Hello, I hunt waterfowl, pheasants, and deer. I need a knife that will work for both and is about 4 inches. I am looking at 2 on ebay and need a second opinion. Both blades are app. 4 inches. One knife is fixed and one is folding. I need an opinion on which knife will work best for a combination of bird cleaning and field dressing a deer. Here are the links
http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-MADE-DAMASCUS-SKINNING-KNIFE-HORN-AC-Michaels-/130545598266?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1438230972913910285#ht_7865wt_1344
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230647410821&category=43325&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619#ht_903wt_1110
If I had to choose between just those 2, the fixed blade is going to win every time. I have never much cared for a lock back knife. Although plenty of hunters use a lock back knife and like them for field work, I just prefer a fixed blade knife. Something you might want to consider is damascus blades vary in quality greatly, depending on the materials used in forging the damascus. When it comes to knife steel, you really do get what you pay for. A cheap knife isn't going to give you the type of service life you will demand from a work knife. It's pretty hard for a straight back knife (fixed blade) to screw up, except for getting dull quickly and/or breaking the blade, where a lock back can fail and possibly hurt you when it does.
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