Need to replace a lost knife: any experience of Puma?

[Pine Marten]

Hello everyone.

Last time I went stalking, I found my CWD eventually, only to realise later on that I had lost my knife in the process. I had managed to hold on to that Buck Ranger for 23 years, and it ended its' career in a pile of gralloch in a Bedfordshire field. Ah well, it's the way it would have wanted to go. So I now find myself in the market for a fixed-blade stalking knife. I do have a couple that can serve in the interim, so I can take my time around the research. A quick initial scan of the Interweb has yielded the Puma Waidmann as a contender: Jagdmesser 113580 PUMA waidmann, 248.00 EUR

That said, I have no experience of Puma knives, I just know them by name. Can anyone vouch for them, or the opposite as the case may be?

I'm also going to look into custom knives, particularly in France, just to be different. I have a pretty clear idea of what I want, it's more a question of finding it at the right price. And I know that a pretty knife will work no better than a £10 one with an orange plastic handle, or indeed an Opinel No6, but you've seen my rifles and you know the sort of thing I like...

Thanks for your help!

 

[Woodsmoke]

Sorry, but I can't keep quiet. Why on earth would anyone spend 248 Euros on a knife?

 

[Pine Marten]

I'm not primarily interested in spending €284. It's just a starting point for discussion. Although a possible answer might be that if I'd spent that amount of money on a knife, I'd be careful not to leave it in a pile of guts. Every since I've had an expensive umbrella, I've avoided forgetting it on the Tube or on buses after all.

 

[Woodsmoke]

If I was looking for a good kitchen knife I'd spend that amount, but not for a stalking knife. I use a Walther Anniversary edition knife I picked up in the States for the princely sum of $25. I'm pretty sure there was a '1' missing from the price, but I wouldn't have bought it at over £100!!

 

[bewsher500]

puma make good knives
equal if not better than buck IMO

had one a while ago but now use a combination of a Buck fixed, a Mora and a plain jane Opinel!

 

[joelewis055]

If it helps, my father in-law (I think you have actually met him), gave me a puma knife (Bowie) to cut our wedding cake. Had it engraved with my wife's initials. I love the it!! It keeps its edge well and with a bit of work I can get it super sharp.

 

[Monkey Spanker]

After much pondering and some good feedback on here, I have just ordered a Fallkniven TK2 to live on my belt:
http://www.heinnie.com/fallkniven-knives-tk2
There will still be a handful of orange stainless Mora's in the vehicle for general gralloching, but I thought something nice on my belt was required!
MS

 

[User00003]

I was given a puma folding knife when I was just 12 by my father, it continues to be my main stalking knife to this day and performs admirably. One thing is that it doesn't get razor sharp, but on the flipside it doesn't go blunt that quick either.

that said, I'm saving up for a custom knife like one of these - ...:::SRJ:::...

 

[Kalahari]

Puma are excellent. I have had a whitehunter for the last 47 years, but don't use it much now as it is too big and heavy.

I would go for a Mora at about a tenner. Sharpens well, keeps an edge as well as many and you won't worry too much if you lose it.

David.

 

[David T]

Bought a Puma folder when I was 18 and still use it now many, many, many...............many years later.

 

[Pine Marten]

puma make good knives
equal if not better than buck IMO

Nugget on here told me the other day that if I bought an new Buck, it wouldn't be as good as the old one that I left in the mud'n'guts. I don't know if there's any truth in that beyond the fact that NOTHING is as good as it used to be in the old days...

 

[Pine Marten]

If it helps, my father in-law (I think you have actually met him), gave me a puma knife (Bowie) to cut our wedding cake.

Yes, I met him at Malc's just after you'd had your baby I think. Big chap, carries a rubber-armoured iPad full of hunting pictures, does a good impression of the sound a charging American elk makes...

 

[Pine Marten]

OK, so as a starting point, no-one has a bad word to say about Puma knives. At least I now have a perfectly good, viable first option.

 

[Southern]

Puma has some very reasonably priced hunting knives. The USA store.
Category Grid


Boker, which makes really nice pocketknives of carbon steel, has a division in Argentina which makes kitchen cutlery and hunting knives, Boker Arbolito. They are a lot like Puma, with the stag handles.
Boker Arbolito Knives | Made in South America | Knife Depot

You can see a lot of factory and handmade knives at A.G. Russell.
A. G. Russell: Your Source for Knives and Knife Accessories

I gave a Kellum Wolverine to one of my hunting pals ( since were boys ), and he loves it.
Fixed Blade Knives : Kellam Knives Worldwide, Inc. - Finnish Puukko Knives and Products


There are a lot of nice looking knives on the SD site, made to order by local craftsmen, really top-notch work.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Get back to that Bedfordshire field ASAP!

K

 

[Pine Marten]

Get back to that Bedfordshire field ASAP!

K

Malc already kindly went back to have a look but couldn't find it. It doesn't surprise me that he can't find a small, dirty knife with a black handle in the mud where we couldn't find an entire bloody great deer.

 

[Klenchblaize]

 

[geoshot]

Aye, as KB says go back and find your lost knife - wonder if a fox made ofF with it?
How about a Helle GT? HELLE GT BIG KNIFE: Amazon.co.uk: Sports Outdoors

 

[Pine Marten]

Aye, as KB says go back and find your lost knife - wonder if a fox made ofF with it?
How about a Helle GT? HELLE GT BIG KNIFE: Amazon.co.uk: Sports Outdoors

That looks quite nice. I think that this is one of those purchases where you really need to actually see and feel the item to make a decision. The only problem being that there aren't that many shops round London with a large range of stalking knives. I'm going to have to watch out for hunting shops when I'm on work or other trips in an opportunistic way. I'm going to look at handmade knives too. I'm not in a hurry, I can take my time to make the right choice.

 

[MARCBO]

Only own one Puma, a Knicker, has a soft blade and does not stay sharp long. On the good side, one of my friends decided to do some knife throwing when I wasn't around (he was drinking beer with some others at the time and decided the Puma looked right for the chore. He apparently only threw it a couple of times but at some point the tip developed a near right-angle to it. Since the blade was soft I was able to pound it back out straight. Never thought to buy anohter since.

I have also noticed over the years few German hunters carry them, wonder why that is...

SS