73 scout ok for field dressing deer ?

[cbnutt]

usaly use a buck 110 and mabe carry a full size sod buster when deer hunting, i was wandering if the 73 or 72 might work ok for this, as my buck seems hard to sharpen, just field dressing, gutting out kinda stuff, iam guessing it would but wandered if any of you had used the 72 or 73 for this ? iam sure the pinonner is is big enough, but was wanting the smaller carry size of the scout type, i guess the 72 mini hunter would be basicly the same as the scout, and would lock. ?

[boggs]

CB.....



Wait for Johnny Twoshoes to see this ..I think he's probably used ever GEC pattern for skinning and he can certainly give you a straight up honest to goodness answer

[cbnutt]

Yup id say thats right iam guessing it would be fine, i didnt realize how hard my buck 110 was to put a edge on untill last night, great knife, but iam sure the carbon would be a little easier than the 110.

[johnny twoshoes]

Boggs, how did you know???

I wrote a whole review of my #73 and #72 after last years deer season and I shared it on the GE forum, let me get it copied and I'll post it here.

[johnny twoshoes]

I use a #73L for cleaning the deer, I like a locking knife when I am up in the cavity of a whitetail and I like having a shorter blade. I used a 110 for a year and it preformed wonderfully, I cleaned two deer that year without needing to resharpen the knife. I got to thinking that I didn't need that much knife though. I carry a 110 on my hip and a #73L in my pocket, so why couldn't the little #73 just work?

Well, I forgot to put my 110 on my hip one evening and I took a doe, needing to get the job done I reached into my pocket and pulled out my #73. The knife did great, the bone scales didn't slip in the blood and the knife functioned well, even after being coated in blood. I have been using that knife since and I don't plan on changing, it's a great knife.

For skinning I usually leave that to my brother and his Buck 103, but he was sick this season and couldn't stay out for long. So, I brought a different #73 out and I used it for skinning out a deer. The combination of blades was perfect for skinning and deboning the deer. A clip and spey. Using a slipjoint didn't bother me either, I knew what was in my hand and I limited my trust of it closing on me, it never once thought of snapping shut.

The 1095 blade has not been sharpened since cleaning out two deer and caping another, I just stropped it and it pops hairs. I think if it can do that and whisper through paper, there is no need to break the stones out.

I love the Steel GEC uses and their knives preform for me and as a sportsman I appreciate that.

[boggs]

CB...

What did I say..I knew JT was the man........and besides I couldn't have you ask Monk because cleaning fish doesn't count....

[cbnutt]

sounds good, yea i was thinking on the lock blade as well, id trust it a little more, someone mentiond the other day to expect a slight wobble on the lockbacks though, is it the liner lock, or other kind of lock that might do that or both ? i know my 110 has a very slight amount, didnt know if they were all that way or not ?

[johnny twoshoes]

When I buy a knife I want it to be tight, no matter if it's a lockback or a slipjoint. The #72s have a bit of a history of having blade play. Thats no reason to deal with blade play though, I sent one back and it is as tight as I like a knife to be, it's stayed tight even after some good usage. I also have had a few of the #73s and there is almost never blade play. I sent one back for wiggle repairs and they took care of the little play that was in it. I like the #73 over the #72 for my uses.

[cbnutt]

sounds good, i called docs knife works, he was at a gun show, but is going to check monday for me and see if he has a good tight one, is there actualy any handle or blade size differance in the 72 and 73 ? in pictures they look the same ?

[johnny twoshoes]

They are a lot alike, but they are still different.
Size wise they are the same, but the #72 is slimmer than the chubby #73. I like a #72 for back pocket carry and I would never pack a #73 in the back pocket, so I notice a difference.