Types and uses of hunting knives

Hunting knives are designed to be lightweight and rugged enough to cut through a variety of materials. They usually have a single, or double-edged blade as opposed to multiple blades and are often referred to as "sharp cool knives". The blade is typically about two inches long, with the handle made from bone or resin for strength. 

The top edge of the blade is sharpened so that it can more easily cut the animal's flesh, making skinning quicker and reducing risk of injury. The most common type of this knife is a drop point knife, which means it has an extended T-shaped point - similar in shape to that seen on many Bowie knives. 

The workmanship and design of the blade are dependent on the style of hunting - with some being more suitable for boar hunting, while others are markedly more suited to deer, elk and bear. The handle is often made from substantial wood such as walnut or elk antler - a material which offers an excellent grip and resists water damage.

In many parts of the world, a hunter knife is also used for other tasks such as cutting rope, whittling and prying. As it can be difficult to carry around multiple blades, hunters often choose to carry one knife which can do this job well.

History of Hunting Knives

"A knife is a tool with multiple functions that can be used to cut, chop, pry or scrape materials." These are the words that define what a knife actually is. This definition also explains why hunting knives have evolved in different ways over the centuries, as well as their major uses. 

Not only are all hunters able to use them for various occasions when they are out into the great outdoors, but they can also come in handy for everyday tasks such as cutting and slicing through items.

The earliest hunter knives were essentially just sharpened pieces of stone that were convenient to carry at all times. These knives have evolved through time to include metal blades and sheaths, as well as varied materials that allow for comfort in different environments such as bone or antler handles.

Hunting knife

Types of Hunting Knives

Hunting knives are a popular accessory for hunters, especially those that enjoy searching for their own food. Distinguished by the shape of the blade, knives can be categorized in three general groups: chopping, slicing, and gutting. 

Chopping knives have a wide blade that is best used to hack through small branches and limbs. Slicing blades can make delicate cuts on meat or vegetables but are often too thin to chop anything up properly. Gutting knives are large and strong enough to slice through large animal carcasses.

  • Camo Knife

A camo knife is a knife that has been modified for use outdoors. They are not as large as knives used for hunting or fishing, but they do have several features to make them work well in the wilderness. Camo covers their handles, and many models also have a ferrocerium rod which helps ignite fires. 

Their blade is typically between five and nine inches long with a straight edge blade that folds into the handle's grip so it is not snagged on brush or obstacles while being pulled through vegetation. Some camo knives come with multi-tools attached to their handles while others have both a saw and a needle-nose pliers made specifically for field surgery.

  • Bowie Knife

A Bowie knife is a type of large fighting knife that was developed by American James Bowie for use in the Old West. The blade on a Bowie knife is typically long and slender, with a curved point. The blade can be made from any material, but traditionally patterns were more common on the Southern Bowie hunting knives than those made in the North.

Bowie knife

The clip point at the top of most blades also allows for greater stabbing strength because it does not have to penetrate before starting its cutting action which, combined with its larger size lends it to use as a combat weapon.

  • Caping Knife

A caping knife is a type of knife specifically designed for harvesting meat from the rib cage and backbone of a deer or other large game animal. The blade on this type of knife is typically in the shape of an arc and sharper than most knives, as it must be used to cut through tough connective tissues without puncturing organs. 

This blade also makes it easier to remove hair when skinning games. The caping knife was first developed by French butcher George Durand in 1858, who at the time was struggling with removing hair from carcasses because his traditional tools would tear up organs or rib cages.

  • Skinning Knife

A skinning knife is a long narrow blade that can be held in the palm of your hand but is commonly used with two hands. The skinning knife may also be referred to as a "barker", and they are typically less than 20 centimeters in length. 

Skinning knife

The blade of these hunting knives may be made from carbon steel, stainless steel or Damascus steel, and it's commonly used for removing the flesh from an animal's hide to prepare it for further processing.

  • Boning Knife

A boning knife is a hand-held, blade-shaped kitchen knife used for trimming the bones and meat of poultry, fish and game meats such as venison, beef or wild boar. It is also employed in some butchery work. The length of boning knives can vary from 9 inches to almost two feet (around 76 cm to 610 cm). 

The earlier type was known as a filet or "fish" knife because it had a long blade and was used mainly on whole fish. The blade is very flexible at the tip so that it can curve around the bone or fish without damaging either.

Uses of Hunting Knives

The uses of hunting knives include taking deer, skinning trout, butchering, and self-defense. There are a number of ways to keep you safe while using a hunter knife. The most important thing is to remember it is an important tool that you should use properly in order to avoid any injury and unwanted attention from the law. 

In addition to these reasons for carrying one, there are many other reasons for carrying one like having them on hand for outdoor activities or during emergency situations where it just makes sense.

  • Gutting

Gutting refers to the process of removing an animal's entrails and viscera, so that it may be butchered or cooked. This is usually done by hunters who use knives called gutting knives. These knives are used to quickly and easily remove organs from the inside of a carcass, as well as any attached membranes such as skin or fat, in order for butchers to prepare them for sale. 

Gutting blades have a convex cutting edge with a slight taper toward the point, made from high-carbon steel for strength and durability. The blade is about four inches long with no excess metal - just enough metal to keep the handle firmly secured in your hands without being too heavy.

  • Skinning

Hunting knives are used for skinning animals or cutting through the hide and fat of wild game. The most important aspect of this knife is its ability to take an edged tool with a sharp point and make cuts while maintaining enough contact with the flesh to slice through it easily without tearing or ripping out strands that have been cut too deeply.


  • Butchering

A huge part of the hunting process is finding, tracking, and killing prey for food. However, due to the nature of this practice, hunter knives are used for other tasks as well. Hunters often use them to skin game animals and break open animal carcasses in order to find meat inside. 

They can also be used for chopping wood and preparing food in a camp or shelter. As is true with most blades, these knives are going to vary from one another in their shape, length and purpose but they all share one overarching goal; helping hunters kill more game than ever before.

  • Self-Defense 

These knives are not designed for combat, but they can be used as self defense knives if necessary. They come in many sizes and shapes depending on the job they are intended to do. These knives vary in blade length, number of blades, shape of blade, and type of cutting edge (straight or serrated). 

Self-defense with this knife means protection against an attacker through stabbing or striking your assailant with the blade of the knife in order as self defense weapons against an unarmed person at close range.

Which Knife Do You Need?

Knives are highly personal and it's up to the user to decide which is best. Some prefer cool pocket knives that are small enough to carry in their pocket while others prefer a larger, more flexible knife that they can use to perform tougher jobs like splitting down a tree branch. 

There aren't any basic rules when it comes to choosing the perfect knife though; everyone has their own opinion on what is best for them.

Different types of hunting knives can be used to accomplish different purposes. The major categories of blades include: fillet knife, skinning and boning or butcher knives, meat cleavers, bread and pastry knives and utility knives.