[Turbolover]

I am wanting to get a skinning knife, and I was wondering what people would suggest. Right know I have a Marbles 6" Ideal. I've never skinned before so I was wondering if people thought that would work. My friend says he really likes gut hooks so I was looking at Buck's Zipper. Does the gut hook make that big of a difference? So if anyone could give me some insight on what would be good for skinning (I will be skinning elk or deer) I would appreciate it. Thank you.

[Nathan123]

Check out these knives mate. High Country Knives They are made by a member here by the name of Romey. He is making one for me as we speak. There is a thread on the making of my knife over in the knife forum called "making of a blade"

There will be a whole swag of people along here directly to reccomend a whole heap of cheap nasty junk. Then tell ya that it is too expensive to have a knife made, ect, ect. I wont bother beating my head against the wall again but i will say a few things.

1. Having a knife built is not expensive. Probably cheaper than buying a new knife every few years.
2. Do yourself a favour and steer clear of the junk rubbish knives. Buy (or have made, either one) a decent knife and it will last you a lifetime. Your kids will be able to pass it on to their kids, and you will not pull your hair out trying to sharpen it and it will hold an edge more than a few cuts.

I dont have a need for a gut hook.

[wirehunt]

Gut hooks are a pain in my view, but what would I know LOL

[CroMagnum]

I don't care for gut hooks myself but do like drop point knives. I had Gene Ingram build me a #1 drop point with snakewood scales and that thing is THE sharpest knife I have ever handled. They are not cheap but nothing good ever is. I don't gut anything bigger than a moose and the animals I do gut, deer, caribou, sheep, etc, I use a small bladed pocket knife to get the belly open and cut the lining that holds the innards inside the animal then skin using the drop point.

[Romey]

One of the problems with a gut hook is it cuts the hair in half as you "unzip" where as you have less hair to get everywhere if you cut from underside.
Another issue is you have the main blade UP when your using a gut hook, thats 3 to 5 inches of sharp unprotected blade moving,add that to rainy conditions, possibly bloody hands, and doing it all on possibly rough ground and its easy to see the potential for danger. For these 2 reasons on custom orders I refuse to make gut hooked knives. A few years ago I had a friend, another big game guide nearly sever his femorial artery due to using a gut hook and he is a very exsperiance guide dressing out hundreds of different game but trying a gut hook out.
Later the only thing i could say was " So how you like those gut hooks"
Drop point good, gut hook bad.

[Rambo]

Drop point but no gut hook. Never needed one, nor my father or grandfather. Just a gimick.

[privateer]

I second what Nathan said , A good knife will last you a life-time. and when it comes to skinners, you dont need a huge knife. if you want to hack thru bone get a saw.

[lefty o]

dont need a fancy knife for skinning a deer. just hang 'em up, and peel 'em.