Hunting Knife vs Bowie Knife: What Is The Difference?

There are many different types of knives available in the market that you can use for hunting. The bowie knife and the hunting knife are one of them.

If you are new to knives it’s very difficult to identify the difference between a hunting knife and a bowie knife, and that is why I have prepared a complete guide about it.

Most of the new hunters are confused about the difference between both of them.

This guide about hunting knives vs bowie knives will give you a clear understanding of the difference between the knives.

Both the hunting knife and bowie knife can be used for skinning and cutting meat. The major difference between both of them is the length and size of the blade.

If you want to know more about the difference, you have to read the complete article. So, this article is going to be very interesting and informative so, don’t skip any point.

Let’s Start! 

What Is a Hunting Knife? 

Hunting knives are the knife that is used outdoors during hunting. The blades are sharp and usually have a curved blade toward the tip of the blade.

The hunting knife is mostly used for cutting, and skinning meat in the wild. Hunting knives are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

Many hunting knife brands make knives that process certain types of games in the field such as gut hooks. In most cases, professional hunting knives are fixed blades with a 5 to 6-inch blade.

If you are in the wild hunting knives are one of the most important tools that you have to carry. A hunting knife is like a life savior in the wild.

There are many different types of hunting knives such as buck knives, skinning knives, Gutting knives, etc.

What Is a Bowie Knife? 

The bowie knife is typically a hunting knife that is large in size. The bowie knife is the type of knife that can be used as a survival weapon when you are hunting or camping.

The bowie knife is the larger version of a hunting knife, and it is designed for self-defense. The type of knife is mostly used by hunters for butchering and skinning activities.

If you are looking for a hunting knife that is larger in size than a typical hunting knife, then you can go with a bowie knife.

Usually, the bowie knife has a double-edged tip that makes the knife an effective stabbing weapon when you are in the wild.

You can also use the bowie knife for cutting small trees, cleaning the bushes, and cutting wood. The bowie knives have been tested and tried for over 150 years, and the knife blades were used for fighting purposes and meant for protection.

Hunting Knife vs Bowie Knife: Which One Is Best? 

Understanding the real difference between a hunting knife and a bowie knife is really confusing as there are only minor differences and sometimes, it’s really confusing to understand.

However, if you are specifically looking for a hunting knife then you can find a wider range of blade designs compared to a bowie knife.

But the question comes is which knife do you need? and which knife is more effective?

Hunting knives are made for a specific purpose such as skinning and cutting meat into small species. The hunting knife is a single-purpose knife that you can only use for performing small tasks in the wild.

However, if you are having a bowie knife in the wild then you can deal with any type of task. Also, the blades are made from top-quality metals so that they can perform all types of tasks easily.

If you are having a bowie knife you can manage multiple tasks with just a single knife such as cutting, skinning, and cutting firewood into small pieces.

Both types of blades are used for hunting purposes, however, if you are looking for a bigger version of a hunting knife then you can go with the bowie knife.

Blade Comparision 

These are the main difference between a bowie knife and a hunting knife.

1. Blade Length 

Usually, the blade of the hunting knives is around 4 to 5 inches long, and it’s a perfect length for performing most of the tasks that you are going to perform.

However, if you are looking for a longer version of a hunting knife, then you can go with the bowie knife, as the blade measures around 8 to 12 inches and is more effective than a typical hunting knife.

2. Shape of The Blade 

Bowie knives are double-beveled knife and it gives a wide scope of chopping, cutting, and performing all different kind of task, as because the blade has a very sharp tip.

The curved and pointed tip of the bowie knife makes the blade even more effective in most cases.

While the hunting knife is a single-beveled knife, and it has a single edge. You can use a hunting knife for skinning, and slicing meat. The blades of a hunting knife are straight and curved from the other side.

Related Post: Single-Beveled vs Double Beveled Knife

3. Material Of The Blade 

Most hunting knives are made from high-carbon steel because the high-carbon steel is highly effective in making hunting knives

However, the composition of a bowie knife may be stainless, high carbon steel, and even alloy in most cases. Sometimes even cobalt and titanium are added to improve the hardness and edge retention of the blade.

4. Width Of The Blade 

The hunting knife mostly measures around 2.3 to 2.5 inches in width, and it’s a perfect width for performing almost all the tasks in the wild.

However, the blade of a bowie knife will measure about 1 to 2 inches in width. It’s a perfect width because the blade is long enough.

5. Weight of The Blade 

Well, when it comes to the weight of a hunting knife, then there are many different types of hunting knives available and the weight of the blade mostly depends on the type of blade you’re using.

Bowie knives are quite heavier and larger in size than hunting knives. Typically the bowie knife will weigh around 600 to 800 grams. The bowie knife is relatively longer and weighs more.

Handle Comparision

These are the main difference between the handles of the blade:

1. Material Of Handle 

The handle of the hunting knives is usually made from synthetic or rubber-type materials so that it doesn’t get slippery even after long usage.

However, most bowie knife comes with a wooden handle. There are many different types of handles that are used in the case of a bowie knife such as leather, bones, and even steel and you can choose anyone according to your choice.

