I'm still looking for a knife that fits my requirements. I want a 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inch blade. A little less or more is OK. A decent thickness to the blade. Full tang. A rounded pommel. I've found some close to my specs, but usually they are too big. The closest I have come is a Case mushroom cap fixed blade. The blade is a little on the thin side and I can not find any info regarding whether it' has a full tang or not. I don't need a knife that will split wood, just a well made solid knife for my hunting activities. Any suggestions?

Me too. I have dozens I have made. I keep changing my mind as to what is perfect after using them a while. When you come up with the perfect design/sketch let me know. I might give it a go.Never have too many knives,bows,or arrows.>>>----> Ken

check with the gang at Rapid River in MI,,, they got a neat shop, maybe they will build you a knife

Some of what you listed

Here is my two favorites.

I've never found much that was perfect, but have found some that were likely best for me. The old Schrade Sharpfinger was one that really fit me well. Luckily a friend made one like it for me and it's damn near perfect.

Second pic

LT Wright

4-1/2" 1095c marcita grip pannels full tang 3/16" thick $89

Blindhorse Maverick 4-1/2" O1 tool steel 3/16th bout $120

That's a Knifeguy knife.

Jeff White Slyod knife 1095c 4" 3/16th full tang osage $39

Jeff White slyod maple handles

Swaffordknives.com Shawn Swafford. Autumn Hunter. Absolutely my best hunting knife. Well designed and well made

Jeff White Bushone 4-1/2" 3/16 1095c full tang maple pannels $39

Canadian belt Knife #1

Tom, The Case knife that you mentioned is a stick tang. You'll also have to decide if you want a finger guard or not, and if so make sure it's comfortable and doesn't bite into your finger when you are using it. Another variant to factor in is the back of the blade. 90* angles are not your friend, find one that's been rounded out. As long as you don't decide to split wood with it a stick tang should be okay. I've been collecting hunting knives for 50 years and believe me there are no two alike, even if they're the same brand and model. If you have the time, take a look at ebay and study the vintage German made knives from Soligen. I have several and the all have a rounded pommel, 1/8 to 5/16" thick blades and the rounded back that I spoke of. Just take your time and take notes on what you like and don't like while looking at them. Here are 3 for you to look at. Have fun! Lance

Made by Mike Baker of Canyon, Texas. Frank

A few of the last ones.

You could ask one of the in-house builders to make you what you need. Shootemstraight made the Carbon Canadian on the right. On the left is a Case Slab Side Hunter. You can get it with a 5.5" blade. Mine is 3.5".

Joe

Production or Custom?

Production, a Buck Vanguard. Heckuva working field knife. Never failed to do anything in the field I've asked of it. Quality made production knife.

That being said first, I also agree with George. What you'll find on my belt day after day is a Schrade Sharpfinger. Not that expensive and that blade style is classic. Works good, feels good in the hand, never failed me.

Custom, well, I cant make a viable comment. My 2 production hunting knives mentioned above does all I need, and then some.

Well I finally got it to work. It takes me a while 2 more posts went in while trying to get it done. Still know nothing about sizing them. >>>>---> Ken

Knifeguy those look like what I'm after. You called my attention to a finger guard. I forgot about that. I would like the finger guard. Why is the 90 degree back not my friend? Production or custom is OK as long as they don't break the Swiss bank. Those are some nice looking knives fellas.

As stated above, the Buck Vanguard is a really solid hunting knife but has a heavy stick tang.

Joe

George I found one of those schrades at a rummage sale within a mile from me....30.00

The Marttiini knives are the probably the best production hunting knives made as far as sharpness and affordability go.

Tom, To clarify my statement, what I'm referring to is that a sharp angle on the back of the blade will crease your fingers should you choke up on the knife. After awhile this becomes very uncomfortable. If rounded (chamfered) it's more comfortable. Thanks for the nice comment about the old knives. Are you totally confused yet? If you find a knife you really like and the back of the blade isn't rounded off you can do it yourself fairly easy. Lance.

The beauty of knives is, you don't need anything else with them except a sheath and sharpening devices, which you already have for your broadheads. They take up little space, so you can have many of them and not just one perfect knife. Unlike a bow, where you need arrows and other accessories, or guns where you need ammo.

I agree with Joe.....the Buck Vanguard

Full tang, 5/32” thick,O1 tool steel, Iron wood scales, hollow ground, hand made and so sharp you can cut your eyes just looking at it . And ....made by a trad guy for a trad guy. How can you beat that LOL Lloyd

Same knife,...Lloyd

Lloyd- That arrow inlay is great!

Joe

Have you looked at Helle knives?

Thanx Frisky,...the arrow isn’t an inlay, it is actually part of the tang. I file the arrow right in the tang, then use black epoxy to fill in the voids. Takes a lot of file work but,....well you know , it’s all part of having too much time on your hands as the wife says. LOL Lloyd

I know almost noting about knives. But a friend of mine gave me a Spiderco and Ithinkit is the best knife I have ever owned.

For bang for the buck I really like Mora. Holds an edge well.

ut Tops BOB knife. I really like it. Big enough for about any task, easy to get sharp, gets super sharp and holds an edge.

Lloyd - Yes, it didn't look like inlay, but I couldn't figure out what the black material was. Anyway, it's unique and a nice touch.

Joe

Build your own. Knife kits.com i bought and build i believe its the hunter model. They have an insain offering of knives. 15 bucks for the blank. The wood you can get crazy with but I just used pine and built it quick. Done it multiple times. Gut and skin two deer, still shaves hair off my arm. Now that's a knife.

