Many people find collecting knives to be a fascinating hobby and have them purely as ornaments while others who live in rural areas actually use hunting knives during hunting seasons or for camping or fishing. Whatever the reason, knives come in many size, shapes, brand names, styles and prices and make for an interesting collection.
If it is a hunting knife you are looking for, these can be bought either as a large set, a set of two, or individually. If you need an affordable set of knives for regular use, then one good place to look is eBay. They have a set for sale for $130 that includes 16 good quality hunting knives, which is a good price for the quantity. Buying an individual knife is often more expensive than buying the set, but there are some great collector’s items to be had, such as an authentic Buck hunting knife or a Kershaw 1010 hunting knife with its stainless steel handle and harness leather sheath.
Getting a fixed blade knife is a good idea if you need something for fishing or camping. There are many different kinds of fixed blade knives and the prices vary wildly; the more generic versions can be purchased for less than $30 but you can also buy something quite classy looking too. The L.L. Bean Buck Woodsman is one such classy looking knife with its 4″ steel blade, stacked leather handle and shiny butt and guard. The Buck Alpha Hunter knife is a slightly cheaper and yet also classy choice, with its rubber handle and ergonomic design.
Knife blades are made either plain edge or serrated. What kind you get would most likely depend on what you need the knife for; for camping, fishing, and hunting you will most likely need a good set of hunting knives with both kinds of blades. Plain edge blades are quite sharp and it is important to be very careful in using them. Whether you want it to be small or large, you can get both the straight edge kind and the folding kind. For something really small, Spyderco’s Ladybug 3 knife set is jus the thing. It is quite affordable at $30 and these small knives fold up and can be put in your jeans pocket easily. Spyderco also makes a large variety of different sizes and style of knives; the prices do vary depending on the size and exact model but their products are affordable and good quality overall.
For those who find that opening and closing a pocket knife can be annoying, automatic knives are a good answer. If you are looking for something classy and stylish, then Gerber’s legendary automatic drop point knife may be just right for you, with is serrated edge and black oxide coated stainless steel blade. The price is a bit steep at over $150. If you are looking for something more practical and safe, then AliMed Optisafe has made quite a good model where the blade retracts automatically when it is not engaged, however, this model is also quite expensive at over $170.
You do not need to spend over $100 to get a good quality automatic knife, in fact, you can get a number of these for less than half this price. The Peanut makes some smaller models that are quite sharp and effective nonetheless and these cost between $10 – $20 per knife.
Bowie knives are one of the most popular options for those needing outdoor or hunting knives. Bowie knives are made by many companies; if you want the officially licensed exact replica of the knife carried by actor Richard Widmark, who played Jim Bowie in the 1960 film The Alamo, then you can buy it from The Sports Authority for a mere $140. There is also the Trademark Poker 15 inch Bowie Knife with Pakkawood Handle that is quite affordable at only $18; if you need a Bowie knife for camping purposes then they are available to buy at Cabelas for a mere $60.
While you can buy knives at many different stores, buying from an online retailer has a number of advantages. It is often easier to find exactly what you want and the prices are often cheaper, especially if the retailer will ship your purchase to you free of charge, which some do, in particular with more expensive purchases. Ebay can be another good place to look; there will be a suggested retail price listed but you can bid for the knife you want and often get it a lot cheaper than you could from anywhere else.
If you want a hunting knife that all your friends are going to be jealous of, then you need to get yourself the Browning 529 or as it is also commonly referred to as, the Cocobolo (I love saying that, it just rolls off your tongue). The firs thing you will notice about this blade is the beautiful hardwood handle which just screams beauty. This knife will definitely be welcomed to your knife collection I am sure as it is a robust knife that will is great for all your hunting needs.
Overall Length
8.75″
Blade Length
3.75″
Blade Steel
12C27
Best for
Hunting
Score
7/10
The knife is relatively cheap for the quality it puts forward, coming in at around $65 (currently $35 on Amazon). I would definitely recommend this knife to someone who not only wants a solid hunting knife but is also looking for one which looks great and they can show off. Furthermore, if you are a knife collector then this a must have addition to your collection, no doubt about it.
If I ever need to debone my kills, I will always be looking towards my trusty Victorinox 6-inch flex boning knife. This is a real Gem and will make light work of boning jobs you have. You will really be surprised with the quality of this bad boy and will wonder how you ever did this (sometimes) boring chore without it.
Victorinox are renowned for their quality in the kitchen and you are definitely not going to be disappointed with this purchase and really needs to be in the kitchen/shed of every hunter out there.
