I got the same question,! But got Phil McCraken to make my wife a paring knife! That is what she wanted. As we spent lots on kitchen knives! Anyway that’s what is going on as we speak! He has been exceptionally pleasant with the way the knife would be made, and what material .excellent!

Originally Posted by 1886

It’s not a skinning knife but figured I would post it on here anyways. I got asked why she didn’t have a custom knife in the kitchen when I have a couple. So ordered a knife from Clint Chisan for her.