10 Great Hunting Knives Everyone Should Own at least one of them!
by @BushcampingTools
Here's a list of knives I think are absolutely great for hunting up to medium sized game. By this, I mean Wild goats to Pigs. With these knives you will be able to: gut, skin and butcher along with possibly (knife dependent) some more arduous tasks such as preparing an area to perform such duties and or camping with the same knife.
There is no preferential order to which I ascribe my reasoning to these knives. One is certain to find at least one of these knives right for their hunting purposes. The list is by no means extensive and also a tiny fraction of the knives I have used for such purposes. With Shot Show 2025 just finished and now IWA 2025 coming soon. I'm sure many are now "In the groove" and now ready geared up for hunting!
Ok let's begin:
Benchmade Leuku ( Steel CPM 3V)
Reasons: Easily cleaned, non slip grip, stainless steel, excellent edge retention (A bit harder to sharpen from blunt remember!-don't let your knife edges go blunt!). Can do all tasks (except cutting down branches and trees). Lightweight (in the handle-to reduce wrist fatigue). No nonsense leather and hard plastic lined scabbard- traditional carry system-added bonus of a fire steel carry loop (Fire steel, not included).
Maintenance level: Low
Why?: Proven modern rendition of the Laplander's Leuku,-say no more.
Cuts like: Very well/Like no tomorrow
Fox Knives FX-143 MB "Perser" (Steel NIOLOX)
Reasons: Comfortable and stylish at the same time, that will surely catch the eye of a fellow hunter who does NOT own this blade. Niolox steel, a proven industrial cutting steel in the food industry. Featuring high Niobium content of around up to 0.8% Nb, high carbon 0.8%, high vanadium 0.9% and high Mo at 1.1%. It goes without saying this is a high corrosion resistant high edge retention steel.
Comes with a stylish but simple full leather scabbard, traditional belt carry,
Note: Maybe not for big hands (eg bigger than 8.5). A tad too small for med game on the large side for butchering one would require a longer blade.
Why?: Easily gripped, full hand control for fine skinning tasks. Blade shape great for skinning and gutting. If this was a bigger knife with same grip, I would not like the grip for hunting as it's just too smooth but as it is it can easily be held. But the blade shape is great.
Cuts like: No tomorrow
Maintenance level: Low to medium (scales can not be removed). NIOLOX is not indestructible.
Extrema Ratio Sethlans (Steel Böhler N690)
Reasons: A classic small drop point design, sturdy construction, lightweight stainless blade (front end), Good design for multiple finger positions.
Why: Proven drop point design, comfortable grip, knife is supplied as a "package" which includes everything one needs to pack in to the hunting site on foot, ie a fire steel and good quality fine ceramic and diamond sharpening stone all within a multi-mount scabbard system. Their experience in designing carry systems for military personal is of great bonus for the hunter for this particular blade.Secure kydex carry system.
Maintenance level: Low to possibly medium but the medium refers to the scabbard to keep clean, although the protective insert of kydex is easily cleaned of blood and guts, treat the nylon part as necessary, ie wash it if it gets covered in blood etc.
Cuts like: Very well/Like no tomorrow
Kizlyar Supreme URAL (Steel Böhler Sleipner tool steel)
Reasons: Heavy duty but still of small to medium sized blade. Convex edge, excellent edge retention with indestructible** Sleipner steel. Non stainless, easy to field maintain. Comfortable grip, supplied with a traditional carry (but versatile) leather scabbard with a Fire steel loop (fire steel not included) and belt dangler system. Made in Russia, maybe hard to acquire for the present?
Cuts like: no tomorrow.
Why?: Full Convex grind to edge, can easily perform many camp tasks with this blade, light weight blade, comfortable non-slip grip.
** Ok nothing is indestructible!
Linder knives Super Edge 5 (Steel Hitachi ATS-34*)
Reasons:
This is a superb and simple design which just works, comfortable and ergonomic in any hands. Linder achieves a hair popping sharp edge and a heat treatment which holds a super edge (no pun intended!). The knife is light in the hand due to it's construction and it is also light in the blade despite its 4.8mm thickness. Easy track (fluorescent orange) handle in TPE, almost impossible to lose in low light conditions (but highly steal-able LOL!).
Comes with a no nonsense easily cleaned (from blood and guts) scabbard.
Why?: This is a "working knife" and as such sports a "rubber" grip. It's meant to be used and designed as such. The tang goes all the way to the lanyard hole and has several "keyways" to prevent the grip from parting company with the knife.
Maintenance: Low
*As far as I'm aware Hitachi no longer make ATS-34 and thus if this is true, then all knives being made from this steel will be of limited production runs. Certainly other manufactures have told me including Linder that they are using "old stock" of ATS-34. Does this spell a collector's item????? I'll leave that for you to decide.
