What is a practical hunting knife?

Great question!

It depends on things like your planned usage of the knife as well as your personal preferences and capabilities.

And yes, a gut hook is a great tool, but I would prefer an extra tool for the job, like the Buck Paklite Guthook or the Morakniv Belly Opener. Later more on this.

To get down to business: the days of the "survivalist" one-knife-does-it-all are mostly over (for most of us under regular circumstances). When was the last time you gutted or butchered an animal in the field? For most of us, the most we do is to cut the throat after having shot the animal. For that, a simple Victorinox paring knife is enough - I laughed when I heard this at first, but it works! The carcass usually gets skinned by farm hands with the available farm equipment, so why would one even carry a hunting knife? It is close to carrying a camo-pattern jacket whilst on a bakkie hunt.

I have stopped carrying a real big hunting knife several years ago after I lost mine. Instead, I carry a Spyderco Resilience and a general purpose fixed blade (currently a Morakniv Companion) on a daily base. Over the last 7+ years I have never found this combination wanting. The Spyderco is on a pocket clip and the Morakniv tucked away in an IWB-holster.

If one plans to skin and prepare a carcass on your own, the scenario changes and thereby the equipment. I would still use a smaller, sharp blade to cut the throat if necessary. Heart and lung shots bleed out internally, so I don't think it is necessary to bleed them. Head shots is a different story - I prefer to bleed them if possible.

Then, for initial gutting, a dedicated gut hook. In total, it is faster and cleaner than anything else I have seen. Buy one, or make one from a large metal saw blade if necessary. I do not like the gut hooks on knife blades or handles - one does not get a proper grip, and the blade is almost always in the way.

For further gutting, a small sharp blade (3" - 4") with a slightly curved blade works well. With the Morakniv Companion I recently gutted two impalas in twenty minutes.

For skinning, I plan to make myself an ulu-type skinner along the lines of the Trophy Master knife set. A sheep skinner also works great.

For working the carcass I use a combination of a 6" butcher knife with a clipped point, as well as a boning knife and a No 66 Eclipse saw.

Last thoughts on a hunting knife (from a knife enthusiast ;) ) :
- Steel type is important. Many knife companies use 8Cr3MoV or something similar because it is cheap and works easy. I do not like this steel because it does not hold an edge properly.

- Crosscut of the blade is important. Get something with a full flat grind for all work except chopping.

I have carried a Victorinox for many years and it will suffice for basics. A medium sized knife is all you need and I concur with Ds J on his choices. A folder in a pouch on the belt is easier than a fixed blade. Weight is a factor when walking long distances.

I second DsJ's comment on the steel. it's well worth buying something made with a better quality steel especially if you intend keeping and using the knife. I have landed on D2 and near equivalents. It's harder to put an edge on than stuff like 8Cr3MoV but stands up to real work a great deal better.

Hunting knives are movie tools and at camp tools, for the bush and gutting there are a thousand big folding blades at every gun shop. A nice big folder, with a curved up point and not a sharp point (perces gut to often). The choice must have a clip on it for your belt.

Two things more important than knife choice !
A sharpening stone, rough type, not a honing stone NOT THE FINE RAZER EDGE PRODUCE STONE, the courser edge stone. These are available at engineering and some fishing shops, they often finger size.

I have a sharpener in my bag in my field bag and one on my shooting sticks.
Secondly, two knives - ALWAYS two knives.

I have a folding knife attached to my shooting sticks - I have a folding knife attached to my sling, I have a folding knife on my belt. I have a fixed blade on my gear lever and another two in my field bags, one my carry bag and one my vehicle bag.

I am curious what knives you are going to arrive here with ;D ;D ;D - I will loan you one of mine.

Aaag man Jan, when you get here you will see my set up and then see Cody set up and the different approaches.

Easiest way to sharpen and hone almost any steel knife is with sanding paper. I use 400 grit or 600 grit, and strop it afterwards. The downside for some is the slightly rounded cutting edge. I prefer it that way because it is stronger, keep a better edge and the process is much faster. The result is very similar to a japanese bevel.

What a rabbit hole!

Been doing some light reading with regards to the different types of steel and alloying elements, different opening and locking arrangements, edge geometry, toughness, hardness, edge retention and ease of sharpening.

