Shoot I can't remember the name of mine but they were about 25.00 each and much better than the ones on bought on Valley Vet for around 9.00 each.
Do you use both left and right?
Do you sharpen your own knives or do you send them out for sharpening?

Ive tried everything from the $8 frost knives to 100 dollar hand made knives. I keep going back to the frost knives, I just like the way they feel. I do modify them slightly. One of the things I do is I grind the hook back so I can more easily sharpen the area around the hook. I use a siesle and felt wheel setup. It took me about a week to finally get the whole sharpening with the wheels thing down. But in the end, its sharper and the knife lasts longer than using a file. Not that longevity matters much on the 8 dollar knives.

I also use a hall loop knife which is pretty cool. I cant sharpen it on the wheels though.

I dont think anyone sends their knives out to be sharpened. People here most likely sharpen their knife at least once a day if not several times a day. So learning how to properly sharpen your knife is a necessity.

I have a Hall loop, Hall drop blade and 2 Ringle knives. Love the Ringle steel but I like the deeper drop in the Hall. I also used a "The Knife" a few times. Love the shape of that knife but the steel is not so great..... Will not hold an edge nearly as long a the Ringle and Hall.

Ringle is pretty expensive ($100). Best bang for the buck is Hall I think....

Troy

Used to use only frost... The last batch of 'em were really soft steel. I bucked up and bought a left and right "The Knife" great knives. I found the steel quite hard and keeps a good edge. I use a diamond round to get my edge and use the buffing wheel to hone it up.

SlowShoe wrote:
Well I am not embarrassed to say that I have a hard time sharpening my knives. I was at a clinic one day and was messing with my knife and sharpener and this guy grabs them from my hand and starts gently "carressing" the knife with the sharpener. I had no idea you had to be so gentle.
I guess I should start practicing.. LOL I did send mine out to be sharpened - my 9.00 ones and guy told me they were garbage.

I use a Shayne Carter. I have used them for the past three years. They are a little more expensive but they last forever. They are the only knife I will buy now.

For years I used Frost and found them handy, but they did require sharpening everyday, no I'm not over zealous with my knife, just use to do an awful lot of horses.
I now use "Pro" knives and boy are they sharp. Cost is around $30. and when I find the need to clean off the build up on shoes to be reset, I use the back of the knife. (light went on again!)
Josh, I've always used a 7/32" rat tail file that fits into the hook quite nicely. I have found that once you start an uninvited dip in the metal, it seems to mushroom. Hoofinit is right, it's better to caress than to use our 18" arm thrust. Regards, John

I use Pinehurst forge,s loop knives

Ive a vet searcher
a F knife
a discovorer
a draft master
LOVE EM
http://loopknives.com/

Red Amor wrote:

Is a loop knife used for left and right hand? I've never used one... do they do a different job than say the knife with the little curl on the end?

I use a Ringal knife and a hall loop knife. I sharpen them with a scotch brite wheel.

The Knife by Anvil Brand. My fav these days
George

Was using The Knife but, now am kind of partial to the F.Dick Ascot.

Mike

Anvil Brand's "The Knife, Classic", drop blade. There are a few different itterations of this knife and the "Classic" is the one that has the original form and original steel. It sharpens and holds an edge better than any of the other varients. And, I get mine re-sharpened at no charge. For the money ~$25.00 +/- it will work better, stay sharper and last longer than any of the competition.
YMMV

Rick

hoofinit wrote:

Right or left handed, that's the purpose of the loop. Picture your everyday knife connected at the "little curl on the end" and continued back to the handle with an edge all the way around.They are nice to look at, but hard to sharpen and for some of us hard to get used to. My two cents....

After cycling through several brands I wound up with the same choice as Rick and George. Anvil Brand - "The Knife."

I've been tempted to try a loop knife from Pinehurst Forge. But my local supplyer doesn't carry that brand. Since every hoof knife I have ever seen was different - even if it is two of the same brand and model, I like to pick through the pile and select the blade that suites my eye. You can't do that with a mail-order supply house.

In addition, I've often wondered if it was worth the 300% increase in cost of ownership over the life of the blade.

OTOH, my wife swears by J. A. Henckels International for her professional grade cutlery.