Skinning knives: types, features of choice and use

Knives are indispensable attributes of hunters and fishermen; they are presented on the market in a large assortment. Modern industry produces a huge number of universal models with which you can do several operations at once for cutting animal carcasses.

However, multifunctional knives are often inferior to specialized products, so it is recommended to use your own tool at each stage of working with ink. One of the narrow-profile options is a skinning knife - a skinner.

The skinning knife is a device designed for skinning a killed animal and belongs to the category of household tools. According to the legislative classification, it is not a melee weapon, and therefore does not require permits for its acquisition and storage. Outwardly, such a knife differs markedly from universal hunting models and consists of a short blade with a length of 4 to 12 cm and a comfortable handle.

The features of the blade are one-sided sharpening and a large width, the cutting line has a convex structure and ends in a sharp bend near the point. This design allows for easy trimming of the tendons during the skinning process., and the beveled line of the butt prevents damage to the skin. Moreover, thanks to the high descent of the blade and subtle mixing, the hunter controls the cut and carries out the skinning of the carcass more accurately.

On the heel of the blade there are special finger stops that prevent the knife from slipping during operation. An important advantage of skinning knives is the flexibility of the blade., allowing, without spoiling the skin, deftly "bypass" the bones and separate the skin from the meat of the animal. A characteristic feature of the blade is a rather thick back and the presence of a hook on it, directed towards the handle of the product. The inside of the hook has a sharp edge, which makes it easier to rip and grip the hide.

Skinner blades are made of low-carbon, damask or damask steel with the addition of various composite alloys. Zirconium dioxide and titanium nitride are often used as additives, and nickel and chromium are added to the blades to give the blades an anti-corrosion effect. In the manufacture of blades, the technology of grinding, chrome plating or bluing is used, after which the product is ready for many years of use.

Knife handles are often made of birch or walnut wood. Such models are distinguished by a warm natural structure and do not freeze to the palm in winter hunting conditions. Moreover, the wooden handles are considered very light and durable and do not slip at all in the hand.

Recently, plastic or organic glass has been used for the production of handles. However, experienced hunters say that working with such knives is difficult and dangerous. When interacting with the blood of an animal, the handle becomes very slippery and often slips out of the palm.

As for the purpose of the skinning knife, its name speaks for itself. The tool is used for the initial gutting of the carcass and allows you to quickly remove the skin without damaging it or touching the internal organs of the animal. The skinner has a rather narrow specialization and cannot be used as a ring or trimming knife. The harvested hide is often kept as a trophy and has decorated the hunter's house for many years. It is not uncommon for such products to be passed down from generation to generation, acquiring the status of a rarity over time.

However, not all skinning knives are of the classic design. You can often see models equipped with a folding mechanism or a transverse handle, the latter being better known as butt knives.

Skinner classification produced according to the shape and size of the blade.

• The most common type is skinners., which translated from English (skin) means "skin" or "skin". The skinner is a narrow-profile tool that is used to rip open the abdomen and skin from an animal. For the secondary, deeper butchering of game, such models are categorically unsuitable.

Moreover, it is also unrealistic to finish off a wounded animal with such a knife. The blade has a rounded shape, a length of 10-13 cm and a handle of about the same size. A distinctive feature of the blade is the straight upper part, which allows you to cut the skin very neatly, without irregularities. The skinner's blade is quite wide, and the butt is often equipped with a hook.

• Drop-point models They are distinguished by a wide, thickened blade, sharpened in the middle, and a straight butt. Such specimens are used not only for skinning, but also for separating fat and finishing off a wounded animal.

• Clip-point knives belong to the category of a professional tool and differ from the previous type by a more tapered and accentuated blade in the center.The blade has excellent piercing ability, which makes it easy to pierce the skin of any thickness. The butt often has a bevel, the presence of sharpening on which depends on the model. Due to the rounded lift, the cutting edge has an increased area, which makes it possible to remove the skin very easily and quickly.

When choosing a knife for skinning, you need to read with a number of important requirements, presented to the tool.

• First of all, you need to pay attention to the metalfrom which the knife is made. The best option would be low-carbon, damask, alloy or damascus steel with a nickel-plated coating. Such knives are not susceptible to rust, have the necessary blade hardness and serve for a very long time. In addition, the blades made of such grades of steel retain the sharpness of the factory sharpening for a very long time and do not need to be sharpened for a long time.