Spent the last few days looking at what is available, made of steel that holds an edge well, with a full-flat grind, in a shape that I do not actively dislike and at a price I am willing to spend. Turn out that is not a very large selection.

Then my wife beat me to it by buying herself a Kershaw CQC-6K in D2 steel because it "felt nice in her hand".

Anyone know where we can get a "Stop the bleed" course in the Cape Town area?

Nice looking knife that.

My take on the subject:
A small knife is easier to carry - a folder is best.
A long blade is not needed. A 5cm blade is fine for gutting and cutting biltong.
A gut hook is useful.

Something like this:

I've been impressed with those Honey Badgers. The pivot bearing is super smooth and they have models in D2 steel. very good value for money imo.

D2 seems to be the best of the bottom end steels for knife blades. While it doesn't have the rust resistance of the more common stainless steels it more than make up for it by edge retention. At least, that is what the consensus is on the interweb.

As Ds J mentioned, I am only going to use the gut-hook infrequently. Rest of the time it'll catch on everything in my pocket. Of all the Youtube videos I've watched in the last few days, only Pieter Malan used one.

D2 seems to be the best of the bottom end steels for knife blades. While it doesn't have the rust resistance of the more common stainless steels it more than make up for it by edge retention. At least, that is what the consensus is on the interweb.

As with much of what's on the interwebs ITO opinion mine is worth 2c or less. There is the same sort of 'magical property' belief twaddle around knives as there is with calibres, gun cleaning potions and political leaders. Anyone that has found a real world shortcoming of D2 as a knife material and has therefore classed it as a bottom end steel is probably doing 'test to destruction' videos on yoochoob rather than actually using the knives in real life as knives.

D2 seems to be the best of the bottom end steels for knife blades. While it doesn't have the rust resistance of the more common stainless steels it more than make up for it by edge retention. At least, that is what the consensus is on the interweb.

As with much of what's on the interwebs ITO opinion mine is worth 2c or less. There is the same sort of 'magical property' belief twaddle around knives as there is with calibres, gun cleaning potions and political leaders. Anyone that has found a real world shortcoming of D2 as a knife material and has therefore classed it as a bottom end steel is probably doing 'test to destruction' videos on yoochoob rather than actually using the knives in real life as knives.

Depends where you live and your lifestyle.
I carry a pocket knife every single day, live by the coast and spend a lot of time on the ocean. D2 rusts within a week, even when I try to baby it.

LC200n is my preferred steel. One knife for everyday carry and hunting.

D2 seems to be the best of the bottom end steels for knife blades. While it doesn't have the rust resistance of the more common stainless steels it more than make up for it by edge retention. At least, that is what the consensus is on the interweb.

As with much of what's on the interwebs ITO opinion mine is worth 2c or less. There is the same sort of 'magical property' belief twaddle around knives as there is with calibres, gun cleaning potions and political leaders. Anyone that has found a real world shortcoming of D2 as a knife material and has therefore classed it as a bottom end steel is probably doing 'test to destruction' videos on yoochoob rather than actually using the knives in real life as knives.

There is - for most of us - one or two things which dictate the quality of a knife, may be three things.

• Keeping an edge with regular work. Most of us don't use knives to dig trenches and cut wood hence most of the available test are moot. Cutting meat, kitchen work and edc usage is enough testing. If one works with knives enough, the differences between better and worse types of steel become evident very soon. Please don't fall for the paper-cutting-test. A truly sharp knife can cut a free hanging human hair. A very sharp knife cuts through a free hanging plastic bag. If it shaves arm hairs, it is good to go.
• The design of the knife. One can do almost anything with almost any type of knife. How well the job will be done and how feasible it is, are subjects for another time. Fact is that some knife designs are thousands of years old because they work.
  A bad or ineffective design usually only becomes evident with experience. What looks good does not necessarily works good. If I had to carry one knife for everything over the next few years I would probably choose beween a smaller kukri and a 5" clip point butcher's knife.
• Edit: jager is correct: circumstances makes a big part of the choice. In Japan, the public may generally only edc a 6cm blade. In wet/salty circumstances, a proper stainless blade is a must.

Depends where you live and your lifestyle.
I carry a pocket knife every single day, live by the coast and spend a lot of time on the ocean. D2 rusts within a week, even when I try to baby it.

