What knife do you use for processing game?
I've learned that blade length of 4-4 1/2" is about right for me. Any longer and it becomes unwieldy and shorter and it takes too much time to skin and difficult to cut up the game.
I don't like folding knife as they are a pain to clean properly after use due to all the spaces hair/flesh can get into.
I like to have 3 sharp knives when I start. I use one to make cuts on skin as hair dulls the blade very quickly. I use the second knife to skin the game. I use the 3rd knife to gut and remove internal parts.
These days I use 3 Cold Steel Finn Bear knives. They are economical, well designed and sharpens easily.
http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/20PC/FINN_BEAR.aspx
So, what do you use?
My knives
Been skinning animals for well over 30 years.
Here is what works for me:
Go to Lowe's and get a nice folding box cutter. Then get a box of box cutter blades with the little "hook" on them. I use that for making all my "zip" cuts (down the belly and each leg). Works better than any gut hook knife and you can just toss the blade if you want, but realistically it will stay sharp for a few animals, and they are double sided. So a box of blades will last years.
For the main skinning, I use a Dexter Russell like in this link. A butcher turned me onto them as he said he had used them for over 50 years, and nothing else. I can see why. They fit your hand good (I have carpal tunnel in my R hand) and the big blade makes a very long clean cut.
http://www.jesrestaurantequipment.com/product.asp?itemid=18823&utm_source=googleshopping&gclid=COGkhKWG27gCFYdQ7Aod3yAAtg
For deboning meat into roasts, etc....nothing, and I mean nothing is better than a very sharp filet knife. The narrow point is perfect for separating muscle groups
The most important tool is a good steel. I don't mean a Walmart special but a good one. If you are right handed, stick it in your left back pocket and stop every 2-3 minutes and hone your knife. You will be amazed how much easier skinning is if you hone your knife every couple minutes. And it doesn't take much to do it either, assuming your knife is sharp to start with
Knives are one of my favorite things! I'm kinda' old fashioned and haven't got into the newer styles of tactical fixed blades or folders that lots of the younger generations like and use. I can't remember when I last carried a belt knife in the woods. For my dressing a deer, I use a Queen #39, 2 blade folding hunter. It's an old knife and was used when I got it many years ago. I skin and break with it and keep a good steel handy as Iluv2hunt suggests. Peeling silver skin from back straps and individual muscle is done with an equally old Russell filet knife. You can't have too many knives, just like guns, but the secret is you being comfortable with the knife and it performing the job with the least effort. Splitting the pelvis is done with a sawzall and sometimes I use it to split the sternum on a big deer. That's my 2 cents worth, kc45.
Treefarmer
I need to take a picture of my critter cleaning knife. I got it for free but it does almost every thing I need....and it holds an edge well. I can go through a couple critters without serious work to put it back to shaving....though if you touch it up like Allen says, its 100x better.
