Video: How to Make a Knife

How to Properly Sharpen a Knife

Before I began work as a full-time butcher, I had little interest in the intricacies of knife-sharpening. Even as a restaurant cook, I often did the bare minimum when honing the blade on my chef's knife. And because I usually only skinned a few animals each year, my hunting blade was, I now realize, dangerously dull. These days, however, I cannot afford to use dull knives. Each week at the meat shop, I skin and gut at least five beef, pigs, or...

Video: How to Make a Pocket Set Trap

Pocket sets are a versatile trap setup that you can use to target species like raccoon, mink, and muskrat. First, pick a location with animal tracks near a cut bank and shallow moving water that won’t freeze. Start by digging the pocket into the bank about 14 inches deep. The back of the pocket should be above the water but far enough back that whatever animal is going to check out the bait really needs to spend some time to get in there and...

How to Sharpen a Knife in the Field

For a lot of folks, sharpening a hunting knife is a project for the work bench when they’re stuck inside dreaming about being outside. But the best way to sharpen a knife to an edge that you can shave with is out in the field, when you actually need it. The reason is simple: The more a blade dulls, the harder it is to resharpen to a fine edge. The way a knife dulls is the thin metal on the cutting edge bends and rolls. Keep using the knife as it...