What are the characteristics of a good Elk knife? How long? Shape of blade? Folding versus fixed blade? I bought a Schrade "Jim Zumbo" signature knife on sale over the weekend which has about a 6" fixed blade, a gut hook, and maybe 2"-3" of saw teeth on the back of the blade (Schrade also produces another Jim Zumbo knife which has a shorter, maybe 3.5" blade, which is a folding knife -- this isn't the knife I'm talking about). Has anyone used this 6" fixed blade knife and how did it suit you? I have other shorter knives which I would probably have available when dealing with an elk, but read somewhere that it is useful to have something a little bigger -- at least for some of the meat handling activities -- when dealing with an elk.
Elk knife
- Thread starter alsatian
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txhunter58
Long Time Member
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- 8,536
I have a 3" blade folding knife that was a present as a senior in high school ('76). It is still the only knife I ever use. Made in Germany and very hard steel. I have used this knife to skin/quarter/gut everything from rabbits to elk/moose. Have never seen any reason to have one that is bigger. I like the compactness of a folding blade.
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
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nbjbhunterman
Guest
Best elk knife I have ever owned is about 4 inches and is a "old timer" brand. I have a knife of what your talking about with a gut hook and saw and I hated it. I like to use a small knife to gut and get my arm and hand all the way in there.
NBJB
NBJB
The Zumbo knife is a piece of crap. The saw part is useless, and it is big and heavy. Last year a friend of mine chucked his in the bushes while quartering a cow. I have two knives of Solingen steel with 5 inch blades. Carry a pack saw for sawing. mtmuley
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D13er
Guest
Are you wanting a knife to kill the elk or skin em ??
JB
JB
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Vek
Guest
I was waiting for someone to comment about the 6" blade length. That thing probably weighs a couple of pounds. That's worth some elevation if you can trim it. Get a fixed blade knife with good steel and a heavy blade ~2.5-3.5 inches long. Why a person would need a hatchet or saw to dress a deer or elk is absolutely beyond me. Buy a lansky sharpener, learn how to use it, put a good, even, strong edge on your good knife, and go dress and bone 3 animals without resharpening. It can be done.
Wailing4Wapiti
Active Member
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- 148
My favorite elk knife is a $2 snap off knife. I buy mine at Walmart in the wallpaper section. They are great for cutting the elk hide. Whenever it gets dull, just snap off a section and you are back to a new razor. I've done three elk with one before.
I also like to have a flexible boning knife, but could do the whole elk with my $2 special.
I also like to have a flexible boning knife, but could do the whole elk with my $2 special.
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Roadtrip
Guest
Been using the same knife for years now and it holds up through about 3 Elk before needing some TLC. Best Knife I ever owned.
"Knives of Alaska" No substitute for a good blade...whether it costs a little or a lot.
Cheers
Roadtrip.
"Knives of Alaska" No substitute for a good blade...whether it costs a little or a lot.
Cheers
Roadtrip.
Everyone:
Thanks for your frank assessments of my new Jim Zumbo 6" Signature knife. The concensus is pretty clearly that this knife is not a suitable elk knife. It is a good thing I didn't pay full retail on this: it was 20% off. Additionally, some portion of the sales goes to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Thanks for your frank assessments of my new Jim Zumbo 6" Signature knife. The concensus is pretty clearly that this knife is not a suitable elk knife. It is a good thing I didn't pay full retail on this: it was 20% off. Additionally, some portion of the sales goes to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
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timthehunter
Guest
I have the Schrade "JIm Zumbo" knife. Everyone told me it was going to be to big also. I took it with me anyway and now anytime somebody kills a elk at our camp it is the first knife they want to use. I like the gut hook and it holds an edge better than any other knife in camp. The last 2 years it has gutted and quartered at least 3 elk and 3 deer per year and is still going strong at the end of the season. I do however carry a smaller knife to do some of the job where the "big" knife doesn't work quite so well. As far as the saw teeth, i don't know why they are on there cause they are useless. Just like every other piece of gear everyone has there opinion and this is mine.
Tim
Tim
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stickflipper
Guest
My buddy has a CUTCO knife and I have used it and loved it so much I just got mine in the mail a week ago. His has done 4 elk and 3 deer and has not needed sharpening yet. It is a great knife. I think the blade is about 4 inches and I got the serrated model, but its not a good skinning knife because once those teeth get pointed in a direction it goes there. Knife is about $70 with shipping. Its the last knife I will buy-
