Hunting knives are knives you use during some part of the hunting process. This can range from building camp to harvesting an animal to dispatching dangerous game. The problem with classifying hunting knives is that many designs overlap with both the types of hunting knives and other general knife classifications.

Which one is best is even more subjective since there are many types of hunting, with their own unique needs.

We’re going to look at the five major types of hunting knives and what they’re good for. With that in mind, we won’t be talking about knife sets. Each of these options is going to focus on a single knife rather than something like a field processing kit. This narrows our focus to the benefits of the knife itself rather than the system it might be a part of.

• Best General Use Hunting Knife:  
  Muela Husky 4 Inch Fixed Blade
• Best Folding Meat Processing Knife:  
  Outdoor Edge Razor Blaze 3.5 Inch Folding Knife
  
• Best Skinning Knife:  
  Old Timer Sharpfinger 3.3 inch Fixed Blade
• Best Multi-functional Hunting Folder:  
  Havalon Titan Jim Shocky Signature Series 2.88 Inch Folding Knife
  
• Most Affordable Traditional Hunting Knife:  
  Uncle Henry Staglon 4.25 Inch Fixed Blade
  
• Best Meat Processing Fixed Blade:  
  Benchmade MeatCrafter 6 Inch Fixed Blade
• Best Traditional Hunting Knife:  
  Buck Knives Pathfinder Pro 5 Inch Fixed Blade
• Best Modern style Hunting Knife:  
  Cold Steel Knives Outdoorsman Lite 6 Inch Fixed Blade
• Best General Hunting Folder:  
  Benchmade Taggedout 3.5 Inch folding Knife
• Best Dangerous Game Knife:  
  Buck Knives General Pro 7.4 Inch Fixed Blade

Hunting Knife Advantages and Disadvantages

Knives have been connected to hunting since hunting was invented. In order to appreciate what they bring to the hunt we have to know the advantages and disadvantages each category has. These advantages or disadvantages will all hinge on your abilities to use the knife.

An advantage in one aspect of hunting is a disadvantage in another. In order to choose the best knife for your hunt, you have to balance your needs and the inconvenience that a particular knife might have.

Hunting Knife Type	Uses, Benefits and Purpose
General Hunting Knife	Blade style: Drop point, Clip point, trailing point Blade Length: 3-7 inches Purpose: Handles most tasks you’ll encounter during a hunt
Skinner	Blade style: Trailing point, Scalpel, Drop point Blade Length: 5 inches or less Purpose: Removing the hide from animals and doing light meat processing
Meat Processing Knife	Blade style: Scalpel, Trailing point, Drop point, Straight back, Clip point Blade Length:3-7 inches Purpose: Harvesting and preparing meat
Hunting Knife for Dangerous Game	Blade style: Clip point, Spear point, Straight back Blade Length: 5-10 inches Purpose: Finishing off or killing dangerous game like boars, etc.
Folding Hunting Knife	Blade style: Drop point, Scalpel, Specialty gut hooks Blade Length:4 inches or less Purpose: Meat processing and light cutting tasks, usually used for their ease of carry

General Hunting Knives

This is the broadest category of hunting knives and often bridges the gap between camping and fighting knives. General hunting knives or general-use hunting knives provide the best compromise in terms of features, size, and ability when it comes to hunting.

These are the types of knives you can bring on any hunt and are the designs you should focus on if you plan on having only one hunting knife.

Advantages

Disadvantages

General hunting knives are utilitarian focused. This means they have blade and handle designs that make them capable in most situations. Their blade lengths can range from 3 inches to about 7 inches, with the happy average being in the 4 to 5 inch range. Their grips or handles are nothing special and are usually very simplistic in order to use the knife with different grips and methods. This allows the knife to be used in more inventive ways than more specialized designs.

Since a general hunting knife is not specialized in anything, it does many jobs but not as optimally as a specialized knife. For example a general hunting knife can be used to build camp and process game, but it won’t be able to get the most meat off the animal and still have an edge strong enough to process kindling. The major disadvantage is that the performance it provides is broad but mediocre. It won’t fit niche applications as well as a knife designed for that purpose.

