A hunting knife is judged in the field, not on a shelf. What matters is whether the edge is still cutting when you are halfway through the job and your hands are cold and wet. These are our fixed-blade hunting knives: full tang from butt to tip, hand-forged rather than stamped from sheet, and shipped with a fitted leather sheath.Steel. Most carry our own 1095 and 15n20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, which takes a very fine edge and comes back quickly on a stone. Where damp is the bigger enemy, 440C stainless is the sensible pick. D2 tool steel sits between the two.Blade length. Three to four inches handles small game and general camp work. Four to six inches is the usual all-round choice for deer. Anything past six inches is really a camp knife, better at splitting and chopping than at fine work around a joint.Handle. Stag and buffalo horn grip well when wet and each one is different. Wood is warmer in the hand and colder to look at. Micarta and G10 shrug off blood and water entirely.How do I stop a Damascus blade rusting? Wipe it dry, put a film of mineral oil on the steel, and never store it wet in a leather sheath. Leather holds moisture against the blade.Which knife for field dressing? A four inch drop point does almost everything. Add a gut hook only if you dress a lot of animals; most people never use it.Can these be engraved? Yes, up to 20 characters for a flat 29 dollar fee. Engraved knives cannot be returned.
Want to know more? Read our guides on telling real Damascus from a printed pattern, what 352 layers means and caring for a Damascus blade.
