Finding a hunting knife to fit this description might be pretty hard to do. Just as the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” the best hunting knife is a matter of personal preference. A lot of questions must be answered to determine which knife would best suit your needs. Questions such as:
What kind of wild game do you typically hunt?
Where do you usually hunt?
Do you camp when you go hunting?
How much gear do you take hunting with you?
These are a few questions that quickly come to mind.
What kind of wild game do you typically hunt?
The type of game you hunt will determine the size of knife you’ll need. If you only hunt squirrels or rabbits, a small knife is all you’ll need. Deer on the other hand requires a knife for field dressing and skinning. You will have to cut through tough cartilage and still stay sharp enough to finish the job. Elk and bigger game will really give your knife a workout.
Where do you usually hunt?
Do you camp when you go hunting?
Where you hunt, such as, in the mountains or close to home will determine the type of knife you choose. In the mountains you may need your knife as a survival tool as well as field dressing your game. This activity requires a knife that won’t break; for instance, if you need to cut down small saplings to build an emergency shelter, or maybe clear away the underbrush for a campsite. If you hunt close to home you’ll probably only need your hunting knife to take care of the wild game you harvest.
How much gear do you take hunting with you?
The amount of hunting gear you take with you while hunting will most certainly determine the size of hunting knife you choose.
There are two basic kinds of knives - fixed blade and folding knives.
Fixed-blade knives are just that, fixed blade. These knives will be either full tang or half tang; this is determined by how far the steel extends into the handle. Full tang knives are more durable and less likely to break in tough situations. Fixed blade knives are usually a bit larger than folding knives and will require a sheath to protect you from an accidental cut while carrying it.
Folding knives have a blade that folds back into the handle while not in use. These knives, while not quite as sturdy, are safer and more compact making them easier to carry. Some of these knives feature a locking mechanism which keeps the blade from closing while in use. I strongly recommend this type of knife for hunting. There are many good quality folding blade knives on the market.
Both types of knives feature four different blade tips. Drop-point, clip-point, skinning, and gut-hook.
o Drop-point- Used for quick skinning and gutting
o Clip-point- Has a thinner blade than the drop point and is known as an all-purpose point.
o Skinning- This is used for skinning large animals.
o Gut-hook- This knife-tip has a hook on the back of the blade that is used to cut open the abdomen without cutting into the internal organs.
If money is no object then you might consider a different knife for each type of hunting you do, but many people choose a knife that they can use for all occasions. I strongly recommend brand named knives because of the excellent warranties that come with them and because of the quality material and workmanship that goes into the making of these knives. While it’s true that brand named knives cost a bit more, they will out last and out perform the cheaper knives. Some brands you might consider are, Bench made, Browning, Buck, Boker, Case, Gerber Kay-bar, Kershaw, and Remington.
About the Author
Richard Nation is the webmaster of The Hunting Knife Depot. Find out more at
http://www.thehuntingknifedepot.com/.