• The following criteria for choosing a skinner are shape and material of manufacture of the handle... The knife should lie well in the hand and not slip out during operation. To do this, the handle should not be equipped with curly carvings, artistic bends or decorative grooves. The best material for its manufacture is moderately hard types of wood, which do not swell from constant contact with humid environments, and do not crack during long-term storage. Good handles are obtained from wenge woodthat meets the stringent material requirements for harsh environments.

• It is also necessary to pay attention to the presence of stiffening ribs on the blade., which increase its resistance to perpendicular loads. In addition, the thinner the edge of the knife, the better, since it is much more convenient to separate the skin from the meat with thin blades. However, working with a blade that is too sharp is very delicate and requires a lot of experience and certain skills from the hunter.

• Another parameter that you need to pay attention to when choosing a skinning knife is its size.... Recently, skins have been used not only by amateurs of hunting for large game, but also by hunters for waterfowl, and even fishermen. In such cases, you need to purchase smaller models with a thinner and longer blade, since they are present on the shelves in a wide range.

• You also need to pay attention to manufacturer and try to purchase models from well-known, proven manufacturers. Of foreign enterprises, products should be noted Swedish company EKA Knives, producing high quality skins that are in high demand among hunters and fishermen.

Of the domestic manufacturers, it is worth highlighting plant in the city of Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk region. The products of this enterprise need no introduction and are well known not only in our country, but also far beyond its borders.

Working with a skinning knife requires certain skills and dexterity, and the method of using the tool depends entirely on the size of the animal and the further "fate" of the skin. In total, there are three ways of skinning mascara: "layer", "stocking" and "from the back."

The first is used in relation to such animals as bear, beaver, water rat, as well as pinnipeds and ungulates. To do this, an incision is made from the lower jaw to the tail part, while advancing in the middle of the abdominal cavity of the animal. When skinning moles, water rats or beavers, the fur is removed with a single incision, while cutting off the legs and tail.

In sea animals, on the other hand, the tails and legs are left intact. Incisions are made on the dorsum of the forelimbs, crossing the sternum in the middle - from the right limb to the left. On the hind limbs, an incision is made between the feet and hocks on the back side, passing through the rump.

The knife should be used very carefully, removing the skin from the paws and moving in the direction of the ridge. The skin is always completely removed from the head, and from the paws, depending on the animal. So, in bears, it is removed at the same time with the claws, and in beavers only at the level of the heels and hands, while the claws remain in place. The described procedure is performed with a sharp knife.

However, in order to avoid a puncture of the belly and contamination of the fur with the contents of the intestines, small blades are used that have a concave blade and a sharpening that does not reach the tip of the blade 1 cm. The end of the blade on such models is usually thickened, and the edges are rounded. However, for the first incision, which is performed under the lower jaw, they take a knife with a pointed end, make a short incision with it, then insert a blade with a blunt end into it and make an incision to it to the tail.

The second method - "from the back" - is somewhat more complicated than the previous one and consists in the following: the main incision is made from the tail to the back of the head along the ridge, with a slight deviation from the spine. Then they return to the tail and make incisions, heading towards the stomach, a little short of the anus. Next, incisions are made on the hind limbs as described in the previous method, while retreating 1 cm from the pads. The front legs "cut" above the elbows along the inner sides of the shoulders, moving further along the inner part of the forearms.

After the main incisions have been made, the skin is carefully removed, paying particular attention to the armpits and groin, where it is often damaged due to the large number of skin folds. The procedure is done with a sharp knife, trying to keep it almost parallel to the carcass. At the same time, skin and fat folds are slightly tightened and at the same time advance the blade.

The third way to remove the skin with a skinner is to remove it with a "stocking" and is used for small predators and rodents. For this, cuts are made on the paws with a sharp knife, as in previous cases, removing the skin from the feet and toes of the animal's hind limbs.

The carcass is then suspended by the hind legs by threading the line between the Achilles tendons and ankles. Next, the skin is pried with a knife and pulled first from the hind legs and tail, and then from the whole carcass. If the skin is tight, it is removed in a circular manner, carefully separating it from the muscle tissue with a knife.

After use, the skinning knife is well cleaned of the remnants of animal tissue, washed in warm water using any cleaning agent and rinsed under running clean water.

The use of the skinning knife for other household purposes, such as opening cans of canned food, is strictly prohibited. This prohibition is due to the displacement of the central axis from the tip of the blade closer to its middle, because of which, when piercing the metal, the knife can bounce off the can and severely injure a person.

If a knife with a wooden handle will not be used for a long time, then it is stored in a dry, well-ventilated room. and located away from heating appliances. This will prevent the wood from drying out or swelling and will greatly extend the life of the knife.

Next, see a video review of skinning damask knives.