Advantages
General hunting knives are utilitarian focused. This means they have blade and handle designs that make them capable in most situations. Their blade lengths can range from 3 inches to about 7 inches, with the happy average being in the 4 to 5 inch range. Their grips or handles are nothing special and are usually very simplistic in order to use the knife with different grips and methods. This allows the knife to be used in more inventive ways than more specialized designs.
Disadvantages
Since a general hunting knife is not specialized in anything, it does many jobs but not as optimally as a specialized knife. For example a general hunting knife can be used to build camp and process game, but it won’t be able to get the most meat off the animal and still have an edge strong enough to process kindling. The major disadvantage is that the performance it provides is broad but mediocre. It won’t fit niche applications as well as a knife designed for that purpose.

Skinning Knives/Skinners

Skinning knives or skinners are the first specialized knife we encounter for hunting knives. Skinners focus primarily on removing animal hide and retain some ability to do other light cutting tasks. Their blades are usually under 5 inches in length in order to provide better control and access while following the contours of the animal.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Skinners are designed to be used to remove animal hide and they do this job very well. This usually means the blades are designed to perform long consistent cuts in order to separate hide from muscle. Trailing points and clip points tend to be the primary blade styles used in order to achieve those cuts. The overall size of the blades also tend to be smaller than other hunting knives, making them more convenient to carry.

While skinning knives can be used for other tasks, they don’t have as wide a range of performance. Their smaller size doesn’t allow for large amounts of leverage, depending on the design. This means they are usually a supplementary knife that is used in conjunction with a larger blade.

Advantages
Skinners are designed to be used to remove animal hide and they do this job very well. This usually means the blades are designed to perform long consistent cuts in order to separate hide from muscle. Trailing points and clip points tend to be the primary blade styles used in order to achieve those cuts. The overall size of the blades also tend to be smaller than other hunting knives, making them more convenient to carry.
Disadvantages
While skinning knives can be used for other tasks, they don’t have as wide a range of performance. Their smaller size doesn’t allow for large amounts of leverage, depending on the design. This means they are usually a supplementary knife that is used in conjunction with a larger blade.

Meat Processing Knives

These are the second most specialized hunting knife designs. A meat processing knife is used to harvest the animal in the field, at the camp, or even after the animal is cooked. The knife’s entire purpose is cutting and removing meat. Blade lengths can range anywhere from 3 inches to 7 inches and usually resemble carving knives and scalpels.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Meat processing knives break down game the fastest. This can be from the blade design or the ability to swap out the edge of the knife. Meat processing knives have some of the sharpest blades and very narrow edges in order to get the most meat off the bone with the least amount of effort.	Meat processing knives should really only be used to process game. Their fine edges can be damaged too easily with other rough work, and usually have to be touched up during the harvesting process as the edge wears down.

Advantages
Meat processing knives break down game the fastest. This can be from the blade design or the ability to swap out the edge of the knife. Meat processing knives have some of the sharpest blades and very narrow edges in order to get the most meat off the bone with the least amount of effort.
Disadvantages
Meat processing knives should really only be used to process game. Their fine edges can be damaged too easily with other rough work, and usually have to be touched up during the harvesting process as the edge wears down.

Hunting Knife for Dangerous Game

These are the most specialized styles of hunting knife. Using a knife on a dangerous animal to kill it puts a lot of stress on the knife. These types of hunting knives need to be able to get through thick hides and still be able to reach vital organs. This means the knives usually have a pronounced piercing tip and long blades.

A 6 to 10 inch blade is not uncommon on these types of knives especially when paired with a spear or clip point. Handguards and other safety features are usually more pronounced on these types of hunting knife in order to keep your hand from running up on the blade during use.

Advantages

Disadvantages

A large hunting knife is a great tool to defend yourself from aggressive predators and dangerous prey if you prefer a more primitive style of hunting. They allow for an ethical kill and some of their designs can be used as a general hunting knife. This is why a large portion of these types of knives are either 7 or 10 inches. This blade length combined with a clip point or spear point makes it easier to reach the heart on something like a boar. The point will defeat the boar’s hide and the blade length ensures the proper depth of penetration for a quick bleed out.

