Essential Hunting Gear
Over the years, I have amassed a huge stockpile of hunting gear and equipment. Some of the items I only use occasionally, others I bring on every excursion. My skinning knife is one of these essential tools.
Although I have several skinning knives, I always turn to one in particular. It is equipped with a barbed hook that is ideal for eviscerating game. And while there is no such thing as the perfect knife, this one comes pretty close in my opinion.
Gerber Knives & Sharpeners in the Field
Gerber knives are especially well-known among hunters. Gerber offers many knives designed particularly for hunting purposes. One of the most popular Gerber hunting knives is the Freeman Hunter, with a polished Pear wood handle and high-quality grip with finger grooves for rugged outdoor use. The Freeman knife is relatively short with a 4 inch, plain edged AUS8 stainless steel drop point blade, so it is recommended for skinning smaller animals.
To sharpen your Gerber knife out in the field, the hunters favorite is their Diamond sharpener with a pocket clip. It retracts into its handle for easy accessibility and is great for putting a quick edge on your fishing hook or blade in the field.
Honing Your Sharpening Skills
We’ve all heard the expression “there is more than one way to skin a cat,” but there is also more than one way to sharpen that knife. Many people utilize the classic rod design, which is perfect for straight edged knives. One alternative to this basic sharpener is a versatile sharpening stone.
Many sharpening stones are small enough that they can be carried with you on your hunting or fishing trip. While these stones won’t be able to revitalize a completely worn blade, they will be able to hone the edge and put a final finish on your knife. Look for sharpening stones that come with honing oil and instructions to ensure the best results.
Choosing the Right Fishing Knife
An avid fisherman is typically able to tell you the contents of his tackle box: fishing hooks, line in various weights, shiny and dull fishing lures, colorful bobbers, an extra reel, needle nose pliers, a flashlight, maybe some fishing scissors and a fishing knife. Each of these tackle box items is an important element in both successful and not so successful fishing trips to the river. Having the right kind of gear, the kind that will withstand a variety of elements, is key.
Following are some tips on what to look for when purchasing a durable fishing or fillet knife to all those would-be and experienced anglers out there.
What Size of Knife:
When choosing a fishing knife, the size of the fish being lured needs to be considered. A ten inch blade would be excessive if you typically fish stocked rainbow trout or crappie in your local river. The larger blade could damage the meat of smaller fish during cleaning if you are not careful. On the other hand, a small fillet knife on a medium-to-large catfish or grouper would be time consuming and potentially impossible. If you fish a variety of species, consider owning multiple knives in various lengths and widths. There are a number of fishing knife sets with multiple blade styles available on the market.
Blade Quality:
The next item to consider when choosing a fillet or fishing knife, is the quality of the blade. You want to look for a high carbon stainless steel blade that can maintain it’s sharpness. You also want to try to buy one that can be sharpened easily throughout a fishing season. Stainless steel is recommended because of its stronger resistance to rust; fishing knives encounter a lot of water. You will want the same durability and strength in your fishing knife as you would a hunting knife. However, with a fillet knife, a tempered blade that can cut smoothly and thinly is ideal. When purchasing a fillet knife, look for one that is serrated in a portion of the knife, toward the handle is best. Some of the newer fillet blades include an interchangeable serrated blade. Having the serration in addition to the smooth sharp blade will be helpful to cut through tougher sections and bones and will keep you from needing a second serrated knife.
Style:
The final items to consider are all about your personal style. There are a number of knives available depending on the type of fisherman the knife is for. Consider how frequently the fishing knife will be used during fishing trips. If you tend to constantly be reaching for yours, purchase a folded knife that can be put in your pocket or hang from a fishing vest so it will be easy to get to. I recommend, for your safety and others who may be fishing with you, that you always have a protective sheeth on any fixed blade knives. Whether you have a messier tackle box with little organization or you are a neat freak, consider purchasing a fishing knife that comes with a sturdy knife sleeve or one that folds to avoid accidentally cutting yourself or damaging the blade while it is moving around in the box. There are a number of knife options available; don’t settle for anything other than what will best help you as you fish.
Consider these tips as you put together your tackle box and gear. Whether you are ice fishing up in Minnesota or waiting for spring to head out to the river, lake or ocean, a quality fishing knife is an important addition and just may help bring in the record breaking fish.
Are You Doing a little Big Game Hunting?
Guns and rifles are generally used to kill game, But, it’s the knife that will prove to be a hunter’s best friend for not only dressing the animal, but also cutting chords and opening cans of food. Hunting knives come in all shapes and sizes, and choosing the one that best suits each individual hunter will make big game hunting an even more fulfilling experience.
