Preventing Knife Cuts in the Field

[okie archer]

This is a good thread and a good reminder. The thought of of losing blood a long way from help and bleeding out is horrifying to me. It literally causes me anxiety. I can think of at least 3 times I have done something to cause bleeding.
1. Cutting limbs off of a locust tree to make shooting lanes. A limb I cut from overhead swu g down and a thorn from the limb penetrated my arm. I didnt even really know it until i look down and saw several drops of blood. I immediately looked at my arm and quite a bit of blood was soaked in my shirt sleeve but thankfully the bleed had already stopped.
2. Last September i was carrying a heavy load of bear bait into my bait sight. My feet got tangled in some briars and i tripped so fast i couldnt catch myself. I slammed my knee on a rock. I was laying on my back looking up at my nephew who was helping me. He said your bleeding. I looked down and the fall ripped my jeans open. Thankfully i wasnt bleeding very bad and i had some electrical tape and toilet paper on the 4 wheeler. A few days later i went to urgent care because i was still hobbling around. X-rays showed i bruised the bone.
3. Jan 1st this year skinning an Audoud i slipped with my Havolen and cut my opposite hand finger. It wasn't bad but it startled me. I got a band-aid out of my pack and that was good but it showed me how quick a serious cut could happen.
I need to start keeping a cutting glove with me. As a matter of fact as clumsy as i am sounds like a need to start hunting with a body armor suit.
Yesterday i watched a few videos on youtube Active Self Protection. It showed real gunfights between police and bad guys. A couple videos showed police getting shot in leg or arm and the tourniquet saved the cops life. The tourniquets were factory made velcro type. Probably a good idea to keep one in first aid kit instead of trying to cut off a piece of clothing.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

The one I use is a Rapala fillet glove...it is about 25 years old and still use it every fall.
They coat the stainless steel mesh so it improves grip and is virtually impossible to cut thru.

 

[wa_archer]

I actually made it a full year without cutting myself while butchering game. Big deal for me. I would probably to forget to put the kevlar glove on after i packed it around. Just remember "Don't get bloody cut toward your buddy"

 

[JTHOMP]

I'm looking at this post and the various scars including a chuck of meat cut from my index finger, and wondering why I let myself hate my left hand so much.

 

[nwihunter]

I use a Havalon knife which i have a love hate relationship with. I think I have broke down 8 animals with it and have cut myself 6 times. Nothing that ever needing more than a bandaid but dang they are scary sharp. I had a friend that slipped with his on a pack in trip and and cut himself bad enough we ended our trip. We both had that blood clotting powder with us and I highly recommend everyone have that in their first aid kit. It was not a life or death injury but it was nice to be able to stop that bleeding. Last year I did pack a pair of these gloves that guys use at work that are supposed to be cut proof but left them back at camp when I had to break my elk down. I will always have them in my pack from now on.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I use a Havalon knife which i have a love hate relationship with. I think I have broke down 8 animals with it and have cut myself 6 times. Nothing that ever needing more than a bandaid but dang they are scary sharp. I had a friend that slipped with his on a pack in trip and and cut himself bad enough we ended our trip. We both had that blood clotting powder with us and I highly recommend everyone have that in their first aid kit. It was not a life or death injury but it was nice to be able to stop that bleeding. Last year I did pack a pair of these gloves that guys use at work that are supposed to be cut proof but left them back at camp when I had to break my elk down. I will always have them in my pack from now on.

I prefer to NOT have a razor sharp knife when working on an animal in the field. Too often it's cold out or after dark and working inside a body cavity full of slippery blood where it's difficult if not impossible to see what I'm doing. Lots of opportunities for things to go wrong. A super sharp Havalon type scalpel can be nice for cutting the tough floppy hide around the bung hole. After that I'm ready to switch to something more traditional and not razor sharp ... but still sharp enough.

 

[Trial153]

A lightweight Kevlar glove with a disposable latex glove over the way to go.

 

[kansasdad]

A lightweight Kevlar glove with a disposable latex glove over the way to go.

Depending on your culinary guests, latex could be an allergenic experience. Nitrile or chloroprene gloves have better tear resistance, and don't come with nearly the same allergy possibility (admittedly small chance)

 

[NDGuy]

What glove does everyone use? Most "knife proof" gloves probably wouldn't resist my sharp as F Gene Ingram knife lol

Stainless steel the way to go?

 

[RobertD]

I spent all hunting season at my side job skinning out deer heads for shoulder mounts, plus skinning out coyotes, cats, otters and the like for life-size mounts. I know I did about 250 deer heads and a couple dozen small mammals. I use a havalon and am ashamed to admit I cut my left index finger or thumb about once a week minimum and never thought about this. So seriously thanks for sharing, I'll have one come this fall.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I spent all hunting season at my side job skinning out deer heads for shoulder mounts, plus skinning out coyotes, cats, otters and the like for life-size mounts. I know I did about 250 deer heads and a couple dozen small mammals. I use a havalon and am ashamed to admit I cut my left index finger or thumb about once a week minimum and never thought about this. So seriously thanks for sharing, I'll have one come this fall.

