I like knives. Of course I use them for hunting and maybe thats why but I just like knives. I tend to like big fixed blade models more than smaller ones. I have both but always seem to prefer the bigger ones. Most of my hunting friends including my own kids think its crazy to use a big knife to hunt with. On a practical note I have had to use it dispatch a barely alive deer after tracking in the night on more than one occasion. I just wondered what some of you prefer and why. Please respond and post a picture of your favorite if you will.

I like em all, big, small, and in between. From neck knife to machete. Which I choose to take at any particular moment depends on what I expect to need it for.

I like smaller knives cause I can handle them better. This is my current favorite that I recently made. 3-1/2 “ Damascus blade with koa scales.

I've field dressed dozens of white tails, a couple elk and one black bear, and never used a knife with more than a 4 inch blade. Guess I've never seen the need for anything bigger - for hunting.

I like blades of all shapes and sizes. I guess it depends on what I'm doing.

I have about a 3 inch folding Kershaw or similar for everyday carry but I guess it depends on what I'm doing. I have a couple big Ontario knives (Marine Raider Bowie and SP 50) that I can chop trees down with if I need to or baton some firewood while camping and I like both a lot. They're cheap enough to where I don't feel bad thumping on them while still being nice. My most recent buy is a CRKT Hunt N' Fisch which is a smaller fixed blade that is really nice.

I haven't scratched the custom knife itch just yet but it's only a matter of time. I do have a Bo Randall Bird and Trout from the 60s that my dad gave me that is a prized heirloom of mine.

Big!

Bodork- Beautiful knife! I process my game, from field to freezer, so I use knives with blade lengths ranging from 2.75" to 5.75". For all-around field use, I like a knife with a blade ranging from 3.5" to 4.25". As bodork stated, the shorter blade, something like 3.5", gives a bit more control. This is especially true opening the deer up and removing the hide. A little longer blade is nice for severing the windpipe and for removing backstraps and working on the hams.

Joe

I LOVE my little folding Buck knife that fits into my license holder, Total closed length is 3". Has worked well on antelope, deer,elk. No need for more.

Top knife is a Green River belt knife, a bit on the large side. I like any of the others on any given hunt, except Trapper folder is my rabbit knife.

Bout this size

Right tool for the right job

For animals

@Wolflord - What kind of bow is that in that picture? I like how it looks.

Grohman Canadian Belt Knife..........perfect size for me

For everything

For chopping little stuff

I like a smaller belt knife, but I use a buck 2 blade folder with a gut hook. harder to clean. don't know why? I just do...ron

The bow is a Colombian blackmail longbow.

I have all sizes and like them all.

Tboughty, that is a Whippenstick Whiplash.

Guess I don’t know; I gutted my first bow-kill with a Victorinox Spartan, and I have 3 fixed-blades, none of ‘em much over 3”. So far, they've done all I needed them to do in the field....

Definitely need a bigger one o' these....

Bodork, Very nicely done.

Never needed anything more than my old Schrade LB7 kickback.

i like smaller knives for field work

that's LB7 lock back!.....damn this phone is retarded!

I like smallish knives. Buck Woodsman imo is the best knife made size wise. I've dispatched deer w a Buck folding Ranger that was sharpened enough to make the point a little unprotected as the sharpening over time shortened it. That knife has dispatched numerous deer by sticking them in the armpit so you don't need a machete to dispatch deer.

Knife! We gots bigger feesh, but when you really get the Blues, an 8" filet blade just doesn't quite cut it! :p

Folder buck preferably sharp

Anyand all-each has its place. EDC is Swiss Army. Belt knife is Canadian belt knife or CRKT Fischer.

Buck ranger folder for animals and if I am in a true wilderness setting or hunting big predators by means of calling I like a 5-6 fixed blade

Never met a knife I didn't like. For deer I don't care for over a 3 1/2 blade. Only a small portion of the blade is working at any one time and it is easier to keep a smaller blade supervised and under control. I don't want the tip to be 6" away from what I am cutting,poking a hole in something else. Probably comes from Taxidermy experience. I make from the size of my little finger to big Bowies. They are all nice and have a purpose. >>>----> Ken

I Like all sizes. Big 4 3/4"

Small 2 1/2"

Small/ medium for me, various with 4 - 4 1/2" blade.

I like 'em all sizes. Here's some of mine. Frank

Honest answer? YES!

4 inch Mora belt knife my dad picked up in Canada deer hunting when I was 10. AT 58 I still use it 80% of the time I need a knife. Has taken near 100 deer from field to freezer. I do prefer a sharp fillet knife with a 6 inch blade for trimming and cutting up the deer after it is boned.

I also own several knives both big and small. But when it comes to field dressing or butchering my deer, I always reach for my Buck 110 folder. I just have better control with smaller knives.

I like them all sizes. My friend makes knives so I bought a small, medium and large that he makes. I was lucky enough to win our club championship 3D tournament and the picture is of the knife he made for first prize.

