Thread: Best hunting knife unders $100?

Agree with all the above posters. The Victorinox, Victory, Green river, Mercator, Bahco knives are good performers and cheap. You don't need to pay more to have functionality for hunting at all.

But there is one caveat (this is the $50 to $500 extra caveat) carry a sharpening steel. All of those knives can be sharpened to be razor sharp but they tend to go blunt quickly as they all struggle to hold an edge in the field.
The Mercator is the worse one of that list in my experience, but is so soft and quick to sharpen that most forgive it I think as it's back to razor in no time. I carry one as a spare always because even with a rock you can sharpen that thing.

I've tried them all (maybe not the Victory though - I think Green river are similar however) and think they are all really good knives and I use a few at home for butchering. However, their edge retention struggles when skinning and boning out in the field.

I know I should try and avoid this but I end up cutting through hair sometimes, scrapping and cutting against bone when boning and in general doing things that are terrible for retaining a sharp edge. It is here where the extra money on a better knife (or more accurately better knife steel) actually makes a difference and I found myself with many knives (a Mercator for most of the time) struggling with them for too long before stopping and sharpening them. This is my failing really not the knives, but I'm sure many are similar and tend to just want to get the job done and often push a blunt knife a bit too far before steeling/sharpening in the field which is both frustrating and dangerous.

I ended up with a couple Knives of Alaska "Alpha wolf" knives. Which can be had for about $140 and I've found the steel will go through boning and butchering several animals without needing attention. I really like them and are extremely good for the small premium (but also come with a sheath which many cheaper options don't). I still carry a small steel and diamond hone but these are used for between animals if needed.
https://www.top-gear.co.nz/shop/SHOP...l+-+326FG.html

Just remember if you buy a carbon steel knife they will rust unless you oil them all the time. As said a good steel is your friend you don't want a diamond one or coarse steel if running a good ground and sharpened knife they will rip the edge right off

Originally Posted by Friwi

Opinel or mercator

I would recommend strongly that wood handled folding Opinel knives are avoided. Great knives on the face of it and alright steel.
However the design has a major flaw. It takes very little moisture for the wood handles to swell around the hinge and jam the blade closed. You will tear you finger nails apart trying to pull the bastard open.
I keep mine for workshop or reloading room tasks. Inside.

I think that it is hard to go past a hollow ground knife for general butchery work. Some of the custom knives have quite a thick blade ( making them tiring to use) and while they have superior steel to butchers type knives and are better for cutting branches etc, if it was economic in knife cost versus savings in labour for steeling and stoning I think butchers and freezing works would move to the 'improved' steels. The fact that they dont - and knife cost is only a small component cost of those businesses, suggests to me that good quality butchers knives are the best buy. The Bahcos are very good as a deer gutting and fishing knife and great steel for the money but not quite the right shape for a 'do all' knife imo.

So what sharpener is recommended on these cheap knifes? I have always carried a diamond 4" sharpener the ones that go back into the handle

Good to have a diamond steel for a bit more aggressive sharpening if needed but can't go pass a proper "steel".
Here's what I use (hold the size jokes, one could argue I'm not compensating?)...:
https://www.top-gear.co.nz/shop/SHOP...+-+079871.html

Weighs nothing. Careful steeling, only away from you is necessary for the size though!

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

Victory 4" drop point hunter, 6" curved boning knife, or 6" outdoors knife (same as Bushaman's friend). You could buy the 3 and be under $100...

Attachment 201363

I love the little NZ-made Victory Drop Point Hunter knives. This colour should make it harder for me to lose in the bush.... I'm definitely a function over form person... Bought directly from Victory for $25 ($10 cheaper than anywhere else) plus $9.99 postage and overnight delivery.... You don't need expensive knives for hunting....

+2 for the victory knives. I have 5 now including that 4" drop point hunter. For another $30 you can also get a very well made leather sheath. They take an edge easily and hold it well. Not so sure about the poofy pink though

Re: sharpening.... We used Victory boners all day in the butchery with only one 5 minute touch up on the stone at lunchtime. That's more work in a day than most hunting knives will see in a long, long time....

@zeropak I'm a clumsy bugger and don't want to lose them!

Think ill go with Victory and look at a sheath w/ steels included. Like the NZ company and love their filleting knives for fish

Originally Posted by jpurdon

Think ill go with Victory and look at a sheath w/ steels included. Like the NZ company and love their filleting knives for fish

Come out to my place with it and I will make you a sheath out of polyethylene pipe

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

Re: sharpening.... We used Victory boners all day in the butchery with only one 5 minute touch up on the stone at lunchtime. That's more work in a day than most hunting knives will see in a long, long time....

We used the Victory knives in the meatworks. I was on the slaughter floor and only had to give it a run over the stone a couple of times a week, I expect the guys in the boning room needed to do it more often.

Originally Posted by Makros

I would recommend strongly that wood handled folding Opinel knives are avoided. Great knives on the face of it and alright steel.
However the design has a major flaw. It takes very little moisture for the wood handles to swell around the hinge and jam the blade closed. You will tear you finger nails apart trying to pull the bastard open.
I keep mine for workshop or reloading room tasks. Inside.

Wrong, learn this technique:

Originally Posted by caberslash

Wrong, learn this technique:

How does any of that mitigate the swelling of the wood?


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Originally Posted by caberslash

Wrong, learn this technique:

Lol try that when the wood is wet and it's jammed. Mine required pliers. Terrible design.