2. Length Of Handle

Usually, the bowie knife has a much longer handle and a much better grip because it has a longer handle. In most cases, the length of the handle is shorter than the length of the blade.

However, the hunting knife has slightly shorter handles. In most cases, the length of the handle measures the same as the length of the blade.

3. Protective Sheath 

Mostly, the protective sheath of a bowie and the hunting knife is made from leather. In most cases, the protective sheath is handmade and perfectly fits the size of the blade. Now leave the blade and let the oil dry.

If you are looking for the best bowie knife, then this is the list of the best ones: 

• Bear and son professional bowie knife
• Hand smith Bowie Knife
• Ceramic-coated Bowie knife
• Custome-made premium bowie knife

What Is The Best Type Of Knife For Hunting?

There are many different types of hunting knives, it mostly depends on the type and design you want.

Hunting knives are used for a wide range of purposes including skinning animals and cutting meat. The dragger is the traditional knife that is used to kill animals in the wild.

A bowie knife can be used as a machete or a hatchet in hunting games when a specific tool is not available. The best thing about a hunting knife is it comes in several shapes and designs.

These are the most common types of hunting knives available.

• Buck Knife 
• Bowie Knife 
• Gutting Knife 
• Boning Knife 
• Dragger 
• Skinning knife 

If you are looking for the best hunting knife, then this is the list of the best ones: 

• Professional Fixed blade buck knife
• Geber hunting knife
• Custom hand-made hunting knife

Are Bowie Knives Good For Hunting?

The bowie knife is the type of knife that can act as a survival weapon when you are hunting or camping in the wild.

The bowie knife is mostly designed for self-defense and the bowie knife is widely used by hunters.

If you are an enthusiast hunter then you must have a bowie knife, because it’s a great weapon.

The bowie knife was mostly designed by James Bowie and the knife mostly looks like a sword. When the knife was initially made it was known as a butcher’s knife.

However, nowadays the bowie knife is getting highly popular among hunters due to its clipped edge.

The best part about the bowie knife it’s comes with a fixed blade design and a clipped point and a handguard for protecting your hand. The knife is heavy and it can perform any kind of hunting task.

However, It’s a knife. Mostly any kind of bladed weapon that has a blade and is longer than your forearm or even longer is considered to be a sword.

The bowie hunting knife does not generally get that long. And of course, peoples have different lengths of the arm so it might not be perfect. However, it’s the general rule.

The bowie knives are typically shorter than the various types of swords, and its even shorter than some of the draggers.

Therefore, it falls under the definition of a knife, as because the knife is not purely designed for combat while the dragger and sword are designed for that.

What Is a Hunting Knife Used For

• The hunting knife has a harder and stronger blade and it’s a good knife for butchering meat.
• Because of the pointed tip, it can be used for skinning.
• It can also be used for separating the meat from the bones.
• You can also use a hunting knife for camping purposes.
• The hunting knife is one of the best knives for survival purposes.
• Because it has a sharp blade, it’s perfect for cleaning the meat.

What Is a Bowie Knife Used For 

• The blade of a bowie knife is curved and it’s a great tool for skinning.
• Because of the large size blade, it can be used for filleting large fish.
• You can use a bowie knife to seal with big bones and meat.
• The knife can also be used as a survival knife during fighting.
• You can use the knife for bonfires, as it’s the best knife for slicing wood into smaller sheets.
• The knife is quite effective for chopping herbs and vegetables.

How To Clean a Bowie Knife

These are the steps that you can follow to clean your bowie knife.

Step 1: 

The first step to cleaning is you will need knife oil and a towel for cleaning the knife blade. Make sure that oil doesn’t mean the ordinary. It’s always recommended to use knife oil for cleaning the dust and dirt from the blade.

Step 2:

The second step is to start oiling the knife blade. Start by placing the oil from one side of the blade then you can also use the knife handle oil for oiling the handles. Apply, the oil and rub it with your fingertips.

Step 3: 

Now start rubbing the knife blade with a clean towel. Make sure that you are not using water to clean the blade, as this might increase the chance of rusting.

Step 4: 

The final step is detail cleaning, which means that small parts of the bowie knife have a lot of dirt and you have to clean them properly. Once you clean the knife blade make sure to wipe the blade properly.

Related Post: How to keep a knife from rusting

Hunting Knife vs Bowie Knife: Summary 

Conclusion 

I hope you would have understood the difference between both knives. When you look at the knife at the first glance then they look alike.

The major difference is the usage. If you are looking for a heavy structure hunting knife then you can go with a bowie knife, as the bowie knife has the full quality of a hunting knife.

But if you are looking for something portable, that you can carry in your pocket or backpack, then in that case a hunting knife is recommended.

In my opinion, you can use any knife according to your needs. However, make sure that get a knife with top-quality steel so that it doesn’t get chipped off easily.

FAQ: Difference Between Bowie Knife and Hunting Knife 

Both the hunting knife and the bowie knife are quite similar, therefore sometimes it becomes really confusing to find the exact difference between both of them.

That’s why people ask a lot of questions and I have answered some of the few questions.