# time for a knife thread , It's been a while.



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

what have you been carrying ?

what have you discovered ?

what might you have re-discovered?

old standbys ?

what did you find didn't live up to expectations ?


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

what didn't live up to expectations ?

these smith disposable gut hooks were just Junk , I didn't shoot a deer this year not yet anyway but I picked up a fresh road kill and processed it. I had purchased these this spring and though I would give them a try broke 2 . not even worth it at the discounted price.










I sort of rediscovered my Wiebe Pelt zipper hook blade for deer , it has been great for making opening cuts , tail splitting . if I have a hide I know I am not saving like this road kill I will hang it and make a cut front and back and then I can more easily peal a side at a time.


This is the go to tool for cutting hide , Wiebe designed it for making those opening cuts and it has the right opening and geometry also cost effective $8 for the folding unit and replacement blades $2 for 5 blades.




__





Wiebe Pelt Zipper | F&T Fur Harvester's Trading Post


The Wiebe Pelt Zipper makes the foot to foot cut and the tail cut in just seconds. This tool saves enormous amounts of time in the fur shed. The blade lasts a long time and then can be replaced inexpensively so that you can get years of use out



www.fntpost.com





the hardware store hook blades often have a smaller opening for shingles , the carpet ones are better depending on brand but Wiebe found a good source or had them made for them and they sell the blades with the right opening and shape for fur and are not over priced.
trappers are some thrifty folks and they realize that.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

a new for me Green river blade
I have had a few green river blades , the camp knife , the 6 inch butcher and the 6 inch boning knife.
I found them all to be good so far.
I had looked at this Green River Belt knife for a while but hadn't ordered form track of the wolf in a while and didn't want to pay shipping on it 
when I found this on Amazon complete with scales already built and free shipping I figured I would give it a try.

this is the way it came










I liked the blade shape , the scales weren't so good they were sort of just slapped on and not really finished I guess that is what I get for a finished knife for what the kit and shipping would have cost.
it was sort of a proof of concept how ever and with a little modification it is darn handy.

as is after a couple months use 










with the back rounded and the "Kephart" finger cut made



















rounding off the back corner that was kind of sharp and making the finger groove and cut really made this a handy comfortable knife , I may have to build myself one because this became one of my wife's favorite kitchen knives now after the modification. even if this one is rather humble looking it is a good work tool.

I also used this knife in breaking down the deer it worked well at the task.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

if your wondering what or who Kephart was this may help 








Stuff That Works — I Got Me A Kephart Knife - Frontier Partisans


I like Becker’s workhorse knives and when I saw that he’s made a Kephart, well...




frontierpartisans.com






Horace Kephart and George Washington Sears pen name Nessmuk were both influential writers and outdoorsman at the turn of the century who respectively had huge impact on light weight camping , bush-craft , wilderness survival , light weight canoe travel and preserving lands for future generations.

while neither actually made their knives they used many and knew what they liked what they needed and what they didn't and took that design to a blacksmith who made them to their specs.

I find the Belt knife above after modifications a blend of the 2 style 

notably both men carried a hatchet for shopping wood , I know the modern thing is to use the big heavy knife to baton wood for a fire , both men believed in preserving your cutting blade for more delicate tasks.


----------



## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

Just out of curiosity, I go running and live in a rural area. I wouldn't mind at least carrying a knife but don't know where to conceal it as I don't often have pockets. Do they make strap on types? I almost wanted to design one to fit in/on a sports bra, don't laugh!


----------



## crehberg (Mar 16, 2008)

altair said:


> Just out of curiosity, I go running and live in a rural area. I wouldn't mind at least carrying a knife but don't know where to conceal it as I don't often have pockets. Do they make strap on types? I almost wanted to design one to fit in/on a sports bra, don't laugh!


Strap ons are available.... along with ankle holsters and my wife's favorite....the neck knife. A necklace with some pizzaz!


