Thread: Folding knife for hunting

Like most on here, I carry a small pocket knife as a back up to a main fixed blade. For years this was a Mercator, and have recently modified a Opinel No. 8 to take its place. I often found myself just using the Mercator, particularly on small deer like a young fallow. A mate of mine uses a Opinel No. 9 (it might be No. 10) as his only blade while deer stalking. Also over the roar a mate had a Gerber gator folder that was really nice to use on the stag he shot. All this, and the fact that I love folders, got me thinking about getting a good quality folder to replace my fixed blade (svord farmers knife at the moment).

Gerber, Benchmade, Buck, Cold Steel, Knives of Alaska and no doubt a bunch of others, all make some pretty nice looking folders for hunting. Anyone using these types of knives and if so what are your experiences with them?

My big concern having something break or slip.....not much can go wrong with a fixed blade! As I say, I love folders and usually carry a pocket knife of some type or another.

I like Spyderco knives.

Stretch (ZDP-189) next to BRK Loveless Drop Point Hunter (3V) thanks to @sneeze.
I'd think if you broke it you're doing something wrong.
I'd prefer a frame lock but the lockback has yet to fail me. The only thing to keep an eye on is stuff like lint etc can stop the blade fully folding. This can interfere with the lock on many folders.

Hey mate I have been using a Benchmade Freek 560. Razor sharp out of the box and easy to maintain. Small enough to pocket easily with a large enough blade for all my hunting needs.

mercator in an HGD pouch on my waist all the time next to my PLB.

And carry my John Worthington made canadian special either in my pack or on my big belt. HGD sheath too.

Gone down this track and end up using a crkt folts minimalist

Great thread topic. I'm also wanting a folder - to replace my fixed blade Svord - and have been looking around for better alternatives to a Mercator. Will go Mercator if nothing else is readily available. Frame locking preferred, just a peace of mind thing isn't it. Will watch this with interest.

This is my go to hunting knife. Although it won't impress any of the knife aficionados, it works and I like the drop point.

https://www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/...dge-knife.html

Yeah, that my mates Gerber, MightyBoosh. I used it on his stag in April, I was surprised how much I liked it.

The Benchmade Freek looks pretty cool.

On a past hunt my mate had a small dual blade folding back up knife, wasn't anything fancy but was light and it did the job when needed and 2 blades better than 1.

Opinel or Nontron for me. But I always carry a small pukko in the back pack as well as a leatherman tool. That gives me the option of 4 blades and a small saw just in case.

I use a couple off gerbers as well just find they dont keep a good edge could be just me

Originally Posted by kiwijames

I like Spyderco knives.

Stretch (ZDP-189) next to BRK Loveless Drop Point Hunter (3V) thanks to @sneeze.
I'd think if you broke it you're doing something wrong.
I'd prefer a frame lock but the lockback has yet to fail me. The only thing to keep an eye on is stuff like lint etc can stop the blade fully folding. This can interfere with the lock on many folders.

Not naval lint I hope!!

Used opinel no8 for years, now use a fixed blade, but those opinels take a lot of beating.

sebenza 25

Originally Posted by MSL

sebenza 25

Take good care of my Chris Reeve