Hunting knife facts for kids

A hunting knife is a special knife that people use when they are hunting. Its main job is to help prepare the animal for food, like carefully removing its skin (this is called skinning) and cutting up the meat. It's different from a hunting dagger, which was traditionally used to kill large wild animals.

Sometimes, hunting knives are also used for other tasks in the wilderness. For example, a "Camp knife" can be used like a machete or a small hatchet if those tools aren't around. In these situations, a hunting knife works a lot like a survival knife, which is a tool designed to help you survive in the wild.

What Makes a Hunting Knife Special?

A hunting knife with a deer-antler handle

Hunting knives are usually made for cutting. They typically have only one sharp edge. The blade (the sharp part) is often a little curved on most models. Some hunting knives even have a blade that's curved in one section for skinning and straight in another for slicing meat.

Some blades might have a special hook called a "guthook." Many hunting knives designed specifically for "skinning" have a rounded tip. This rounded tip helps make sure you don't accidentally poke or damage the animal's skin while you're removing it.

Different Kinds of Hunting Knives

Hunting knives come in a couple of main styles, each with its own benefits:

Fixed-Blade Knives

• Fixed-blade knives have a blade that doesn't fold or move. It's permanently attached to the handle. These knives are often chosen for their strength and reliability. If you're hunting large animals or in tough, rugged areas, a fixed-blade knife is usually a better choice because it's very sturdy.

Folding Knives

• Folding knives have a blade that can fold into the handle. This makes them much easier to carry around and hide. Many people also consider them safer to carry because the sharp blade can be tucked away when not in use.

Types of Knife Blades

The shape of a hunting knife's blade is very important for how it's used. Here are some common types:

Clip Point Blades

• Clip Point blades are thin and have a very sharp, well-defined point. The blade itself is fairly flat. This type of blade is often used for tasks like field dressing (preparing the animal right after it's caught) and skinning.

Drop Point Blades

• Drop Point blades are thicker and have a curved shape. The back (spine) of the blade gently curves down to meet the edge, creating a strong point. These blades are also popular for dressing animals and skinning.

Skinning Blades

• Skinning blades are specially designed just for skinning. Their unique shape helps to quickly and cleanly separate the skin from the meat without damaging either.

Famous Hunting Knives and Designers

Some well-known hunting knives include the puukko from Finland, the yakutian knife from Siberia, and the Sharpfinger. Many American hunting knife designs are based on smaller versions of the famous Bowie knife.

Two very important people in the world of knife making helped make certain styles popular:

• Bob Loveless was a knifemaker who made the Drop point hunting knife very popular.
• William Scagel helped make the "Camp knife" style well-known.