You can adjust the clip so the knife is properly oriented for a fast draw in any pocket. Havalon produces the second and final deep skinning knife on our list and it’s a real pocket-sized beauty with a retractable 2 ¾” blade made specifically for dressing and skinning in the field. Expand To See MoreSee LessA large circle is removed from the body of the knife which can be used as a finger hole or a thumb index for fine work.I personally love this shape for hunting work because I like to choke up on my knife and hold it partially by the spine and partially by the handle when skinning with long sweeping strokes.Thanks to the heavily curved design, this knife is perfect for that motion!Unfortunately, because of the specific shape, this knife isn’t going to be good for things other than skinning and things like splitting bone are a no-no.It’s the best deer skinning knife on our list that is small and insanely affordable! For more of my top gear recommendations, have a look through these popular Outside Pursuits guide links: Survival Knives, Recurve Bows, Compound Bows. The tip of a tanto blade is very short and abrupt – almost a right angle. In keeping with larger blades and beefier tasks, let’s take a look at the Gerber StrongArm. It’s insanely durable, but it’s usually slippery. However, the Canadian Belt Knife is a classic design that has its roots in practicality. Let’s first look at some common tasks and blade shapes. Most steels, once hardened, are actually so hard they can break like a dry twig! Puma 116393 Skinner Fixed Blade Knife, Plain Stag Since 1769, Puma has been making the finest knives in the world. Bevel angle refers to the steepness of the fade from full thickness to blade edge. It’s small, sharp, and trims the fat with nothing you won’t need to get the job done. Each one is useful for specific purposes. Delicate skinning or light duty operation is where these knives struggle. I personally really like that it’s made to be carried in a genuine leather neck sheath. As a dedicated hunting knife manufacturing company, Knives of Alaska creates some of the finest hunting knives available. 1 Buck Knives 119 Special Fixed Blade Knife with Leather Sheath. The cro-van 1095 steel blade is less susceptible to common abrasions and more corrosion resistant than other types of carbon steel. These blades are extremely durable because they leave a maximum amount of material to support the blade. Type of Steel – There are two primary types of steel used in the best hunting knives today: stainless steel and high carbon or HC steel. By extending through the handle pressure is more evenly distributed and you’re able to get much more out of your hunting knife without worrying about it coming apart. Near the tip, the spine of the knife falls abruptly in an arc to meet the flat bottom edge of the blade. Choosing the right grind type can be the difference between a chipped blade edge and a fine cutting tool that works for years. In case you’re wondering, the main knife is a beefy drop point skinner while the smaller camp knife has a smaller profile with a much shallower drop point. As a knife maker myself I intimately know knife blade steel types. All that means is that the blade edge itself is made from slightly “better” steel that will keep this knife sharp longer than some others. However, chopping and hacking your way through bone or brush are both easy tasks with this brute. Going up to 6” or so should cover most of your bases without getting too long. Each type of blade grind has pros and cons. I’ve used them plenty of times and I can say they’re great for heavy work. They’ve been around forever and consistently produce high quality, durable hunting knives for everyone from outdoor novices to grizzled veterans of the hunt. A: There probably isn’t a single “best” way to sharpen a knife. You’ll pay a bit more for the 5P than you will for some other hunting knives but you’ll never regret it. Thanks to the heavily curved design, this knife is perfect for that motion! This makes for a fine tip that is good for tiny work but prone to breaking if used improperly. Every modern steel has a chemically known heat treating process that can be easily looked up in technical manuals available to anyone such as this abridged reference at Hudson Steel. The pommel will also get you through a car window in a hurry if you’ve had an accident. The clip point comes to a sharper end and is better for delicate or detail work. For general hunting uses such as chopping bone, splitting sticks, and slicing meat you need a careful balance of sharpness and durability.