Is there a support group for folks who buy too many hunting knives? I need to join. Dave - you're what they call an "enabler".

I like the Coldsteel knives too. The Bolo Machete is a superior field survival tool and ideal for post-catastrophe multitasking.

Kinfe #1 is far too ugly at that price point. In that range, it should look as good as it cuts/stabs/carves and fillets. I guess the import czar got ahold of those and taxed the crap out of them? I'll pass.

As for the Cold Steel...how do you improve upon a KBar?? Doesnt' sound like this modern variation is much better than the steel in the originals- and those are good steels. (And at a cheaper price point...at least the last time I checked.)

I'll stick with the American Classic. If it's good enough for our Marines, it's good enough for this city boy...

Will either of these do anything a 50 year old Marble's won't do?

My experience with Finnish knives and Cold Steel have both been favorable. While the Finnish knife seems pricey I also have to say that every hunter needs one damn good knife and that Ranger Puuko would seem to fill that need. Thanks Dave for looking these over for us.

To Bwana Hunter: I, too, used to think that a guard was an absolute necessity, but long ago changed my mind. The most famous guardless hunting knife is the Russell Canadian Belt Knife, and all but one of the Diamondblades are guardless.

Best no-guard story: During World War II, a gentleman named John Ek made a fighting knife (private purchase) with a distinctive handle he called the palm print. When he went to the War Production Board to get steel for his knives, the board said "Your design's no good; where's the guard?"

So Ek went out, reached under his car for a handful of grease, and with grease all over his hand, slammed his knife so hard into the hardwood floor that no one could pull it out. No more arguments about guards. Today, I believe that most fighting knives are made without guards, or have very small integral guards.

To Quiet Loner: To paraphrase William Munney, "Need's got nothin' to do with it."

Combined weight on your belt is around 6-8 oz.!!!

I'll stick with my Ka-Bar.
Nothing against Cold Steel, but it's like they're trying to re-invent the wheel...

Kraton is a better handle materiel than most anything I have found.
I received a custom "Robert Ball of Alaska" hunting knife as a gift last year, and of course, it is sensational, however the handle looks great but is very slippery when covered with blood.
Kraton is always very "grippy" I like that, especially when I'm working with a really sharp knife.
Leather handles are ok until they dry out hard as brick, same problem, slippery when wet.
AKX

I will keep my Buck 119 Special. never failed yet.

I bought a Gerber s30v after it made the best of best list a couple years ago, I laid it down on the table to gut a deer for a 15 dollar carbon forged mora-like J. Martinni blade, the thinness of the knife and the edge angle made it a better tool for the task. What kind of knife does Amos use for elk?

I still have a Buck 110 that I bought in high school,a long,long time ago,it still works just fine, a Ka-Bar from a surplus shop bought about the same time,it still works fine,and some fixed blade knives my great grandfather made-he was a blacksmith-in the time before acetytelyne/oxygen/propane tanks were used in forges, and a fixed blade that an old gentelman in N.C. made from a leaf spring. Other than that,the newest knife that actually holds an edge is a $10.00 Schrade X-Timer folder,with clip,black blade,a non-slip grip,and waht seems to be decent steel. Got a Gerber Gator machete-that seems to be of decent quality too,other than a meat cleaver-I don't see the need for all the expensive knives-I'd rather spend the $$$ on rifles,ammo,scopes-the important stuff,that has to be quality,and isn't available for low cost.

When I see Kabar I know right away it will be at least a good product. Maybe even great. Cold Steel honors Kabar with the Semper Fi copy. This Kabar will perform too. http://www.dealerease.net/catalog/printer-page.asp?cid=48842&pid=32096
And maybe start a arguement about what is best.
Ed Fox

Both knives I'm sure are tough, but the Ranger looks like it would better suit a hunter. It's definitely pricey though..

Combined weight on your belt is around 6-8 oz.!!!

If you want a fighting knife Either a K-Bar or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250903607806

What is the best angle for a good edge on a hunting knife?

My birthday is coming up and the ranger would be a nice present if anyone is wondering.

Dan_O

It depends on what type of edge the knife had in the first place, although I've found that for the most part as long as you can hold about a 15 degree angle while sharpening the blade,it gives you a very sharp edge.

as much as i hate to agree with someone from ohio (go blue!) i gotta agree with ohiodeerhunter. i think f/s focuses a little too much on pricier items, when really they should focus on value. not sure about the rest of the population, but i don't have $100+ for a knife, when i can get something that does the job well for around 20-30. i'll stick with my ka-bar.

These knives are nice but I still just can not bring myself to carrying an expensive knife into the back country. I find myself checking to see if I have lost it all the time. However the cold steel is nice and I have had pretty good luck with them in the past.
Timo
http://www.rockymountainsurvival.com