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Joker CC75 Skinning Knife  When we saw our first JOKER knives at an international trade show in 2014, we were impressed with both the quality and price. When we reviewed a couple of models in 2015, we were not disappointed, which is why our review was titled, JOKER Knives are No Joke. In this day of mass production and machine fabrication, it was a pleasure to review handcrafted knives that were made the old fashioned way; one blade at a time by skilled craftsmen. The JOKER CC75, the subject of this review, is no exception. The CC75 is billed as a skinner. However, it is much more. This medium sized belt knife is ideal for the hunter and backpacker who does not want to carry a large sheath knife. With its (approx.) three inch blade, it is unobtrusive on the belt, but up to just about any task you might give it, from cutting kindling for a campfire to skinning out a bull elk. However, we want to warn you, it is very sharp when it comes out of the box, so be careful. The molybdenum-vanadium steel blade is designated as Krupp 4116, roughly equivalent to US 420HC, which is used extensively by Buck. It has a Rockwell hardness of 57, one notch below Buck's HRC 58, but higher than most other 4116 steels. This makes it very tough. This steel is used extensively by Krupp and Grohmann in their knives. While it does not retain its edge as well as 440C steel, it takes a keen edge and is easy to re-sharpen. Due to its keen edge, it is an ideal skinning knife. There are a lot of other skinners that retain a good edge, but most are not quite as sharp as the CC75. You will notice the difference in the field. The grooves on the spine enables positive and precise control of the blade, either with your thumb or index finger. There is also a lanyard loop at the back of the handle. If you are a hunter, this may be just the knife for which you have been looking. The sheath for this blade is one of the toughest we have ever encountered. It is listed as bull hide leather and we believe it. It is essentially the same thickness and type of leather that our saddles are made from. The stitching thread is thick and tight. To insure the sheath will never come apart, there are two rivets, one at the bottom and one at the top. This is typical of the extra effort put into this hand crafted knife and its sheath. The same can be said for the stag scales on the handle. They are precisely mated to the full tang of the blade and held in place by two polished, double-sided rivets. These scales will never loosen or come off. They will last as long as the knife. Features and Specifications
It should be pretty obvious that we really liked this knife. It is now Jim's regular backpack and hunting knife. He says he won't leave home without it. |