Hunting Knives With the Right Blade for the Job

It's no fun to have just one knife, especially when there are models that handle specific duties much more efficiently than a general-purpose blade. A knife that makes short work of dressing a deer may struggle when cleaning a duck, and there isn’t much sense in using a boning knife to skin a squirrel.

It’s always a good idea to match blade size and type to the task at hand for both safety and effectiveness. Following are three tasks all hunters must undertake at some point, along with three levels of knives that excel at these jobs.

Benchmade Meatcrafter

• Task: Deboning a Carcass

The Meatcrafter has Benchmade’s proprietary 14-degree edge and just the right amount of blade flex for deboning, trimming and slicing. Every component of the knife can be customized from blade steel and polish to handle material and pivot ring, and each Meatcrafter is built to order at Benchmade’s factory in Oregon City, Ore.

• Blade Length: 6.08"
• Blade Steel: CPM-154 or 440C
• Handle: G10, Richlite or carbon fiber
• Overall Length: 11.06"
• Weight: 3.24 oz.
• MSRP: $300 (base model)
• Info: benchmade.com

Read More: How to Build a Custom Knife in 8 Steps

Buck 110 Slim Pro TRX

• Task: Field-Dressing a Deer

An updated version of the iconic 110 Folding Hunter, the Slim Pro TRX has a Cerakote-treated pocket clip and thinner handle scales, and uses Torx screws in its construction rather than rivets. It also features dual thumbstuds for one-hand, ambidextrous opening.

• Blade Length: 3.75"
• Blade Steel: S30V
• Handle: G10
• Locking Mechanism: lockback
• Overall Length: 8.63"
• Weight: 3.3 oz.
• MSRP: $114.99
• Info: buckknives.com

Knife: Bear & Son Small Hunter

• Task: Cleaning Birds and Small Game

Made in America, the Small Hunter is the ideal size for preparing rabbits and squirrels for the table. The clip-point blade allows for precise cutting, and its 440 steel holds a fine edge while being easy to sharpen. The nickel-silver finger guard lends additional control for tough cutting tasks.

• Blade Length: 2.38"
• Blade Steel: 440
• Handle: rosewood
• Overall Length: 6.5"
• Weight: 1.9 oz.
• MSRP: $65.99
• Info: bearandsoncutlery.com