My PH told me that a number of his clients bring expensive custom made knives on a hunt, which they never use and end up giving to the skinner at the end of the hunt. The skinner prefers to work with a Chinese made butcher knife, which sells for the equivalet of a dollar, because although the custom knives retain an edge for a long time, when they do go dull they're a bitch to sharpen. He cuts a little with his cheap knife, then puts a fresh edge on it and cuts again. The custom knives are simply sold.

I never carried anything but a Swiss Army knife, useful for opening bottles, etc. I also skinned an impala with it, just to satisfy myself that I could.