Overall Length
15″
Blade Length
6″
Blade Steel
Ice-tampered High Carbon
Best for
Boning
Score
10/10
Continue Reading “What is the Best Deer Boning Knife?”→
Hunting knives have been around for centuries, used by all different civilizations. They understood the importance of having a solid knife which they were able to take hunting with them and knew that they needed to be top quality. Back then, they obviously didn’t have the most diverse range of options, as they couldn’t simply go down to their local store and grab the newest Buck and were instead more then often stuck with making their own. However, as times have changed there is now a huge range of knives that are great for hunting, but with that huge range of diversity, it is hard to know which one is best for you. This post aims to go through a few top hunting knives that stand out above the rest in the market.
Gerber Moment (4.7/5)
If you are searching around for a robust and sturdy fixed blade hunting knife, then look no further and grab yourself a Gerber moment. This little beauty (well not so little at 3.63 inches long blade length) is the perfect companion to take on any camping trip. Gerber is really good at making solid hunting knives and are even used by survivalist Bear Grylls, so you know they must be doing something right. What I really like about this blade is its handle which is incredibly solid and allows you to get a really nice and tight grip. Better yet, as it is a textured rubber handle, you are not going to find yourself or your hand slipping all over the place when its wet or if your hands are covered in blood. All in all a great knife for a great price.
Sells online for around $17.
Features
Rugged and reliable design in all our products
Can be used in various military, hunting, survival, tactical, industrial and outdoor situations
The Columbian River Knives and Tools company really know how to make some knives and that is clearly evidenced by the Free range hunter. This is one hell of a knife and is razor sharp right out of the box. However, my only complaint about this would be that it doesn’t hold an edge for as long as I would desire, but the good news is, due to its design it is really easy to sharpen. This blade is designed by legendary knife maker Russ Kommer and will definitely be a great addition to your knife hunting set!
The cold Steel master hunter plus may be a bit more expensive, but you are receiving nothing but quality with this knife. First thing you will notice about it will primarily be that it features a gut-hook which is great for all your post-kill chores (so to speak). This knife is made from super high quality VG-1 San Mai III steel that is able to keep a super fine and razor sharp edge. The handle on this bad boy is also incredibly grippy and let you get a solid hold when hunting. Overall a great knife.
Overall, these would definitely have to be my list of top hunting knives currently out there on the market. However, if I had to choose one I would have to go with the Cold Steel master hunter plus just because this bad boy is top quality. However if you don’t have $90 to spend I would recommend going with the Gerber Moment.
When it comes to choosing a skinning knife, your options can be staggering and it can really be daunting with the amount of choices that are available on the market. You may like the look and style of one but when you go to try it out, you may find it to be completely useless so it is very important that you make an informed decision before you go out and make a purchase. You should really try and look for a quality blade rather than a cheap one because in reality it will last you longer and therefore save you more money on replacing the knife.
Continue Reading “What is the Best Skinning Knife?”→
When it comes to field dressing you are going to want a really sharp knife, and one that is reliable and is going to be able to maintain an edge, season after season. Enter the Spyderco Moran. This trailing point blade, in my opinion, is perfect for field dressing and definitely one of the better ones out there for the price. This blade is made in the Bill Moran tradition who is considered to be one of the founders of American custom knifemaking. If you do find a handmade moran out there, you will expect to pay in excess of five figures for it – they are not cheap and for good reason. With his dedication and quality in mind, Spyderco set out to make one hell of a field dressing knife with the Moran and they achieved just that.
Blade
The Spyderco Moran features a 3.875″ length blade which puts it at the perfect length for skinning in my opinion. The blade is made out of high-quality VG-10 steel which is able to keep a really nice and sharp edge. Furthermore, the blade is tapered, starting out thick near the handle and thinning down to a fine point on the pointy end. This blade is razor sharp right out of the box and I only needed to spend a few minutes sharpening it to get it to my ideal shaving-sharp level, but most others it will be perfect for field dressing straight out of the box.
The blade comes in two styles, an up sweeping bowie style knife and a drop point style blade. In my opinion, I prefer the drop point just because I find them easier to sharpen but then again, that is just my opinion.
Handle
I was actually really surprised with the handle on the Moran, as it is a really nice and sturdy grip. The handle is an injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced nylon handle with rubber inserts which really does allow you to get a tight grip on the blade and maintain it, even when wearing gloves or in the rain. The handle and the blade, are both similarly weighed which allows for a perfect balanced knife and really does feel great. The sheath that it comes in is also pretty high quality and is not going to be affected by weather which is a problem that you may find you get with some other types of skinning knives.
