Knives and assisting in animal breakdown?

[Totoro]

I know of some 'ole boys around me who keep a chainsaw with vegetable oil as bar lube in their truck.

It may not be pretty, but is sure it fast!

Funny you should mention that S_D, one of those 'ole boys was my dad and I still do the same...LOL.

 

[CJW]

Funny you should mention that S_D, one of those 'ole boys was my dad and I still do the same...LOL.

Is veg oil supposed to work better than regular bar oil?

 

[Hogpatrol]

I agree that you won’t likely get involved in skinning or butchering. But you can help move stuff. I’ve carried kudu off a mountainside and helped carry a lechwe this summer. Elephant, hippo, giraffe all definitely have opportunities to move parts, pull and lift.

I enjoy listening to the men while they work, talk and then erupt in laughter. No matter the culture, there is always one guy in a group of 6-8 workers that is funny and respected. There is a noticeable joy in the men as they take apart a big animal. It gets more exciting when a chainsaw comes out!

One good tip: having extra flashlights is a very big help. Being able to just hold a flashlight or two so the men can see while they work is a big benefit. I like to carry 2 headlamps and 2 handheld lights in my pack in the truck. They will get used.

OT somewhat, but to the trackers and skinners, I have given headlamps that can be recharged with the standard cellphone charger.

 

[Ryan]

Is veg oil supposed to work better than regular bar oil?

Nope, but vegetable oil is edible and regular bar oil is petroleum based and inedible.

I knew a guy who used the same set up to cut up road kill moose that was going to be ground up and go to the local food bank. Got the moose off the road and traffic going in record time.

 

[Totoro]

Is veg oil supposed to work better than regular bar oil?

It was on the cheap and easy; been poor folk living on farm had to make ends meet and re-use whatever we could.

Local restaurants would be pouring out old oil and what-not so pops being resourceful started nabbing oil.

The old 24" Husky he used to carry is the one I carry now. Though admittedly, I like my Stihl more but greatly nostalgic to fire up the 'ole Husky to do some more.

Now butchering road kill, never done that with a power saw!

 

[CJW]

Nope, but vegetable oil is edible and regular bar oil is petroleum based and inedible.

I knew a guy who used the same set up to cut up road kill moose that was going to be ground up and go to the local food bank. Got the moose off the road and traffic going in record time.

Geez, I wasn't even thinking about that. Makes sense of course for that purpose.

 

[CBH Australia]

Is veg oil supposed to work better than regular bar oil?

No,

I have heard of Aussies using a small chainsaw for breaking up beef etc. With veg oil in place of bar oil. Just keep a cheapy for that use .

Bar oil has an additive that makes oil cling to the chain and bar, and of course it's not food grade.

 

[JimP]

Around 13 years ago my brother in law drew a bison tag in Utah. He spent quite a bit of time on his 36 inch bar chain saw cleaning up everything getting it ready to use to cut up a bison. He planned on using vegi oil and had ran quite a bit of the oil through the chain oiler to make sure that it was clean enough for the job.

When he shot his bison he sent a couple of us to the truck to bring back the chainsaw and pack frames. By the time we returned they had pretty much split that bison up into enough pieces that it would be manageable to pack out without using that chain saw.

 

[CBH Australia]

Around 13 years ago my brother in law drew a bison tag in Utah. He spent quite a bit of time on his 36 inch bar chain saw cleaning up everything getting it ready to use to cut up a bison. He planned on using vegi oil and had ran quite a bit of the oil through the chain oiler to make sure that it was clean enough for the job.

When he shot his bison he sent a couple of us to the truck to bring back the chainsaw and pack frames. By the time we returned they had pretty much split that bison up into enough pieces that it would be manageable to pack out without using that chain saw.

And a 36" bar might have been overkill,

I guess if you know how tho seperate intoo the right cuts you won't need to quarter in the field.

 

[CJW]

Around 13 years ago my brother in law drew a bison tag in Utah. He spent quite a bit of time on his 36 inch bar chain saw cleaning up everything getting it ready to use to cut up a bison. He planned on using vegi oil and had ran quite a bit of the oil through the chain oiler to make sure that it was clean enough for the job.

When he shot his bison he sent a couple of us to the truck to bring back the chainsaw and pack frames. By the time we returned they had pretty much split that bison up into enough pieces that it would be manageable to pack out without using that chain saw.

That's my thinking as well. Quartering, taking back straps, etc. is pretty easy if you know what you're doing. A chainsaw seems a little overkill, messy and wasteful.

 

[JimP]

If he would of shot the first one that we saw on opening morning the chainsaw might of been welcomed. There were three bulls and I would wager that they all were over 1200 lbs each. How he missed something the size of a Volkswagen at 100 yards I will never know.

I know when he mentioned the chainsaw before the hunt I wondered just where he was going to go with it.

 

[CJW]

If he would of shot the first one that we saw on opening morning the chainsaw might of been welcomed. There were three bulls and I would wager that they all were over 1200 lbs each. How he missed something the size of a Volkswagen at 100 yards I will never know.

I know when he mentioned the chainsaw before the hunt I wondered just where he was going to go with it.

Maybe I'm just not informed but I just keep trying to imagine how much of a mess it makes. I use a chainsaw alot and those chips end up everywhere. Would I be picking bits of meat and clotted blood out of my hair and pockets for weeks?

 

[thi9elsp]

I have a skinning knife my mom (passed away 30 years ago) gave me 40 years ago. I bring it along on safari. Both of my buffalo were field dressed and cut in half to get them in the truck. We took a picture of me making the first cut with the knife from my mom - it keeps me connected in some way that is important to me. After that, I got out of the way and let the PH's team take care of everything except for helping to load.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I used to work on a game ranch. We had hands that did skinning and quartering. Took them about 20 minutes to skin gut and quarter an eland. Best advice ever given was “stay out of the way”.

 

[WAB]

The prior advice given is spot on, it’s beat to stay out of the way!

I noticed you asked about restrictions on numbers of knives. I often take knives as gifts, as many as a dozen at a time. I’ve never had a problem.