Best budget knives for gralloching a deer?
- Thread starter gregggieee
- Start date
Ryan Malcolm
Well-Known Member
Mora best cheap knife wouldn’t bother looking anywhere els
for Mora.Victorinox are superb, only let down by the lack of a sheath.
gregggieee
Well-Known Member
thanks I’ll have a look into them
I’ll have a look into getting one of these, what do you use to sharpen your knives?Standard stainless mora is good for the money.
Now have one of these on my bino pack as a backup, Ali express special (copy of an Esee) very good quality little knife for the money, good steel, even got the approval of Guy Stainthorp last time he was down stalking with me so can’t be bad!
View attachment 380760
£23 plus VAT, very capable little knife
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DC53 Steel Tactical Survival Knives Utility Rescue Self Defense Fixed Blade Knife Outdoor - AliExpress 1420
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The victorionox looks a good knife I’ll get one of them, thank you
What is a tripe blade?
Yeah the EKA’s look a good knife, do they start sharp for longer than the Mora?
Yeah definely the knives I use at the moment are pretty dull from exactly that! What’s the best way to sharpen, using a steel?
The foldable ones?
The Eickers look good
Koenig
Well-Known Member
Yes, that was irritating. It’s not like it would cost much to provide a Mora type plastic sheath with it.
Watch any New Zealand "home kill" video on YouTube and you will see what they use and the frequency they steel a knife.
I have always maintained the knife does much more work than the round.
I rarely take the legs off big deer until home as you loose any grip you might need to move one over/around, and swing them onto the tale gate for the head that way it is a nice height and with the head hanging over the end then gravity is working for you.
I have cut enough timber off the side of a tailgate to work that one out...
jthyttin
Well-Known Member
This reply is not directly to the quote above, just wanted a starting point...
Most Mora are "stamped", they hold edge well and especially carbon steel is easy to sharpen. But they're brittle. I haven't found it problematic with deer, but birds or hare bone can break small pieces off the edge. Basic models like 511 have 2mm thick blade, Companion has 2.5mm and some HD models have 3.2mm. 2mm is fine for just cutting (prying etc. a different thing).
But if you want a knife you can "touch up" I recommend going with boning knife that has considerably steeper and narrower bevel. If you use Mora, I suggest buying several that share the same holster design, modifying one holster for belt carry (webbing loop instead of rigid belt attachment) and just replacing when they get dull or damaged. When you have few dull blades, sharpen them in a batch.
I DMT diamond sharpening stones and strip on a leather belt, I did reproduce the edge on that knife when I bought it, it’s done several deer now including heads and legs and has only had a touch up with a 1200 grit once or twice and a strop on a leather belt each time and has kept it edge.
A tripe blade is a knife, often with a concave edge with a blunt end, allows you to open up the abdomen without fear of snagging the rumen. They are handy on really bloated deer fat have sat there u tip the end of a high seat session but in reality if you have a good sharp knife you can protect the point with your finger tip and run that up, achieves the same thing.
Not many kitchen and food premises use sheaths which is the market they are squarely aimed at!
SadlyStandard stainless mora is good for the money.
Now have one of these on my bino pack as a backup, Ali express special (copy of an Esee) very good quality little knife for the money, good steel, even got the approval of Guy Stainthorp last time he was down stalking with me so can’t be bad!
View attachment 380760
£23 plus VAT, very capable little knife
Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! ￡45.27 | DC53 Steel Tactical Survival Knives Utility Rescue Self Defense Fixed Blade Knife Outdoor
DC53 Steel Tactical Survival Knives Utility Rescue Self Defense Fixed Blade Knife Outdoor - AliExpress 1420
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
I started with Mora Companion with orange handle (lost and found on my very first proper stalk because it was orange handled) but went with an EKA G4 when they first came out rather than carrying a second gut/tripe knife and now they are my go-to for 90-odd % of deer. I do also have an EKA filleting swingblade re-handled by Alan of Danum blades which I used exclusively on reds. I still carry a Mora on my belt as a back-up (in a Casstrom orange kydex sheath) and for non-carcass knife work but the G4s do it for me, eversharp, easily to work with and VERY easy to clean.
I sheer Fallow ribs with my tripe knife but if you are not strong enough in the wrist buy a saw...
6" V-knox and sheath.
F.Dick in sheath made to fit with hot air gun.
![20240828_100623[1].webp](https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/data/attachments/333/333816-726c88489323cbbd62512636c2c1fda4.jpg?hash=CkfUpHrBN8 "20240828_100623[1].webp")
Is that from the link I added? it seems happy to ship to me, which is weird!
Wonder whether its a result of the recent "on the bus, off the bus" approach by RM to carriage of knives as I think they are AliExpress' ultimate delivery "partner". If you can order one for me, I'd fully reimburse you
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Mora.
I would never use a swing blade or a folding knife for gralloching. Sooner or later the blade will swing closed on your finger.
Some like a tripe knife. My fingers are long enough to go along the blade of a Mora companion so tip of my finger is effectively that ball end of a tripe knife.
I generally carry two sharpened Mora’s, so when I taken the edge off opening up the chest, or taking off the legs, I still another sharp one for next gralloch, or skinning.
Whilst Moras are very sharp, I find they do loose their edge quite quickly, but they are easy to resharpen.
I would never use a swing blade or a folding knife for gralloching. Sooner or later the blade will swing closed on your finger.
Some like a tripe knife. My fingers are long enough to go along the blade of a Mora companion so tip of my finger is effectively that ball end of a tripe knife.
I generally carry two sharpened Mora’s, so when I taken the edge off opening up the chest, or taking off the legs, I still another sharp one for next gralloch, or skinning.
Whilst Moras are very sharp, I find they do loose their edge quite quickly, but they are easy to resharpen.
DevonRifle
Well-Known Member
U couldn’t get them to deliver to me either. The price is now £20.01 plus taxes.Wonder whether its a result of the recent "on the bus, off the bus" approach by RM to carriage of knives as I think they are AliExpress' ultimate delivery "partner". If you can order one for me, I'd fully reimburse you
I have a Buck knife always on my belt when stalking but I got a Mora about six deer ago and it’s still incredibly sharp yet I haven’t done anything to it. The sheath isn’t as good so I wouldn’t trust it on my belt but great to resheath and place on the ground whilst gralloching to keep it clean.
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