fieldcafter-uk knife, roe deer from field to plate .

[Fieldcrafter-uk]

The fieldcrafter-uk knife in a real world test.
Taking a roe deer from field to plate, with one knife.
The deer had been shot and bled then left to me to process starting with field dressing the animal.
Opening the veins and arteries with the knife was simple and accurate. The drop point allowed for instant penetration and the blade passed easily through the connective tissue to allow blood to leave the body and improve the meat.


The animal was placed on its back for the removal of its digestive tract heart and lungs.


Again the knife offered control and very accurate cutting, no internal organs where ruptured or accidentally cut throughout the process.


Very quickly everything was removed and the animal turned belly down to allow any congealed blood from the body cavity to escape.


Once home I hung the animal and removed head, feet and what remained of internal organs (colon windpipe, diaphragm)
I’m not very well geared up for deer processing as I rarely get carcases so had no choice but to hang the animal with para cord from the hock in my grinding shed !!

 

[widu13]

Photos later?

 

[Fieldcrafter-uk]

I could now start to skin the animal, this is something I get told by a lot of deer stalkers is not possible with the knife as it’s designed. I had not processed and animal of this size with a fieldcrafter until now so was looking forward to finding out once and for all if that was true!

It’s not true!
The knife was superb in use, the blade shape and edge worked beautifully together.



I have to say this is the best knife I have owned and used outside the butchery industry.
The pelt was removed better than I have done in a very long time; I only had to tickle the blade once on a cotton mop on the buffer to hold that hair splitting edge.
Even in a trade setting I would have expected to have used the steel maybe a couple more times throughout this process.
Control and comfort where how I would describe the knife, I was able to hold the knife in the many holds you would expect to get the job done without fuss and fast.



That done pelvis and sternum where split with the knife through battening with a lump of timber.
This was probably no necessary in the end with how I finished the butchery, but this was my first roe carcase and I approached it as I would a lamb in the same scenario.
One cleaned dressed and ready to cool carcase.

I decided I would leave the knife over night unclean and sheathed to see what the effect of blood would be on the steel. Again deer stalkers tell me carbon is no good for this as it needs too much care??


The next morning it looked like this.



Pretty much identical to how it was left??

A couple of squirts of bleach based kitchen cleaner and a go over with a nailbrush and some warm water it looked like this ...





No pitting rust or any patina really!
I must admit I expected to see some sign of use but nothing!

So that’s the theory on not being able to skin with the knife and that it must be stainless to be any good for wild food prep ruled out.

Time to break up the carcase to manageable portions; I tend to bone out a lot of the meat I get for stewing and mincing and just leave the larger joins for roasting.
So the neck is cut through breast cut and both four quarters removed for boning.








Time to start boning the meat then, this will be minced or made to stewing steak.
Any scrap will go for the dogs, nothing wasted 







By this stage I think I had used the steel 3 times, mostly because I’m cutting towards bone, but worse than that I have a nylon cutting board and it dulls an edge really fast!
So 4 tickles to this point 3 with the steel one on a cotton mop! That’s not because it wasn’t sharp it was I just require razor edge at all times.

Now the hind quarters.
I want boned and rolled double cannon or loin, 2 shanks and 2 haunches. I have the fillet away for my tea 
Kidneys are cleaned for going into a steak and kidney pie.






Done ready for cooking.
After everything was in the fridge or freezer, I cleaned up the knife gave it a couple of goes on the steel and guess what......
Shaving sharp!


I don’t think that’s a bad workout for a knife. There’s no chipping of the steel all most no patina, no corrosion or signs of wear.

The only “issue” was through the warm blood I found the knife did stick in the sheath once.
However it was once and a squeeze of the leather freed it straight away.

Sorry I didn’t get any more pics but I’m a one man band now so I found it challenging 

The dog enjoyed her spoils to, her teeth are bad so she just pulls the meat off now, smelly old dog .




I hope that didn’t offend anyone?
All the best, matt

 

[Tat2trev]

Wicked knife wicked photos and also great skills with the butchery AWESOME .

 

[widu13]

Nice knife Matt and a very impressive butchering. Did you tie off the colon on the gralloch?

 

[John Fenna]

Nice work!
I bet that is going to taste good

 

[beretta686e]

Excellent work there Matt. I have both of Matts Knives (fieldcrafter and smaller one) and have to say they are a really solid piece of kit with a razor edge. I've got the same black micarta handled fieldcrafter as in the review.

Marouf.

 

[dwardo]

Enjoyed that thanks. Hungry now.
Dog looks happy too, smelly old thing, shame on you

 

[Samon]

Incredible write up bro!

Your butchery skills are impressive, as is your knife design! The dog's cute too.

Keep up the good work man!

 

[Ed Edwards]

Thanks for sharing. I found that really interesting!

Ed

 

[Pignut]

Great post! Nice knife also

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk 2

 

[daveO]

Looks like a great knife, even if you do say so yourself...

 

[Niels]

Folk need to learn to put a warning for food threads at like half an hour to dinner to dinner time.
Good skills though.

 

[Mick721]

Great little tutorial there too. Made me hungry reading it.

 

[presterjohn]

I have confused feelings after going through those pictures. I can't work out what I want the most a very meaty dinner or one of those knives. It is getting harder and harder not to order one. The only thing holding me back I think now is the lack of a brown sheath option which is a bit feeble as excuses go.

 

[Fieldcrafter-uk]

Thank you gents !!
Re me saying its good , I would if someone else had made it , just louder to support the maker !!
I think because the Internet is visual my personality does. Not come over .
I couldn't sell or make anything I don't trust respect or believe in .
As In all things I as a maker have had some attacks or under hand comments as has the product .
It's nice to actually get out there and show its not ego it's a good honest working tool !

The venison is superb , and is already being enjoyed .
As I said in the post that's the first large animal I have used a fieldcrafter on and my first roe deer .
I think the results are pretty good ??

Just got to tan the hide now and enjoy the many meals from it

 

[HHazeldean]

That was a great post. Very nice looking knife and some awesome butchery skills too by the looks of things. Thanks for sharing it

 

[Albus Culter]

I know this is a review of the knife, which is stunning as always. But I was just so fascinated to see the processing of the deer. Great thread that was really informative.

 

[Fieldcrafter-uk]

Thank you gents !!
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing , I was an ok butcher but not the best .
My boss was old school and not very complementary sort of fella .
I think I got maybe two positive comments in the 4or5 years I was there !
It was really nice to practice the art again, it's funny I have tried to get involved with deer management many times and never found a way !


I'm sorry I hadn't seen the question re the colon being tied , yes it was tied off before cutting and the Oesophagus ( para cord eh , never leave home without it !!)

If I'm lucky enough to get another animal I will show off a little and do a crown with the loins . I won't do the little paper hats tho

All the best , matt

 

[widu13]

I'm sorry I hadn't seen the question re the colon being tied , yes it was tied off before cutting and the Oesophagus ( para cord eh , never leave home without it !!)

If I'm lucky enough to get another animal I will show off a little and do a crown with the loins . I won't do the little paper hats tho

All the best , matt

Lol, I've been known to use parcel string! Liking the butchery bud, my leftover bones always look like skinny joints!

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