Fixed blade for hunting: Which model should I choose?

[illacky]

I'm thinking of picking up a Spydie fixed blade for the upcoming deer seasons.
4 models fit the size I'm looking for and what I believe would be ideal geometry for field dressing and skinning deer.

The 4 models I'm looking at are: Bradley Bowie, Bradley Junction, Proficient, and Southfork.

For those of you that are lucky enough to own any of these, what are your suggestions on which one I should pickup? (please don't say all of them, I already have enough temptations :D )

[Archimedes]

The Southfork best hands down and my most used fixed blade right now. Perfect for real world cutting.

That said the Bradley Bowie is better looking and also works very well. :D

[illacky]

The Southfork best hands down and my most used fixed blade right now. Perfect for real world cutting.

That said the Bradley Bowie is better looking and also works very well. :D

Nice pic!
The Southfork was my first one I looked at, love the green handle and blade shape, but the I started reading about the PSF27 on the Bradley's and got all mixed up as I love testing out different steels. The Southfork still draws me with the blade shape and green handle.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have the Souhfork and the Bradley Bowie. The Southfork will outperform the Bowie for processing a deer. It will also make a better camp knife if food prep is the main task you have at camp. The Bradley Bowie will still be a great game processing knife but is a much better do it all knife. If you want a knife that can be a survival knife as well as a hunting knife the Bradley Bowie is a better choice. I have done quite a bit of light batonning, prying and drilling with the Bradley Bowie that I would not do with the Southfork. The Bradley has a more hand filling handle which helps for harder use.

Basically the Southfork is a purpose built game processing knife that can do work around camp and the Bowie is a do everything hard use knife that can process game.

The Bradley Bowie is a production version of his custom that is called the Elk Skinner so that should tell you that it is still meant to be used for game processing.

[Archimedes]

Here is a picture of my Bradley Bowie on top of Fiske peak in the Cache Creek Wilderness. I like them both.

[illacky]

I have the Souhfork and the Bradley Bowie. The Southfork will outperform the Bowie for processing a deer. It will also make a better camp knife if food prep is the main task you have at camp. The Bradley Bowie will still be a great game processing knife but is a much better do it all knife. If you want a knife that can be a survival knife as well as a hunting knife the Bradley Bowie is a better choice. I have done quite a bit of light batonning, prying and drilling with the Bradley Bowie that I would not do with the Southfork. The Bradley has a more hand filling handle which helps for harder use.

Basically the Southfork is a purpose built game processing knife that can do work around camp and the Bowie is a do everything hard use knife that can process game.

The Bradley Bowie is a production version of his custom that is called the Elk Skinner so that should tell you that it is still meant to be used for game processing.

The most abuse I would put it through would be splitting the bones in the brisket when field dressing. Do you think there are any durability concerns I should have with the Southfork's S90v in that task compared to PSF27 in the Bradley Bowie?

[twinboysdad]

Moran Trailing Point? Whole lot cheaper

[xceptnl]

Moran Trailing Point? Whole lot cheaper

This was the first model that came to my mind.

[Fargo203]

I like the mules. Sub 4 inch blade is perfect for me. Anything larger is just in the way.

[The Mastiff]

I like the Southfork as well. It can do everything I need as I wouldn't expect to baton with a knife. I say don't overlook the Mules though. Not ideal perhaps but they can cut, slice, scrape and do even pretty fine detail work within reason. Choosing a mule gives you so many steel choices as well. I really love mine for utility work.

Joe

[standy99]

Bill Moran Drop Point Skinner Is the skinner of choice. ( I believe you need a skinner and you should do nothing else but skin with it ) Anyone can use my camp knife but everyone knows that my skinner is off limits

Camp knife for anything else.

[bearfacedkiller]

The most abuse I would put it through would be splitting the bones in the brisket when field dressing. Do you think there are any durability concerns I should have with the Southfork's S90v in that task compared to PSF27 in the Bradley Bowie?

I don't usually split the chest open. I just reach up in there when field dressing. The Southfork should be fine. I didn't mean to imply that it was a delicate knife, it isn't.

[Surfingringo]

For light camp use and skinning/processing, it's hard not to recommend the south fork.

[roger-roger]

Has the Bradley Junction proven to be tough enough for deer sized game? Seems it would be a good alternative to the proven Moran, cost notwithstanding.

[JD Spydo]

The Southfork best hands down and my most used fixed blade right now. Perfect for real world cutting.

That said the Bradley Bowie is better looking and also works very well. :D

I totally agree with my good pal Archimedes that the SOUTHFORK is truly a premium Spyderco fixed blade and I wouldn't hesitate to use it for any outdoor cutting jobs. How can you argue with S90V blade steel and the near perfect overall design of that beast. But I do have one more recommendation that I truly wish could be brought back in a Sprint Run. Especially with all the new Supersteels now available and to possibly even consider a new handle material as well.

I'm speaking of the original TEMPERANCE 1 model ( circa 2004) is to me about the best overall fixed blade I've ever got from the Great Spyder Factory. Also the TEMPERANCE 1 is one of the very few fixed blade models that was also available in PE & SE both. And I usually take both the PE & SE with me when I go hunting, fishing, backpacking or just to enjoy the great outdoors.

There was one time a few years back the convinced me that the TEMP 1 in PE & SE is truly a dynamic duo>> when I was working in the wetlands in North Missouri one of the guys shot a big, 35 pound snapping turtle :eek: and guess who got the duties of field dressing it :rolleyes: ?? but once I put my two TEMP 1 models to work it wasn't a bad job at all. That's when I discovered that a snapping turtle has three distinct types of meat in it. One of the farm ladies next door made Turtle Soup out of the meat and it was really tasty. But I couldn't have done that job unless I had both the SE & PE TEMP 1 models which truly saved the day.