The Best Knives For Hunting – Options Are Here
Your guide to the best knives for hunting…no matter what your budget may be!
So *Rob* wrote to me wanting to know what the best ever hunting knives were and what his options were considering his budget was a little tight to say the least.
So I’ll say this:
With one singular goal in mind, all hunting knives have to be able to process meat after a kill.
I mean sure it should be able to help you out in a survival scenario and utility applications, but what it must be able to conquer is getting meat field dressed STAT.
What’s in a good hunting knife?
The best knives for hunting all have the following aspects in common:
They hold their edges well and can be easily sharpened
They fit well into the hunter’s hand
They’re rugged enough to crack bones
They’re not necessarily weapons, so they don’t need to be big hunting knives
With that being said, I did some hefty research and came up with a list of the best hunting knives out there. These guys will be your go-to options for field, camping and if need be, survival situations, and I’ve gathered an extensive collection as to cater to every budget out there.
The Best Knives for Hunting
Opinel Carbon Blade No.8
If you’re into small game prepping and need something reliable on a tight budget, I recommend the Opinel Carbon Blade No. 8. I wouldn’t go to this guy for processing big game since it has zilch finger protection, but it does offer you a pretty solid grip with the wood handle.
The Pros:
- It’s small and affordable
- The wooden handle provides you with a great grip
- It’s a time-tested knife that’s built with durability in mind
- It holds its edge pretty well thanks to the high-carbon blade
The Cons:
- It doesn’t offer any finger protection
- It can’t be safely used to process large game
Opinel No8 Carbon Pocket Knife
Havalon Piranta Edge Folding Knife
So I’ve mentioned this baby before in my article about the Best Skinning Knives, and yes, it also happens to be one of the best knives for hunting, regardless of what you use it for. With 12 replaceable scalpel blades, this knife won’t let you down during serious game processing in the field and you never have to waste precious time sharpening the edge.
The Pros:
- The blades are dangerously sharp
- It makes clean cuts with no ragged edges
- It’s easy to use
The Cons:
- It won’t break through bone
- I don’t like the plastic handle
Havalon Piranta Z Folding Blade Skinning Knife
Buck Omni Hunter
Since Buck Knives have been in the game for over 100 years, it just makes sense that their products feature some of the best hunting knives on the market. The Omni Hunter takes care of all your meat processing needs and still soars in with an unbeatable price when you measure up the value for money aspect.
The Pros:
- It’s made with a serviceable and solid 420HC steel blade
- The contoured rubber handle gives you an awesome grip that won’t slip
- The price is great considering the knife’s abilities
The Cons:
- The sheath that it comes with is horrible to say the least
Buck Knives 390 Omni Hunter Fixed Blade Knife with Heavy-Duty Nylon Sheath
SOG Huntspoint Boning
Built with big game de-boning in mind, the SOG Huntspoint actually doubles up as a perfect all-rounder thanks to its 3.6 inch straight drop point blade. The ergonomic glass reinforced nylon handle and jimping on the bottom and top of the blade ensure you’ve always got the best and most solid grip while working with this knife.
The Pros:
- The blade with its AUS-8 stainless steel is very durable and keeps its edge well
- It comes with a limited lifetime warranty
- It’s versatile and not only useful as a boning knife
The Cons:
- Like so many other great knives out there, the sheath totally lets this knife down
SOG Specialty Knives & Tools Huntspoint Fixed Blade, 3.6-inch
Kershaw Diskin Hunter
If you’re keen on a hunting knife that effortlessly transitions into a survival tool, the Diskin Hunter will do just that. It has a 4 inch Sandvik 14C28N blade, so it’s quite big, but it narrows to a perfect drop point. Measuring in at 9.5 inches long, the Diskin Hunter is actually perfectly balanced and has a slim and comfortable G-10 handle.
The Pros:
- It has amazing balance
- It’s easy and comfortable to work with
- It comes with a finger guard and a notch for sparking Ferro rods.
The Cons:
- The edge runs down pretty fast
- The sheath sucks
Kershaw 1085 Diskin Hunter Knife
Spyderco Bill Moran Drop Point
Manufactured by and excellent name and designed by a knife design pro, the Bill Moran Drop Point from Spyderco is all you want and need in a hunting knife. It’s lightweight and it’s versatile. The oversized Kraton handle provides you with the most secure grip possible while the 3.87 inch VG010 blade takes care of business with its super sharp tapered edge that runs from thick to a thin ground tip.
The Pros:
- It’s lightweight and versatile
- The blade keeps its edge really well
- The shape is perfect
The Cons:
- The sheath can and will bugger up the soft rubber on the handle if you’re not careful
Bill Moran Drop Point Folding Knife
And that’s a wrap! 6 of the best knives for hunting, ranging from ridiculously cheap to considerably expensive, but all pretty amazing!
Make sure you check back in with me soon if you’re considering blade steel. I’ll be discussing the Best Steel for Hunting Knives before I delve into much debated topics like the best Small Hunting Knives and the best Big Hunting Knives.
Video for The Best Knives for Hunting
Since I have limited time for my hobbies, I look for quality tools to let me REALLY enjoy what I do.
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