KnifeCenter FAQ #86: Hunting Knives for Self Defense?

Hello everyone, here comes David C. Andersen from KnifeCenter and welcome to KniFAQ number 86. It's the knife series where we answer all your questions, whether sharp or dull. And this week, we'll take a look at some fast

knives

, and also a little bit at the intersection between

hunting

and food preparation and tactical

knives

. Shall we get into it? Let's do it. (KniFAQ) So this is KniFAQ, where we go through the comments section below these videos and select some of the good ones to answer in future episodes. So that's what you have to do. If you would like a chance to have your question appear in the future.

Leave it in the comments section below. The first one today comes from kk 4545. Hi, DCA has a question for you and would appreciate your feedback. I am a butcher and meat cutter by profession, as well as an avid nature lover. Because of my line of work, I tend to use a five to six inch boning knife for many small tasks. So here is my question. Is there something similar in a smaller, easier to carry version of a boning knife that can be used for outdoor tasks and camp food prep and can be easily sharpened or maintained?

Absolutely. And you imagine that the knife that you would ask Thomas to take out of storage as an example, the boning knife is packaged like this, but we get the idea anyway. Also, I personally enjoy an upward slanted boning knife, I like one with a straight or upturned back. Anyway, it's not important to the answer here. Of course, we can get you something very similar with a sheath from their line of

hunting

knives, check that out right here. Well, we have a couple of options. Basically, you have the well, it's just called a hunter. And we have a classic stacked leather version if you prefer that type of style.

And a less expensive synthetic handle version, orange rubber right here, you definitely get more grip with something like that and less weight at the same time. There's something really nice about that classic stacked leather look and it's pretty comfortable too. But there you have it, you have a five or 5.2 inch blade in this orange synthetic version here. The long, narrow profile of the boning knife really makes sense as a hunting knife, as a boning pattern could work very well in that regard. So what you see here, made in the USA, which is fine, about $48. For this knife, you have a really sharp stainless steel, a pretty simple material that won't stay sharp forever.

But you asked about ease of maintenance and you certainly will have it here. Hollow ground with a more satin finish. Or you can opt for a closer to mirror polish with the fancier version of this knife. These are really solid and a very good option for exactly what you are ordering, you can definitely make a lot of food with this, you are surely familiar with how a leaf shape similar to this works. Sure, you can imagine that everything you could do with this might not be what you'd want to use to beat Firewood, not with this slim profile and hollow hone.

But pretty much any other camp task will do a pretty good job, it will be very convenient to carve, if necessary make some feather sticks, that sort of thing. Even if the hollow method wasn't my preferred method for that kind of thing, you'll be able to do pretty well with something like this. The sheath is pretty simple, as you would probably expect, just synthetic or nylon with a strap and retaining loop. The fancier version now comes with this really nice leather case. So choose what you prefer. You can probably get both if you want. You probably don't want to do that.

The larger knife, however, comes in less than the one that doesn't. That's not all either. Thomas, where is my account? $79 for this version right here, I ended up out of commission and it was my fault. This time it's not Thomas' fault. You're always out of order. Likely. So yes. I hope that helps. I think that's exactly what you should be looking for. Perhaps some of the filleting knives out there are the problem you're running into, although many of the skinning knives are flexible. But there are some more rigid ones. That can be pretty good. But I would stick with the case that it would be my first choice for something like this.

Next question, Von. Paul, what do you think of a fillet knife for

self

-

defense

? Hey, it's almost like I purposely followed that up by talking about filleting knives. If the timeline was long enough, maybe they would align. Thomas didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to say there, so it doesn't matter. Anyway. fillet knife for

self

defense

. I just talked about what the problem would be, as I see it, is that they do this. They are really flexible. The last thing you want is to show just ducking or breaking in a quote-unquote tactical situation. And many of them are probably too big for that kind of use.

