Looking into predator hunting this winter- need some advice.
12-11-2011, 11:13 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 178
Looking into predator hunting this winter- need some advice.
I already own the following knife (Blind Horse Large Workhorse). Could anyone tell me how well a blade design like this works for skinning varmints? Coons, coyotes, and fox. Thanks, here's a link to it.
http://www.blindhorseknives.com/product-003.htm
http://www.blindhorseknives.com/product-003.htm
12-11-2011, 08:38 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,903
Personally, I like the more "round tipped" design (I believe called "drop point blade") of this knife for most skinning, but I do have to say, for most of my small game work (200 +/- coons every winter), I don't like a very big blade. A 3-4" blade works better for me, something that lets be be close to the work, and lets me get in at the angles I want to be. Honestly, my favorite blade design is a normal "straight backed" blade design, so the rounded "belly" of the tip comes to a fairly sharp point, but doesn't have the severe point of a "clipped point" blade. Many guys use a filet type blade for skinning (long slender, curved blade with a "swooped" backline), but I've never liked them, and usually end up messing up the eyes and mouth on hides when I use too finely tipped knife.
Drop point blades let you make smooth, gliding "slices" through connective tissue, without risking the tip accidentally punch through the hide. The down side is that they are very blunt, and are hard to get into smaller spots, so when you need to nick a stubborn piece of tissue at the front of a coon's shoulder and chest, it's harder to get that fat point into where you need it.
The most important part for me while skinning is having a couple knives that I like, and a good sharpener handy. "It's the dull knife that cuts you" is very true. The harder you have to drag on a blade, the more apt you'll be to slip, which might mean drawing your own blood, but at least would likely mean an errant cut that might drop the value on a hide.
EDIT: One advantage to a fixed blade design with detachable handles, assuming the handles stay in place while you're trying to use them, is that they really make clean up easy. Pop the handles off and wash everything with some dawn dish soap in warm water and you'll be good to go. Much better than having a folder that gets fat and tissue down into the handles, or having fixed grips that get grease worked behind the grip panels that never seems to come out. I DO however like a somewhat rubberized handle. When it's cold out in the fur shed and your hands are covered in coon grease, smooth wood or plastic grips can get very slippery.
Drop point blades let you make smooth, gliding "slices" through connective tissue, without risking the tip accidentally punch through the hide. The down side is that they are very blunt, and are hard to get into smaller spots, so when you need to nick a stubborn piece of tissue at the front of a coon's shoulder and chest, it's harder to get that fat point into where you need it.
The most important part for me while skinning is having a couple knives that I like, and a good sharpener handy. "It's the dull knife that cuts you" is very true. The harder you have to drag on a blade, the more apt you'll be to slip, which might mean drawing your own blood, but at least would likely mean an errant cut that might drop the value on a hide.
EDIT: One advantage to a fixed blade design with detachable handles, assuming the handles stay in place while you're trying to use them, is that they really make clean up easy. Pop the handles off and wash everything with some dawn dish soap in warm water and you'll be good to go. Much better than having a folder that gets fat and tissue down into the handles, or having fixed grips that get grease worked behind the grip panels that never seems to come out. I DO however like a somewhat rubberized handle. When it's cold out in the fur shed and your hands are covered in coon grease, smooth wood or plastic grips can get very slippery.
Last edited by Nomercy448; 12-11-2011 at 08:41 PM. Reason: Adding the detach handle opinion...
12-12-2011, 02:21 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,903
For me, the rounded "face" of the blade (curve from the tip to the straight edge) is about the only length of blade I really use. Having 6" of blade between my hand and that rounded cutting edge might look cool, but I don't end up cutting anything with that long straight edge, so why hold that much weight?
