Buck Knives - Mini Alpha Hunter Combo with Gut Hook

I recieved one of these knives from Mark Mclean, the Design Supervisor for Buck Knives.We met at this last SCI show in Reno, NV. Buck knives have always been in my family's hunting pack as long as I can remember, so I was excited to test this knife.

This combo includes a classic 195 Mini Alpha hunter and the innovative 499 Paklite Guthook. And a heavy duty nylon sheath that holds both knives.

The only true way to test a skiining knife and gut hook is to try it on an animal. Since I needed to now get a quick hunt in, I decided to head over to Big Horn Canyon Ranch to put the smack down on a hog.

Most of you know that hogs have coarse hair and during a gutting/skinning job you knife will dull pretty fast.

The gut hook in this combo made short work of this hog. I know most gut hooks can do the same, but this one out shines the competition for a few reasons:

1. Its right there in the sheath next to the skinning blade.

2. It has a compact design that fits perfectly in your hand.

3. And the blade section of the hook is over-sized to make it easy to sharpen.

Next was the skinning knife. The knife is fairly small(see specs below), which makes it easier to handle and the blade ends up being an extension of your hand. This knife came out of the box razor sharp, and because of the high quality steel, it was still sharp when I was finished. This is the reason that my family has been using Buck Knives for so long. It is great to not have to keep sharpening over and over for one animal.

I honestly can not find a down side to this knife. The case is excelent, but some people might prefer leather.

Buck also has a "forever warranty"....you cant beat that!

All in all, this is a fantastic knife!

This knife retails on the Buck web site for $90.00, but you can find it on others sites between $50.00 and $70.00

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BU195GYSVP   $57.95

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Alpha-Hunter-Combo-Guthook/dp/B002NJBNTS  $67.50

http://www.katerno.com/detail.php?s=117342   $48.93

Specifications

Paklite Series Skinner
Blade: 2 7/8" (7.3 cm) skinner blade, 420HC
Length: 6 5/8" (16.8 cm) overall
Weight: 2.5 oz.(70.9 g)
Handle: 420HC stainless steel
Sheath: Heavy-duty nylon
Made in USA
Guthook Ring
Blade: 420HC Guthook
Length: 4" (10.16 cm) overall
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g)
Handle: 420HC stainless steel
Sheath: Heavy-duty nylon
Made in USA
Total Combo Weight: 7.1 oz. (201.28 g)