<\/p>\n
There has never been a better time to purchase a quality hunting knife. Advances in metallurgy coupled with remarkable strides in design have created new knives that hunters just a few years ago could only dream about.<\/p>\n
The line between mass-market knives and custom, handmade blades has also thinned thanks to collaborations between big brands and cottage-industry experts. Most recently, we\u2019ve seen Buck team up with Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds f<\/span>or \u201cThe Larrin\u201d and Spyderco \u00a0work with Shawn Houston, AKA Triple B Handmade, for a custom heat-treat sprint runs.<\/p>\n With so many great designs to choose from, however, how do you decide what hunting knife is best? The answer lies first in determining what your purpose is. Are you strictly a small-game hunter, big-game hunter, or are you in the market for a blade that will serve well for field-dressing but also handle survival knife tasks like whittling up a quick fuzz stick to light a fire?<\/p>\n When trying to choose a \u201cbest\u201d product in any category, there are always compromises, but to help you find a hunting knife that\u2019s just right for you, we\u2019ve divided some of today\u2019s top choices into categories according to use case. We\u2019ve also included descriptions from some of the knifemakers to make choosing your favorite easier.<\/p>\n Montana Knife Company (MKC)\u00a0Stonewall Skinner<\/strong>: \u201cDesigned to take on any task a hunter may face, the Stonewall Blackfoot Skinner is truly a do-it-all hunting knife.\u00a0Perfectly curved for skinning, sharp enough for cutting, and stout enough for chopping, the Stonewall blade is as all-purpose as it gets.\u201d<\/p>\n Benchmade\u00a0Raghorn<\/strong>: \u201cThis lightweight hunting knife bares CPM-CruWear steel with ultra-sharp SelectEdge\u00ae for exceptional push-cut performance and edge durability. Hi-vis orange Cerakote\u00ae and lightweight carbon fiber add up to an uncompromised, pack-ready hunting knife perfectly suited for field dressing elk, caribou, or moose.\u201d<\/p>\n Benchmade\u00a0Hidden Canyon Hunter<\/strong>: This small-framed, fixed-blade design is ideal for precision cutting tasks. \u201cDespite its compact profile, this knife provides ample real estate throughout the handle and cutting edge, making it just as effective on big game as it is on smaller species.\u201d<\/p>\n CRKT\u00a0Biwa Fixed<\/strong>: The three-inch fixed-blade Biwa\u2122 \/bee-wah\/ features a black micarta handle, a full-tang blade with upgraded Sandvik 12C27 steel, and a stitched black leather sheath\u2014perfect for handling all of your small-game needs. And it weighs just 1.6 ounces so it\u2019s easy to carry on those long days in the field.<\/p>\n Casstrom\u00a0Safari Mini Hunter<\/strong>: The Casstr\u00f6m Safari Mini Hunter is lightweight, compact, and easy to carry\u2014”ideal as a small skinner or food prep knife.\u201d<\/p>\n Havalon\u00a0Piranta Edge<\/strong>: This knife features interchangeable blades (Havalon makes a bunch of them for various purposes) for quick-and-easy field-dressing chores. Just match the blade size\/type to the game and you\u2019re good to go. A Montana guide friend swears by these for surgical, precision field-dressing.<\/p>\n MKC\u00a0Speedgoat<\/strong>: This handy blade from Montana Knife Company is one of the lightest ones out there at just 1.7 ounces making it ideal for deep, backcountry hunting when every ounce counts. MKC will also clean, sharpen, repair, and even reshape your blades when necessary, as well as rewrapping handles free of charge.<\/p>\n Spyderco\u00a0Para 3 Lightweight<\/strong>: \u201cAlmost 30 percent lighter than its G-10-handled counterparts, the Para 3 Lightweight boasts linerless, open-backed construction and Spyderco\u2019s high-traction Bi-Directional Texture\u2122 pattern for a secure grip\u2026while keeping the overall weight to an absolute minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n Benchmade\u00a0Flyway<\/strong>: Upland and waterfowl hunters will love the scalpel-like design of the Flyway\u2019s 2.7-inch blade for breasting out birds. And Benchmade will re-sharpen your knife to a factory edge for free, for the life of the knife.<\/p>\n