Best hunting knives to be passed down? ...

To pass them down they don't need to be custom, or expensive name brand knifes.

I have my dads Boker pocket knife. It's been sharpened enough that every blade on it is slightly shorter, he packed that knife for 30 years that I know of. It was taken away from him once when he was arrested for public intox in El Paso Texas, but he got it back.

I personally have more knives than I should. Everything from cheap throwaway ones to custom builds but for the most part I use just four or five of them depending on what I'm doing.

As for passing them down, I doubt it. None of my relatives are interested in hunting and only a couple like fishing. And like my rifles, shotguns, and pistols they will likely just be sold when I die.

Well it seems that the company I suggested Bark River did actually go out of business and in disgrace no less for using Chinese steel on a few recent models and calling it American steel and labeling it incorrectly. They have been in business many years and there are many knives both new and used still available, but I wont be buying any more.

JimP said:

To pass them down they don't need to be custom, or expensive name brand knifes.

I have my dads Boker pocket knife. It's been sharpened enough that every blade on it is slightly shorter, he packed that knife for 30 years that I know of. It was taken away from him once when he was arrested for public intox in El Paso Texas, but he got it back.

I personally have more knives than I should. Everything from cheap throwaway ones to custom builds but for the most part I use just four or five of them depending on what I'm doing.

As for passing them down, I doubt it. None of my relatives are interested in hunting and only a couple like fishing. And like my rifles, shotguns, and pistols they will likely just be sold when I die.

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The Boker has history and a story.

As for the firearms live life your way. I wanna give my family a leg up but I want to have some memories to take with me.

I've started the process of having a custom knife made by Untamed Knives in Zimbabwe. Very attentive, responsive and a good value imo. Plus supporting a Zim-based company whose affiliate produces lots of great hunting content. What's not to like?

https://untamedknives.com/

JimP said:

As for passing them down, I doubt it. None of my relatives are interested in hunting and only a couple like fishing. And like my rifles, shotguns, and pistols they will likely just be sold when I die.

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You can pass them to me if you like

Below are a couple of knives that I've made. Well, with some help from a friend who is pretty into it. I'm working on a few more right now as well.

I think the most important thing is passing your knives/gear to someone who will actually appreciate them. My kids, might get them, but they may not appreciate them the same way that someone in the life would appreciate the same item passed to them.

It’s not really the knife or the gun you are passing on, it’s the memories that item evokes. My father is 82 and much sooner than I would like the Lord will call him to his Heavenly home. His gun and knife collection is vast, numbering in the hundreds. He is easily one of the top 5 Von Gruff knife collectors on the planet, Gary makes some of the finest knives on earth, they are without question heirloom quality. The knife I want is his Cold Steel Master Hunter; I bought him that knife in the early 90s. It was a factory second (blemished) knife, I paid $25 dollars for, he has carried it every deer season and hunting trip since I gave it to him. That’s my father’s knife, and that’s the knife I want.

If you don’t have a favorite hunting knife and you want a custom knife, I highly recommend Von Gruff Knifes. If you just want a production knife that will last for several lifetimes buy a Cold Steel Master Hunter.

It’s not the item, it’s the memories, take your kids and your grandkids hunting its something they will never forget.

Art Lambart II said:

It’s not really the knife or the gun you are passing on, it’s the memories that item evokes. My father is 82 and much sooner than I would like the Lord will call him to his Heavenly home. His gun and knife collection is vast, numbering in the hundreds. He is easily one of the top 5 Von Gruff knife collectors on the planet, Gary makes some of the finest knives on earth, they are without question heirloom quality. The knife I want is his Cold Steel Master Hunter; I bought him that knife in the early 90s. It was a factory second (blemished) knife, I paid $25 dollars for, he has carried it every deer season and hunting trip since I gave it to him. That’s my father’s knife, and that’s the knife I want.

If you don’t have a favorite hunting knife and you want a custom knife, I highly recommend Von Gruff Knifes. If you just want a production knife that will last for several lifetimes buy a Cold Steel Master Hunter.

It’s not the item, it’s the memories, take your kids and your grandkids hunting its something they will never forget.

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@Art Lambart II
Those early cold steel knives that were carbon steel were the best they have ever made in my opinion. Easy to sharpen and hold a wicked edge.
To me the new ones just aren't the same.
Bob

I have only three made for me by my old Sharps Rifle buddy Bill Bagwell, went to his place for a weekend of shooting Sharps rifles on his range, learning to cast then patch paper patch bullets, all the while being stuff full of his lovely Wife's excellent cooking, he measured me for a Damascus Bowie knife, he remarked, "Damn, you should have been a boxer, you have the reach of Larry Holmes" LOL, told him screw that crap, I hate getting hit in the head ; ]

He also made a 5" Damascus skinning knife, really a blessing to get to watch him hammer out that Damascus on a Coal fired Forge, can't get my head around that level of talent and Craftsmanship, it is a beautiful cutter.

He also made me a patch knife for the shooting bag rig he and his Wife also put together for my custom 58 Cal round ball rifle patterned after the S Hawken rifle, he set me up with an old friend of his to build that rifle, he warned the patch knife was made from the very rare and highly desirable I.T.S.S. steel.

I asked, what is I.T.S.S. steel? "2 ton International Truck Spring Steel, harder than a honeymoon pecker" "Don't lose it!" LOL!