Anyway, this here is the dollar. Silver Creek costs about $30. And it is not one of the largest fillet knives on the market. And it's still six and three-eighths of an inch long, pretty big. But when you asked this question, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a writer friend, who is also a police officer, a writer named Tim Stets, a really great guy. And at one point we had a conversation, talking about the idea of ​​a trout loading knife as a backup tactical knife. Because there can be quite an interesting overlap here, bird and trout style knives tend to come in two relatively distinct types, there are ones that are a little wider, but still short, but there are others that have a blade like this one, this .

Long, narrow blade profile, and you have this case, the little Hunter that's about $60 and demonstrates that blade style. This is where things get a little less complicated and dry. You know, if you're talking about this style of bird and trout knife as a self-defense knife, I wouldn't choose this one. Because you know, you have a three-finger grip, essentially on this knife, it's really cool. The blade profile can certainly be manipulated to great effect. But this particular one wouldn't be the one I would choose. However, let me show you one that I think leans perfectly intentionally, a bird and trout crossed with a tactical knife vibe.

And the nice thing about a bird and a trout too, especially in a camping situation, is that it's also like a paring knife. As I said at the beginning, we will talk about the intersection between camping, cooking and tactics. This is where the RMJ Sparrow is, I think it's a perfect example of that crossover. And the reason you have a blade shape like this, that's the reason I mentioned the paring knife blade, is that it's a blade style that doesn't go out of style, so to speak, it's always useful, because it is extremely useful. And you understand it here.

This knife here costs about 200 dollars. This is an orange and black G 10 version exclusive to KnifeCenter, it has a nitro V blade and it has that trout loading style, but you have that nice little blade that is thin, agile and very effective when handled correctly. Three and a half fingers for me, it's still a smaller grip on this particular knife, but it has a lot more grip than the stacked leather on this case I was talking about a moment ago, you have a lot of ridges there for added traction and a little bit of a shape that does a little more to keep it locked in your hand.

This thing can be handled very precisely and efficiently if you know what you are doing. I don't intend for it to do so in that tactical aspect. But it is a very well built knife with a very versatile shape. I mean, can you think of any small task with a knife that it can't perform? I do not think. And for that reason, it gets my approval here. The case makes it very easy to transport. You have Kydex with two straps configured for horizontal carry. Aftermarket accessories will work with this belt, or this holster too if you want other options, just super well put together and decently priced. what you are getting.

Alright, next question and we're building a topic here. N Valley says DCA. I do a lot of small game hunting and fishing with my dad on the weekends. But I work in an environment where any type of knife produces no reaction. No. That being said, I love EDCs, fixed blades, and small fish and game, bird, and trout knives. I've been enjoying Kershaw's new Deschutes prank, I was thinking about moving on to something a little fancier. Anything I can think of in the 90 to 175 range that fills both roles and can be worn low profile and isn't totally scaring people in public.

Sure thing. Yes, we have to avoid that reaction of who knows. So here's that really nice little knife from the Deschutes prank and it might actually work for that kind of self-defense that we talked about a minute ago. It certainly has that nice, narrow profile, though, a little less protective for the fingers, so although it's a prank that's not too far off from some bird and trout style stuff. But here are a couple more options. Actually, I'll start with one that I showed a couple of weeks ago, from Larry Fisher's Crk Tea, Game and Fish, which is a knife that has its price.

Materials-wise, it doesn't stand out, but in terms of fit, finish, hardware, and details, it really stands apart from anything else in this $85 price range it's in. And this has a little more of that. A shorter, wider type of bird and trout style knife rather than the long, narrow, skinny style. What a good knife. Check out the details, we have orange and black G 10, three mosaic pins, red liners, a tapered tang, and an $85 production knife. Hi, that's a great detail that you usually won't find until you go significantly higher up the price range. And then we jump in and do a nice file job on the tenderloin.

