Best Hunting Knife?

Question

I am look for two hunting knives. One that i will use for cleaning game and another for using in the field. I want one that i can use for cutting wood, hunting boar, and all other uses that may occur in the field. I am think about the Gerber Infantry II for the field knife, i have heard good reviews and also i like the fact that it has a sharpener built into the sheath.

Good Sharpeners too

Answer 1

I only carry a 4 inch folding Old Timer in my pocket......The large blade can be sharpened good enough to shave with and I have skinned a lot of deer with it....

I keep a rifle for game and a loaded pistol in my coveralls pocket for "other uses "...
If you are going to hunt boar with a knife good luck with that....

Answer 2

You didn't say for cleaning what kind of game. I prefer a non-folding knife with a drop-point about five inches long for big game. A drop point is one that curves down on top toward the point. A clip point is the tradition Bowie knife shape and turns up on the end. I find that I make fewer mistakes with the drop point. Also, although impressive, big, heavy knives will wear you out. My favorite is the Puma Hunter's Pal. Don't get fooled by knives with a saw blade, they are hard to use. Get a full-sized inexpensive bone saw.

For small game, like rabbits, I use a pocket model folding knife, also with a drop point.

For birds, there is nothing like a traditional bird knife. They are folders and have a clip blade and a gut hook. The hook is used for quick field-dressing so that you don't need to cut the bird open but will retard spoilage. I prefer the European ones as they have smaller hooks than the American-made ones and are more convenient.

Price-wise, get the best you can afford. In knives, you do tend to get what you pay for. If you choose wisely you can consider this as a life-time investment and then the higher prices aren’t so bad. I am partial to European knives like Puma and Boker as they show more craftsmanship and use excellent steels so that they hold an edge very well. In American knives, it's hard to go wrong with a Buck but anything in the same price range is likely to be pretty good. There is no point in paying extra for custom knives unless you are a collector.

Even though a knife may be a European or American brand, it may be made in Asia. Some of these are Chinese-made and are getting better.

Also, take a look at Browning, Beretta, Case, Camillus, etc.

Learn how to sharpen properly by hand, and NEVER use anything with a motor. You can overheat and ruin the blade.

Consider something like the Woodsman's Pal instead of a field knife for general chores.

Answer 3

To me, the best general purpose hunting knife is a Gerber gator serrated, or smooth. It is a great size for field dressing or skinning a deer, it holds an edge well, and with a diamond sharpener, it sharpens easily. A buddy of mine field dressed a deer one time with his, and left the knife there accidentally. Several months later, I was scouting for the next deer season, and found it. There wasn't a speck of rust on it!

For wood cutting, I suggest getting a Gerber Pack-axe

Big knives may look cool, but as a hunting knife, you'll often find that they get in the way

Answer 4

Having hunted all over North America (including Alaska), I have seldom needed a knife with a blade over 4 inches. Some large Elk and Moose excepted of course.

For a hunting knife I prefer a fixed blade a bout 3 inches long. I have seen too many folders come apart at the hinge or "accidentally" come unlocked and cut fingers. Even the name brand ones. They (the knives) are also very difficult to clean as bits of meat, intestines and blood get forced into the insides of a folder.

About the only way to make them sanitary again is to disassemble them for cleaning. Many folders do not come apart for cleaning.

I recommend a 3-4 inch knife which has a heavy fixed blade that runs the full length of the tang. I am not partial to serrated designs for field work on meat as typically any fat that needs cutting will cling/cover the serrations and necessitate having to pull it of so the blade will cut again. Your milage may very.

Any of the major manufacturers make a knife of this type. I also prefer carbon to stainless steel as carbon is easier to sharpen and holds an edge better/longer.

For cutting wood a hatchet should be the prefered tool. Knives, even machetes, do not have the weight and balance for that chore. There are some that work but none of them very well.

For hogs a stout bowie type knife, with an 8-10 inch full length blade, made by a reputable manufacturer is the only way to go.

Answer 5

So far the best knives I have found are the Buck knives. My favorite is a Buck 121, flexible enough to fillet fish and yet strong enough to go through the rib cage of deer, sharpens easily and keeps an edge pretty good too. I have Buck 102, 105, and 119 knives also. I also carry a Buck 525 pocket knife. I also have a Kbar but it is a little too heavy for my taste.

Answer 6

i prefer a buck alpha hunter with a guthook.you can get the black,wood,or camo grips.the knife is extremely sturdy.now when you come to cutting wood a knife should never be used.get a gerber axe. cheap and works fairly well..no offense but you are not making sense. why in the world would you use a knife to cut wood? the knive will be dull after a few cuts.it takes me about 10 minutes to clean a deer with the alpha hunter.the big thing to me is that it was still sharp when i finished.
you want a knife that has a good warranty.i have buck,gerber, and kershaw.if you send them the knife they will sharpen for free.i sent in a new gerber i used last year.it was still fairly sharp.when my return came in i was really shocked. they sent me a new knife.every year i send my knives to be sharpened.
------retired texas deputy sheriff------

Answer 7

With the blade at a little less than 5 inches in length the Gerber is a bit short for my tastes, but it's a rugged knife. I carried a military issue Ka-Bar for years and now use a Ka-Bar Next Generation made from D-2 steel for most of my trips into the field.

Answer 8

Gerber makes a good knife but as far as cutting wood with any pocket knife I'd have to say you'd have to be pretty skilled. Shaving a stick yeah but chopping wood for the fire probably not. Boar hunting with a knife? Haha. Well as far as that send me a video of you doing it and I'll send you a complementary knife for any boar you get over 300lbs. (Disclaimer: Kevin may not send you a knife regardless of Rambo hunting skills.)

Answer 9

Hunting boar?? With a knife?? Not very smart in my personal opinion. Not to mention, not very legal in any area I'm aware of. As far as cutting wood etc. you'd be much better off carrying a small hatchet, or a wire saw for that purpose.

Answer 10

The Kershaw 1475 is an awsome lockback folder that holds an edge extremely well, and also re-sharpens nicely. It is slim with a pocket clip and you don't even notice that you are carrying it. For a larger tool, Cold Steel makes a "Bolo Machete" that is excellent for heavier wood cutting and trail slashing. Both serve extremely well.