{"product_id":"hand-forged-skinning-knife-rosewood","title":"Hand Forged Skinning Knife, Carbon Steel Skinner with Rosewood Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eA skinning knife takes the hide off game, and this is the plainest and cheapest one we make. The blade is short and broad with a deep belly and a low point, which is the shape most hunters buy first. It is hand forged 1095 high carbon with the hammer marks left on the flats, and the handle is rosewood on a full tang. A tooled leather belt sheath comes with it.\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\u003e1095 high carbon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand forged, hammer marks on the flats, mirror bright 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\u003eRosewood, 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\u003eLaser engraving, 20 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\u003e1095 takes the sharpest edge in our shop and comes back fastest on a stone, which is what you want on a working knife. It is forged rather than cut from stock, so the hammer marks stay on the flats and the bevel is polished mirror bright. It is high carbon, so it darkens with use and will rust if you leave it wet. At 4 inches the belly is deep and the point sits low, because skinning is a sweeping cut made with the curve of the edge rather than the tip.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRosewood is dense and close grained, dark brown with darker streaks running through it, and it warms in the hand instead of staying cold. It does not go slippery when wet, which matters when the work is outdoors in the fall. The tang is full, one unbroken piece of steel from tip to butt, and brass pins go through the scales to hold them. Rosewood is natural, so the grain and the color are different on every knife we cut.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather sheath\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery knife in this batch ships with a leather belt sheath cut for that exact knife, and this one is no different for being the cheapest piece in the set. It is vegetable tanned leather, hand stitched, with a welted edge and a wide belt loop on the back so it rides flat. A strap goes over the handle and closes with a snap, so the knife stays seated while you walk. The face is hand tooled, a carved floral panel set inside a beaded border. Most sellers in this category say leather sheath and stop there.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the working knife of the batch, and the one to buy if you want a skinner you will use hard and sharpen often. There is no Damascus pattern and no antler on it, so the money goes into the steel, the handle and the sheath rather than the look of the blade. It is the lowest price we run.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFirst time buyers who want a skinner that works\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHunters who field dress their own game\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who sharpens their own knives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 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, heat treated and sharpened by hand, so runs stay small and no two come out the same. The hammer marks fall where they fall, and the grain and color of the rosewood are whatever the board gave us. Yours will vary from the photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWash and dry it by hand, never in the dishwasher, and never left wet in a pack. Dishwasher damage voids the warranty. Carbon steel darkens with use and that patina is normal. Oil the blade before it goes away for the season, and let the leather dry away from heat. Sharpen on a whetstone at roughly 20 degrees per side, then strop, and keep it away from 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, added 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. Clean line art engraves cleanly, photographs do not. 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 skinning knife for?\u003c\/strong\u003e It takes the hide off game, using the curve of the edge rather than the tip.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the point low?\u003c\/strong\u003e The deep belly gives a long sweeping cut, and the low point keeps the tip from catching.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are the hammer marks on the flats?\u003c\/strong\u003e They are left from forging the blade by hand instead of grinding it from stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill 1095 rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can. Dry it after use and oil it before storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow sharp is it out of the box?\u003c\/strong\u003e It is sharpened by hand and inspected before packing, so it arrives ready to use.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan you engrave it?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, 20 dollars per blade and around 30 characters fits.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you want a hook in the spine, the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinning-knife-rosewood\"\u003eDamascus gut hook skinning knife in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e has one, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-ram-horn\"\u003ehand forged skinning knife with a ram horn handle\u003c\/a\u003e is this same blade with horn scales. The rest are in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/skinner-knives\"\u003eskinner knives\u003c\/a\u003e, this steel runs through \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/high-carbon-1095\"\u003ehigh carbon 1095\u003c\/a\u003e, and the wood carries on in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/rosewood-handle-knives\"\u003erosewood handle knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44134060949622,"sku":"VEF-SKN-HC-DP-160","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-rosewood-handle_acfd4e3c-8106-40b7-99e1-bc43752e811a.jpg?v=1788736487","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-rosewood","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}