Fixed blade knives tend to be the best blade for dressing big game. Fixed knives are permanently open, making them tougher and more resilient than folding blades. Fixed blades usually come with a sheath for protection of the blade and you.
There are three main types of fixed blade knives each having it’s own unique purpose-
• “Drop Point” Blades – These knives have a defined curve that makes it easier to skin larger animals. This blade can also be used to gut, butcher, and split the animal’s pelvis and rib cage.
• “Gut Hook” Blades — “Gut hook” knives have a large grove near the end of the blade that is designed for opening the abdomen of the game. These knives are used by puncturing the animal with the point of the blade before using the hook to precisely open the abdomen exactly where you intended. A good “gut hook” can act like a zipper.
• “Clip Point” Blade – These knives can act as an alternative to “gut hook” blades. “Clip point” blades are thinner with a more pointed blade tip. This is useful for opening up an animal without cutting too deep and reaching the intestine.
No matter which knife you decide to use, it is essential that you make sure the knife is as sharp as possible. Because blades can become dull during the dressing process, its important to bring along a knife sharpener. It’s also a good idea to have a clean cloth available to wipe down your knife after each use. This can help prevent corrosion- your knifes worst enemy.
The best part of hunting may be the moment that you are finally able to take the animal home to share with your friends. After hours of waiting for the game to come into your viewfinder, the perfect shot, dressing the animal, and packing it up, there are few greater joys for a hunter than taking the first bite. Without the proper hunting knives, it will be nearly impossible to experience.
Don’t Scrimp on the Knife
Whether you’re an avid hunter or a general outdoorsman, it’s important that you have a high quality knife that you can take on your various outdoor ventures. The uses for that knife can vary greatly, but every outdoorsman will tell you that a knife is indispensible in the wilderness. Just take the children’s book “Hatchet.” It wasn’t far off when the main character was able to survive in the Canadian wilderness simply by having a trusty hatchet at his side.
And while you probably won’t have to rely that heavily on your knife, it is nice to know that you have a high quality product to help you in the wilderness. When picking out your knife, make sure that you go with a company that has a lot of experience crafting knives. A new company might not be able to deliver the expertise that an established company can offer. So if given the choice, it’s best to purchase Buck knives with over 100 years of service than some fly by night knife company.
Knives with Many Uses
I carry a small “LadyBug” knife by Spyderco on my key-chain. My husband got it for me for protection but I’ve learned that there are many more uses for it.
Here’s a few uses for this little folding knife:
1. Cutting gum out of your daughters hair at the store (no scissors available)
2. Prying up a staple (OK, maybe not the best use but it beats breaking a nail!)
3. Scraping gum off the car seat (I should not let my kids have any more gum!)
4. Cutting shoelaces
5. Slicing through tie wraps
6. Slicing open packaging (do this very carefully!)
Remember, a sharp knife works better than a dull one…so be sure to sharpen this little thing.
Let me know what you use your “keychain” folding knife for….
Portable Protection
A few years ago, I was mugged by some derelicts as I got off the bus. People were too stunned to help and I sustained some minor injuries. Luckily, I survived and wasn’t hurt too terribly, but now I have to think about my personal safety when I leave the home.
A friend of mine had some advice for me to feel a bit safer when I’m going out to work, one of which was to carry folding knives with me. It’s not quite as messy as carrying a gun and completely safe, but it can still provide me with the protection that I need when I’m just trying to get out of the house.
The Buck Zipper
I’m going to review the guthook hunting knife by Buck- the Buck Zipper.
I think you’ll like this knife. It’s a simple yet very effective knife created in response to some negative comments by customers in reference to the standard “guthook” knife.
Of course this is a classically well made and handsome knife…as are all knives made by Buck. It comes with a nice quality leather sheath and Bucks “Forever” warranty.
The Sheath: Made of good quality leather, it has a belt loop to allow the knife to hang comfortably and snap to secure the knife. It has heavy stitching and rivets so this sheath can take some abuse and protect the knife well.
The Knife: I’d have to say, this is a handsome knife. The blade is 4 1/4in made of 420 high carbon steel and is hollow ground. There is no skimping on the steel here- the blade has a good, thick spine. The guthook is ground on both sides making it far more effective than the “standard” guthook knives. This knife opens up an animal like a zipper! The handle is made of resin impregnated Birch wood that has been polished smooth and shiny! Both the butt cap and finger guard are brass. With an excellent fit and finish, this handle fits very naturally in the hand.
Knives very often reflect the taste and personality of the owner. This knife says “I have a refined taste” – so if your looking for a classy hunting knife…..