Havalon is certainly good for that work. Thin and sharp and pointy. Kinda wish they made them with a thicker handle though. Seems my daughter also gashes herself with one every time she skins a head. One of these gloves will make a nice late Christmas present. Thanks for the idea.

Do you mind me asking what you charge for skinning a deer head?

 

[squirrel]

You guys will do well to try a SHOWA cut resistant glove. Specifically the one sold as "delicate operations" version, in the appropriate size of course. Fits like a glove... Nothing at all like those mesh steel condoms for filleting slimy fish. You can use them as finger cutting boards for fleshing capes they are so tight fitting and sensitive. They are the cat's ass for doing the lips, but less so for where you need the flat hard backing of a board for the eyes.

The only real downside is that if you take them off and try to put them back on if the glove is wet or your hand is wet it is as bad as putting on a wet suit after swimming.

The way to avoid this is to have multiple pairs (they weigh almost nothing) or wear a latex glove over so they don't get blood soaked, but this option sucks. Of course you can always not take them off until done for the days work.

Of course all boots leak at the top and all gloves go only so far up the wrist. Feeling bullet proof can lead to dumb decisions, but at least your fingers will not be cut so you can apply direct pressure halfway up to your elbow.

Edit to add they are a little like tire chains, put the chains on before you are stuck, and put them on BEFORE you reach up inside the moose to get the lungs...

 

[OntarioHunter]

You guys will do well to try a SHOWA cut resistant glove. Specifically the one sold as "delicate operations" version, in the appropriate size of course. Fits like a glove... Nothing at all like those mesh steel condoms for filleting slimy fish. You can use them as finger cutting boards for fleshing capes they are so tight fitting and sensitive.

The only real downside is that if you take them off and try to put them back on if the glove is wet or your hand is wet it is as bad as putting on a wet suit after swimming.

The way to avoid this is to have multiple pairs (they weigh almost nothing) or wear a latex glove over so they don't get blood soaked, but this option sucks. Of course you can always not take them off until done for the days work.

Of course all boots leak at the top and all gloves go only so far up the wrist. Feeling bullet proof can lead to dumb decisions, but at least your fingers will not be cut so you can apply direct pressure halfway up to your elbow.

Thanks! I'll definitely look into a pair for my daughter.

 

[RobertD]

Havalon is certainly good for that work. Thin and sharp and pointy. Kinda wish they made them with a thicker handle though. Seems my daughter also gashes herself with one every time she skins a head. One of these gloves will make a nice late Christmas present. Thanks for the idea.

Do you mind me asking what you charge for skinning a deer head?

I get paid by the hour because I work year round for the guy. If I did one for someone just by itself I'd probably just say twenty bucks or so.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I was reading this thread thinking wtf, I have cut myself once in 30 years butchering big game, and that was on a bone fragment inside the carcass as I teased out a tenderloin.
That said, I guess there's always a first time for everything, and maybe the next 30 years will be less kind.
Still, slow down, turtle, and save dem digits.

 

[diamond hitch]

Sorry about stating this up again but-- in over 55 years I have never cut myself. The secret? Little blades. For years all I used was a small to medium old timer pocket knife. I've skinned a couple hundred beaver using the smallest blade of the smallest folder. The scabbard knife I use only has a 3 inch blade. When I am working blind with both hands in a carcass I like to know where the end of the blade is at all times.

I use a bigger knife for skinning Elk and deer where I have more room and visibility. My favorite is a RMEF commemorative knife they gave me for work I did for them over 20 years. I'm not much on trophies but the knife is very good quality.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Sorry about stating this up again but-- in over 55 years I have never cut myself. The secret? Little blades. For years all I used was a small to medium old timer pocket knife. I've skinned a couple hundred beaver using the smallest blade of the smallest folder. The scabbard knife I use only has a 3 inch blade. When I am working blind with both hands in a carcass I like to know where the end of the blade is at all times.

I use a bigger knife for skinning Elk and deer where I have more room and visibility. My favorite is a RMEF commemorative knife they gave me for work I did for them over 20 years. I'm not much on trophies but the knife is very good quality.

When at RMEF headquarters gift shop two years ago I picked up a cutlery set for my daughter that had Browning's label on it. Very good quality!

I agree with the smaller blade working in the field. Some guys want big blades to pound on when splitting the pelvis. That's a waste of time and effort (not to mention knife blade) in my opinion. And I'm definitely not inclined to drag an axe or hatchet along when hunting. I have to come back with the horses for elk so bring the heavy cutting equipment then. I generally used a four inch drop point sheath knife or slightly shorter folding blade for gutting animals (knives always kept in my daypack). Old Timer is not a bad choice. They MIGHT keep a blade long enough to do the bung and open elk up. After that, I don't want a real sharp blade working inside in a pool of blood and often in poor light.

 

[WyoDoug]

I need one of these. Seems I knick myself everytime I butcher antelope or deer. In the field I work fast because I want to get them in the cooler as quick as possible. Ideally, you never want to cut towards yourself or your extremities, but it never fails, I do.

 

[Boarmaster]

I keep my knife sharp and try not to get in weird positions were I am off balance. The few times I have cut myself I was reaching at a weird angle And got in a big hurry. I dont get in a hurry much these days either.

 

[jbseamus83]

Love this idea! Will be adding something similar to my kit for sure.