is it any good?

[mr_kris]

Hi just asking people if this knife is any good?

[mr_kris]

ok I forgot to add these in my last post tell me if there anygood for a skinning knife...

[Puk]

Hard to tell mate without knowing blade lengths etc. I would have thought a k-bar is a great knife, but a bit big for skinning. But that's just me. I guess it depends how big the animal is that you are skinning.

Puk

[Puk]

Oh, i just saw the jpg title. It's officialy a skinner. Well then i guess it would be fine. Mind you, the greatest knife in my hands is probably worth no more than someone skilled using a kitchen knife. I have heard of one taxidermist who doesn't even use a knife to skin. He uses a screwdriver and a scalpel.

If in doubt, i have heard Mick (Jindydiver) recommend that you go to your local "crime converters" and get a second hand (but good brand, Victorinox etc) swiss army knife. They will do most jobs pretty well, and won't cost you a fortune.

Puk

[Waldganger]

Hey mate, knowing a thing or two about knives, I must say that boker and kabar both make bloody good knives, but I know nothing about the third knife you have pictured there.

I must say though that the biggest thing about skinning knives is the skill behind it.

Saying that I think that the Kabar looks like a hollow grind, which you could probably get sharper.

I think that the big thing about a skinner is the sweep in the blade, and they all look pretty good in that respect.

Now the question is, are you buying these online or are you buying from a store?
What price range are you looking at?
What do you hunt regularly?

When it comes to game and food knives, you want something that is pretty thin. I'm a butcher and my work knives are 3mm thick at the thickest point, are flat ground and are nothing special to look at, but they do the job.

You seem to be looking at knives with a stag handle, and a nice blade length, probably around 5-7 inches long. They look like they would make great camp knives, and function well as a skinner, but you could always get something a little more specialised.

something that only will function as a skinner and nothing else.

great reference for knives here (http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_store.html?ttl=Fixed%20Blade%20Skinning%20Kn ives&srch=eqWWWCAT_1datarq%3Dfixed%26eqWWWCAT_2datarq%3 Dskinner)

I'd never buy from this site cause although the prices are good the shipping to Australia is minimum 40USD and it makes it a bit rich. Bloody good for checking stuff out, but I must admit nothing beats a brick and mortar store you can look at and buy from.

with that site I linked I noticed that the selection under skinning knives is a bit crap, the designs are ok but the brands are crap. Looking at blade profiles and handles designs will help you find what you want.

Nothing wrong with the first two you linked but I think that you could get something that performed better for equal money.

Check out Rustic Forge (http://www.rusticforge.com/knives.htm) for the best online prices for major brands, you'll just have to search for pics and specs on a lot of models

[Wareagle]

I personally don't like the shape of the first two for skinning, when splitting the belly etc. with that shape, its easy to cut flesh. The third one is passable, but I would prefer a drop point, The reason being, I like the knife to lift the skin before its splits.
But that's just me.

[mr_kris]

Thanks for all the info guys, so found another one for your opinions...Let me know wat ya'll think...

[Wareagle]

Looks good to me, I have a similar one with the gut hook.

[jindydiver]

Good on you Puk
The point is that you don't "need" to spend a bucket on a knife to get the job done (and done well) you can do the job with any knife you can afford and that will keep an edge AS LONG AS the shape is one that takes into account the jobs being asked of it. A skinning knife can be as short as you want and still do the job on the biggest of animals, and your technique for zipping the skin open just has to suit the shape of the blades tip. People buy all sorts of styles and finishes because they "want" them and that is a great thing when you are going to be spending so much time with your choice.

An example for you of a deer taken from paddock to pieces for the esky with just a small Swiss Army Knife (a present from his daughter).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/jindydiver/2007/briansyearling.jpg
Brian had this job done in well under an hour, skinned, gutted and boned out.

On the knives you have put in your posts.
If you are only going to spend 20 or 30 dollars on a knife you can expect to be only getting half that value in steel and you will soon be looking for a better knife to buy, one that will take an edge easier and hold it longer. For that price point the Swiss Army Knife from CC's is a better bet.

If you feel you need a gut hook or similar to zip open your game you will find few people who use them much, they are hard to keep sharp and the design has to be spot on before they even work well. If you are wanting to make the zipping easier you should look at this knife from Outdoor Edge
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0050111517883a.shtml

The guys at Archery Supplies sell Outdoor Edge and they will get one in for you. Of course it will cost near enough to $100, way over the other knives you have been looking at but like in all things you get what you pay for ;)

[Waldganger]

thats a nice knife Jindy.

I'm one of those people who like to spend a lot of money on knives I carry a pocket knife that cost me 600 so I just get what I want I just have to save for it!