# Good skinning knife



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I am looking for a good knife to use ONLY for skinning coyotes and fox. I found that the knife I am currently using isn't the best for skinning. If you have any suggestions on a good sharp, accurate knife (not too big) let me know. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg either. I will be in Bismarck this weekend so want to do some shopping in that area. Thanks in advance.


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## sierra03 (Jan 27, 2005)

Fallguy, what do you do with your skins, are you tanning them or just freezing them. If you are tanning i would love to get some advice.


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## Cleankill47 (Jan 19, 2006)

I'm not sure where Bismarck is, but the best knife you'll ever find is made by Cold Steel. (www.coldsteel.com) The knife you're looking for is the Pendleton Mini Hunter. The blade is 3" long, the handle is 3 1/2", and it's 1/8" thick. I own 5 knives from this company, and they are worth every cent. The Mini hunter's MSRP is $44, but you'll probably be able to find it for $35-$40. The knives don't look like much, but the company focuses on the edge and it is simply amazing how long they'll hold a sharp edge. The company has a line of stockman blades as well, if my recommendation doesn't suit you.

Good luck.


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## yooperyotebuster (Dec 13, 2005)

I like the 4" Rapala filet knife. It's easy for me to work with and stays sharp. It is also very easy to sharpen. You can get them for about 10 bucks. Have skinned everything from bluegills to grizlies. Not kidding either!


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Wigglesworth

This is the first one I am ever going to try tanning by myself. I will let you know how it goes. I have the coyote frozen right now (skinned) but I won't be working on the tan until late spring/summer when I have more time. I am also going to try European mounting the skull by myself.


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## Waterspaniel (Oct 10, 2005)

You might consider a scalpel, with replaceable blades. Taxidermy supply companies carry em. Thet are slick. Cheap, ultra sharp, and easy to use in tight spots.

For that european mount- check out "taxidermy net forums" for some good info.


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## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

get you a CASE trapper, the full size version. They are awesome. They have two blades one is pointed and the other is rounded. The rounded blade is excellant for skinning. They stay shard and when dull they are easy to sharpen...


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

killadoe

About how much is this knife you speak of?


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## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Depending on where you buy it from really. I just bought one off ebay awhile back for about 30 dollars. Every where else I seen had the same knife for about 40-50 dollars. My Dad has aHen and rooster that is the same style and it wa made in Germany it cost about 80-100 dollars. But I have the case trapper and I love this knife. I skin squirrels hogs deer, everything with it. Go to shepherd hills cutlery on the internet and you can find any kind of case knofe you want. Look at the trappers I have the navy blue one. Great knife...


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

The case Trapper can be bought from BassPro shop and Cabelas for $45. Probable find them on sale somewhere on the net. Pretty good tackle box knives but like all stainless steel blades they don't hold a edge at all. In my opinion if going with a stainless blade knife Kershaw makes a far superior knife using 1040 stainless which is superior to the Case knives. However I much prefer a knife made of carbon steel for it's edge holding ability. True they can rust if not take care of but that's isn't any problem for me. I have a Benchmade Outbopunder I paid $80 for and it is one of the best investments for a hunting knife I made. With the drop point blade I can skin anything with it and complete the job without having to stop and touch up the blade.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

There is only one knife in the world worth owning.



















Get the message?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I ended up purchasing a knife tonight. I was suggested it by a member via PM. It is a Cub Bear caping knife made by Alaska Knives. It is a nice little tool and I hope it gives me great service for the rest of my life. I'll have to get out and harvest another predator to try it out. 8)


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## price403 (Jan 3, 2006)

Fallguy,
The easiest way I know to do a European mount is to take the skull flesh and all and bury it in your compost pile or in a pile of wet leaves about 3 feet high. The little creepy crawlies can live in there in the winter and in about 6-7 weeks you have a completely clean skull without having to do a lot of boiling, scraping and bleaching. I do coyotes, fox and deer that way. Just be careful when you pick it up that you don't lose any teeth...


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Cleankill47
I picked up a DVD from Sportsmans Warehouse on the Cold Steel knives; the video makes those knives look pretty impressive.

Fallguy
I haven't tanned yet, but looking into it, it sounds like they are much easier to work with if you can get after them right away. Also, if I have understood right, if you do freeze them. Salt the hide down heavily with un-iodized salt before freezing. Tjis will help prevent hair loss.
As far as the Euro-mount goes, I have done a few bucks. Those are much more pleasant to do when they are fresh. I helped a co-workers boyfriend out and offered to do 2 of his 6 months after season ended, NEVER again !!! I'm a boiler, just de flesh it. Boil it 20 min. to 1/2 hour, pull it out and pick away at it and try shaking the brains out the back. I usually boil mine 3 to 4 times before it is clean. Be very careful around the nostrils so you don't damage the cartilage if you're wanting it to look perfect. I have over boiled them where the skull starts to separate through the natural cracks in the skull that are there for the skulls growth. I let it dry a few days and then have crazy glued them with success. After boiling the teeth will be loose, just becareful around them and whe it is dry they should retighten, if not, give them a drop of crazy glue also. When it is as clean as you want, I soak it in the hydrogen peroxide that is over the counter at the grocery store for 2 weeks. It should be very white at this point. The peroxide I strain through cheese cloth and save it in the bottles I purchased it in for the next time. Not sure how long it is good for but like I said, I have done quite a few. I've also done a buffalo skull, but that whole nother long story......

