Leatherman Klamath Folding Hunting Knife

This knife is well-made and holds an edge like nobody's business. It locks firmly and securely, doesn't slip in my grip, giggles at the challenge of cleaning four hogs at once, and looks good doing it. The included sheath is nice, too, and the diamond sharpener that stows in the handle is a nice touch.

Pros

Cons

I owned this knife for a while before I got a chance to really put it through its paces. I was impressed when I first handled one at the SHOT Show, and from some general use I knew the blade was good, the knife was solidly built and the sharpener was small but useful.

The blade was shaving-sharp right out of the box, which is something I appreciate. My only complaint was that the o-ring on the sharpener, designed to retain it in the handle via friction, likes to roll off the sharpener at times when stowing the sharpener.

Then, a marvelous opportunity arose! Some swine had been bothering a friend of a friend, and some pest control was called for. All right! Nothing like the promise of fresh pork to cheer up a hunter in the off-season. Short story shorter, I was faced with shucking four hogs, all about 75 pounds or so.

Armed with this knife, a Leatherman Steens fixed-blade, and a small replaceable-blade skinner, I set to work. And I worked... and I worked. What I found was that Leatherman knives are very good. No surprise there.

I use gut hooks to slit the hide for skinning. For this, I found the gut hook on the fixed-blade knife worked a little better, since its cutting edge is a little closer to the point of the hook. The Klamath's gut hook, though, is generous in size, very sharp, and should work well, even on large critters.

I used this knife for most of the skinning and quartering work, and never had to think about setting a sharpener to it. It did not slip even when my hands were covered with blood and pork fat, and I found it comfortable as well.

Afterward, cleanup of the stainless blade and aluminum handle was quick and easy. And after just ten to fifteen seconds of sharpening with my old Craftsman Honesteel, the blade was once again easily shaving hair.

This is a very good knife, and I'm proud to own it.

- Russ Chastain