Topic: The Best Hunting Knives of 2023 (Read 66 times)
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This year I found myself on the side of a mountain with five others trying to break down two elk on the side of the mountain as quickly as possible due to grizzly bears just a ridge over. Everyone had different replaceable blade knives, but about halfway through the first elk it was obvious, which of the knives was the best—the Razorlite. Its blades were the easiest to replace and the mounting system was trouble free. Other knives got gummed up and the blades came off, but the RazorLite chugged through deboning the two elk.
While the RazorLite isn’t the lightest replaceable blade knife—5.9 ounces heavier than a Tyto. It’s the most trouble-free design I’ve used. I don’t have blades pop off or break and can make it through an animal on one blade. When it’s time to swap a blade you just press the button, slide the blade out, and slide a new blade in. The rubberized group stays grippy when your hands are covered in blood. The 3.5-inch blade is a good length for balancing maneuverability and cutting efficiency. If weight isn’t a major concern and you want a replaceable blade knife, I’d reco*mend the Razorlite.
The ergonomics on the Blackfoot 2.0 are ideal, and it co*fortably puts your hand into a natural position without forcing you into a specific grip. That means whether you’re whittling by the fire or making that delicate initial cut while field dressing, you’ll have a co*fortable and controllable grip. Adding to the good grip are the sculpted G10 scales, which are a step above the standard flat scales on mass produced knives.
From the factory, the Blackfoot is very sharp and I’ve only needed to occasionally strop mine to keep it that way. It’s worth noting that Montana Knife co*pany offers lifetime sharpening. The full flat grind slices through meat like butter, and I think the blade shape is perfect for taking an animal from the field to a vacuum sealed bag.
The Blackfoot 2.0 uses 52100 steel, which isn’t the se*iest blade steel. However, 52100 has been around since 1905 and used for knives since at least 1940—so it’s time tested. According to Knife Steel Nerds, it has good toughness and doesn’t have the blade retention of higher chromium alloys. That means you don’t have to worry as much about chipping your edge when you smack into a bone, but you might want to have a honing rod handy while butchering. It’s also worth noting that it’s not a stainless steel and will need to be wiped dry before storage. So while many co*panies are quick to jump on the latest and greatest steels like Magnacut, it’s great to see a co*pany utilizing a proven entity.
A $300 knife isn’t a small purchase, but consider that if you care for this blade, your grandchildren will use it to field dress their first deer. That heirloom quality shifts the value proposition for me. If you want a handmade knife and are capable of maintaining your tools, then the Montana Knife co*pany Blackfoot 2.0 is an excellent option.
I own the original Buck 110, a fixed blade 110, and the newer 110 Slim. They’re all iconic hunting knives that have proven themselves through hard use by countless outdoorsmen. The best knife for field dressing among the 110 line is the 110 slim, because it’s light, is easier to open thanks to the addition of thumb studs, and blood effortlessly washes off the GFN handle. Fans of the original will be happy to learn that it maintains the classic, and rock solid, lockback design and endlessly useful clip point blade. It’s also one of the few knives under $50 that are made in the USA.
Buck Knives opened up shop in 1902, just four years after Outdoor Life, and have had a loyal following ever since. If you’re looking for a classic that won’t hurt the wallet or weigh you down, you can’t go wrong with the 110 Slim.
If you want to upgrade from the 110 Slim also check out the 110 Slim Pro TRX and 110 Hunter Sport.
Picks by knife experts Matt Foster and Rick Spicer.
I was so impressed with the pocket clip EDC knife Giant Mouse sent for a previous review that I was excited to check out one of their fixed blades for use as a hunting knife. Unfortunately, they’re out of stock, but given the features and price point it’s not surprising why. The GMF2 is an old-school style, full tang fixed blade with profiled green canvas micarta scales attached to the side with fasteners and spacers. It’s nothing fancy, it’s just a tried and true way of putting together a solid, no frills fixed blade. Made from Bohler N690 Cobalt steel, the shallow drop point blade will be a great general purpose field knife as well as hunting knife. The blade shape is well suited and could be used for a gutting knife, a skinning knife, and some processing. In keeping with the old-school motif, the sheath is a leather pouch style setup with an integral belt loop. With an MSRP of $195 it’s no wonder this knife was sold out at the time this was written. That’s okay though, we’ll wait. MSRP is $195. Specs: Blade length 3.62 in.; Blade thickness 0.157 in.; Overall length 8.12 in.; Weight 4.1 oz.