I like most all knives, big or small, especially bone and wood handled ones. I really want a Dasascus one next. I like em big in predator country. Ya never know.. I had to dispatch a VERY alive (not barely) bull elk with a knife once, and was glad I had a big one that day. As it was it still took a long time to die after multiple stabs. My 'never leave home without it' knife.... But not my gutting knife.

I don't have a favorite size. I edc a Buck single blade lockback folder. My favorite only because it's always there in my pocket and gets pulled several times everyday. I'd be naked without that knife. I like a bigger fixed blade, but, nobody carries those around town, and that is 99.9% of time for me. I don't care for 110 size folder in sheath on belt because it is pitb to pull, plus I wear tool belt every day with a cheapjack utility blade knife in it.

I use 3" to 4" blades for elk and deer.

Why would you ever carry one knife when you can carry two - caper and skinner by Jim Sasser.

The lower knife is a Randall. When a song is written about a brand of knife, you know it's a good knife.

Bowmania

I like small pocket knives, medium belt knives, large folders, small and large fixed blades, machetes, saws, tomahawks and axes. They all have a purpose. I have dressed deer with small pocket knives and large belt knives. It's all in the technique. I prefer larger fixed blades. Many large knives don't get sharpened properly. once you do, you can do most anything with it, including dressing a fish or rabbit. Lots of things small knives can't do.

Face facts people.....if you responded to this thread you have a steel addiction!

If you doubt that, do an HONEST count of have many sharp edged cutting/hacking things you have (I know, that may take a while), and then think about how many of them you ACTUALLY USE!

And if you still deny it, then examine your thoughts and honestly tell us how many of those items you can walk by without handling it or having an immediate desire to "touch the edge up a bit". If you still deny, then look at your arms and see if there's much hair left.

"My name's Lou and I'm a steelaholic......."

Woods Walker I did a count. I think your right. Counting folders and fixed blades I have 45 knives. 7 Tomahawks and 3 Hachets.

My names Frank and I'm a steelaholic :)

My favorite:

Smaller knives here, but it kind of depends on what I'm working on. I use a small knife to get field dressing started on a deer and only use a larger knife for opening the rib cage. I don't like to put a lot of pressure on my pocket knife I use to get the skin open. I also use the small pocket knife to open the abdomen. I use a 5" skinner for skinning and 6" boning knives, mostly a curved one for butchering.

Bodark: OUTSTANDING looking knife.

Ron: Is that one of Norm Blakers stone points?

Seldon: Frank is the knife below the white handled knife a Marbles?

I have one of STICS knifes that I got from him a few years ago. Good skinning knife.

I'm afraid to do a count. I know there's blades that I have that are sentimental to me that I are buried around here somewhere and if I do find all of them as well as the various axes, knives, machetes, tomahawks, etc. I won't live long enough to "touch them all up"....not mention not near enough hair left on my arms.

BUCK 110>>> BUCK 112>> Carry em both. Work for me...

I also have a Normark Swede 45 that I have owned for 45 years. Great camp\kitchen knife. Stainless so I can cut tomatoes and such without worry about rust from acids. Only bad thing is it does not lock. It has skinned countless Squirrels and Rabbits.

I prefer small to medium size knives but own them all. My Randall Model 23 "Game Master" is probably my favorite but it is so nice I haven't taken it into the field. Had it three or four years and it has never been carried. Every time I consider selling it I talk myself out of it. Maybe some day.

I like and have knives of all sizes. But the one I carry these days (Havalon Piranta) is amazing. Pretty dang small but I've used it to quarter and bone out anything from deer to Moose.

Happy hunting, Jason

I'm just a steelaholic I guess. I like them all and as has been stated, it depends on the job. I don't know for sure how many I have, but I'd venture to guess that in my 50 years of accumulating knives I have north of 250; maybe more. Some very nice knives illustrated here. That's why I have so many. Lance.

I have a taxidermist friend that had a knife with a 4 inch blade when I met him. When I killed one of my last elk it was an inch long. He deboned the elk with it and had me take pictures for a slide presentation. If you know what you're doing you don't need a big knife.

Yea, I have too many knives. All small and I'd like to say because I know what I'm doing, but the taxidermist would argue that point.

Bowmania

I would say small can do it all for me.

I like big ones and small ones. They all have there own uses!

I like 'em all. In the past couple days I have used my SAK Cadet to deal with a hang nail, my Gerber machete to deal with a snow laden branch hanging too low in my road, my Old Timer stockman to open a Christmas package and my Victorinox chef's knife to slice up a venison roast.

My usual go to knife for cleaning game is a Buck 477 caping knife

Ken

No doubt about it, if I was ultra wealthy and had 15K to blow on a knife, I'd own a Bob Loveless skinner with stag scales/. Plus it would get used not just sit on a display case for impressing people. "Lookee what I got!"

Bob R. , Yep a Loveless skinner would be great. Had a friend in the 70's that plunked done $300 for one and left in hanging in the woods with his pistol after a brief stop for Mother Nature. Went back 20 minutes later and both were gone. Right now I think 15K would be cheap! Schrade made a licensed Loveless design and they sell for a couple of hundred if you can find one. Lance.

