This knife was inspired by a suggestion from a friend who is an experienced, avid hunter. The design is based upon the Cattaraugus from the 1880s. My friend gave many suggestions throughout the development process and I am confident this will be a welcomed addition to any hunter’s collection of working knives. The knife pictured here is the first Kenai Moose Skinner and is already sold. It is a custom build for a client in Alaska. The overall length of the knife is 9″ and the blade alone is 4 3/16″. The blade width is 1 3/16″ and 5/32″ thick.
This knife is made using ‘D-2 Carbon Steel’. I use this steel in the more expensive knives that I make because D-2 is considered by many to be the best carbon steel for knife blades. The combination of superior abrasion resistance and toughness is the result of it’s high carbon and high chromium content.
Unlike the high carbon steel I use in my more economical knives, it is not easy to sharpen so you want to make sure it’s sharp before you head out hunting. On the up side, it holds an edge really well and if properly sharpened should last through the entire animal skinning. Remember that a sharp edge is easier to maintain than it is to put an edge back on a dull knife. Sharpen often.
It is NOT ‘Stainless Steel’ even though it contains chromium, so it needs care and attention to prevent corrosion. This is nothing major, it just means that you clean and dry off the knife after use and put a thin film of rust blocker such as A.G. Russel’s ‘Rust Free’ or some other oil (which I do to every knife before it goes out) regularly. And as with any knife, do not store it in it’s sheath for long periods of time as the chemicals used in tanning process will cause corrosion.
No two knives will be exactly the same because I ‘Electro-Etch’ the blade, which makes every knife unique and the purchaser can choose the wood used in the handle.
For the handle of this knife I used ‘Desert Iron Wood’. For finishing the wood handles of my knives I now use ‘Birchwood/Casey’ gun stock finishing. So maintaining the knifes handle is easy. I also treat each knife handle with Sealer & Filler, Tru-Oil, and Gun Stock Wax to give them a rich, long lasting finish.
You can order your own custom Kenai Moose Skinner for $225 by emailing me at moondogknives at gmail dot com. I accept PayPal, Zelle, Google Pay, and Popmoney and require a 50% deposit on all orders. Approximate wait time on order fulfillment is one month as each knife is individually built.
MoonDog Knives 