Chances are with fall approaching you're noticing some gaps in your equipment inventory list or some items that might best be relegated to the gear graveyard. If you're in need of new game dressing equipment for upcoming hunting seasons, I've had a chance to field test two new sets of knives that may be of interest.
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| SOG Huntspoint Boning Knife |
The first set includes two offerings: the SOG Huntspoint Skinning and Huntspoint Boning knives. A long-time supplier of knives for the U.S. Military, SOG designed these knives especially for big game hunters. And it shows. They are a pleasure to work with, efficient and comfortable in the hands.
Made with a 3.6-inch flat-ground, drop-point blade, the knives feature full-tang construction for strength and large finger choil for a secure grip when preparing game. The skinning blade has a deep belly for peeling back a deer or elk's hide. The boning knife is shallower for getting into hard to reach areas to make sure you get every bit of venison off an animal.
Both have razor-sharp edges that hold up extremely well. The knives come with two handle options-classic rosewood or glass-reinforced nylon with molded-rubber overlays for a sure grip in wet weather. The rosewood handle is exquisite, and the glass-reinforced nylon handle has bright yellow overlays making it easy to find if you lay it down in the leaves or grass.
The rosewood model has a S30V stainless steel blade, the nylon version uses satin-polished AUS-8 stainless steel. Huntspoint knives come with leather sheaths and a lanyard hole for easy carrying. Overall length is 8.2 inches, weight 3.7 ounces.
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| SOG Huntspoint Skinning Knife |
The second set is called the Micarta Harvest series, from the legendary Buck Knives company. This set of knives is both attractive to look at and utilitarian. It includes two knives, like the S.O.G. series, for skinning and boning, but also a third knife designed for field dressing waterfowl.
Micarta is used for the handles. This is an extremely rugged material, impervious to water, soils and solvent so it won't become slippery during rainy weather or when blood gets on it. I liked the dense feel of the Micarta handle during field dressing tests I did with the knives. The textured surface allowed a sure grip even during inclement weather.
The Harvest knives feature full tang construction for strength and use 420HC stainless steel for the blade. They were sharp out of the box and the edge held up well during tests on game, thanks to proprietary 2X Technology that ensures the blades stay sharp during many field dressing, boning or caping sessions. Buck Knives' cryogenic heat treatment process increases the steel's strength and brings the hardness level up to Re58-60.
Harvest knives weigh 2.4 to 3.7 ounces and measure 7 1/8 to 10 inches.
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