The BIWA is one the smallest knives of the group, and certainly the most svelte (yes, “svelte”). This is a fixed blade harkening back to the “trout and bird” knife days when people occasionally kept trout without being called heathens. Designed to offer good performance and economics, The BIWA has a 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, slender profile, full tang blade with a thin handle profile and nicely contoured G10 scales. This helps keep the weight of the knife to a mere 1.6 ounces, which is nice if you’re watching your weight on a backcountry hunt. While not necessarily designed with survival-type knife tasks in mind, the 3-inch blade length any hunting tasks you throw at it. The hard plastic, molded sheath holds the BIWA securely and it even co*es with an optional belt loop that can be attached to the sheath if desired. Other than an included lanyard that’s too small to actually get over your hand, this is a great little knife. MSRP is $49.99. Specs: Blade length 3.02 in.; Blade thickness 0.11 in.; Overall length 6.63 in.; Weight 2 oz. (with sheath)
When Benchmade told us about the Meatcrafter, a high-end knife for processing game, did we want to include it in our round up of best hunting knives? Well yeah. The real work begins after the shot, right? And part of that hard, albeit rewarding work, is the final cutting required to put the meat on the table. This isn’t a rugged backcountry survival type fixed blade. It’s not supposed to be. Ultimately, this is a boning knife that has the right qualities to debone, trim, and break down primal cuts. Made from a new steel for Benchmade, powdered metal technology CMP-154, the 6-inch trailing point blade is relatively thin and somewhat flexible, which is why it lends itself so well to most meat processing tasks. Processing can be messy business. Fortunately, the handle is made from over-molded Santoprene, a rubber-like material which helps maintain a great grip even with wet or bloody hands. Even though this may not be something you strap to your hip or pack, the Meatcrafter still co*es with a molded Boltaron sheath worthy of a rugged field trip. This will be a great knife to have in camp, the kitchen, the shop or wherever you butcher your game. MSRP is $160. Specs: Blade length 6.08 in.; Blade thickness 0.09 in.; Overall length 11.06 in.; Weight 3.24 oz.
This knife carries the Outdoor Life name and it’s part of a larger set of knives and camping tools. The Camping Fixed Blade Knife fits nicely in with the theme of this roundup because it’s a general purpose blade that can serve in multiple capacities well such as a utility knife, hunting camp knife or even skinning and processing. It has a 7cr17MoV stainless steel drop point blade. 7cr17MoV has good corrosion resistance, holds an edge reasonably well and will sharpen easily. The handle has made has a glass filled polymer frame that is overmolded with a rubber like texture providing an excellent grip. For carrying or storing the knife, the Camping Fixed Blade co*es with a molded friction retention sheath. A nice touch is the multi-position clip that can be oriented as needed to acco*modate packs, belts, etc. This is not a small or lightweight knife, so it may not be the first choice for a backcountry hunt where ounces seem to all to quickly equal pounds, but it would be a great addition to have in camp or the processing table. MSRP is $40. Specs: blade length 4.75 in. blade thickness 0.13 in. Overall Length 9 5/16 in. Weight 8 5/8 oz.
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Helle of Norway is a family co*pany that’s been making high-quality knives for three generations. They excel at creating knives with razor-sharp scandi grinds, which are excellent for carving wood. While they make several capable models, I prefer the durability of the full-tang Utvaer. Its curly birch handle is functional and fits very well in medium sized hands. The stainless Sandvik 12C27 steel is thin, which makes for a very good slicing knife, while still durable. All that adds up to a survival knife with a good handle, rust resistance, and great blade performance. —Rick Spicer
Plenty of folks think you need a big knife for hunting big game animals, but that’s simply not true. A small, maneuverable, ultra-sharp blade is more effective for breaking down animals than a giant, unwieldly blade. A 3-inch to 3.5-inch blade is about perfect. Bigger knives with 5-inch blades and up are useful for handling camp work and bushcrafting tasks.
The best knife to gut deer with will have a sharp fine blade and a grip that won’t get slippery when it’s covered with blood. The all-time classic deer gutting knife is probably the Buck Knives’ Buck 110 folder, but the modern version many hunters choose is Havalon’s Prianta or a knive of a similar design.
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