Replacing this old knife

[Sean Gadhar]

Back in my teens I ran a trap line & did my skinning with a old paring knife that I picked up at a flea market. Long ago lost.

My skinner was, I think, forged. I remember there were marks on the flats, fine & more felt then seen but there. The steel would rust in a blink wherever it was not covered in blood or raccoon fat.

But that knife took a edge that would make a razor blade blush. It only held it for 2/3 of a raccoon or so.

I don't know much at all about blade steel. I know I miss that old knife. It sharpened so much faster then any other knife I am guessing it was a "soft steel". Could it have been wrought iron?

Are there blade blanks to be had that would come close to that old skinner? Every time I skin game I miss my old flea market find.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Jantz has a big selection of blades. http://www.knifemaking.com/Default.asp
Or, go back to the antique shops and flea markets. Always a lot of old kiives for sale, and cheap.

 

[necchi]

Yeah, it's that olde High Carbon steel that is/was a part of our history that made those blades so nice. Thick enough spine to not bend like a filet knife, small enough to be maneuverable in your hand and just soft enough to be easy to sharpen to that razor edge.

I've found this one to fill those requirement's well. I have a few, one as a patch knife, one in the camp kitchen gear. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/453/2/BLADE-SPEAR-03

If you want a little bigger the Ripper is good. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/453/2

I honestly don't care for the Russel's larger knives, they're just not thick enough for a large blade, but the smaller paring knives are nice.

If you want a true skinner for large game jobs the Solingen are hard to beat, and I mean a true skinner not the huge Bowie knock off's that people think are cool.
The BitterRoot is my sweet hide peeler, http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/452/2