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

altair said:


> Just out of curiosity, I go running and live in a rural area. I wouldn't mind at least carrying a knife but don't know where to conceal it as I don't often have pockets. Do they make strap on types? I almost wanted to design one to fit in/on a sports bra, don't laugh!


all manner of way to conceal a knife but why conceal , I wear mine out in the open all the time even to the kids school back when we went there.

check local laws but in WI if your an adult a knife is just s tool 

Neckers were are very popular before people wore pants as in breach cloth and leggings a necker was a common type of knife sheath.

before Kydex thermo moldable plastic Neckers were a snug fitting leather sheath worn so gravity held the knife in , since Kydex they oten have the handle down and are retained by the way the Kydex fits around the blade , guard or handle 

there are under arm knife sheaths also , center line belt sheaths for small knives like the Clinch Pick




__





Shivworks Clinch Pick 2.0 | Shivworks Product Group







shivworkspg.com




this video explains how the clinch pick works it was designed by a former under cover agent


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

altair said:


> Just out of curiosity, I go running and live in a rural area. I wouldn't mind at least carrying a knife but don't know where to conceal it as I don't often have pockets. Do they make strap on types? I almost wanted to design one to fit in/on a sports bra, don't laugh!


are you thinking primary threat feral dogs or coyotes or something similar?

or some other threat to take a knife running

I am totally behind taking a knife running just wondering what the threat is to best give an opinion on tools.


for a very budget minded knife that is very multi purpose in a tight molded holster that rides deep and could go on a running belt that is also light weight , I have had 2 of these gave the first one to my aunt when she said she needed a knife I went home and ordered another. it isn't huge , it is stainless steel and holds an edge well , I have cut deer up with them 








Cold Steel 20SPH Pendleton Lite Hunter Fixed 3.625 inch Blade, Polypropylene Handle, Secure-Ex Sheath


Cold Steel 20SPH Pendleton Lite Hunter Fixed 3.625 inch Blade, Polypropylene Handle, Secure-Ex Sheath



www.knifecenter.com





a belly band style holster may also be an option for you they are primarily a wide elastic band that secures around you with opposing panels of hook and loop that has holster pocket and magazine pockets a knife in a sheath can go in a magazine pocket.
these are typically worn under the shorts and shirt 








Ultimate Belly Band Holster


The Ultimate Belly Band Holster fits snugly around your torso without even needing a belt, concealing your weapon comfortably all day. Learn more today.




comforttac.com


----------



## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

altair said:


> Just out of curiosity, I go running and live in a rural area. I wouldn't mind at least carrying a knife but don't know where to conceal it as I don't often have pockets. Do they make strap on types? I almost wanted to design one to fit in/on a sports bra, don't laugh!


I knew there had to be one, or I call dibs on the idea!









Just In Case sports bra hides easy access knife


I did not believe this would happen to me, said Jennifer Cutrona. It could have been worse. I could not have not gone home to my babies that night.That attack on a Wimberley mother on the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail is giving women an easier way to




www.google.com


----------



## Hiro (Feb 14, 2016)

I have tried other folding, one hand openers. But, I keep coming back and this is what I always carry:

SOG Flash 2

I did drop epoxy in the safety switch so it doesn't accidentally engage.


----------



## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

I've been carrying a Leatherman Wave+ in black for about 2 years now for edc. I also have two of them in stainless. I use it often. I do carry additional knives for hunting, fishing or traping.


----------



## Grafton County Couple (Sep 20, 2018)

Currently, my everyday knives are a Case Trapper and a Kershaw Link.


----------



## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> all manner of way to conceal a knife but why conceal , I wear mine out in the open all the time even to the kids school back when we went there.
> 
> check local laws but in WI if your an adult a knife is just s tool


Vermont seems to allow anything but switchblades greater than 3-inches, glad you suggested for me to check. I like concealed things because you can be underestimated. But I suppose that doesn't prevent one from wearing one concealed and one not.  



67drake said:


> I knew there had to be one, or I call dibs on the idea!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Darnnit! Well, when someone's beat you to it, just improve it, right?


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Posted 12/14/20 8:08 PM CST

For hunting and gutting knives, i have my classic Buck 110 folder and some Shrade and Old timer sheath knives and sharp finger and short finger hole skinners I have gotten over the past 50 years.