Verdict
Overall, the Spyderco Moran is one of the best field dressing knives out there at the moment. The team at Spyderco have really outdone themselves with this knife and its quality is far superior to many others in the field. As always, though, I recommend you go down to your local knife specialist and try out this knife for yourself before you buy it to make sure that it is perfect for you.
There are not really many gut hook knives out there that can do the job well, but the Buck Zipper is the exception to this rule. Designed in 1993 by a fourth generation Buck, this knife was made to feel the hole in the market left by their competitors which Zipper definitely filled. This is one of my favorite gut hooker knives out there and works exceptionally well. This knife is absolutely perfect for field dressing, gutting, and skinning and is one that I would definitely recommend you take out on every hunt with you. You will find yourself performing field dressing tasks at nearly double the speed you previously were with this glorious knife.
Features
This great hunting fixed blade knife is used for the outdoors
This is a product of the company buck
The item dimensions are length (in) 11.25 width (in) 2.75 height (in) 2.25
4-1/8″420HC Drop Point Blade with Guthook
8-1/2″ Overall Length, 6.3 oz.
Heritage Walnut Dymondwood Handle with Polished Brass Butt / Guard
If you have searched around for a few hunting knives, chances are that you have come across the Buck 119. This is a legendary blade that has been used by many for years and has been one of Bucks top sellers for around the lazy 47 years! You really couldn’t ask yourself for a better hunting knife for the price and is one that I will always recommend to someone who is looking for a top quality blade.
The blade on the Buck 119 Special is 6 inches long making it the ideal length to carry on your side, whilst still being long enough to perform common hunting tasks. Furthermore, as this blade is made from the highest of quality steel (420HC stainless steel) it is going to be able to perform consistently well in all weather conditions be it snow, rain, or sunshine without ever breaking or cracking. The edge on this blade can be sharpened so sharp that you can literally shave with it (I actually tested this) and will maintain an edge for some time.
One of the many features you will be looking for in a hunting knife, is the amount of time that it will stay sharp. There is nothing more disappointing then buying a blade and having to sharpen what seems like every week because the blade has gone dull. No, you want a knife that is going to last you and keep an edge for some time, so you are not wasting your time and money sharpening the bloody thing. In order to keep your blade sharp, a lot of professionals will prefer to use fine diamond steel instead of an electric sharpener, as sometimes the inexperienced sharpener will actually wreck their blade.
If you are looking for Hunting Knives that will stay sharp for long periods of time then you should really check out the Buck 194 Alpha Hunter fixed blade knife. This bad boy keeps an edge like no other and has many positive reviews around the web. It looks and feels great and will only need to be sharpened, once or maybe twice a season, depending on how you use it and your level of care. You can seem to almost effortlessly slice through meat and bone (comes with a serrated edge on the spine) with this knife and as it is a fixed blade knife without joint, you can place a fair bit of pressure on it without it breaking.
Another great hunting knife that will stay sharp is the Fallkniven H1z Hunting knife. This beautiful piece of art is made out of top quality VG10 Steel and will always be sharp after extreme amounts of use. It doesn’t come that razor sharp out of the box so you may need to give it a little touch up prior to use, but once you have, you will find that it stays sharp for what seems likes years. However, this blade is priced slightly high at roughly around $150. However, you are paying for quality with this one and I definitely recommend it.
So there you go, two brilliant hunting knives that stay sharp. If you have any more suggestions enter them in the comments below, I would love to hear them.
A knife that is designed for hunting it is called a hunting knife. Its design consists of only one edge sharpen that makes the skinning of an animal or the cutting of the meat much easier. The most popular Folding Hunting Knives would be a Buck Knife. They go back the farthest for hunting knives.
There are two different types of knives: the fixed or the folding blade ones. A fixed blade knife must be carried in a sheath so that you would not accidentally hurt yourself and you have to be really careful when handling it. Compared to the folding blade knives it is made only of fixed parts. A folding hunting knife has the blade inside the handle: for example, the butterfly knives that have two counter-rotating handle such that when closed the blade gets in the grooves from the handles.
Handmade hunting knives are becoming an increasingly popular purchase for individuals who are interested in the craftsmanship behind such a beautifully constructed tool, to those who often hunt and want an upgrade on their current knife.
However when it comes to collections of hunting knives that range from John Young, Ron Lake and Richard Volarde to name a few, it may not be such as an easy task to find one given the endless choices available.
A search on the internet can direct a customer to Randall’s knives. These can be found on sale with up to 60 percent off their original price. Another world renowned maker of knives is Bob Loveless. He created a popular knife that consisted of a drop point blade. He mostly focuses on designing knives that are for working, hunting and fighting knives. Bob Loveless was able to sharpen the knife producing business with his art.
