Gifts for Hunters

Hunters are difficult to buy for because they already own knives, and they have opinions about all of them. The way through is to buy for the job he has not got a knife for yet. Most hunters own one decent all-rounder and nothing specialised, which means a skinner, a gut hook or a caping knife lands better than another general fixed blade.

Buy for the gap in his kit

Steel, honestly

If he hunts wet country or near salt, buy 440C stainless and he will thank you every season. If he hunts dry and sharpens properly, D2 holds an edge longest. Damascus is the gift version: it cuts beautifully and wants drying and a wipe of oil, which some hunters enjoy and others resent. Buy for the man, not for the photograph.

Questions

What is the best gift for a hunter who already has knives? A specialised blade rather than another all-rounder. A skinner, a gut hook or a caping knife fills a gap almost every hunter has.

Damascus or stainless for a hunting gift? 440C stainless if he hunts wet or coastal country. Damascus if he takes care of his gear and would appreciate the pattern.

Does it come with a sheath? Yes, every fixed blade ships with a hand-stitched leather belt sheath, wet-formed to that blade. No extra charge.

Can I have his name on it? Up to 20 characters, engraved in our own shop before dispatch, as a paid option before checkout.

What blade length should I buy? Three and a half to four inches covers almost all field dressing. Longer looks impressive and handles worse.

Are these made in the USA? Forged, ground, heat treated and sheathed in our own shop.

More reading

See the hunting knives, the skinning knives, the gut hook knives or the tracker knives.

Buy the steel for the conditions, not the photograph

This is the category where the wrong choice actually causes a problem. A hunting knife gets wet, gets put back in a leather sheath tired, and gets forgotten in a pack until next season. Carbon steel Damascus is the finer blade and it will pit under that treatment.

The three knives that cover a season

The sheath matters more than people think

A leather sheath with a deep welt is what turns a knife from something in a drawer into something on a belt, and it is the part cheap knives skip. One instruction worth passing on with the gift: do not store the blade in the leather long term. Leather holds moisture against steel, which is exactly what rust wants. Sheath for carrying, open air for storage.

What is the best knife gift for a hunter? A three and a half to four and a half inch drop point fixed blade with a full tang and a leather sheath. It handles field dressing and camp work. Add a gut hook if he dresses his own game.

Damascus or stainless for a hunter? Stainless unless you know he is meticulous. 440C if he is ever around water, D2 for everything else. Damascus is the better blade and the worse choice for a careless owner.

What blade length is right for a hunting knife? Three and a half to four and a half inches. Longer is unwieldy inside a body cavity and no more useful around camp.

Does he need a gut hook? Not strictly. A sharp knife and practice do the same job. A gut hook buys forgiveness, which matters when he is tired, alone or working in poor light.

Should the knife be stored in its sheath? No. Leather traps moisture against the blade and that is how rust starts. Carry in the sheath, store out of it.

More reading

See also gifts for the outdoorsman, knife gifts for dad, what makes a hunting knife good, skinning knives, or the full gift guide. Please check the recipient’s local law before ordering.