The right set of knives is a must in a hunter’s arsenal. A good quality hunting knife can perform everything from skinning the animal to cutting the meat. One can also use it to cut branches, make a fire and do various other jobs.
So, based on the price range, hunting knives have different styles, uses and variations. Hence, wading through countless options can be overwhelming. So, the following section will provide you with all the information you need to choose the knife that best meets your hunting needs;
read on for the details.
Material
When looking for hunting knives, make sure the material is flexible and sturdy to bear intensive loads. Also, remember materials like harder steel take longer to sharpen, but the edge remains for a long time. On the other hand, softer steel sharpens fast but dulls easily. As such, carbon steel is categorised as hard steel, while stainless steel as soft steel. And usually, replaceable blade knives are made from stainless steel, but fixed blade knives are made of carbon steel.
Sharpness
A sharp knife will help you get smooth and precise cuts, and it will help you get the meat off neatly from the bone, while dull blades cause tearing and mangling of the meat. So, for the boning, caping or butchering of the game, you need a sharp knife. And whether you choose replaceable or fixed blade knives, make sure you change the blade or sharpen it with sharpening stones and sticks.
Size, Grip and Weight
The knife must match the size and strength of your hand. It should fit perfectly in your hand to offer a good grip. Also, you get blood on your hands while field-dressing the animal, making the knife slippery. But with a good grip, you can have control and prevent accidental cuts.
Using a heavy knife with a bulky grip can cause muscle fatigue or arm strain. So, before the purchase, you must consider its weight so that you are comfortable using it.
Handle Design
The handle could be concave, convex, cone-shaped, oval or straight. Meanwhile, oval design is the popular choice for hunting knives.
Handles can also be of partial tang or full tang design. Partial tang handles are put on the blade’s thin part and can come with various decorative features and shapes. The tail’s wider part has full tang handles, and usually, these handles are three-layered, where the rear side of the blade lies in the centre.
Sheath
Sheaths protect the blade and allow easy storage, and you can also use them to hang the knife on your belt. Meanwhile, leather is the commonly used material for sheaths that offer flexibility, durability and strength. The leather is sometimes treated with different compounds to make it weather and waterproof. You can also get synthetic material-based knife sheaths that are lighter than leather and do not corrode.
Price
The more you can spend, the better the knife quality you get. Meanwhile, the price of a hunting knife may range between $5 to several hundred dollars. So, if low prices attract you, it could cause problems for you in the future. However, you can get quality bargains in a friend’s surplus stash or at a rummage sale. You can also watch out for deals where many stores (even online ones) offer discounts and sales on products just before the beginning of the hunting season.
So, after gathering all the information, you may still find it difficult to choose the right hunting knife. In that case, you can visit the knife manufacturer’s websites and read reviews to learn more which can help you in your decision-making. Also, ensure you find a manufacturer that offers good warranties and customer service.
Author Bio:
Alison Lurie is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.