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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: D.J. Smith on January 15, 2011, 09:55:00 PM

Title: steel for skining
Post by: D.J. Smith on January 15, 2011, 09:55:00 PM

I'am thinking about ordering a pre-made blade but, There are so many types of steel out there. What type of steel do ya"ll like for a skining knife??

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: tippit on January 16, 2011, 08:52:00 AM

Lots of steels will work just fine...I think it's more the shape of the blade if you're looking for a pure skinner.

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: skullworks on January 16, 2011, 09:48:00 AM

Here are some shapes that I use that strike me as more "skinner" shaped blades.

  (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/th_SekiSkinnersJW.jpg) (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/SekiSkinnersJW.jpg)
  (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/th_1095CanadianSkinnerIronwood.jpg) (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/1095CanadianSkinnerIronwood.jpg)
  (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/th_RandomBlackAshBurlSkinner.jpg) (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/RandomBlackAshBurlSkinner.jpg)
  (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/th_SwapKnives3.jpg) (http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/Skullworks02/KNIVES/SwapKnives3.jpg)

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: D.J. Smith on January 16, 2011, 11:54:00 AM

I was thinking about d-2 tool steel or ats-34

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: kbaknife on January 16, 2011, 05:07:00 PM

Two things come to mind about steels:
A quote from an old buddy of mine, "Jesus Christ, Himself, could send a bar of steel down from Heaven. It will only be as good as the heat treatment it gets."
And, when talking about a simple function, like "skinning", Jeff is 100% correct. Even more precisely, the edge geometry probably has more to do with it that any one thing.

Our biggest challenge is to learn how to heat treat a steel according to its requirements, and create the blade shape and geometry to perform the tasks for which the knife was designed.

There are a BUNCH! of "steels" that will skin quite well - if that's what the maker made the knife to do.

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: Idahomike251 on January 16, 2011, 07:30:00 PM

If you want edge holding, then D2.

Title: Re: steel for skining
Post by: D.J. Smith on January 16, 2011, 08:02:00 PM

Hey guys, Thanks for all the info. I got to say the knives I've seen on here is a wok of art! Where or who can I buy a blade from, I would like to install the handle myself.