Folding knife advice please

Tuck

Well-Known Member
Hello all I'm After a folding lock knife for gralloch etc, budget around £50 any ideas you fellas, any input would be good.
 
I'm not a big fan of folders for gralloching, but the EKA Swingblade is popular. Clearly it needs a sheath so isn't quite a full folder in the classic sense. Personally I found the gutting blade unnecessary.

Looking at Heinnie Haynes website, EKA offer the Swede 8 for 25.95 or the Swede 10 for 36.95 which have similar main blade designs.

The Cold Steel Finnwolf is also within your budget.

Or you can go for something more old-skool like a Buck or Schrade.
 
Hello all I'm After a folding lock knife for gralloch etc, budget around £50 any ideas you fellas, any input would be good.

Im a big fan of the Ontario RAT folder, theres 2 sizes (large and small!), though I use a fixed blade primarily. Strong, easy to clean and holds a great edge, good price too (less than £40 if you shop around)
 
I have a Martiini folder and it is a good size, strong blade good for gralloch and skinning. Can shave with it. And a realistic price. Try Moonraker Knives.
 
Yeh........ DON'T. Best advice I ever had was folding knives, even if lockable, are not the best for gralloching, unless they have a high 'lump' to stop your fingers sliding onto the blade when your hands are cold and wet with blood. Same goes for many fixed blade ones too. I see some very nice knives advertised for the job but I wouldn't use them! I value my skin too highly, however some stalkers use them and good luck to them. Just not for me. Cheers Jerry
 
Thank you very much to everyone who has replied, I have ordered a eka swede 10 for £33 with free shipping, went for the orange handle as suggested by Mr Farticus, the cold steel looks a nice knife as does the the RAT, but I do have a fixed blade Helle, so just wanted something to chuck in my coat pocket. I'll let you know what I think when it arrives.
 
I personally don't think EKA blades have very good edge retention. Its a pity because the ergonomics are good and the rubberised handle is one of the best and grippiest and most secure. That said, if you must use a folder for gralloching I'd always go with a liner lock over a back lock because they are so much easier to clean. And with that in kind I'd avoid knives with pocket clips, or at least pick one where the clip can be removed because they get in the way and trap gunk and hair.
I've got an EKA swingblade and I don't like the blade shape either. Its too deep bellied. A drop point is best.
They are well made for the money though. I just wish mine could keep an edge. I only use the swingblade now as a larder skinning knife.
 
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Im a big fan of the Ontario RAT folder, theres 2 sizes (large and small!), though I use a fixed blade primarily. Strong, easy to clean and holds a great edge, good price too (less than £40 if you shop around)

How "non slip/grippy" is the handle on the ESEE rat? I really like the orange handle one.
 
How "non slip/grippy" is the handle on the ESEE rat? I really like the orange handle one.

its a nylon type rather than rubber but I find it very easy in the hand, helped by the finger cut out and a nice ridge for the thumb. its fairly slim, easy to clean and you can remove the belt clip if you need to. I don't use folders as a main knife for gralloch but as a backup and everyday its brilliant imo.
 
I have a Martiini folder and it is a good size, strong blade good for gralloch and skinning. Can shave with it. And a realistic price. Try Moonraker Knives.
+1 Martiini good steel very sharp. Tony at Moonraker is a top bloke, what he dosent know aint worth knowing.
Tusker
 
its a nylon type rather than rubber but I find it very easy in the hand, helped by the finger cut out and a nice ridge for the thumb. its fairly slim, easy to clean and you can remove the belt clip if you need to. I don't use folders as a main knife for gralloch but as a backup and everyday its brilliant imo.

Ta, the only other thing that caught my eye was how high up the knife sits on a belt, all the other "shieth" knifes I've had had the top or the handle about, or slightly above, my belt, the ESEE 3 seems to have the bottom of the handle, where the blade starts, level with the top of the belt, do you find the ok?
 
Ta, the only other thing that caught my eye was how high up the knife sits on a belt, all the other "shieth" knifes I've had had the top or the handle about, or slightly above, my belt, the ESEE 3 seems to have the bottom of the handle, where the blade starts, level with the top of the belt, do you find the ok?

my mistake, Im only talking about the RAT folder, not the sheathed versions! though I'd have no worries about getting one if I didn't use a Mora
 
Folding knives are somewhat frowned upon for several reasons. To be safe, they need to be a lock knife. Some lock knives come under the 'gravity knife' category which is very illegal.
Aside from the legalities, there are also meat hygiene concerns with folding knives as they are very difficult to keep clean. Fixed blade is the better option. I carry several Mora clipper orange stainless knives in my vehicle all razor sharp and clean. At about £10 each and dishwasher safe, they are unbeatable value, clean and hold a very good edge.
MS
 
I have several folders, as long as they are of the open back type, there is no difficulty with cleaning, and are dish washer safe, my daily carry is a bench made hunter, I dress out about 15 oranges a day with it.
 
i Always use fixed blade mora boker linder are all good steel witch is what you need to put and keep a good edge on a knife I wouldn't put any of my knives in a dishwasher good way to ruin the edge .and when choosing a. Knife I wouldn't worry about having to have a plastic handle as it has been proven that wood is cleaner than plastic as it doesn't suffer from the hair line scratches that plastic dose .i remember the E H O trying to ban wooden blocks in butchers as they thought wood was un hygienic when they did alot off testing they found it to be the nylon blocks that carried a massive amount of bacteria in the small cuts ,where the wooden blocks had almost no bacteria on them at all .so don't let people tell that wood is not hygienic its if not more hygienic Than nylons or plastics if cleaned in the proper way
 
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I normally use a fixed blade with a good grip and thumb guard, but have completely dressed and butchered several deer with my Benchmade Griptillian. It has deep cheekering and places for your thumb. D2 steel can be honed razor sharp and it holds an edge a long time. You can get it with an orange plastic handle, so it is harder to lose than the olive drab one. Also comes in a good stainless steel, too.
 
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