Al "Shifty" Schultz
Well-known member
Back in the day, knife/saw combo kits for hunting were pretty popular and pretty practical. In present day, with more people utilizing full-service guide outfits, and hunting from lodges or day tripping from motels the need for them may have diminished. Over the decades I've acquired several, and as a DIY back country hunter, (more often than not hunting solo for one to two weeks) I still find it practical to use them, whether I'm heading into the wilderness areas on horseback, or using "shank's mares" and carrying my pack on my back.
I was just wondering if any of the society still uses them, or even sees a need for them? What's your thoughts? If you do use them, what's your set-up look like?
Here's some that I have...
My first combo was a Western Model 66 Hunting knife and Western Hatchet in a "combo" belt sheath... As a young kid not even in my teens carrying this, I felt like the last Mohican, and it was perfect (for young Al) for camp chores and field dressing, etc.
The Knapp Hunting Kit was gifted to me from an old friend's estate. He and I did many packhorse trips into the wild areas of WA and ID, and this was his old "quartering and butchering" kit. The handle of the saw has a storage compartment for matches, etc. It's a belt sheath, but we always tossed it in our saddle bags because it hangs long and isn't practical for riding with or comfortable for stalking with.
The Outdoor Edge Kodiak Combo has seen a bit of use from me over the years, but the big pancake style sheath more often than not gets relegated to the saddle bags, and maybe it's just me, but it seems like I end up spending a lot of time trying to keep these blades sharp.
The Kershaw blade exchange kit, I've used a lot, mainly on backpack excursions. While the gut hook isn't as good as some, this kit has actually served well field dressing and skinning game as well as cutting small fuel for boiling water, cooking tinder, etc.
A Marine Corps buddy from Moultrie, GA made the deer antler matching knife combo.
The S&W "Bullseye" Hatchet/Knife combo actually holds a good edge, but the combo sheath makes it impractical to wear on a belt and awkward in a saddle bag. The gut hook on the blade is too small and never seemed to work well. The hatchet "ulu" shape worked well for skinning and smaller camp chores.
The Browning hunting combo pack never really worked well for me. The knives are fine, but I rarely needed the "serrated" edge, and it was just a pouch or knife roll and really didn't serve my back country needs well.
Which leads me to me last two... my "go-to's"... My two that I bring everywhere I'm hunting now... I always throw the Old Timer folding hunter pocketknife in my front pocket. I've field dressed more big game with just this pocketknife. The saw blade works great for splitting the pelvis and the sternum. The gut hook works like a zipper whenever I'm skinning or field dressing.
...and on ALL of my backcountry trips nowadays I always have my Case XX "exchanger"... it rides on my belt comfortably whether I'm on a quad, in the pick-up, astraddle a horse, or carrying a backpack. The saw blade works well on big game, the gut hook works well, and all the blades maintain their edges well.
I'm just curious if anyone else uses or has used combo kits on, and what else might be out there?
I was just wondering if any of the society still uses them, or even sees a need for them? What's your thoughts? If you do use them, what's your set-up look like?
Here's some that I have...
My first combo was a Western Model 66 Hunting knife and Western Hatchet in a "combo" belt sheath... As a young kid not even in my teens carrying this, I felt like the last Mohican, and it was perfect (for young Al) for camp chores and field dressing, etc.
The Knapp Hunting Kit was gifted to me from an old friend's estate. He and I did many packhorse trips into the wild areas of WA and ID, and this was his old "quartering and butchering" kit. The handle of the saw has a storage compartment for matches, etc. It's a belt sheath, but we always tossed it in our saddle bags because it hangs long and isn't practical for riding with or comfortable for stalking with.
The Outdoor Edge Kodiak Combo has seen a bit of use from me over the years, but the big pancake style sheath more often than not gets relegated to the saddle bags, and maybe it's just me, but it seems like I end up spending a lot of time trying to keep these blades sharp.
The Kershaw blade exchange kit, I've used a lot, mainly on backpack excursions. While the gut hook isn't as good as some, this kit has actually served well field dressing and skinning game as well as cutting small fuel for boiling water, cooking tinder, etc.
A Marine Corps buddy from Moultrie, GA made the deer antler matching knife combo.
The S&W "Bullseye" Hatchet/Knife combo actually holds a good edge, but the combo sheath makes it impractical to wear on a belt and awkward in a saddle bag. The gut hook on the blade is too small and never seemed to work well. The hatchet "ulu" shape worked well for skinning and smaller camp chores.
The Browning hunting combo pack never really worked well for me. The knives are fine, but I rarely needed the "serrated" edge, and it was just a pouch or knife roll and really didn't serve my back country needs well.
Which leads me to me last two... my "go-to's"... My two that I bring everywhere I'm hunting now... I always throw the Old Timer folding hunter pocketknife in my front pocket. I've field dressed more big game with just this pocketknife. The saw blade works great for splitting the pelvis and the sternum. The gut hook works like a zipper whenever I'm skinning or field dressing.
...and on ALL of my backcountry trips nowadays I always have my Case XX "exchanger"... it rides on my belt comfortably whether I'm on a quad, in the pick-up, astraddle a horse, or carrying a backpack. The saw blade works well on big game, the gut hook works well, and all the blades maintain their edges well.
I'm just curious if anyone else uses or has used combo kits on, and what else might be out there?
