So we rolled up to the farm, and this is part of the "terrible views" - and only 1 23/4 hours from home in what is generally accepted as Deer Country out near Mansfield.
![Image](//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190224/34fe43f1a7be8cf0f2d8cecffe1c4d60.jpg)
The full view of Ted's take on a Canadian Belt Knife, an unusual shape to what I am used to but felt promising with a good heft and feel to it.
Ted always has a rock in his photo's and to it justice I found one as well...
![Image](//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190224/ae61d79edfa264f85dcf21670812d81c.jpg)
Except mine is a sacrificial alter...… OR does Ted need to make his knives bigger?
The afternoon ws taken up with cattle work first, 79 head had got out into the neighbours, once they were sorted and back where they should be - time for a bit of a stalk as the deer "usually go through here about 6 -7pm" A good spot was selected with a reasonable field of view and we settled in for the wait.
Right on cue Boom, Boom …….. Boom - came from the bloody National Park side - fucking poachers were in there.
So whilst no deer came through - I did manage to grab another picture of the knife.
Later that night we hooked the spottie up to go shoot some of the macropods under a permit - I managed 9 from 9 shots and then 2 foxes took a pair of shots each - however the cocky was stoked as he only has a .22 for daily use and he was a little puzzled at wanting photo's for "proof" of kill - mumbled something about wierdo's and that he was stuffed if he knew what the attraction of a bloody photo of a dead fox was, when it was laying there in the paddock for him to see.
But back to the knife....
The good:
Its nice to hold, it has a nice weight to it and was sharp right outta the box.
The not so:
The knife blade has a pit in it high on the right side and if you hold it up to the light - you can see a false grind or a reworking of the blade, and finally the gimping isn't even.
Sorry Ted but you wanted me to be honest in my write up.
For knocking the legs off the roo's - I went back to my tried and true Victorinox.
Not because the Deermaster would not cut through - but the blade shape just wasn't too conducive to going through the cartilage of the femur joint - with how I do it - YMMV.
However the knife came into its own when skinning was required.
A very good blade design and comfortable fit in the hand made light work of the job - to give it a good work out I did 16 legs and the blade remained sharp, though needed a light touch up on the edge of the utes window (I left my bloody steel behind) and was good to go again.
Will this knife be a favourite?
For a bloody good skinner - that's a resounding yes.
Will I pay Ted and keep the knife - that's another resounding Yes.
Please note that Ted gave me the knife to review with an option to buy if I liked it - and well... I like it so will be buying it.
Thanks Ted.