For everyday knife carry I currently carry my Shrade Stockman or other pocket knifein one pocket and my small no name whittling knife in the other pocket behind my pocket holstered handgun, a Remington assisted opening lock blade clipped inside my overalls above the side snaps, my 1980s era Leatherman tool in a leg ruler pocket, a throwing balanced toothpick boot knife and on my key chain, I have a small Vitronix penknife.

GF kids me when I empty my overalls for washing after storing my carry firearms and boot knife and I put the other 4 knives with my change and wallet that I could give a metal detector a nervous breakdown and lose 15 pounds at the same time.

When she asked why I carry so many knives all I could tell her was I started carry a knife when given my first one and started carrying extra pocket knives to trade and the small knife with my keys in case i am wearing dress slacks so I have a penknife, fingernail file , scissors and a toothpick.


----------



## Big_Al (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm a knife guy. I have "a few".
I always wear a fixed blade sheath knife on my belt, where we live this draws no attention at all.
I would love to wear my Ka-Bar or one of my USGI bayonets, but anything over a 5" blade is awkward getting in and out of the truck.
I have a Buck 110 and several of that style, but I prefer being able to simply draw. As a back up to my pocket pistol.
In addition, I always have what Florida law terms a "common pocket knife". In my working days these were off shore knives. Now in retirement I go for Case, or Hen & Rooster, or Utica Cutlery.
I do have quite a few QUALITY off shore's - Schrade, Imperial, Kissing Crane, Robt Klaas.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have been working on some parring knives for family for Christmas these are from blanks all Green River

they don't look like much in the beginning.








I like the palm swell it fills the hand nicely very comfortable








I know it is done when the Hard feels soft in the hand.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Posted 12/14/20 10:06 PM CST

When I was a teen, a Sioux friend whose father left the reservation to live, raise his family and work in the real world as modern Americans in the 1950s, told me that his grandfather who was a reservation police officer told him in close quarters of a 10 to 15 foot range that a easily palmed balance throwing knife could equal a firearm in deadly force from draw to first shot or throw.

While neither of us knew if his grandfather ever had a close quarter shootout draw with the throwing knife he wore sheathed under his shirt between his shoulder blades until he retired, my friend's father told us that growing up he saw his father palm that knife while looking like he was scratching his neck and nailing a target on the side of their outhouse a few times.


----------



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I carry a Swiss Army knife in my pocket at all times; two knife blades, phillips and std screw driver, bottle opener, can opener, leather punch, tweezers and a toothpick.

Did a lots of deer hunting this fall and saw some of the junk a couple buddies were trying to take care of deer with. A couple had great big 6" long fat bladed knives with those stupid gut hooks. They don't have a sharp tip to easily poke through hide on the legs and once those hooks get dull, they never get sharpened and don't work worth a hoot. Their knives were also pretty dull too, but that's another issue.

To dress out a deer (or elk), I like a knife with a sharp point and about a 4" blade max, can be a pocket knife or sheath knife. Do all of the cuts with this little knife, then also carry folding bone saw to split the pelvis and to split the sternum for good access. Takes a matter of a few minutes to dress a deer with these tools if you know what you are doing. 

When I get the deer back to skin and piece up for the cooler, I use a Cutco 6" boning knife with a sharp point and keep sharpening steel on hand to keep it touched up. Typically make my bone cuts with a sawzall, but the folding hand saw will work if that's all you have. Can have a deer skinned and broken down in the cooler in 30-45 minutes.

Stopped by a big knife shop the other day and got my nephew and son in law the proper knives and saw for Christmas gifts.

One that really makes me shake my head are those dumb knives with the changeable, throw away blades? Saw a guy using one and he got all frustrated because he was out of sharp blades.
Sheesh, get a decent knife and learn how to keep it sharp !


