When you are in the wild hunting knives are one of the most important tools that you must have. The knives are traditionally designed for performing a wide range of tasks.
Hunting knives are used for a wide range of purposes such as preparing food, skinning, butchering, gutting, and cutting woods. They are also commonly known as survival knives when you are outdoors.
The hunting knife is always a versatile tool to have. However, there are many different types of hunting knives and each knife is made for a specific purpose.
As there are many different types of hunting knives and sometimes it’s confusing which knife to choose. Most of them choose the wrong hunting knife because of improper information.
That’s why I have prepared a complete guide on the different types of hunting knives so that you can choose your hunting knife according to your requirement.
Every knife is made for a specific purpose and it’s important that you choose the right kind of knife when you are going outdoors.
So, this guide will provide you are complete information about all the types of hunting knife blades.
Let’s Start!!!
What Makes a Good Hunting Knife?
There are tons of hunting knives available on the market and there are a lot of manufacturers that make a knife. However, not all of them are good.
Ideally, when I talk in short, then a perfect knife is the one that offers superior quality and can perform all kinds of survival activities when you are in the wild.
These are some of the factors that you have to consider while you are getting yourself a hunting knife.
- Build Quality
- Material
- Sharpness
- Blade thickness
- Design
- Fixed vs Folding
Detailed Post: What makes a good hunting knife?
Types of Hunting Knives And Their Uses
Understanding the real difference between the different types of hunting knives will help you choose the best knife for hunting according to your requirement.
As every knife is made for a specific purpose, it’s difficult to figure out the difference if you are a beginner. So make sure you read this post till the end to get a complete understanding.
1. Skinning Knife
The skinning knives are relatively smaller when compared to other types of hunting knives. The knife has a razor blade with a full tang design that is used for skinning animals.
Skinning knives are really important knives after a successful hunt. Professionals use skinning blades to skin big game animals, and they are one of the sharpest hunting knives.
The best part about the skinning knife is it can neatly separate the skin from meat without damaging the skin.
The thin blade will help you to skin the animal in a much better way. Because of the thin blade, you can easily cut along the skin, and make the skin more even valuable for animal skin buyers.
Skinning knives are usually available in two different designs, one is the fixed blade and the folding blade and you can choose any one according to your requirement.
Related Post: The best knives to skin deers
2. Buck Knife
The buck knives are considered to be the best knife for fishing and are used in small hunting games. The knives are highly efficient for performing tasks in the wild.
Buck knives are among my favorite type of knife because they can be used for a wide range of tasks like cutting and even boning a game.
Buck knives are available in two different designs the fixed blade and the folding blade. Also, buck knives are relatively cheaper than other types of hunting knives.
The knife has excellent strength and edge retention properties which makes the knife a perfect tool for hunting activities.
Also, the knife has a chipped blade design and that makes the blade even more controllable. This is a great hunting knife for small hunting games.
Related Post: Best buck knives for fishing & hunting
3. Bowie Knife
If you are looking for a big-size hunting knife then the bowie knife is the right tool that you must get. The bowie knife can be used as a survival weapon with you are hunting and camping.
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 a larger version of any type of hunting knife, and it is designed for self-defense. You can use the knife for performing almost all types of activities in the wild.
If you are looking for the best big game knife then the bowie knife is one of the best knives you can get.
You can easily use a bowie knife for cutting small trees, cutting wood, or cleaning bushes. The knife has been in use over the past 150 years and is meant for protection.
4. Dragger
The dragger is a smaller version of the sword. The dragger was developed from Medieval hunting swords and which were mostly used by mounted hunters.
Today the hunting draggers are mostly used as a part of traditional German hunting uniforms. The dragger is a double-beveled knife and the blades are used for a wide range of purposes in the wild.
The dragger is a stabbing weapon and it can be very dangerous if not handled properly. As the blade has a very sharp point, usually two sharp edges and it’s a great weapon for hunting.
There are many different versions of the dragger knife-like Anelace, Baselard, and Bollock dagger, and they are being used according to the different requirements.
5. Boning Knife
The boning knife is also a hunting knife which is a specialized version that it’s mostly used for removing meat from the carcass.
The boning knife is usually specialized in deboning and it has a narrow blade that is flexible enough. The boning knife is quite similar to a fillet knife, however, fillet knives are mostly used for removing the skin layer, especially from fish.
The blades are mostly designed for cutting through the ligaments and the connective tissues to remove the raw meat from the bones.
Well, if you are looking for a perfect knife that can perform fine cuts of butchery, you must definitely get a boning knife.
6 . Gutting Knife
The gutting knife is a specialized feature that is designed on a field dressing knife to open the belly of a downed deer or elk and other critters.
Once the hunter opens the belly the hunter would primarily use the gutting knife to dress out the animal.
The cut hook is basically the semi-circle that is found along the spine of a field dressing knife. The type of blade can make your job even easier if you hunt big animals such as deer, and elk.
The dragger is also one of the best elk hunting knives, and this is the favorite knife for elk and deer hunters.
Fixed Vs Folding Knives
Hunting knives are available in two different categories ie: Fixed blade and folding blade, but which one to go for?
Well, a fixed-blade knife is fixed permanently and there are no moving parts in the knife. Generally, the fixed-blade knife is much stronger and is also more reliable.
However, the folding knife generally tends to fold and get smaller. The type of knife get’s folded easily and it has a locking system that prevents the blade from accidentally opening in the pocket.
If you are a professional it’s recommended to get a fixed-blade hunting knife, as because they are more durable and efficient compared to a folding knife.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that there are many different types of hunting and every knife is made for a specific purpose. You can choose any knife according to your requirement.
You might think that the expensive knife is always the best one but this is not always the case and you must not trust a brand blindly.
Most hunters use a hunting knife for performing tasks like slicing, butchering, skinning, gutting, and deboning for that you will need a good quality hunting knife.
Some of the trusted brands of hunting knives include Gerber, Kershaw, KA-Bar, and Diamond Blades and you can go with any of the brands.
FAQ:
These are some of the most commonly asked questions by a lot of people who are confused about them. You can read this section to clear your doubts.
1. What Is The Best Type of Knife For Hunting?
Ans: The are many different types of hunting knives available in the market. However, fixed-blade hunting knives are considered to be among the best hunting knives.
2. What Knives Do Hunters Use?
Ans: Most hunters prefer using a drop-point hunting knife as the knife can perform relatively well compared to other hunting knives. Some hunting knife includes pukko, sharp finger, and yakutian knife.