Outdoor Edge Butcher Lite kit

If you read last month’s News you will have noted that Outdoor Edge Cutlery is now being imported and distributed in the UK by Top Gun Clothing. MD (Ron Salt) sent me a selection of product down to look at and I have to say it spans a wide range of options and shows good and innovative build. First up is the Butcher-Lite kit, which will be a boon to those who are e serious about game preparation.

The Lite comes in a nylon roll/pouch compete with belt so it can be worn like a big scabbard and as the name suggests at 2 ½ lbs can be carried in your pack in the field. It consists of the following items: 3” capping knife, 4 ¼” gut hook skinner, 6” boning/fillet blade, 7 ½ ” wood/bone saw, tungsten carbine sharpener, rib spreader and rubber gloves. Let’s look a bit closer.

420 Stainless and Kraton

All the tools are made in China from 420 stainless steel and show moulded, Kraton handles. The capper’s function is for skinning out the skull for trophy preparation where a small blade allows this fine work to be done with precision. With a large choil for more control this is a useful design.

The gut hook skinner shows a butcher-type D-shaped blade with the hook on top. This is used for running down the inside of legs to open up the skin but not cut the meat underneath. The main edge is good for general preparation etc.

The boner/fillet shows a long, slim and curved blade with enough flexibility for cutting tight around bones and is fine and sharp enough to be used on fish too. The Griz Saw has a T-handle at the rear with triangular, diagonally opposed teeth that offer a 7 ½” cutting edge. This will equally handle wood and bone cutting tasks and is well suited to opening up the sternum and pelvis on the bigger deer species. All four cutting tools sit in a synthetic inner sheath to protect the cloth outer.

Spread Em

The final items are the tungsten carbide V-sharpener. Looking like the handle of a sabre or cutlass the full bow guard protects the hand and the Kraton grip allows for a secure hold. All you do is place the knife edge in the V at the front of the bow and pull it down to get a fast and even edge. Clever stuff…

Something that is perhaps of more use on big deer is the rib spreader (Steel-Stick). Once you have opened up the sternum pull the ribs apart and wedge the spreader inside to hold them open. Now you can work inside easily removing the organs etc. Finally in a small zipped pouch are a few sets of surgical gloves, which are a wise move to wear whilst doing this sort of work.

Overall the Butcher-Lite kit comes across as a practical item with everything you need to process a deer in the field or on the block. The handles offer a secure surface and are well proportioned to afford a versatile hold. The nylon holder/scabbard folds up and is closed by press studs to make a compact package for carriage and storage.

Looking at the Outdoor Edge catalogue shows that all the items in the Lite kit can be purchased separately or in combo sets. Likewise they offer two more combination kits along similar lines – the hard cased Game Processor set with more knives and a slightly different saw and the OutPak. This offers the capper and gut hook skinner along with a folding fillet knife, hand steel, rib spreader and axe (Axe-It).

Next month some of their folders, which offers some useful options. Overall the Outdoor Edge range is well worth a look in terms of cost effective field cutlery. Top Gun Clothing is trade only but is happy to discuss your requirements and will send items on to your local gunshop for you to buy.

For: Versatile, cost-effective and useful game preparation set
Against: Not a lot
Verdict: A good all-in-one set for those who take the job seriously

PRICE: £75