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I no longer split the pelvis on deer.

if I have my belt knife or folding knife (if I have my hook blade it just speeds up the process some)
I take the point of the knife place it on the breast bone point towards the head sharp of the blade up and push that cuts through he hide but the bone stops the blade. now that I have a hole I can slide the blade through and start working my way to the inside of one back leg.

then I move up to about the middle of the abdomen and start cutting the hide toward the inside of the other back leg

next I cut from the inside of each thigh to right between the tail and anus

all this time knife cutting from the inside out to minimize hair

now I have a diamond shaped section of fur only attached at the back by the anus , if a buck I have the testicals with it

on younger deer the rectum will pull right out , on older deer I may have to slide the blade along the sides of it

with the rectum pulled out you can tie it off but mostly just push the poop back a ways then it will pull through without droppings.
cut the diamond of hide loose from the anus

pierce the muscle that holds all the gut in up close to the breast bone , work it down and along the ribs to each side and back to the start of the leg

pierce the diaphragm muscle , if you have cut the throat the esophagus and wind pipe generally pull out , if not carefully reach up and cut them.

everything can be dumped and pulled through now without cutting anything else


on road kill deer I now go gutless method and skin and quarter often you can salvage a lot of god meat but the gut is frequently broken inside the tenderloins are sacrificed

knife sharpening and cutting technique are a pet peeve
bad form cuts people , think through the cut and the process and you can toss most of the kitchen gadgets made in the trash , people have been cooking for a long time and almost everything can be done with 1 of 3-4 knives and a little technique.
So few people seem to know what a sharp knife is or how to get one sharp.

People spend SO MUCH money on knives and gimmicks to sharpen them and gimmicky gadgets a decent education is all they really need a couple of not expensive knives with decent steel will give an excellent edge for a long time

a 12 inch Diamond steel can do so much for keeping a knife in keen cutting really for most people years before a grind is needed to bring back the bevel.


----------



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> People spend SO MUCH money on knives and gimmicks to sharpen them and gimmicky gadgets a decent education is all they really need a couple of not expensive knives with decent steel will give an excellent edge for a long time
> 
> a 12 inch Diamond steel can do so much for keeping a knife in keen cutting really for most people years before a grind is needed to bring back the bevel.



Yep, watch what butchers and people that make their living with knives do.
They touch them up with a steel constantly.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have a smooth steel and a Diamond steel 

I admit I reach for the diamond steel a lot more often 

a smooth steel lines you're micro teeth back up , the diamond cuts new ones 

the smooth brings you most of the way back to sharp with diminishing results each time and the diamond gets you all the way but at the cost of more metal being removed 

if you cut 10 minutes a day an that is a lot for most home cooks and you touch up the knife with a few licks from the diamond steel twice a week you maybe need an edge profile every 2-3 years and you can probably get 10-20 edge profiles in before that knife is mostly used up it will depend a lot on how many nicks you get and have to grind out.

if you started with a 25-30 dollar Dexter chefs knife and got 20-30 years from it that is some cheap cutting in the kitchen


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

someone already had my idea , with so many people who can't or won't sharpen they offer a knife service where you spend about 100 dollars a year they send you 2 knives in a box you can order a sharpen 4 times a year they send you exchange knives and a shipping label to send back your dull knives.


----------



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Cutco knives have lifetime warranty, you can send them in and they sharpen them for free.
They are also really nice knives.


----------



## Hossplay (Jul 21, 2012)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> what have you been carrying ?
> 
> what have you discovered ?
> 
> ...


I discovered a knife isn't as good as a gun in a knife fight.


----------



## Hossplay (Jul 21, 2012)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> what have you been carrying ?
> 
> what have you discovered ?
> 
> ...


I was dumpster diving around in a trash bin behind our local tractor store and found a big circular saw blade. I made a chef's knife out of part of it. I still have enough for a couple of more blades. I love it. All I have to do is run it though a manual ceramic sharpener a couple of passes and it is sharp for cutting vegetables or meat. I don't want a knife with a blade that is so hard that it is difficult to put an edge on. Speaking of that, I heard that a blade made out of a bearing race is super tough.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I like the high carbon steel , soft enough to take an edge , but just hard enough to hold it a while also.

I realized how nice a simple 9.99 Old Hickory 7-7 butcher in 1095 was while I was processing a pig this spring.

I was laid up for part of May not allowed out of bed other than to go to the bathroom a feet away. Had it not been Covid I expect I would have been stuck in the hospital.

I had some extra time on my hands and researched different sharpening systems.

