Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Hunting knife preferences

I am always on the lookout for new hunting knives. I am curious as to what design features you guys prefer in a hunting knife? Things like blade length, blade shape, handle materials, etc. I consider my hunting knife the one I carry while actually hunting, its primary purpose is to field dress animals. I have separate skinning and boning knives.

I prefer a stainless drop point with a 3 to 3-1/4" blade with either g10 or micarta slabs.

I like a 2.75 to 3.35" blade, not too wide or too much belly very slight drop point. No bolster or guard. Stainless steel with jigged and or beaded G10 scales.


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The green and orange handled ones are about perfect IMHO.
The Nilla on top is my fave.

These days I like a SS folder with one blade serrated and the other straight.

Here is the one I used.

3-3.5 inch stainless, plastic handeled folder. Big enough, tough enough for gutting duty, hands do not freeze to handle, nice and light. My latest is the spyderco stretch2 I have been edcing for 2 years.

I agree. Ideal hunting knife imo, with d2 included also.

Coleman Western C102

3 in drop point with a little belly to it. Trip!e temper, double cryo and a thin grind on D2. G10 scales and a kydex sheath.

I also don't like my blade to be too wide or have too much belly. And I like a solid spot to put my index finger. Not just for a solid grip, but for a quick way to orient the knife while in a body cavity

This. What a joy to own.

That looks like it could field dress a few animals

Is the orange handled one a #7 drop point?

Played with, owned, and used more than a few customs. Honestly, a decent production blade does all that is necessary and then some.

It's a Lite hunter.

It's not much of a pic, I had a pard that wanted to see a couple side by side for comparison so I snapped a quickie with the phone.

The Nilla is my favorite for EDC and gutting of game, but the lite hunter dresses deer just as well and does a better job quartering and breaking one down IMO

Sean, you are 100% correct. I'm just a knife slut

You ain't the only one...

Hell, I'm finalizing another order/buy as we speak.

Can't put that out there and not share..... What did you order dude?

of the many knives I have, only a few are dedicated 'hunters'. The top one was my Dad's. Made in the thirties, it's a Clauss. Next, is an old Randall #11. It has gotten more use than all the others combined.
Menefee's Little Dumpling, and one of his drop point blades. Both are excellent performers.
After that, is one of Tim Olt's great drop points, in CM154. I can't say enough good things about it. Recently, I gifted my Olt 'Good News Hunter" to my brother in law.
Gene Ingrams "Big Boy Sodbuster" in D2, and last, a little beauty by Larry Rosi.
There are a few more, probably over in my Son's safe, but these are the ones that process the meat, that goes on my table.

Nice collection! I have recently started thinking about a Randall.

Love that Westy, super nice Woodson

Very nice.

My Dowell's are quickly growing on me.

I am happy with the three I have left.

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True that^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's not saying I don't like a nice custom though....
As far as having a shoe box full of em that never get used....that's another story but to each his own...

I don't hunt big game any more but when I did I mostly used a couple of old carbon steel junkers....




Those two (Estwing and Northwoods) saw a lot of use but these days I like a smaller B&T type pattern...I have three or four but the nicest is a little stag handled Miller Made....always have some kind of folder in my pocket too but who doesn't.....

Nice trio....matter of fact...very nice...

3-3.5 inch with a slight drop a bit of tip and a slight belly. Handle material varies between micarta and stabilized woods. S30V. An Ingram #7 or Lite Hunter fits the bill nicely.

I like this.

Buck Pathfinder is a damned good one.

Just picked up a Pathfinder and Woodsman myself in the last couple weeks to go with my General, Special, and Skinner. The Skinner has been my "go to" knife for 30 years, although I've experimented with a dozen or so other knives. Hope to try the Woodsman & Pathfinder this year on a couple deer.

I even used my General last year to field dress a deer, just so I could say I did it. Gotta admit it was pretty dicey reaching up in there with 7 1/2" of blade though.

I've got the special, pathfinder, and woodsman. I like them all, but the pathfinder is my favorite. Small enough to easily deal with a trout and big enough to deal with big game. Plus it is dead sexy.

These are the only Bucks I own....don't use em anymore but I'll never part with them...



That little 102's seen more Coyotes than most people have...

Sorry for the poor photos of my Minnick MI-024. Notice how the shank is tapered between the form fitting, riveted, ambidextrous grips of hardwood. 3-1/4" blade (cutting edge).

I have a weakness for Time Wegner designed folders from Spyderco or Bladetech. The original Spyderco C48 is probably my favourite.

I tend to use a locking folder with a 3" to 3 3/4 " blade usually with synthetic handles. I have a western of the same series assavage 99s but with a slightly larger single clip point. I have a gerber w drop point . I also have a large boker plus sod buster w lock back that I tend to carry and I just acquired a kershaw injection 3.5 that will probably go this year . I'm a knife slut and have a box full. There are a lot of good knives out there for not much $ . The little kershaw was under $15 and its a good sturdy knife that sharpens wicked sharp.

Always liked the looks of those, but never got one before they were discontinued.

I sold a small & large Spyderco Wegner in the classifieds a year or two ago. Didn't care for the curved and arched profile of the handle.

As for factory, this is near perfect for me.

I have that same knife BigDave , love that one . I've used Buck, Schrade , and lots of others but that Spyderco has become my favorite.

K1500 has the right idea, have one just like it. Had it for 40 plus years.