Alligator skinning knife…

K

Kev

Well-Known Member
It has been requested of me to make a gentleman a knife for skinning alligators. Here in Utah we don’t have many gators and I have never had the opportunity to skin one or witness one being skinned.
I was hoping someone on here would hail from a state more proliferate with American Alligators, and could point me the way of some advantageous features for a knife to skin such a beast?

Thanks in advance.
 
I've done a couple, I just used my standard deer skinner along with a good pair of shears. they are tough critters to clean and it takes experiance in cleaning them to know where the meat is, it's not just in the tail.
being reptiles, their kind of like snakes in that once their dead their bodies keep moving for a while. the first one I did as soon as I put a knife to it rolled over. and as I was putting the meat in a bag it was quivering. kind of weird, I don't think there's any particular style knife for gators. I would ask the customer if he has any special pattern in mind.
 
bladegrinder said:
I've done a couple, I just used my standard deer skinner along with a good pair of shears. they are tough critters to clean and it takes experiance in cleaning them to know where the meat is, it's not just in the tail.
being reptiles, their kind of like snakes in that once their dead their bodies keep moving for a while. the first one I did as soon as I put a knife to it rolled over. and as I was putting the meat in a bag it was quivering. kind of weird, I don't think there's any particular style knife for gators. I would ask the customer if he has any special pattern in mind.
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That's what I was figuring. I don't have any experience skinning alligator, so didn't feel I'd be any help by chiming in...

BUT if it was me. I'd (like you said) just go with a regular skinning knife and ask the customer what options he wanted (gut hook, handle material, etc)

Sent from my Champion Forge using Tapatalk
 
I have skinned quite a few. I use my deer skinning knife. You have to cut practically every square inch off, so it is a lot of knife time!!! A super comfortable handle and a edge that will stay sharp are a must!!!!
 
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