I found a deal on the Ken Onion Work-sharp with Blade Grinder . I hardly use the 3/4x12 belt attachment and use the 1x18 blade grinder for nearly everything 

after I used up the belts it came with I have been using Red Label Abrasives if I have run the blade on the steel a few times and it needs a bit more of an edge 800 then 5000 and it is nearly shaving sharp again. depending on the steel I can go to full hair popping shaving sharp I just don't find in necessary for most cutting tasks and such a dine edge dulls faster.

the blade grinder has been great , makes sharpening a machete very easy as well as all sorts of knives.

for a long time I have been a diamond steel user , even the diamond steel doesn't really get a knife well at some point , it needs a re-profile of the edge I was getting several knives that were too that point and wanted to make more from blanks.

it has been a very good tool so far


----------



## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

I had a thread I started a few months back about sharpening my knives. Somebody recommended the Worksharp in the thread. I bought one and it worked out great. It doesn’t sound like mine is as versatile as yours, as mine only has the smaller belts. Puts a great edge on my kitchen and pocket knives though!
I always seem to lose my pocket knife every year or two while working on things, so I never like to have a REAL nice one. A few years back my son and I stopped in a thrift store to look around. They had a box with probably about 250 pocket knives sitting on the counter. I asked how much was he selling for, and he said he was just trying to get rid of them, so like $1-2 each. 
My son and I went through the whole box and bought every knife that didn’t have China metal, or was ground down to nothing. I think we found at least 10 high quality blade knives in there. Wouldn’t you know it, I haven’t lost one since!


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

12/17/20 10:22 PM CST



GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> I have a smooth steel and a Diamond steel
> 
> I admit I reach for the diamond steel a lot more often
> 
> ...


As you I prefer my classic kitchen steel I have used since my first apartment in the 1980s and still works great as a finish when sharpening most knives I have but I also have a pocket diamond rod that I keep clipped beside my pen and penlight sized tact light for quick sharpens on the half flattened round end or use the tapered end to dress serrated blades.

A friends son asked me if I could sharpen his serrated edge lock blade a few weeks back and seeing how he had been sharpening it as if a normal blade, as I used my pocket diamond rod to try to re-tooth and dress his serrations , I explained to him with serrated edges to full stroke the non serrated side and stroke as little little as possible on the smooth lead blade on the serration side and use a tapered diamond rod in the serrations.

Although I was able to restore most of the bite to his serrated edge knife, I have a similar $30 serrated lock blade in the box I picked up for a deep discount last year when a local knife shop / flea market dealer retired and sold off his shop stock at deep discount, so I dug it out and an extra pocket diamond rod and had GF wrap them to give him for Christmas since he likes serrated blades.


----------



## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

When I was 7 years old I became a cub scout.
Got an official cub scout pocket knife.
I've carried a knife every day of my life since.
Case, Gerber, Shrade, Buck among others.
In my younger days I did a lot of backpacking mostly in the winter. Did a lot of Bushcraft and carried a Western model W49. Bought it at Kmart for $20 when I was 18. Probably the best knife in the world for what I was doing.
Cut tons of firewood with it and for Bushcraft it was outstanding.
Excellent balance, held a good edge, and threw like a demon.
Still own it but more than 40 years of hard use shows.
Buddy of mine found one on line but he just keeps it in a box. Total waste of a great knife.
For hunting I carry a SOG or a Mora.
Mora is OUTSTANDING.
My daily knife is some $6 nondiscript thing I picked up at a gun show. I found that losing a $6 knife is far less painful than a $50 knife.
My son is a collector and is very well versed in this type of steel and that kind of grind, and drops some very serious bucks on these things.
Got me a Gerber Gator Premium for my birthday.
Beautiful knife, fraid I might lose it.
Spends most of its time in a drawer.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

JJ my first knife was also a Cub Scout Camillus pocket knife.

I have a hard time spending big money on a knife having also lost a few.

my most expensive knife is a KBAR USMC when they started making them again to the original drawings in the early 90s I picked one up I think about 70 dollars 

have a few Mora , they work well , are light and you don't have to cry if you loose one.


----------

