By Knives Illustrated Staff
Photography by Larry Atil
No-nonsense is an accurate description of a hunting knife. It needs to be simple in design, strong enough to handle repeated, rugged use and exhibit top-tier blade quality that will severe skin, dense muscle fibers, and the wire-like strength of tendons and ligaments.
When choosing such a knife, look for a solid handle, a durable steel composition and its relative ease of cleaning and maintaining the blade.
Let’s be real; hunting is a messy undertaking if you’re successful, and a quality hunting blade at your side will make your secondary job after the kill, much, much easier.
To see each one of these blades close up, click on it. Use the arrows to scroll through the whole library.
- ESEE Ashley Game Knife Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 8.25 inches; Blade Length: 3.5 inches; Blade Material: 1095 High Carbon Steel, 55-57 Rc; Blade Thickness: 0.156 inches; Handle Material: Canvas Micarta; Weight: 5.1 ounces; MSRP: $166; ESEEKnives.com
- Steel Will Knives Tasso F12-01; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 8.07 inches; Blade Length: 3.5 inches; Blade Material: M390; Blade Thickness: 0.14 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 4.16 ounces; MSRP: $169.99; SteelWillKnives.com
- Steel Will Knives Tasso F12-02; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 7.25 inches; Blade Length: 3 inches; Blade Material: M390; Blade Thickness: 0.14 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 3.17 ounces; MSRP: $159.99; SteelWillKnives.com
- Buck Knives 656 Pursuit Large; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 9.5 inches; Blade Length: 4.5 inches; Blade Material: 420HC steel; Blade Thickness: 0.14 inches; Handle Material: Glass filled nylon/Versaflex; Weight: 6.2 ounces; MSRP: $65; BuckKnives.com
- Buck Knives 659 Folding Pursuit Large; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 8.83 inches; Blade Length: 3.83 inches; Blade Material: 420HC steel; Blade Thickness: 0.12 inches; Handle Material: Glass filled nylon/Versaflex; Weight: 3.60 ounces; MSRP: $70; BuckKnives.com
- Schenk Skeleton; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 8.5 inches; Blade Length: 4 inches; Blade Material: Elmax; Blade Thickness: 0.152 inches; Handle Material: Skeletonize, Ultra-Cord; Weight: 6.4 ounces; MSRP: $99.99; SchenkKnives.com
- Fallkniven SK2 Embla Category: Hunting Overall Length: 8.346 inches Blade Length: 3.93 inches Blade Material: Laminated Cobalt Special Steel Blade Thickness: 0.177 inches Handle Material: Desert Ironwood Weight: 5.785 ounces MSRP: $385 Fallkniven.com
- Schenk Ram; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 8.25 inches; Blade Length: 3.75 inches; Blade Material: Elmax; Blade Thickness: 0.152 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 5.75 ounces; MSRP: $164.99; SchenkKnives.com
- Schenk Osprey; Category: Hunting; Overall Length: 6.875 inches; Blade Length: 2.75 inches; Blade Material: Elmax; Blade Thickness: 0.133 inches; Handle Material: Textured G10; Weight: 3.15 ounces; MSRP: $94.99; SchenkKnives.com