MKC Elkhorn Skinner Review

You can tell a lot about a knife before it ever makes a cut. First with the ocular pat down - does the blade have the right angles, point, length, belly, for the way you like to break down game? Then the grip test - does it seat well in your hand? Is it nimble? Does it tuck clean into your kit? Most importantly, is it going to stay put once your hands are slick with blood? 

The Elkhorn Skinner from Montana Knife Company, made in collaboration with Remi Warren, passed both tests before I even got it out of the box. Add the polished stainless steel Magnacut blade and an attention-grabbing G-10 handle, and this knife doesn’t just look the part - it goes to work and makes it look easy.

I didn’t have to wait long to put the Elkhorn to use - on a Coues buck, no less - my first with a bow. Unlike most fixed blades, I never had to reach for a backup to pop joints or work into tight spots. It held its edge and sat naturally in my hand from the first incision to the last pull. After breaking down several animals with it now, I’ve come to appreciate its compact, stout 3.125-inch blade. It’s short, strong, and razor sharp. 

Montana Knife Company doesn’t make knives to sit in display cases (even though they look good in one). They make tools that earn their keep. And with Remi’s input, drawn from the hundreds of animals he’s broken down in the field - the Elkhorn was built with purpose. It’s not just a collector’s piece; it’s a hunter’s instrument, plain and simple.

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