It looks really attractive, feels very comfortable in the hand and the G 10 inflates quite well. The case is made of leather prepared for horizontal transport. So, as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty low profile. Well, he'll give you that, oh don't look, if any knife catches you. Oh, don't look, this will still give you that. Oh, don't look, but at least this has some ornamental qualities. It is definitely the furthest thing from tactics. Perhaps a starter would be even further away. But do you know what I mean? This is nothing tactical. Certainly a very nice and elegant knife, with a three-inch 8CR series steel blade, but again, most of the money here goes to incredible details, you are not getting a super steel, along with all that at this price.

A really sweet knife. Another option is to increase the price a little and also a little better steel. Boker. And this isn't anywhere near the top end of its price range either. The Brook is the name of this knife or Boker and it also costs $120. And this is also about as far from the tactical aspect as possible, you actually have a trout inspired handle with the pin pattern that is present throughout that G 10 Thick red liners, yellow G 10 Other yellows, some blacks in there, like a brook trout after all. And again, this one has a very nice feel in the hand, just like the CRKT we just looked at without a tapered tang, but here you also get an upgrade to the VG 10 steel like a highly reflective finish.

Very, very elegant, very utilitarian, both sheets will be great everyday wear shapes. 2.8 inches on the blade here, high flat grind, it's a full flat grind on the CRKT that we just saw really good. Maybe this one, there are a few different versions of this one, maybe I chose the brightest one because I found it more whimsical. But that would make it a little more visible. There are other versions of this that are more muted, that still have a whimsical pin pattern. Maybe these will fly under the radar a little longer. But yeah, any knife will still give you that, oh no, in some ways, but this one at least will be difficult, difficult for them to defend if they look a little closer.

Ella Kydex comes with a simple J-style clip on the back. But her aftermarket tech locks work with this holster for more options and the ulti clip would work great for carrying inside the waistband or in a pocket. Great, great option for you. Alright, next question comes from Eric Lundqvist. What do you think is the fastest deploying non-automatic knife? I recently purchased a Spyderco Ikuchi. And I love the way it stands out with an exclamation point. It made me think what's my quick knife? And also what do you think is the fastest knife? And what factors make a car not fast?

Interesting question. So here's Ikuchi's really cool knife. We haven't seen this in a while. And I like the rounded fin here on the back instead of a protruding tab, it still works great since you jump pretty fast. It doesn't seem like the fastest deploying knife I've found. But I encounter a lot more knives than most people in this job. Very cool. Oh, let's get into this a little bit.What are the things that make a knife fast? We certainly have assisted openers like this unique Kershaw Leek with an S35VN blade. A spring assist definitely makes the knife open faster.

What doesn't matter? I guess that's my next question. Everything today is really fast. Whether it is a conventional flipper, an AXIS Lock or similar. Even a Lockback that is a little slower is still pretty fast. Does this distinction matter? I'm not sure. But I'm going to go a little deeper into it. I think you're asking what I'm sorry, what factors make a non-automatic fast? I'm going to go ahead and say the real thing. The opening mechanism is the least part of what makes a knife fast because there are so many other things that go into it.

And I think the amount of time it takes to get a knife to a cutting position from the pocket influences what makes a knife fast. This might be beyond the scope of your initial question, but I want to talk about it anyway, there are certain factors, certain design factors, like a tip-down pocket clip, that could make a knife faster . I mean, certainly the bolts on this CRKT CEO are configured in such a way that they have the right angle with just the right tension on the retainer. These factors are important for the blade to open quickly.

But something else makes this knife tilt down quickly with a pocket clip. When you get out of your pocket, your hand has less movement to grab it. Look how funny I messed up the opening right there. But there is less adjustment, when you take it out of your pocket to get to an open position, then there would be a pocket clip tipped up like on this Badlands Vega mon from Civivi, you take it out and you have to flip the knife. Twist and adjust and reset your grip instead of just pulling and resetting your grip, you're eliminating that twisting motion.

