Blade length.

[Silverback 1]

That list is based on:

• General knife - Battoning wood, feather sticks, general camp use, whittling
• Edc knife - folder, eating, general camp use.
• Small skinning knife - for small game
• not quite so small skinning knife - for deer and the like
• Crook knife - for carving bowl section of spoons/bowls.

Then the bill hook as a chopping tool, Would it be criminal of me to also use such a tool as a cleaver in butchery?

Julia

Good list.

It is impossible to choose peoples personal hand tools, one can only advise.

When you say 'Small skinning knife for deer' do you intend to harvest the deer yourself? In which case the rifle may be more important unless you already have one.

You could easily purchase 1 knife for deer and rabbit use that would save you money.

What is your budget?

 

[sunndog]

I have never had the pleasure of seeing/handling one of these, but sometimes you can just look at an image of a knife, practically feel it in your hand, and just know it's right.

That was the same feeling I got when I first saw them

Red, so these (DSP) were down to you were they....well, it looks a bloody good blade shape mate, and I'll let you know how I find it when I get it


Julia, a billhook's not really a cosher butchery tool no lol. I have been known to chop a rabbits head off with various wood chopping tools though I must admit, esp when i'v got a few to get through.

 

[Silverback 1]

Julia, a billhook's not really a cosher butchery tool no lol. I have been known to chop a rabbits head off with various wood chopping tools though I must admit, esp when i'v got a few to get through.

This.

I have also used a smallish cleaver when removing heads and legs of a lot of rabbits, but a curved billhook is totally the wrong tool for this IMO

 

[Silverback 1]

Or you could always leave your knife at home if taking a lot of rabbits in extremely warm weather, as this superb video shows

[video=youtube;q7trIwVMYZA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=q7trIwVMYZA&NR=1[/video]

 

[British Red]

That was the same feeling I got when I first saw them

Red, so these (DSP) were down to you were they....well, it looks a bloody good blade shape mate, and I'll let you know how I find it when I get it
.

Nope, the DSPs are Duncan's. He asked if he could use the shape of my PFK (precision field knife) but put his own spin on it. The PFK is an uber sharp Scandy, Duncan uses his "Flandi" (Flat / Scandy) grind and others. The shape is my design - the rest is Dunc's

This is the PFK

PFK Full by British Red, on Flickr

PFK by British Red, on Flickr

Here is a small DSP with the PFK - you can see the similarities - and the differences

With PFK by British Red, on Flickr

 

[sunndog]

Mate of mine keeps an axe head on the table in his shed where he does is game prep for chopping off heads and legs

I asked him once why he doesn't just get a cleaver. Totally serious he said......well, its another axe innit.......really couldn't argue with that lol

 

[sunndog]

Think you could call that one "sharp and slicey" red

Beautiful knife mate

 

[Quixoticgeek]

It is impossible to choose peoples personal hand tools, one can only advise.

Aye, the choice I make will be mine, but there is so much collective knowledge here it seems foolish not to seek advice.

When you say 'Small skinning knife for deer' do you intend to harvest the deer yourself? In which case the rifle may be more important unless you already have one.

You could easily purchase 1 knife for deer and rabbit use that would save you money.

What is your budget?

Round here the only chance I will have of a dear to skin will be buying it off a game keeper. So it will come gutted, but skin on. One skinning knife certainly simplifies things.

Julia, a billhook's not really a cosher butchery tool no lol. I have been known to chop a rabbits head off with various wood
chopping tools though I must admit, esp when i'v got a few to get through.

I thought that was the case. I need to get myself a cleaver for the kitchen, had to borrow one last time I did a pig.

I have also used a smallish cleaver when removing heads and legs of a lot of rabbits, but a curved billhook is totally the wrong tool for this IMO

I thought that was the case.

the PFK - you can see the similarities - and the differences

How long is the blade on the PFK? The shape of that is not far off where I was leaning for a general purpose bush knife. One of those about 80mm would be lovely. Did you make it yourself?

Mate of mine keeps an axe head on the table in his shed where he does is game prep for chopping off heads and legs

I asked him once why he doesn't just get a cleaver. Totally serious he said......well, its another axe innit.......really couldn't argue with that lol

So which would mark me out as more of a sharps barbarian, using an axe to cut the chops off a carcass, or doing so with a bill hook? Makes me ponder suitable tools that could be used in a cleaver type role in butchery, but with other uses around camp...

