Knives - What do you use? This is a question I am often asked around a fire or braai after a predator hunt or in the truck on our way driving to a spot, as you know conversations change at every turn! This is a brief idea of what I use and when. I have a variation of knives that I use and some that I carry as a simple carry knife depending upon my location.  I would also like to say that I carry a knife EVERYDAY – EVERY HOUR! Hiding a knife is easier than hiding a handgun     This laminated neat folder I carry all day, it is razor sharp My range of knives from skinners to Bowies Here follows the list of some of my knives I use / carry Buck Skinner 392-1, full sheath - vertical Mk II440 Chrome SteelPuma Pro Skinner STAG 809020 Kershaw model 1050 lock blade - belt holder / pouch ***** Muela 26 Bowie / horn handle - 26 cm blade - brass bolster Coast 23 cm Bowie - brass bolster Buck Skinner *****

This knife holds an edge that’s simply amazing; to me a good knife must have an edge that does not go blunt after a few minutes skinning an animal. This knife holds the edge and is STRONG, blade is seriously THICK! Anybody who owns one will agree! It fits the hand well, and does not slip easily, a real pro’s knife!I leave this in my glove box and seldom carry it on my belt

Mk II 440 Chrome steel  *****

This knife I have had for many years, it’s a real looker, and holds a serious edge, this knife is so sharp it is scary! It is or was a cheap knife but is a real gem, not everything cheap is rubbish! Has a rubber handle, and a small blade, excellent skinner, I carry this on my belt and it’s in a moulded rubber sheath. It cost about R80-00 (+- $ 9, 00) about 8 years ago. This is a real daisy of a knife! It will easily out perform many custom knives with claimed good edges.
 

Puma Pro Skinner  *****

I have not had this knife long, it’s worked some but not much, I have skinned 4 cats with it, and it then required sharpening.  It’s a good knife and well made, being a PUMA it needs no confirmation of quality. It is a small knife, but being a skinning blade it need not be a Rambo knife. I don’t carry this; it’s in a fully enclosed sheath. I leave this in my safe when at home but outside the sheath, I never store knives in a sheath. They can rust

Kershaw model 1050 lock blade – belt holder / pouch Another five star knife! *****

My mother found this knife, YES! Amazing, I then inherited it so to speak and it took on the job of king skinner, no not really, I carry this on hunts, it’s a good bleeding knife and also I use it on crows that are still alive but paralysed from a  bad shot of bird shot. Generally I carry it on every hunt also at night. It is in my box under my killing chair.It’s a lock up blade but has NO PLAY at all, once its locked open it is solid, a quality knife and a real worker, it’s also so sharp I can shave with it. I have tried many folders and upon opening they are not tight, this knife has a rock solid lock up, no play at all, a heavy knife made to work. Top class.

Victorinox Stainless folder – belt holder / pouch  *****

This is a general knife, I use it for opening oranges and striping carrots in the bush, a general worker made for light camping chores, it is bought razor sharp, I carry it on walks into the koppies and the odd dassie shoot, when I know we will stop for lunch etc. I can butter a roll etc with it, a really good general purpose knife. I call it a friendly fun knife used for small friendly tasks. I also leave it in the glove box when out.

Muela 26 Bowie / horn handle – 26 cm blade – brass bolster

Now we get to the heavy metal, super steel - super working knives. I enjoy a good bowie knife, truth be told I carry this on most hunts and definitely on a baboon hunt.  These can be dangerous animals, so a good back up knife is always with me.

For those of you not familiar with good knives, a Muela is a Spanish made blade, good steels and hold good edges. This particular knife was also seen in a movie about a group of men hunting down a civil war soldier in the American West – his only tool was this 26 Muela. The movie was called Seraphim Falls. This knife is massive, has a 260mm blade (26cm) and a 15 cm long handle made of genuine stag horn. A real king size monster. I carry this on baboon hunts, and also sometimes at night depending my location I will hunt. (It’s also a good conversation piece) it is very strong and can take a hard work out very easily.

To carry such a bowie you feel armed if suddenly finding yourself in a spot of bother - be it getting firewood or opening a can of beans etc. This knife is a real handsome piece, large, strong and a real knife. I conceal this knife most times, if somebody sees the big sheath they can be quite taken back, and you can draw attention to yourself. On some hunts I go on, I take out clients; sometimes they never even knew I actually carried it on me.

If you want to buy one of these knives I can supply them to you – see my prices page. They are not too much and you know you are buying good quality.

Here is a sharpener I use, I rate this as TOP CLASS, two pulls through I with your blade and you can shave with that knife. These can be bought on the internet.  Smith’s sharpeners.

Happy skinning!!!!!!

Happy hunting !!!!!!