I never use just one knife. however if it boiled down to just one knife it would be my old Kabar Marine Core. I never go into the woods without it. I even made a special grip for it so I can quick mount it in my walking stick for a spear if needed. Probably never will but its there. I always have an assortment of razor sharp standard size hunting knives both on my belt and in my pack but the big knife is super handy when boning out or butchering. God bless, Steve

Correction! Just checked the auction site, drop points are starting bids at $4500 to $5500. More for the chute knives. Lance.

3" to 4" works best for me.<><

This is fun. Thanks everyone for sharing! I thinks Woods Walker may be right. lol.

4" is good all rounder

Knives are, as many have said, tools The small rose wood handled knife at the bottom of this picture was carried through two world wars by my grandfather and my father

Who made the herb knife Phil?

Small...never owned a long knife and never will...no utility for me.

Russell Belt Knife is the longest I have.

I like small knives also, but recently went to a small hatchet head, with gut hook,,,, easy to break down deer with it, and great trapping tool

I like smaller knives.

This is the biggest knife I carry. Use for gutting mainly, and the obvious. It gets a lot of use (for the latter).

An 8” medium wide, flat ground blade will generally do any job.

I have skinned and broke down deer with knives ranging from a Doug Campbell neck knife to a combat K Bar. Like most of y'all I like them all.

If I was to be reduced to just one it would be a larger one as I have observed that a large knife can do small task but it is difficult for a small knife to do heavy task

Just depends on the task, for hunting, a 4" blade is perfect for me. Here is one I made this summer that I'm carrying this deer season.

I like small ones also.

I like small knives. I want my hand close to wear I'm working for better control. Jim

Handle size,and blade length plus grind angle,blade width and shape have so much to do with the intended job! Learning cuts and proper handling of said knife for said purpose is super important Most people handle blades like there cutting a steak,,it takes time to learn how to use a blade the way it was intended IMHO For years i used a knife the way i thought was proper and got the job done But after studying wood carving and learning proper cuts and grind angles and certain techniques i jumped leaps and bounds in my cutting tasks Whether it was whittle'n or game dressing,butchering etc Like bows and arrows you have to tune yourself to use a blade right,,to atleast make the job easyer on yourself and your steel In the long run youll get the job done easyer,with less struggle and effort and with much less waste of materials

Its like,,,,,you dont use a ball peen hammer to use on a finishing nail doing trim work,,and you dont bring a claw hammer to pound wedges threw logs spliting fire wood You can but it beats you and the materials up on either end

My father field dressed everything from brown trout to whitetails with a Case trapper But he was not in a hurray and did it that way for 60yrs It could of been done better or worse with different blades but his mind set was budget,,,,run what ya brung,,,,another knife was a waste of money I think mind set now days is alot different and he still laughs st the thought of me having 100+ knives for all different jobs,,,,but ive also watched him use flathead screwdrivers on Phillip head screws To each there own,,,sorry for my long winded opinion

My EDC is a Spyderco Endura 4 in Orange and in my hunting pack is a Mora Companion HD,Standard Companion and a Mora 511. So to answer the question,different size knives have different uses,so I prefer a variety.

I like "Scar Face" also. One of Franks!

I never saw a need to carry more weight than necessary on back packing hunts. A 3 inch blade will handle everything in Alaska just fine. For around the house I always have my Benchmade Osborn in my pocket.

SAK and Barkriver EDC Bravo.

SAK and Barkriver EDC Bravo.

Why just big knife or small knife? There are myriad knives of all sizes, and I have yet to meet a person who has just one knife. Now for in the woods for a day's hunt, I like a medium size knife that will work for skinning and boning if necessary. I don't need to fell trees or fight off grizzly bears. I usually have a small knife in my watch pocket...normally a mini Leatherman. Only big knives here are in the kitchen draw for carving meat.

Mountain Man ... I bought that knife from a shop in Stockholm Sweden specializing in Viking reproductions. It's not the best steel in the world but as you mentioned, as a knife for cutting and chopping herbs and vegetables it's absolutely superb.

big ones have a place also.<><

And EDC make great dressing knives. <><

Phil

Ya just dont see to many herb knives now days,,a guy would have to be into Metria Medica and natural infusions etc That and a mortar and pestle and you have the tools ; )

I like both. Big for belt carry and hasty use, for this I have a Randle model 25 in 6", which is almost too small. Small for easy carry and fine work like caping. For this I like a swafford autumn hunter.

I like'em all, big and small.

Frank those are some mighty fine knives you've made there.

Gutted, skinned, and quartered around 50 hogs and a couple deer with this blade Alone this year, with only minor touchups on the RADA wheelie sharpener. I have other knives but this seems to be most convenient. It weighs l.6 ounces and has a blade 2.125

CRKT minimalist Bowie. Usually costs around $30.

>CRKT minimalist Bowie

yep.. I love mine too. -ted

small Havalon

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