Because these blades need to be stronger and bigger than other hunting knives, these blades for dangerous game are big and heavy. They take up more space on your person and are less convenient to move around with.

Advantages
A large hunting knife is a great tool to defend yourself from aggressive predators and dangerous prey if you prefer a more primitive style of hunting. They allow for an ethical kill and some of their designs can be used as a general hunting knife. This is why a large portion of these types of knives are either 7 or 10 inches. This blade length combined with a clip point or spear point makes it easier to reach the heart on something like a boar. The point will defeat the boar’s hide and the blade length ensures the proper depth of penetration for a quick bleed out.
Disadvantages
Because these blades need to be stronger and bigger than other hunting knives, these blades for dangerous game are big and heavy. They take up more space on your person and are less convenient to move around with.

Folding Hunting Knife

Folding hunting knives are mostly for convenience. A folding knife can be thrown in a pocket or hunting bag so you don’t forget it. Their purpose can range from a general-use hunting knife to a small meat processing blade. However, they are not designed for heavier cutting tasks like building a camp.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Folding knives for hunting are great if you need something to be with you all the time. They can be used in the hunt and outside the hunt. You can skin an animal and do some light harvesting with a folding knife. Most hunting specific folding knives will also include additional or secondary blades to make processing the game easier.	While there are many sturdy folding knives on the market today, they do not have the same integrity as a solid piece of steel. If you try and push some folding knives to their limit, they are more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife.

Advantages
Folding knives for hunting are great if you need something to be with you all the time. They can be used in the hunt and outside the hunt. You can skin an animal and do some light harvesting with a folding knife. Most hunting specific folding knives will also include additional or secondary blades to make processing the game easier.
Disadvantages
While there are many sturdy folding knives on the market today, they do not have the same integrity as a solid piece of steel. If you try and push some folding knives to their limit, they are more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife.

Top Ten Hunting Knife Options

Best General Use Hunting Knife: Muela Husky 4 Inch Fixed Blade

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If I was only going to hunt medium game or smaller and I only wanted one knife this Muela Husky would be one of my first considerations.

The 4 inch blade gives me a knife that is very good for most utility tasks. Its solid tang construction and Clip point/Drop point blade will allow me to prepare camp and process game. The design is timeless and I could use it in my day to day life.

Since it isn’t a 5-7 inch blade I could carry it more often since it won’t take up a lot of room on my belt with an overall length of 8.4 inches. While I do prefer my knives to be closer to 7 inches in the blade, at this knife’s price point I would try to use it as much as possible to get my money’s worth.

If you’re more into the firearms aspect of hunting, a good solid knife like this one will allow you to put more focus towards your next rifle or shotgun without having to worry about your knife failing.

Pros	Cons
N690 Steel for durability Hybrid Drop point/Clip point Ergonomic Handle Lanyard hole 4 inch blade can handle most cutting tasks 8.4 inch overall length.	Very expensive for a hunting knife Would be even more versatile with a slightly longer blade

Pros
N690 Steel for durability Hybrid Drop point/Clip point Ergonomic Handle Lanyard hole 4 inch blade can handle most cutting tasks 8.4 inch overall length.
Cons
Very expensive for a hunting knife Would be even more versatile with a slightly longer blade

Best Folding Meat Processing Knife: Outdoor Edge Razor Blaze 3.5 Inch Folding Knife

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Venison is easily my favorite meat and this folder is going to help me get more of it from my hunt. The interchangeable blades make breaking down a deer easier since I won’t have to stop and touch up the edge of my knife. I’ll just swap out the dull blade and get back to work. This is especially useful if I know there are predators who also like deer in the area.

This folder is affordable, easy to use, easily seen, and really focuses on one task. It could be used for more general purpose cutting with the interchangeable blades, but where it really shines is as a dedicated processing tool that I keep in my hunting gear year round.

The 3.5 inch blade is controllable and the rubberized grip helps keep the blade in my hands, no matter what’s on them. If you don’t want to spend a lot on a knife just to process meat, this is going to be your best option.