I miss my old Friend.

charlieB12345 said:

Best hunting knives to be passed down.? Price doesn't really matter but I wanted something that will sustain its meaning long after i'm gone

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@charlieB12345 - I think an “heirloom” knife is much more about it’s History & origin then the actual quality of the knife…. A well worn Boyscout knife carried by my Father is much more highly valued than a Russell or any custom made knife. The Buck 110 given to Me by my Father 50 years ago means more to me than any other knife and will someday mean as much to My Son. A nearly identical value is placed on an engraved Buck 112 given to me by my Son on my 60th BDay —— those knives are irreplaceable…To ME

One more, also hand forged by my good friend Rodrigo Mulero, not stricktly a hunting knife, more a utility/survival type, but has been with me in Africa several times.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:

@Art Lambart II
Those early cold steel knives that were carbon steel were the best they have ever made in my opinion. Easy to sharpen and hold a wicked edge.
To me the new ones just aren't the same.
Bob

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Yes, those Carbon V knives are great. Dad buys everyone he can find, so far, he has 18 or so of them.

I do like the new CPM3V Master Hunter.

When the time comes I'll be passing this one down:

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...lder-from-untamed-knives.102189/#post-1588768

My boys will get their own VG knives once I know they’ll be used appropriately. They can have mine when I’m dead. Maybe.

Carcajou said:

Voici mon dernier couteau. J'ai conçu et fabriqué l'étui moi-même. Il est doté d'une lame en acier damassé de type sandwich et d'un manche en loupe de châtaignier stabilisée. J'espère qu'il restera dans la famille.

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The chestnut grip is beautiful as is the damascus steel.

I've put wood handles on a couple blades, nothing serious just a Camillus and Wood River which I bought at a local Woodcraft store. I'm thinking about making some micarta scales as they seem interesting and my 11 y-o grandson asked me about how to make them. I watched a couple yourube videos, but do you folks have any tips? I thought he and I might give it a rip.

RichD said:

I watched a couple yourube videos, but do you folks have any tips? I thought he and I might give it a rip.

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There are some good videos but shoot me a PM if you have specific questions.

Nicaburns said:

There are some good videos but shoot me a PM if you have specific questions.

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I bought this knife at a garage sale on a couple years ago at a very low price. The price wasn't marked and the wife took my offer. But I don't know the handle material. We think it looks great and would like to try something like it.

RichD said:

I've put wood handles on a couple blades, nothing serious just a Camillus and Wood River which I bought at a local Woodcraft store. I'm thinking about making some micarta scales as they seem interesting and my 11 y-o grandson asked me about how to make them. I watched a couple yourube videos, but do you folks have any tips? I thought he and I might give it a rip.

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These are my and my grandson's first efforts. He mostly likes used the scroll saw to get the rough shape then we switch off. It's just fun to see him enjoy it as his parents are divorced and the father lives about 1,000 mikes away. The wood is Amazakoue.

I have my dad's two hunting knives. To me, it matters not whether they are made from gold and diamonds or a leaf spring, what matters is they were his. I have memories of him using them. That is what matters rather than what they are made of or who made them. The memories of the days in the field, learning from him, and tagging along are priceless.

My wife and I have no children, but do have several nephews. The ones that have enough interest to go hunt with me go home with a quality knife of their own that they used to clean their first deer. I put out several to choose from and let them pick. All are quality options.

My goal is to teach them how to shoot, how to hunt a deer and clean it including breaking it into down into smaller pieces, and then how to sharpen a knife before they go home.

I really like buying and trying different knives.
I'd guess I currently have thirty or so "hunting" knives, but here are a few that are the stand outs for good all around use that are reasonably available. I also have two pocket knives what jump into the mix as needed, but are not shown.

Here are my most used and current favorite hunting knives. Top to bottom:

Paul Rasp d/b/a CPE Knives. 4" Kephart in 20cv. This is by far my most used knife and the go to that is always in my pack or pocket. I recommend it above all others. It is a great all around do everything knife designed by Horace Kephart over a 100 years ago. It is still as good as it ever was and Paul makes the best rendition I have tried.

Bob Dozier Professional Guide Knife in D2. Another 4"+ blade, but svelte, thin, and the hollow grind can be made razor sharp. Another great all around multi-use knife that can clean a deer or hog, then can slice tomatoes and make a salad in the camp kitchen (obviously after a thorough cleaning).

Gene Ingram custom - this is a design I came up with that my wife gave me as anniversary present for our 25th anniversary. Absolutely a joy to use caping deer for shoulder mounts where mistakes cannot be made. Comfortable and secure in hand, super sharp, and the rounded drop point is great for working on capes.

Gene Ingram Bullnose - a great design. Super comfortable in hand.

Please note, all of these knives are used a lot and have micarta scales. Micarta is easy to hold when it is wet, unlike G10 which can be slick. There are no worries about the scales cracking like wood, antler, or horn. For a user knife, micarta is really hard to beat. I have some really beautiful knives, but I enjoy just looking at them. If you want ideas in that direction, happy to share, but putting up the users for the first pass. A finger guard or at least indention for the index finger to improve grip is a very helpful detail to avoid an accident.

RichD said:

I bought this knife at a garage sale on a couple years ago at a very low price. The price wasn't marked and the wife took my offer. But I don't know the handle material. We think it looks great and would like to try something like it.

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Even the background in that picture is beautiful. Don’t know what you paid but it was a bargain nonetheless less. Great knife.