Good Luck,


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

MossyMO

I have the coyote skin and skull in a freezer right now. I am going to work on them when I have more free time. Hopefully the fur doesn't get screwed up. I have heard that you are NOT supposed to salt before freezing and that is worse than just freezing the hide for later. I think that is because salt keeps the hide from freezing solid and so it spoils.


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Fallguy
I could be mistaken, but last night I went to a seminar on Hide Preperation & Tanning and I swear they said to salt it before freezing... I'll do a little research.


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Fallguy
I went to several sites. It looks like you are correct.



> Salt your hides for hair-on tanning only after you have removed the thick meat and fat. If you cannot do this, then freeze the hides and keep them cold.


One site said salting the hide before freezing would loosen the fur. Thanks for correcting me, you may have saved my first tanning project?


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## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Gohon said:


> The case Trapper can be bought from BassPro shop and Cabelas for $45. Probable find them on sale somewhere on the net. Pretty good tackle box knives but like all stainless steel blades they don't hold a edge at all. In my opinion if going with a stainless blade knife Kershaw makes a far superior knife using 1040 stainless which is superior to the Case knives. However I much prefer a knife made of carbon steel for it's edge holding ability. True they can rust if not take care of but that's isn't any problem for me. I have a Benchmade Outbopunder I paid $80 for and it is one of the best investments for a hunting knife I made. With the drop point blade I can skin anything with it and complete the job without having to stop and touch up the blade.


Actually you can get the trapper knife in carbon, camillus makes one. Also if you want ot spend some more get hen and rooster.....


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

> Actually you can get the trapper knife in carbon, camillus makes one. Also if you want ot spend some more get hen and rooster


The Trapper is made by Case. Camillus knives are made by Camillus, they don't make the Trapper. The original Hen and Rooster company was devolved about 20-25 years ago and their knives of today which are made by another company are very low quality compared to the original knives made in Bertram Germany. And, no they do not make the Trapper knife either so actually you cannot get the Trapper knife with a carbon steel blade. Nothing wrong with the Trapper for a all around handy pocket knife but I personally prefer knives that are not using stainless steel unless it is of a very high quality SS that is treated for the ability to hold a very good edge. The Trapper doesn't meet that criteria. Never owned or used one but the Alaska knives have a good reputation so it sounds like the OP made a good choice.


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## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

They dont call it the trapper, they have a different name for it, but it is the same design and size. The hen and rooster knives are still being made today and they are made the same place PUMA knives are made in soligen Germany. i understand CASE makes the trapper but Ididnt know what camillus and hen and rooster called them. Look up camillus knives and they will have aknofe that looks just like the trapper with a carbon blade. the hen and rooster dont have a carbon blade it has a dark stainless blade which is a very good knife by the way.


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## Jaybic (Sep 8, 2005)

Hey fallguy, excellent knife choice. I have a cub bear and its a stellar skinning knife. I first heard of it on the COYOTEGODS.COM website. It is really high-grade steel and the little finger notch on top of the blade is perfect. On that website they have page totally dedicated to good knives.

Oh and by the way, If any of you have not been on that site you need to go there. That is the funniest if not one of the most knowledgeable websites on coyote hunting I have ever read. I laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair, especially when John-henry is talking about cover scents. There is a great deal to learn on that site and I would suggest it to anyone. Has anybody seen the coyotegods video about hunting with coyote dogs? I want to buy it but not unless its good. Anyone?

Jaybic


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Killadoe, I did look them up before I posted. The Camillus is actually listed as the Trapper model 717Y which is lumped in with a group called Camillus Yello-Jaket Pocket Knives. They go on to describe the knives as "Stainless blades, yellow Delrin scales, nickel silver bolsters and shield". No carbon blades listed. Since they are selling for $19.95 you can draw your own conclusions as to whether they are even as good as the Case Trapper at $45. Yes the Hen and Rooster is still manufactured in Soligen Germany as I pointed out in my last post. But they are not owned and manufactured by the same company (Bertram) that build a quality reputation. The quality is no longer there. If you ever run into a Hen and Rooster made by Bertram you better snatch it up if you can afford it...... they are getting hard to find. It's all moot anyway as the OP bought a good knife that I'm sure he will enjoy for years to come.


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## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Yeah he got a good knife and thanks for clearing that up for me.....


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