Buck Vanguard Knife

When I first saw this knife in the showcase at the local hunting store I fell in love with the aesthetic wood grain laminate handle and drop point blade. I figured the 4″ blade would be ideal for skinning and general field care of game. This knife is very tough, I have never had any components break, fail, or go lose. You can also get a synthetic handle instead of the wood if you so desire.

The knife is 8 7/16″ long with a 4″ blade.

I put the knife on my Christmas list. Sure enough I got the Buck Vanguard knife in 2004 and have used it to skin, gut, and de-bone countless game including: moose, bear, dear, coyote, and elk. I am sure that the Buck Vanguard knife will be adequate for most big game field care applications. I have used it to skin out heads for taxidermy mounts and although it does the job, I belive a smaller more narrow pointed knife would be more appropriate for that application. The stainless steel is soft enough to sharpen in the field and it keeps an edge reasonably well. If you are skinning a moose you may have to sharpen the edge to finish the job. I do take it in to get professionally sharpened at a knife shop at the end of a hunting trip so I know it is razor sharp for the next big game animal I encounter. The round relatively short blade edge makes this knife ideal for skinning. I think it is an ideal all around hunting knife that has lasted years of field care chores. Do not cheap out and buy a Chinese steel knife.

I consider this a lucky knife as it was stolen from me and returned back by the police after I followed the people who robbed me by car.