Horseman's Knife

I received this comment from an earlier post on Halters under Bridles: "Hey Range Rider, I remember you from a few years ago when you guided me on a Oryx depredation hunt in Southern New Mexico. I remember you telling me my .308 was marginal for Oryx and you were right. My wife was the lady who sent you those pictures in the mail of you and me with the Oryx I shot. I like your site, even though I don't own horses anymore, but am thinking of getting a Mule for back country hunting. What type of knife you are carrying? Do you prefer a fixed blade or a folding knife? Why so? Clem in Rio Rancho."

Hey Clem, hope your Oryx mount has a prominent place in your home. I am still carrying the knife I had on those Depredation Hunts that I guided as a Range Rider. I have a local knife maker, Joe Teague, make mine. I prefer a fixed blade of about 3.5 to 4 inches long, single edge. I have carried folding knives in the past but always risk the chance of cutting my thumb when opening them. In fact, I have cut myself a dozen times or more with folders.

The fixed blade is much more suited to me and I carry it in an off side cross draw where I can reach it with either hand when the opposite hand is occupied. I feel naked without a knife as it is the most basic of tools. I cut hay bale twine, bucket locks, roots on plants growing up in my corral and lots of other uses. Heck, I even use my knife as a screwdriver,.....don't tell Joe Teague that.

I use the knife for scale when taking photographs of tracks and prints when I was enforcing the law and protecting archeological sites.

There are many good fixed blades knives available. If I had to buy another one, I would to to Craig Cameron's website and buy one of his cowboy knives,...right blade length and cross draw shealth that I'm fond of.

Good to hear from you and tell you wife I said hello.