I am getting into the Taxidermy Hobby and am wondering what u would all recomend for good, durable, reliable skinning knife?
Thanks ALL!
Matt
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But I use my hunting knife and a scapel. Plain and simple.
Jim Allred has an awesome skinning knife. I had to buy extras because my wife like them. They are VERY EASY to sharpen when needed also. They keep a great edge. I think he only selld them for $5 each, not sure but check them out at www.jimallred.com
I think you will like them. I love them. Good Luck. Dan Hudzik
that come in the kits are hard to beat. They come with 3 handles and a large assortment of blades. I resharpen them on paper wheels but you could just change them out. Not expensive either.
And the blades are as cheap as Exacto when you buy them in bulk. I use a hunting knife to field dress, but when it comes to caping, the advantage of ALWAYS having a razor sharp blade without having to stop and find a sharpening stone can't be beat. I use a scapel on even lifesize and they are great at severing the spine/skull joint as well. Besides, hand sharpening a knife is an artform I'd just as soon save for my hunting knife.
George has skinned a few more critters than I have, but I use three knives in my shop - scalpel, beaver knife, and one that Sallie Dahmes sells and uses in her A-Z video. (Can't recall the name of it). The scalpel does the face work, splitting, ears. Sallie's knife works great to get into the tight area around burrs. And the beaver knife is great for the big area like skinning the body, etc. The beaver knife, the only name I know it by, has a rounded end rather than a point. The edge goes around the round end and I first used one skinning beavers I'd trapped.
Check out the Hantover.com site. They carry a large cuttlery selection. I have been using the Forschner Little Vic paring knives for years. They are inexpensive, easy to keep sharp and last forever.
I have always had luck with about three knives. A real sharp skinning knife, a scapel, and one that you use to cut around the feet, etc. Use the sharp skinner to do the body, the scapel to do the skinning on the head and other fine detailed skinning, and use the other to cut around the feet, etc. so you don't dull your other ones.