Blades that make the cut
Every stalker needs a great knife so Chris Dalton puts a selection to the test.
My first stalking knife was a budget affair, bought with no real idea of what a gralloching knife ought to look like. I would go as far as to say that it was a bit of an afterthought. I needed a knife and I recall having a quick look through the selection gathered in my local gun and tackle shop — in the days when we still had busy high streets.
As it happened, I ended up with a good knife. It had a cleanable and functional handle, a sensible plastic-type sheath that secured to my belt and a good blade which was easy to keep sharp. It cost me less than £20 — though it was a few years ago now — and to be honest it would still be perfectly usable today.
But it was not long until a custom-made blade started to beckon, which is where my long association with Emberleaf knives started.
That said, for the past six months following a field test I carried out on some custom knives, I have been using a James Penny 4in Drop- Point Hunter. The knife supplied to me comes with “pit pony- style” handle scales in orange, with glow liners. It sits in a black Kydex sheath with a removable 9oz leather belt loop. It has withstood some fairly hard handling during that time and has performed faultlessly.
Secure
You can look at and handle a knife in the shop — seeking one that is surgically sharp out of the box, fits tightly and is held securely in its sheath, with a handle that feels as if it should provide a good grip when your hands are freezing cold, inside blood-covered latex gloves. But in the field does it deliver day in, day out? I can tell you that it does and the grip of the Kydex sheath, which also cleans very easily, remains very secure.
The same cannot be said of some leather sheaths, which I found loosened over time. This raises concern about potential loss of an expensive item of kit during a stalk. The luminous liners at the edge of the handle are also useful. They glow green, which is a real bonus when gathering up my kit after a winter gralloch in the dark.
As I started the third week of my roe doe cull, I ventured out once again with the Drop-Point Hunter on my belt, hoping it would be required again that morning. Those early weeks on the does had provided me with many opportunities to try out three alternative, custom-made stalking knives. With most outings successful, all of them have been fully tested in the field.
I was up and out early — late-season stalking often requires this due to the short daylight hours. Kitting up quickly, I headed for an area where I frequently see a group of roe on a bank under some mature beech trees. My approach was easy but involved walking along a footpath, hence the need for an early start to beat the dog walkers and joggers.
The route took me, unseen, to the bottom of a raised bank, from the top of which I could look across a stubble field to the beeches beyond. I was in position in less than 10 minutes and a quick pass with InfiRay thermal revealed four white-hot spots, couched and directly opposite me.
Browsing
It was simply a matter of waiting for sufficient light to make a positive ID of age class and sex and hoping the sun came up before the dog walkers did. All went well. The roe slowly started to get up and browse and, after studying the group through the binoculars, I could pick out a doe and two followers. The fourth deer was a yearling, browsing happily, which I ranged at 157 yards. It dropped instantly and there was little disturbance from my moderated shot.
The yearling was soon recovered and, with a suspended gralloch completed, it was another cull to add to the Drop-Point Hunter’s tally. The morning had gone according to plan on all counts. I wish they all did.
I am pretty set in what I want from a knife and have a clear idea of blade size and shape, but all must be capable of carrying out the task effectively, be easily cleanable and able to stand up to some hard handling — all the knives on these pages delivered. It is abundantly clear that they are made with a great deal of care and are fashioned from top-quality materials. I do not think the price is prohibitive, when you consider the custom aspect and the quality of the products.
Casström Swedish Field Dresser
RRP from £125
Casström knives originated for use in Swedish Lapland and are crafted for hunting enthusiasts. The Field Dresser has evolved from that background and is designed with reliability and precision in mind. It feels good, the handle is available in orange G10, black micarta (on test) or stabilised curly birch, and provides a secure grip. All these materials should provide long-lasting performance and be able to cope with harsh conditions.
The overall feel is of a quality product. The knife is supplied in a Kydex sheath so is very secure when carried, and there is an option of a leather belt hanger. Both the knife and sheath are easily cleanable. I like the straight-line blade, which is great when unzipping a carcass, and the rounded tip does help to prevent puncturing the stomach and organs, as well as any accidental cuts. However, it slightly hinders the thoracic bleed.
The blade is Alleima (formerly Sandvik) 14C28N, which is recycled Swedish stainless steel. Blades are cryo-quenched, supposed to enhance resistance to wear and tear. The handle has been designed with safety in mind, with a deep thumb grip and finger groove. It is a neat, compact little knife, slightly smaller than my ideal but coped well with the roe deer I used it on. It was extremely sharp when it arrived. I also found it easy to nip up after use.
Savernake Crescent (limited edition)
Retailing from £325
(including leather sheath)
I am not familiar with Savernake knives but do have a loose connection in that I worked with a Michelin-starred chef who used them in the kitchen, so I do not see quality being in question. The knife I have on test is a contemporary style, with the sheath still under development. The knives are forged in the West Country from Swedish Sandvik stainless steel, which is said to have excellent strength. The connection with Sweden is that they are in the forefront of innovation as far as the development of sustainable and renewable products, so clearly an ethical company.
The quality of the knife is obvious. It has a sleek, curved blade and is quite a distinctive shape, in the form of a crescent, hence the knife’s name. The curve of the blade is ideal for opening the carcass and the point is perfectly shaped for the bleed. Extremely sharp out of the box, it is very easy to polish after use and it holds its edge well after processing two deer before I got it back to the larder.
The blade is made from 14C28N and hardened to 60HRC, but can be forged from carbon damascus, RWL34 and Takefu coreless. Blades are hardened in batches of six to ensure total control over the process and are cryo-treated down to -75°. The handle is made from a graphite micarta, a material that is no longer made, though the company does still have limited stocks of it. Alternatives are temperate and tropical hardwoods through to Fatcarbon from Lithuania.
The handle is well made and neat, fits the hand comfortably and is easily cleanable. The sheath, although in the process of some remodelling, is particularly good. I especially like the fact that the knife fits deep into its sheath and feels very secure. This is undoubtedly a well-made, quality knife which performed excellently in the field.
Revenant Gralloching Tool
RRP from £300
(including the leather sheath)
@revenant_knives
While I have not owned a Revenant knife, many of my fellow stalking professionals do, including my business partner, Rab. They are highly rated by all who use them. As a specialist stalking knife, it oozes quality out of the box and feels instantly good to hold. A lot of thought has gone into the design. The blade shape is aesthetically pleasing and, with a length of 115mm, is suited to processing deer in the field. Surgically sharp, it retains its edge well and this after tackling late rutting stags.
Opening an underbelly coated in peat provided the sternest of tests, but the edge is easily restored with the strop. The knife is supplied in a leather sheath that holds it securely and comes with a belt loop. The blade is made from heat-treated AEB-L stainless steel, with the handle a copper-infused G10 composite in black and white. Again, all these knives can be custom-made.