Pros	Cons
Interchangeable blades Multiple blade shape options Faster meat processing Easy-to-see rubberized handle	Nylon sheath will wear out faster

Pros
Interchangeable blades Multiple blade shape options Faster meat processing Easy-to-see rubberized handle
Cons
Nylon sheath will wear out faster

Best Skinning Knife: Old Timer Sharpfinger 3.3 inch Fixed Blade

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Old Timer Sharpfingers are easily one of my favorite skinning knife designs. The trailing point allows for long cuts and the 3.3 inch blade will be able to get into all the crevices to fully separate the hide.

It can also serve as a pretty good utility knife for your daily, light cutting tasks. The only drawback with the design is that you are locked into skinning and other low impact work. This version comes with a leather belt sheath which is better than most of the other copies of this knife that use nylon or similar sheath materials.

While you will have to take care of the leather more than nylon, the leather won’t degrade as quickly as the nylon with regular use. This Sharpfinger is great if you need a skinning knife, everyday carry knife, or a knife to supplement your other woodsman gear

Pros	Cons
7Cr17MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel Saw tooth grip texture Leather Sheath Security heel keeps fingers off blade	Can’t handle heavy cutting tasks

Pros
7Cr17MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel Saw tooth grip texture Leather Sheath Security heel keeps fingers off blade
Cons
Can’t handle heavy cutting tasks

Best Multi-functional Hunting Folder: Havalon Titan Jim Shocky Signature Series 2.88 Inch Folding Knife

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If I was on a budget and wanted my daily work knife to also function as my hunting knife, I’d choose this Havalon folder. It has a good sized work blade and a secondary scalpel blade. This will handle most of my normal cutting tasks and the finer tasks of getting the most meat from the bone.

It’s not as Specialized as an Outdoor Edge blade, but it is a better “do-it-all” option for hunting on a budget.

Pros	Cons
Two blade options Easily replaced scalpel/skinning blade Functional Drop point blade Includes replacement blades	Scalpel features different blades to keep track of

Pros
Two blade options Easily replaced scalpel/skinning blade Functional Drop point blade Includes replacement blades
Cons
Scalpel features different blades to keep track of

Most Affordable Traditional Hunting/Skinning Knife: Uncle Henry Staglon 4.25 Inch Fixed Blade

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I love a good fixed blade, but I also like to not spend too much money on my knives. This Uncle Henry Staglon is a great option if you need a traditional style hunting knife, but don’t want to spend over $100 on a knife.

The 4.25 inch clip point blade can handle most tasks from general use to skinning and making camp. The leather sheath keeps the blade handy on the belt, but there is one drawback to the knife. It’s on the heavier side.

The overall length of the blade is 8.5 inches and it weighs 5.3 ounces. Now this doesn’t sound like much, but this knife is only 1 ½ inches longer but weighs almost double the weight of the Sharpfinger. That extra blade length is not going to add that much cutting ability.

This is a good option if you are only going to have one knife that doesn’t break your bank.

Pros	Cons
Clip point style blade Finger guard Affordable Leather sheath 7Cr17MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel	Doesn’t scale up as easily to larger game Knife weight is heavy for its size

Pros
Clip point style blade Finger guard Affordable Leather sheath 7Cr17MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel
Cons
Doesn’t scale up as easily to larger game Knife weight is heavy for its size

Best Meat Processing Fixed Blade: Benchmade MeatCrafter 6 Inch Fixed Blade

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The Meatcrafter is one of those blades I keep coming back to as a perfect example of hyper focus. This blade is amazing at processing meat. The edge is extremely sharp but it has enough flexibility to debone, trim, and slice all of your meat.

It’s great in the field and great in the kitchen. The handle ergonomics makes it very controllable but the only reason I haven’t added it to my collection yet is the price and the fact that I wouldn’t use it very often.

If you are working with meat regularly, you really need to consider adding this knife to your collection. It would make everything easier, especially for larger roasts and legs.