The Canadian belt knife Andy Man pictured will fit well in your hand rightside up, upside down and upside down with your finger along the top of the blade for gutting deer. It might not be good for chopping wood.

Check Smokey Mountain Knife Works if they don't have what you want. Well perhaps you don't need one. Really, they might just have something.

Google 'hunting knife' and then click on the 'images' tab. This will bring up thousands of pictures of knives. Click on the picture of what you like to get to the link for it.

Millions of great tools out there, might as well find one that 'speaks' to you.

I just found what I was looking for,,,, Knives of Alaska, just came out, with a new combo, its a small knife, small enough to cape, but large enough, to skin,,,,, on the same sheath is a small, hatchet head, with gut hook, light....

as always, scary sharp, its on my bucket list, I could break anything down with this,,,, just might have found what is perfect for me

There is no perfect knife I decided a long time ago. But I do keep looking.

What fdp just said. So I just have a lot of knives and pick and choose according to what I believe I will need to use. The truth is there is not a lot I will ever need to do that cannot be done with a Kershaw Leek with some serrations. I shot a couple of caribou once in Northern Saskatchewan while I was with one of the locals. He was an artist with a knife and he did most of the work with a 15 dollar fish knife. As is often the case it is more the player than the instrument.

DDave

Many flavors out there. Have fun shopping. I only use good sheath knives or securely locking folders. Here are a few of mine. I put a lot of use on knives butchering turkeys, deer, geese, and skinning truckloads of critters.

Randall, Skyblde, Puma, Buck, Case and others all have their places in the line up. I am doing my best to wear them out!

I own one Randall that i sharpen, carry, and use. #19 with 5” stainless blade, sambar stag select custom oversized grip, brass finger guard, brass butt cap, thumb notches, brass and micarta handle spacers. Bought it new from a dealer for less than it would cost if ordered and if i have the years to wait, which i don't. A lifetime knife that i should have bought 40 years ago. The first time i carried it, i finished off a big buck by sliding it between the ribs at the heart. I told my wife that when my time is up, give it to someone else who is man enough to use it.

Skyblade - Todd Orr did some custom work for me. A matched set of 3 - drop point, skinner, caper. He also made a good model for skinning beavers and a good model for general fur skinning. And a Fillet knife. I like the blades.

Puma - the real vintage models made in Solingen. Jagdmesser - may be the best knife i have ever owned. Top shelf!

Buck 119 on my trapping tool belt which i use nearly every day year round - indestructible!

I bought a nice custom from a guy on here that is a drop point hunter. Has held up well on about 15 deer.

Maybe some day i can give them to a deserving appreciative young person. About as hard to find as a 200” typical whitetail buck.

Time to go sharpen something.

Check out Victor Smith knives, perhaps the finest made knife out there e today

4-1/2" to 5-1/2" is much larger than my needs. I like a 2-3/4" to 3-1/4"" blade for most hunting.

The 3" CRKT Hunt'n Fisch is currently my carry choice and I still like my Benchmade Snody 201 Activator (3-1/4") as great field dressing knifes.

The Esse knives are always good options, and Helle has some nice 5" +/- knives.

This is an Esse 6 with a custom handle a friend made for me... Best knife I have ever had!

My favorite.

I'm with you FDP. I have lots of perfect knives, but the requirements keep changing. I've liked knives since I was a kid. I ordered the Case Mushroom Cap with a drop point blade. I want that "one" knife to carry in my backpack. I don't like them on my belt. Of course I could get the knife Ron LaClair offers with the horizontal sheath. That's a great idea.

last year I found, an original Marble, in a small town, along lake superior,,,,, its a special knife,,,,, I love knives

I have a Damascus, two Wareever sheath knives, a custom that does not have the finger thingy,(I wish it did), all sheathe knives, but Frisky said that thefolding Case knife that I refound while looking for another was a good one, so I am using that until proven otherwise.

Dean- The reason I like that folding knife as a hunter, is it has the blade length to do the job and can be sharpened to a fine edge. When it comes right down to it, sharpness is the key to working with any knife. A sharp knife makes short work of just about any job, while a knife designed for a particular task will be tiring if it's dull.

Joe

If it doesn't have a finger guard it can't be perfect.

My go to knives are a Lucas forge Jack pine special and a Lucas forge Kephart reproduction. Both have 4 1/2 inch blade and are less than 9 inches overall. They are the perfect size for me to carry hunting or camping. Very rounded pomell and high carbon steel blades that can create a spark and easy to sharpen.

Another pic.

made from a file.Like this a lot.<><

This one is hard to beat for field dressing work. It's a broker and I made it into a neck knife.

Another of my favorites. Not as big a blade ( 3" ) as the OP suggested but it will do everything I need.

Randall model 25 trapper is hard to beat.

Nice blade, Philip. I have a Randall Denmark Special I like a lot. A bit large for deer, though I think. The model 26, Pathfinder, which I also owned but foolishly traded, is a better knife for deer size critters, I think.

That Randall 25 Trapper is a classic!

Here is another one I made with O1 tool steel I think it’s my new favourite........ Lloyd

Same one.......

Lloyd- That's a great looking hunting knife! I really like the look of the guard.

Joe

I too like that one Lloyd very nice looking and looks functional also

Something I had done for the Sids of Border archery by David Mirabile

Boker Arbolito Pine Creek Hunting Knife - with stag handle is a very nice option.

Omy personal knife a Hurak from Sam Lurquin

Lloyd, your knives are beautiful. I really like the last one. Jim

A Tinker knife may be what you are looking for.

The Hurak is a nice knife! It reminds me of a fancier fighting design from the late Al Polkowsli.

Joe

"Polkowski"

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