Last night I gutted a deer and skinned it, and today I was looking at the blade, and theirs a bunch of tiny little nicks in the blade. Its a Gerber knife. Went I'm skinning and gutting I'm careful to not try and cut the bone so I wont beat the blade up, but it still got beat up quite a bite. What could be causing it to get so beat up? I hit a bone here and their but I don't get real rough when in gutting and stuff, or am I being to rough with it?
Probably cutting through the hide and such. Plus most gerber knifes aren't that high quality. Cheaper knives won't hold there edge cutting through jello. I don't know what knife you have though. I can't afford a super nice knife so I am going to get a havalon. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sounds like cheap steel being used in the blade to me. I cant tell you how many ribs/sternums I have cut through using my pocket knife, and the blade looks good as new still. I just have to sharpen in again to regain the edge, but there are definitely no nicks or chunks gone. I have been using a stainless steel Spyderco Delica 4 Spyderco Delica 4 C11P Stainless Steel Folding Knife For Sale - National Knives, LLC and a Boker Kalashnikov Boker - Kalashnikov - 74 - DP/STD - (Button Lock)
Leave Gerber for the Weekend Warriors and get yourself some quality steel. I use an Esee Izula for field dressing and a JM Forth Caping knife. Check out Blade HQ they have good deals on quality steel.
Got a buck vanguard when I was about ten for Christmas. Thing goes on every hunt with me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So basically Gerber is a cheap knife and I need to get a different knife. If I am going to get one what's a good brand? Buck, and Kershaw look like good knives are they though?
I really like my Kershaw skyline. Good blade style for working on deer. Fairly inexpensive (look on amazon). Thin and light and made in the USA.
Here is my take. Can you get it sharp? Sharp enough to make field dressing easy? Then you are good. Just sharpen it after using it. It is a tool so a nick or 5 means nothing to me. If you are looking for a inexpensive good knife I have been using a Forschner "Rabbit" for may years. Sharpens well and doesn't break the bank. I actually have several Forschner. Victorinox 47811 4" Rabbit/Utility/Boning Knife with Fibrox Handle
I have used the same Gerber for quite some time now and never had any issues with "nicks" when gutting and skinning deer, but always found myself having to sharpen it. Don't feel it held its edge very long. I have switched to an Outdoors Edge Razor-Lite this year and its a great little knife, I def do recommend it. Changing blades takes all of but one second. You can even sharpen them if you'd like, I just replace them though when needed.
See if you can find older Schrades, the ones made in America with carbon steel blades. They sharpen up quick and easy and hold an edge very well. They are getting harder to find and are usually selling for more than they were new. The new ones are Chinese and cheap stainless. The older ones say Schrade USA on them. The Old Timer and Uncle Henry brands are also made by Schrade.
Gerber ain't what Gerber was anymore. I use Kershaw and have beat the heck out of my skyline for 2 years, a couple drags across the truck window keeps it sharp.
I got a cabelas brand knife around 2 years ago. Was only around 50 bucks. Steel is great on it and it has gutted/skinned 4 deer, 28 pheasants, 2 turkeys, and a bear and it's still going strong. Blade never has huge nicks or even little ones at that. I can always get a great edge in it on my Arkansas stone with a few strokes. That attests to how little damage the blade takes. I always split the rib cage with it and never have a problem. I'll post pics and the steel soon. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here's mine works great for hunting. Wish I had gotten more when they still made them. Oh and it's taken off about 100 chicken heads. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I second the havalon knives. They are less than 40 bucks and come with several blades. Do a couple of deer till it gets dull then change the blade. I sux as sharpening knives so that's why this is a better option for me.
Cheap knives are cheap knives. Me favorite moderate priced knife is a Kershaw 1257 fillet knife. Good steel and it sharpens well. Scotty