Pros	Cons
CPM-154 steel Trailing point blade with good flexibility Santoprene handle and Boltaron sheath Designed specifically to cut meat	Expensive Only used for one task

Pros
CPM-154 steel Trailing point blade with good flexibility Santoprene handle and Boltaron sheath Designed specifically to cut meat
Cons
Expensive Only used for one task

Best Traditional Hunting Knife: Buck Knives Pathfinder Pro 5 Inch Fixed Blade

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If I had to have only one traditional hunting knife, I would choose the Pathfinder Pro 5. The reason being that the 5 inch blade is just long enough to be used for almost any hunting task including taking down an animal. That being said, it would not be my first choice for boar.

It has a very good clip point design, it’s light, it has a sturdy handle design, and it comes with a leather sheath. With all of these benefits I can ignore the price especially if it is going to be my only hunting knife.

This is one of the best examples of a fully general-use knife, but it covers so many different categories I have to call it the best traditional hunting knife.

Pros	Cons
5 inch S35VN blade Clip point 4.1 ounces 8.15 inch overall length Sturdy guard and contoured grip	Pricier design Not as ideal for dealing with dangerous game

Pros
5 inch S35VN blade Clip point 4.1 ounces 8.15 inch overall length Sturdy guard and contoured grip
Cons
Pricier design Not as ideal for dealing with dangerous game

Best Modern style Hunting Knife: Cold Steel Knives Outdoorsman Lite 6 Inch Fixed Blade

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Sometimes we need a new design for an old task. This Cold Steel Outdoorsman Lite has a lot going for it. It’s affordable, it has a very sturdy blade, reinforced tip, and a good cutting edge.

The texture on the grip helps keep it from slipping out of your hand, and for most tasks the blade is long enough to deal with them. This is a great blade to keep with your hunting gear and not worry about it until the next season.

However, the rubber finger guard does not fill me with confidence when I consider stabbing with the blade. I love the straight back design but the guard doesn’t give me the confidence I need to use this blade to its fullest potential.

Pros	Cons
6 inch Straight back blade Textured grip Affordable Simple, but effective sheath	Rubber guard

Pros
6 inch Straight back blade Textured grip Affordable Simple, but effective sheath
Cons
Rubber guard

Best General Hunting Folder: Benchmade Taggedout 3.5 Inch folding Knife

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If I had to go through multiple jurisdictions and wanted to keep my hunting knife on me, I would heavily consider the Benchmade Taggedout for my folding knife. The design is geared towards being lightweight and the clip point blade brings my preferred level of utility.

The bright orange handle scales make it harder to lose, and the entire knife comes in at 2.1 ounces. I could hike all day and not notice it. It can handle a good variety of tasks and it can be used to process some game, but I won’t be batoning any wood with it.

Pros	Cons
Axis Lock for safety 3.5 inch clip point blade Reversible pocket clip Extremely light weight	Expensive Won’t handle the same tasks as a fixed blade

Pros
Axis Lock for safety 3.5 inch clip point blade Reversible pocket clip Extremely light weight
Cons
Expensive Won’t handle the same tasks as a fixed blade

Best Dangerous Game Knife: Buck Knives General Pro 7.4 Inch Fixed Blade

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Sometimes you just need a big knife. This is usually when there are dangerous predators and prey in the area. The General Pro 7.4 from Buck is right around my ideal length for a big knife without sacrificing too much utility.

The 7.4 inch blade is a little longer than my favorite KABAR and the guard is a little more robust. If I’m going to be using something like this on a wild pig, I want to be sure my hand won’t slip. The clip point blade is also narrower, allowing for better penetration. And it weighs 8.3 ounces.

If I was pulling out all the stops for a pig hunt, I’d definitely pick this blade up and maybe a custom leather or kydex sheath to replace the one it came with.

Pros	Cons
7.4 inch Clip point blade Prominent guard Relatively low weight for its size Micarta handle for better grip	Very expensive Non-optimal sheath design for the price

Pros
7.4 inch Clip point blade Prominent guard Relatively low weight for its size Micarta handle for better grip
Cons
Very expensive Non-optimal sheath design for the price