Julia

 

[British Red]

How long is the blade on the PFK? The shape of that is not far off where I was leaning for a general purpose bush knife. One of those about 80mm would be lovely. Did you make it yourself?



So which would mark me out as more of a sharps barbarian, using an axe to cut the chops off a carcass, or doing so with a bill hook? Makes me ponder suitable tools that could be used in a cleaver type role in butchery, but with other uses around camp...

Julia

Stu Mitchell did the main work, but brought in other craftsmen to do the hand engraving, leather tooling etc. The knife is about 4 1/2" . Its slimmer than many (3mm), finer edged (steeper bevels) and more pointed (centre line spear point) thats why it came to be known as a precision field knife.

I designed "Beater" as my butchery cleaver / camp knife / shelter tool (larger of the matched pair) and "Biter" (smaller of the pair) as a "field scalpel" for fine game dressing.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Do you have a picture of the 3 knives together?

Julia

 

[British Red]

Nope - sorry - can take one if you like?

Beater is 7", 5mm thick and heavy

Biter is a couple of inches and very thin and sharp

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Nope - sorry - can take one if you like?

Beater is 7", 5mm thick and heavy

Biter is a couple of inches and very thin and sharp

If you could that would be great.

Thanks

Julia

 

[sunndog]

the billhooks gotta be the most barbaric of the two, although it has the potential to look very cool if you were skilled enough to chop them out perfectly with the hook part.
Seriously though if you are doing a lot of meat prep at home, just buy a cleaver, the ones you're butcher uses will be as cheap as chips compared to some of the knives on this thread

Have a look at johnnyboy's pic of the three knives earlier. The bottom (smallest) one is the one I have coming and might just suit you as a general/skinning knife

 

[Quixoticgeek]

For home I will have a cleaver. This thread is mainly about the knives we take with us when out in the woods. I don't think I could bring myself to use anything other than either a cleaver or a knife designed for it's purpose when it comes to the making of chops when butchering. Lets face it, the only time you use anything other than a bone saw or a a knife in butchery is when it comes to chops.

Julia

 

[sunndog]

Will you make many chops in the woods?.....that's why I said just get a cleaver, assuming you'd only be using it at home

 

[Toddy]

Your hands aren't that small, mine measure just a little under the 80mm and I manage fine with most of the bushcraft knives out there. I struggle a bit with some of the weight of the bigger ones but that's the damned RA that's to blame.

The neatest butcher (did folks really need to stick in the dead things photos ? I need to move the thread to Fair Game ) I know uses a thin wee razor sharp knife the length of his forefinger long. It's, like much of knife use, practice and knowing just what you want the knife to do.

A folding pocket knife, a necker and a smallish bladed 'bushcraft' type knife, and a laplander saw and I'm pretty much up for most things
I tell a lie; I have a sickle that Jojo made for me that's the absolute beesknees for howking out nettles, brambles, branches and bunches that I have to stretch for. It's small (only about 4" curve) and light, but an absolutely excellent tool

Tbh, I don't think I'd spend a lot of money on a knife until you'd had a chance to use some of the ones that have caught your eye. If you can get to any of the meet ups, folks are generally happy to show and tell about their shinies

Best of luck with it

M

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Will you make many chops in the woods?.....that's why I said just get a cleaver, assuming you'd only be using it at home

Good question. Depends what I'm doing with the rest of the deer really... Tho I have been known to butcher pig in the woods...

Julia

 

[British Red]

If you could that would be great.

Thanks

Julia

I added in two others we were talking about

Top to bottom

Knighton pattern billhook - great chopping and shelter build tool and good cleaver 10" blade
Beater - large utility knife 7" blade - chopping, shelter building etc.
PFK - 4.5" blade - general "belt knife"
Biter - 2.5" blade small game / field scalpel
Small DSP - 3.5" blade Bird and trout

Either of the bottom two could be neck knives, but the sheath for the DSP is a pocket sheath for carrying - thats how I like it (hate things round my neck)

Knives in sheath by British Red, on Flickr

Knives by British Red, on Flickr

Hope that helps and explains what I use them for and why each has its place

 

[sunndog]

Depends what I'm doing with the rest of the deer really... Tho I have been known to butcher pig in the woods...

Fair enough, maybe a large camp knife then?....although if you're butchering large animals I reckon you'd have space and facilities to just take you're cleaver from home if you wanted it

 

[Toddy]

"Verrrry" nice shinies
Truly lovely tools

I don't like neckers worn as such, but then I use a baldric to carry a knife anyway.

cheers,
M