Once you get there, the thumb or flip buttons are just as quick. What about going back to the pocket? That's where something like a crossbar lock has a definite advantage over that assist, although the assist probably opens faster outdoors, you have to push against the spring to close it. While the AXIS Lock looks closed and back in the pocket. And even on something like a lock, which as mentioned, is still fast enough for academic use or everyday use. So the difference is academic. Those are some interesting academics. I'm rambling a bit here, my thoughts are a bit scattered.

But let me bring back certain features of that lock, which is a slower locking mechanism on paper, or something like that Emerson greeting. And at that point we're filling in the hole or adding the whole part of the equation, take it out of your pocket, put that zipper on the hem and twist it open. And it is already open, you don't have to do another opening method. So that's pretty fast too. And in fact, if we're talking about the fastest deployment, that might take the cake when it comes to folders. But all of this, at least as far as I'm concerned, is a distinction with very little difference because everything here is fast enough to get to you and cut through what you need on a day-to-day basis without slowing you down.

Really, it's kind of a distinction. I think that comes into play more when we're talking about a tactical or self-defense use scenario, which is fun to think about. But it's also fun or good to make sure we have a good dose of reality in our questions or thought process. Well, that helps. Which brings us to our lightning round today. John Hurley says that I personally believe that self-defense knives are largely an illusion. Very possibly. Most likely so. But it's one of those fun things to think about. In my many years of carrying knives. I have never used a knife or self defense.

But I've cut a lot of things. I've gotten closer, I really care about sharing with the audience. The people calmed down. Okay, this was a former bartender like we said, yeah. Alright, next lightning question comes from xometry Bella Novedge. I am considering the mistake because of the light and thin design of it, M390 vs S90 v, I look for the best edge retention while opening packages daily. And for me, 440 goes down in about two to three weeks tops. Or maybe I should upgrade to the S 30 V? Well, first I would say if you get two to three weeks of consistent daily use with a 440 blade.

It's not bad at all, it's actually pretty good. What it tells me You know how to sharpen, which is almost more important than steel selection. S 30 v would be a really easy recommendation to upgrade, you'll definitely get a boost there. When you talk about the other two, Steel is the premium options to add to the S90 v and carbon fiber. And I think 250 for M390 and aluminum in this error. Both will also be several steps above the S30 v. You might be frustrated sharpening them compared to what you do on your 440, I don't know. But between the two hands, if I had to push, the S90V probably has a bit of an edge over the 390 on the edge retention front.

You may not notice much difference because it's not as big of an increase as it is from 440 to S30 v in any case, really choose the handle that looks most attractive to you in this case, that will be more satisfying day to day. that if you choose the quote in quotes, better steel or not. But you can't go wrong with any of the Steel either, they will do a great job for you. Now Mike asks: If you had $100 to spend on a folder and you preferred a knife made in America, what knife would you recommend? Going back and forth a bit, I feel like a Kershaw link and 20hp steel blade, $93, thick enough handle and enough hand filler that I can use it for heavier work, but it's not as thick as I'd say. most people would do.

You know, you feel uncomfortable carrying it day to day. It has an opening assist, has 20 HP for excellent edge retention, and a great slicing blade shape for everyday use. Really cool knife, that would be my pick, but only because they stopped making bare knuckles. I like that knife even more, although steel is not, in quotes, a soft knife like the good radicals. I'm sad. I'm sad, he's gone. Which brings us to our last, most serious question of the day, which comes from the skinny man. Are you the policeman from Stranger Things? Yes. That was at the end of the third season.

Right here. And now it's time to have a coffee and contemplate. And we're going that way, because that's the end of today's FAQ. Let me know what you thought of the answers in the comments. Go ahead and take me to the task. I don't mind. And if you have any questions, leave them there too and maybe they'll pick them for a future episode. If you want to get your hands on these knives. You can find them at KnifeCenter via the links in the description below. And don't forget about our knife rewards program either. Because if you buy one of these knives today, you might also earn some free money to spend on your next one.

I'm David C. Andersen from KnifeCenter and that's Thomas behind the camera. See you next time. That's not what I usually say. Oh, but that's what we're going to close with. Oh, okay, okay, I guess.