{"product_id":"damascus-skinner-knife-stag-antler","title":"Damascus Skinner Knife, Hand Forged Drop Point Skinning Knife with Stag Antler Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eA skinner is the knife you pick up when the work turns to hide. The blade is short and broad with a deep rounded belly, because skinning is a sweeping cut along the curve of the edge, not a stab with the tip. This one is a 4 inch drop point blade in hand forged Damascus, with a stag antler handle over a full tang and a tooled leather belt sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDamascus over high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEtched pattern, polished bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle material\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStag antler, brass pins\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTooled leather belt sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per blade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark layers show, with the bevel polished mirror bright. At 4 inches this is a drop point skinner, so the spine curves gently down to meet the belly and the point sits low. That low point is deliberate. It keeps the tip from catching while the belly does the cutting. The honest trade is the core steel, which is carbon, so the blade darkens with use and will rust if it is left wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eStag antler is the handle most hunters ask for, and this one keeps its natural ridges and hollows rather than being sanded smooth. Those ridges are what your fingers find when your hands are cold or wet, and antler stays warm to hold. The tang runs full length behind the scales, steel unbroken from tip to butt, with brass pins set through. Antler is a natural material, so the color and the surface change from one knife to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather sheath\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sheath is cut for this exact knife, so the blade goes in snug. The leather is vegetable tanned. A wide belt loop is stitched to the back, a strap with a snap sits over the handle, and a welt is sewn into the edge so the stitching stays clear of the blade. All of the stitching is done by hand. The face is hand tooled with a carved western floral scroll, cut and shaded, not printed. Most sellers stop at the words leather sheath. This is the rest of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the shape most hunters buy first, and a stag handle makes it a knife people leave out on a shelf rather than in a drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer hunters who do their own field dressing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone buying a first dedicated skinner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who process their own venison\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who want natural antler over synthetic scales\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone shopping for a gift for a hunter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Damascus skinner knife\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather belt sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA free laser engraving quote on request\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach knife is forged, ground and finished by hand, so runs stay small and no two come out the same. The Damascus pattern, the antler and the depth of the tooling will vary from the photographs. Yours will be its own piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWash and dry it by hand. Never the dishwasher, since dishwasher damage voids the warranty, and never leave it wet in a pack. The gray patina that builds with use is normal and protects the steel. Oil it lightly before storage, and let the leather dry away from heat. Sharpen on a whetstone at roughly 20 degrees per side, then strop. No pull through sharpeners. More in our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per blade and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade, and a longer message sits better on the sheath. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Free on orders of 10 pieces or more. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a skinner knife for?\u003c\/strong\u003e It takes hide off game with a sweeping cut along the curved belly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the point so low?\u003c\/strong\u003e A low point keeps the tip from catching while the belly cuts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is the belt sheath worn?\u003c\/strong\u003e On your belt through the stitched loop, with the snap strap over the handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill this steel rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can, so dry it after use and oil it before storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my knife look exactly like the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the pattern, the antler and the tooling differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it full tang?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, unbroken steel from tip to butt, with brass pins through the scales.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a hook in the spine, try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinner-stag-antler\"\u003eDamascus gut hook skinner in stag antler\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a wood handle the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-skinner-knife-olive-wood\"\u003eDamascus skinner in olive wood\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/skinner-knives\"\u003eskinner knives\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/damascus-steel\"\u003eDamascus steel\u003c\/a\u003e, and in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/stag-horn-knives\"\u003estag horn knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44134025363574,"sku":"VEF-SKN-DAM-DP-151","price":199.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-skinner-knife-stag-antler-handle_fe1675f9-c1e9-4d3f-b2b0-305bf4b8d404.jpg?v=1788736486","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-skinner-knife-stag-antler","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}