Yard Sale Blades?

[mtnmike]

Alrighty you happy campers,riddle me this.  It's that season again(yard-sales),and I want a skinner,,what do I need to look for in a blade that will stay the course? And be specific!!

                         Thank You for your time & input          Mike

[Papa]

Any "good" old butcher knife with enough blade to shape into what you want. That's what most originals were.
Mark

[Blackfeet]

Carbon steel

[Dogshirt]

Solingen is always good if you can find it. Sheffield is another to look for.

[beowulf]

does it rust ,does it have a nice brown, grey ,or black patina . good old fashioned carbon steel . the older , old hickory knives are great  , and sometimes you`ll find an old beat up green river knife ! just avoid stainless, while there is good stainless , it does`nt fit in with the whole rondy , black powder ,living history thing ! I recently bought two old butcher knives at an antique shop for a buck , one is at least a century old , the other one is pre world war II paid a $1.50 for the pair 

[Red Badger]

To me it depends on several factors:
1.  Is it just a part of your persona?
2.  Are you going to any juried events.

If the answer to these questions is No - then consider a high quality stainless steel blade, but if you are going to a juried event then carbon steel is a must - Old Hickory or Green River blades especially if you can see the makers marks! 

and remember there is nothing wrong with a hand forged knife made by a craftsman

[beowulf]

sometimes you can find a piece that`s all beat up that you can rework into something else . this started of as a huge french chefs knife , had chips missing from the edge and a half inch of the point missing !  a little careful reshaping and it`s now razor sharp , and a not only useable , but pretty decent looking bowie ! made it for a friend who`s had it for several years now

[mtnmike]

I reckon with my personal outfit,it needs to be carbon steel then,,I try to maintain a 1750 persona.
Had an excellent skinner,but a camp-robber from WY,decided he needed it more than me

[sweed]

Ya kaint beat old hickory for functionality! Get yer self one o them, grind it back some so it looks very used, an put a bone er antler handle on it. 

I know about function, cause when I was in Jr. High, it was my job to drag th carcasses of dead feed lot caves out ta th 'bone pile'. I would skinum out an salt th hides for resale later. Bought many things a young man would need that way!!! 

[DandJofAZ]

Old cleavers are nice.  Often get two or three blades from one..

Doug

[Hawken50]

   By golly Beowulf  That bowie looks awesome

[beowulf]

  By golly Beowulf  That bowie looks awesome

turned out nice , the blade is a reworked french chefs knife , and the handle is made from a dog treat ! one of the bones they sell with fake marrow in them .  it`s good steel , takes a razor edge .  and I agree with sweed , hard to beat an old hickory , but look em over good , they are making them in stainless now . find an older one at a yard sale ,flea market or such ! bone or antler slabs really set them off !