Stalking Knives

[Rossco1!]

Not personally but a friend has an Emberleaf cael been stalking many years and loves it

 

[StoatallyDifferent]

For the price of an Emberleaf, Guy Stainthorp would make you a custom knife in materials of your choosing and even to your own design if that’s what you’re after.

I find Emberleaf have a habit of handling their knives in either very nice material or some utterly hideous ****. Doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.

 

[Bowland blades]

I found this £40 knife which gets close - very close- to what a 'custom' knife-maker would produce. Finish and quality are superb. Böker Magnum Elk Hunter 02GL683 hunting knife The steel is 440A.

If you do go for a custom job, try to specify 'Elmax' steel. Yes, it will be expensive...

Do you know what 440A is composition wise and where its made? Why are you recommending in particular do you recommend Elmax ?

 

[308tikka]

Hultafors, casstrom, Victrinox and now Victory Knives from NZ (in sheath).

 

[25 Sharps]

I use mainly cheap, £5-£10 knives, such as the Hultaforce Craftsman knife. at £4.95. They have to be sharp, highly visible, and easy to clean - and they do the job just fine.
On the other hand, many Stalkers buy custom jobs - you're looking at £150-£250 ish. Do you really need it? No. Is is nice to look at and feels like quality craftmanship? Yes.
A good and reasonable alternative is available around £40: Boker 440a steel Magnum Elk Hunter. You have something with the feel and look of a custom knife, but at a much more acceptable price point.

Now, I have looked into steel types for hunting knives. Elmax Steel comes out top, in my view. The search continuous for a modestly priced Hunting Knife made with Elmax Steel.
Remember steel cannot be and hard, and flexible, and not brittle, and retaining an edge forever, and easy to sharpen, all at the same time. It is a sliding scale with pro's a con's on both side of that scale - you can't haver it all, even if some Custom knife makers want you to think so.

Sorry but that boker has neither the look or feel of a custom knife, nor anywhere near the steel quality either. That is speaking from experience as my best buddy who I am mentoring for deer has one, it’s a good enough knife for the money but nowhere near a custom.

I do like Guy Stainthorp knives, I have 2 and they are very, very good.

Not impressed with the emberleafs that I have seen or handled.

 

[Taff]

For the price of an Emberleaf, Guy Stainthorp would make you a custom knife in materials of your choosing and even to your own design if that’s what you’re after.

I find Emberleaf have a habit of handling their knives in either very nice material or some utterly hideous ****. Doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.

You can have a handle in what you like ? And for the price of a guy stainthorp knife, I can get a custom knife from Drew in the USA etc etc, why do people feel the need to hate on knife makers, buy what you like and be done with it.

 

[Overlay]

You can have a handle in what you like ? And for the price of a guy stainthorp knife, I can get a custom knife from Drew in the USA etc etc, why do people feel the need to hate on knife makers, buy what you like and be done with it.

agree 100%. I only buy what I like, got one or two different knife makers, not too fussed but as time goes by I’m pretty settled on my type of blade :: stainless, sealed wooden scales and flat grind
I do however buy a knive to fit the species it’s to be used for i’ve got a unzipper i paid £60:00 for it to be made by a guy on the Romney marsh, it’s been in hard use for many many years on all species, in stainless and a sealed wood handle not scales and although i’ve got others that cost a great deal more it’s always in my gralloch bag

all

 

[StoatallyDifferent]

You can have a handle in what you like ? And for the price of a guy stainthorp knife, I can get a custom knife from Drew in the USA etc etc, why do people feel the need to hate on knife makers, buy what you like and be done with it.

Obviously within reason, I heard he was running low on eagle beaks and unicorn horn.

Where’s the hate? There are plenty of Emberleafs that I like, I’ve heard they’re very nice chaps and they use a great steel. I’ve had a few knives off Guy and he has always been very good to deal with and has surpassed my expectations, hence my recommendation. If I touched a nerve then maybe you should be a little less sensitive, it’s an opinion on an inanimate object.

 

[Overlay]

I have just had my first full custom made and it was a fascinating thoroughly enjoyable experience. I went with Danum blades, I would highly recommend.

The ability to choose length, materials, blade profile, grind etc goes towards the perfect knife for the chosen application. I went with a comparatively long thin blade for sticking red deer and tunnelling out.
View attachment 299251

Very nice blade, I’ve one very similar and it stays sharp whatever you throw at it