The Home Machinist!

I am wondering what preferences people have in knife steel.

Now that I live in the United States of America instead of Miami, I am hunting in my yard. Until the season ended yesterday, I was blasting squirrels. That meant I had to clean them. I didn't have a sheath knife, and I did not want to get guts in my folding knives, so I looked around online for something to buy.

I like stainless. I know a lot of old f...ahem...fogies don't like it, but rust is a pain to deal with. My first really good knife was a Gerber folder in 440C. I am old enough to remember when Gerber knives weren't garbage. I found a company called Entrek, and they make semi-custom knives for reasonable prices. They use 440C because they are not impressed with the new Gucci steels. I placed an order. Unfortunately, it will be a while before I can try an Entek, because the people I ordered from sent me the wrong model and it has to go back.

I've been using a Forschner filet knife on squirrels, and while I love the knife for cleaning fish, I found that squirrel hair dulls it in a hurry. I would have to sharpen it twice per squirrel if I kept using it. I Googled around, and I learned that Forschner/Victorinox steel isn't really that good. It's soft. Fine for cucumbers and raw meat, but a very bad choice for skinning game. And they make hunting knives! Glad I didn't buy one.

I read about a relatively new steel Cold Steel has been using. It's called CTS-XHP, I think. They did a video where they compared it with AUS8 by chopping manila rope over and over. The AUS8 pooped out after 1400 cuts, but the CTS-XHP was still going strong at over 6000. The test guys had to quit because they were sore. I'm getting a Cold Steel folder to see if it's any good. I've had Cold Steel folders in the past, and they were amazing. I carried them for years, and they always looked like they just came out of the box.

Anyway, I wondered what other people here like.

Knives are like old girl friends, every body wants the perfect one, but go by looks instead of function, and after a few tries they just take up space. /Carbon steel is what I use for my kitchen and chef persuits, about 8 to 10 inch on most. different widths for boning and chopping, or butchering, and a stone always on hand in the drawer. Squirrels and rabbits are easy to shuck, so I dont have trouble there. When skinning, pierce the skin, and do the cutting from under. I use several Rapala type fillet knives, one I cut in half to shorten for boning small carcuses. stainless comes in various grades and the harder it is, the longer it stays sharp, softer grades can actually bend. I went through the knife agony a long time ago with dive knives that were dull and would not cut rope, but were used as digging tools and pry bars underwater. They break, I can vouch for that. I always scout the yard sales and dead guy estate sales and pick up what I find when needed and save them for the time I need anything, and grind them for the jobs at hand. Skinners for deer, and gut ripper, and all the rest. I have tried the sushi glass ginsu, and the sports survivor, ad nuseum. The best sheath knife I have I built from a file. It rusts but always cuts and is strong with a brass pummel. It takes a fair edge but my favorite is a 4 inch folding Case with brass ends and line hook, that has a tape measure clip on it so it sits right in the top of my pants pocket. I have several pocket knives with brass ends that are chinee from Mantards, and are my pocket carry things. They have the clip and are about $4 here. So when I donate one to the world I dont boo-hoo about it. Good luck on your search. Does the squirrel taste as sweet when it is from your grounds?

steamin10 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:08 pmWhen skinning, pierce the skin, and do the cutting from under.

Kinda like cast iron?

Steve