Work Tuff Gear Red Wolf (Steel Böhler's K329)
Reasons: The Red Wolf is an in house Work Tuff Gear design. It is a superb design and this is reflected (no pun intended) in the finish of this blade, which sports a super mirror polished convex edge to a full flat grind. The handle scales are non-slip. Modern aesthetics in design, such as a concealed lanyard hole, simple but very secure pancake style Kydex scabbard, Possibly Work Tuff Gear's best all round hunting knife to date? Like the Kizlyar Supreme URAL, this knife can do all but the heaviest tasks required for both hunting and camping, packing in to the site.
Why?: I just said it! But without talking price, very affordable high quality knife IMHO.
Kizlyar Supreme Severus (D2 tool steel)
Reasons: Proven edge retention of D2 tool steel, blaze orange G10 scales, scalloped milling pattern for a total non slip grip, so important for hunting purposes. Simple well constructed leather scabbard, highly affordable, working knife with a classic blade design. Excellent factory edge. Can be used for gutting fish as well due to the great tip.
Why?: Reasonable cost, Russian quality made, deadly sharp out of the box, light in the hand.
Maintenance level: Low to medium (scales can be removed).
Fox knives FKMD RIMOR (Steel Böhler's N690)
Reasons: This is a largish field knife with hunting capabilities due to the multiple hand positions available and the specific blade design, enabling gutting, skinning and ease to butcher all medium sized game right up to large game but without being a super big knife.
The RIMOR can function both as a sturdy camp knife as well so this is definitely a one knife solution, although remembering one knife may not function well in all situations. For example: the RIMOR is not great for fishing (clearly) although it can be done of course. The belly section allows it to be used as a skinning knife despite it's size. The robustness of the blade also allows for it's use for remote hunting where a saw, hatchet or large knife may need to considered and the hatchet looses out to the RIMOR?
Why: No nonsense grippy handle which totally encloses the tang, thus can be used like the other fully enclosed handled knives listed above, in sub zero weather/no gloves. More of a "Survival/Multipurpose" knife than a specific hunting knife, however, the blade design lends itself to hunting purposes, unlike many multipurpose knives which are not suitable for hunting.
Maintenance level: Low to medium
Cuts like: No tomorrow
Kizlyar Supreme Yeti (Steel PGK)
Reasons: A light weight full flat grind super sharp hunting knife made with PGK steel. PGK steel is a very interesting steel in regards to its composition. A very high carbon content along with high Tungsten, Mo and V plus at the same time 8.5% Chromium! All of these elements make for excellent edge retention. The Yeti certainly excelled with edge retention field testing.
The knife is comfortable to hold for long periods and combined with a light blade, will not tire your hands during gutting, and skinning. The YETI can function well around the campsite for ALL food preparation with ease due to it's overall geometry.
The knife is supplied with a traditional styled leather scabbard which includes a fire steel loop (fire steel is not included) and also an included belt dangler for those who need a longer reach.
Maintenance level: Low to medium
Cuts like: No tomorrow
Linder knives Trapper (Steel 440A) Sadly no longer made!
Reasons: Stylish, robust, well-made (looks like a hunting knife!), deadly sharp Traditional German made in Solingen, comfortable, all tasks covered. If you don't own a PUMA 1974 era PUMA Hunter's Friend (PUMASTEEL High carbon) hunting knife, like I happen to own (from a kid from early hunting and camping days) then this would have been the slightly modern version of that knife which I believe actually pre dates the Hunter's Friend, although I'll stand corrected over this if anyone knows differently. The Linder Trapper is a damn good knife for hunting full stop.
Why?: All of the above, plus a robust design allowing for all work on a carcass (see my full review and field videos about this classic knife)
Cuts like: Extremely well to Like no tomorrow
Cuts like: Extremely well to Like no tomorrow
Maintenance level: Medium to high due to the cocobolo scales, wooden scales require the proper attention and such a knife is not for the clumsy or careless (with gear) hunter. This is a knife for those who appreciate the whole hunting scene IMHO. At the same time do not be afraid to use this knife heavily (if you own one or if you are lucky enough to obtain one).
Ok I'm going to wrap this up here. There are many more great hunting knives from my collection of (very used LOL) knives, such as this old Linder model below and later I will also write something about these other great hunting knives, so stay tuned!
Ok I'm going to wrap this up here. There are many more great hunting knives from my collection of (very used LOL) knives, such as this old Linder model below and later I will also write something about these other great hunting knives, so stay tuned!
BCT
Built for durability and sharpness, hunting knives are essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts, offering reliability in every adventure.
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