Stretch 2 for hunting?

[B&C Buck]

Hi guys, new to this forum and new to Spyderco. Looking for a hunting/skinning knife. I know that is traditionally the territory of fixed blades, but I want a folder for ease of carry. I have been researching and reading, watching youtube, etc. I think the Stretch 2 may be the choice. Anyone else using a Stretch 2 for wild game processing? What other models should I consider for this purpose?

[Holland]

I've never skinned anything before but I would guess the stretch would work well.

The stretch is the offspring of the Spyderco Hunter

http://spydercosource.com/2009/02/spyderco-hunter-c03/

[Robbob]

The Stretch was designed as a hunting knife. Depending on what you're processing it should work well. Squirrel might be too small, but for larger game like deer it would be suited.

[Surfingringo]

The Stretch is a great design and should serve you well. I've done a bit of skinning and plenty of fish work with the Stretch and it is one of my favorite folding designs for that type of work. Actually it's one of my favorite folding knives period! I should note that the drop point is too steep for what I like on a skinning knife so I modify mine by sanding down the hump. Sometimes I lower the curve and sometimes I just grind the hump flat in line with the spine above the hole. Here's a couple of examples showing the two mods. For my uses, I vastly prefer the knife post mod.

[bobcat]

I have a Stretch, should be fine for deer. I had to use a Delica once to clean, not skin, a buck so I think the Stretch would be better. I actually liked using the little Delica however I have a 25 year tradition with a Lile fixed blade.

[Bloke]

I asked the very same question regarding the Stretch when I first joined the forum. :)

The knife will certainly do the job but how would you clean it afterwards? Inevitably you'll end up with blood and gore in between the liners and FRN and even whilst wet you wouldn't flush it all out and once it dried ... ! :eek:

Anyhow, I'm still using fixed blades on game but I do use a Manbug to take fox tails.

[B&C Buck]

I asked the very same question regarding the Stretch when I first joined the forum. :)

The knife will certainly do the job but how would you clean it afterwards? Inevitably you'll end up with blood and gore in between the liners and FRN and even whilst wet you wouldn't flush it all out and once it dried ... ! :eek:

Anyhow, I'm still using fixed blades on game but I do use a Manbug to take fox tails.

Yeah, I am worried about cleaning it, but I have experience in that department as I am currently using a Buck fixed and/or Gerber folder. We will see, perhaps I stick with the fixed blade, perhaps not. Going to think about it somemore. Decided to get a PM2 first, for general carry, camping and hiking type duties and start the conversion to Spyderco. I am going to hold off on the Stretch 2 as dedicated hunting/skinning knife. I want a bright G10 handle (blue or red or such) as I have had enough black knives, so the current Stretch 2 offerings don't do it for me. Perhaps the future will bring some new Stretch offerings.

[Bloke]

The PM2 will serve you well and I hear you on the black thing.

Have a look for a ZDP-189 Stretch. They have very nice dark green scales and if you use paint stripper to get rid of the black clip that looks like a fly in the ointment on anything bar a black knife you'll end up with a spiffy cutting machine, and please don't listen to the nonsense about ZDP being hard to sharpen, 'chippy' and 'rusty'. :)

[Doc Dan]

The Stretch was purpose designed as a hunting knife. Its predecessor was called the Hunter, in fact.

Also, you can still find the ORANGE HAP40 Stretch at various online sellers. HAP40 is clad with stainless so the edge is not stainless, but should not be hard to care for.

[gunmike1]

I used my ZDP 189 Stretch to skin a deer and it did a fine job. It's a very good knife for that job. The edge holds up very well and you shouldn't have any issues processing the deer with it without needing a touch up.

[roger-roger]

I asked the very same question regarding the Stretch when I first joined the forum. :)

The knife will certainly do the job but how would you clean it afterwards? Inevitably you'll end up with blood and gore in between the liners and FRN and even whilst wet you wouldn't flush it all out and once it dried ... ! :eek:

Anyhow, I'm still using fixed blades on game but I do use a Manbug to take fox tails.

Everyone's different but I'm pretty meticulous when it comes to guts getting on my stuff. I used a Buck 110 for field dressing in the 60's/70's, but that was mostly due to youth and the effect of advertisements in outdoor magazines. Went back to fixed for field use and never looked back. Otoh, always carried a spare (folder).

[anagarika]

How about rubber band the closed blade, toss it into jeans pocket & into washing machine?
Dry completely and relube the pivot with WD40?

Just a thought ... :)

[Bloke]

How about rubber band the closed blade, toss it into jeans pocket & into washing machine?
Dry completely and relube the pivot with WD40?

Just a thought ... :)

Hi Chris,

May well work mate, but ... the way my luck runs the washing powder would perish the laccy bands and the knife would lock itself open and turn my clothes into shop rags. The screws holding the clip would rattle undone and the clip would jam the agitator, overheat the motor so it caught fire and burnt down the laundry setting fire to my neighbour's house. The fire department would investigate the cause of the fire and undoubtedly beloved wife and the neighbour would learn it was all my fault washing a bloody knife. My neighbour would stop talking to me and beloved wife would stab me, possibly with another Spyderco folder which would ultimately need washing too. Thus perpetuating an undesirable cycle! :p

[Bill1170]

How about rubber band the closed blade, toss it into jeans pocket & into washing machine?
Dry completely and relube the pivot with WD40?

Just a thought ... :)

Hi Chris,

May well work mate, but ... the way my luck runs the washing powder would perish the laccy bands and the knife would lock itself open and turn my clothes into shop rags. The screws holding the clip would rattle undone and the clip would jam the agitator, overheat the motor so it caught fire and burnt down the laundry setting fire to my neighbour's house. The fire department would investigate the cause of the fire and undoubtedly beloved wife and the neighbour would learn it was all my fault washing a bloody knife. My neighbour would stop talking to me and beloved wife would stab me, possibly with another Spyderco folder which would ultimately need washing too. Thus perpetuating an undesirable cycle! :p

I see we have a poet from Down Under! That was fun to read.

[Doc Dan]

Hahahaha!

[anagarika]

Hahaha!

Well, I read some of members got the blade cleaned by this process ... (without the fire of course) :p

[dsvirsky]

How about rubber band the closed blade, toss it into jeans pocket & into washing machine?
Dry completely and relube the pivot with WD40?

Just a thought ... :)

Much easier: top rack of dishwasher, spray with WD40 to remove any residual moisture, relube pivot.

[Surfingringo]

Even easier yet, blow the thing out with a garden hose and stick it in your pocket. :) I cleaned game for 20 years coming up and never once used anything but a folder (pinned construction by the way). Never had an issue keeping it clean. I'm not arguing against the idea that a fixed blade is better for game cleaning, I'm just offering my experience that it's a simple enough matter to clean a folder after the work's done.

Now that I've got salt knives I don't even bother cleaning them properly. And yes, some might say they stink. Personally I find they smell like victory. :p

[Gravedigger]

My opinion is you should carry a folder for hunting. SAFETY FIRST. A folder much safer to carry than fixed blade.
I carried a stretch 2 zdp now I carry a Gayle Bradley. Stretch 2 is a good choice.