Fair enough, living as I do on the highveld and doing almost all of my wingshooting in GP or the FS so rust on blades has never been a big issue except where I've been slack. I sweat like a horse though and anything carried in contact with my body, like a pistol for example, rusts in a matter of days unless very well protected. For that i have landed on Herschells Wax spray. The stuff is impressive and since I started using it on my carry gun the rust issue has been entirely eliminated. Well worth a look for stuff that you want to protect at the coast.

Depends where you live and your lifestyle.
I carry a pocket knife every single day, live by the coast and spend a lot of time on the ocean. D2 rusts within a week, even when I try to baby it.

Fair enough, living as I do on the highveld and doing almost all of my wingshooting in GP or the FS so rust on blades has never been a big issue except where I've been slack. I sweat like a horse though and anything carried in contact with my body, like a pistol for example, rusts in a matter of days unless very well protected. For that i have landed on Herschells Wax spray. The stuff is impressive and since I started using it on my carry gun the rust issue has been entirely eliminated. Well worth a look for stuff that you want to protect at the coast.

Ek het ook "aaphandjies" - alles roes! ;) ;)

I must say, I do a lot of kitchen work and meat cutting, and after trying a bunch of different brands of kitchen knives, I keep coming back to Victorinox, and occasionally Wusthof steel. The beauty of these metals, is that it is easy to sharpen. If you can't put an edge back on the blade with a few swipes from a steel rod, it isn't worth having. My favorite knives have lost a few mm of the blade over the years, but keep going strong.

I only wish I could find a folder like the above in the same steel. Many of the hunting knives are made from alloys that I'm not familiar with, and they often sharpen with great difficulty.

Problem with the easy-to-sharpen steels is that they become blunt easily as well According to the experts at least. Not a problem in a well run kitchen with the sharpening tool usually sold with the knive. Might be slightly inconvenient in the bush.

I have examples of both brands and neither could be accused of being a soft alloy. You can only make a decent knife work again with a steel if you don't let it go blunt in the first place. A steel is intended to do little more than 'ironing' the edge smooth, it's not for cutting a new one.

https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/10/19/knife-steels-rated-by-a-metallurgist-toughness-edge-retention-and-corrosion-resistance/

Some light reading for those so inclined. In there it explains why certain steels sharpen easier. Also, through empirical testing proves that hardness and edge retention do not always correlate.

Jan, the needs of a "look at" and in use knife are same, but the one actually has to work regardless of its appearance. I have had some beautiful over the counter knives, but they are all lying somewhere in the bush, just where they landed. I must have thrown 3 - 4 knives over my shoulder because they were torture to use. ( I really mean thrown away - a pen, a lighter and a blade that are faulty must be GONE, not put away)

For the bush working knife you want a hard blade that holds a sharp edge, not that shave with fancy gone in 6 cm cutting a hog open kinda stuff. One of the absolute best steels other than craft made knives I have ever found is the old Opinel pocket knife, so much so, that Cody latched onto one at like 9 years old and pretty much never used anything else ever again.
I say again to you, more than one blade kept in more than one place on the hunt.
A small, small bladed knife is better.
Have a sharpener.
Forget about fancy edges, sharp is sharp.
Have a disposable carpet knife for opening a animal skin, it saves a sharp blade a lot.

Here is my setup, less spare blades and the Bowie Hunting Knife which hangs in the car on every hunt - never used, but always goes with - I mean you can not go hunting without a hunting knife now, can we ?
20240705_173230 by David Frank Allen, on Flickr
Of all the blades, the Opinel is most used, stays sharp and sharpens on anything. The one is attached to shooting sticks, another to my rifle sling, and another in a pocket.
20240705_173348 by David Frank Allen, on Flickr
Some of those cheap effective sharpening stones scattered through my stuff for easy use.

Do not over do the blade thing, just buy a cheap folding Dowe Knife at local sharp for now, use it, learn it and base your next buy on that learn.
First knife - ME - TO YOU - buy an Opinel R180 learn to use it, then we talk again.

Carpet knife - using the hooked carpet blades. Wonderful to gut with and the blade never seems to dull. Skinners that have used it have been full of praise.

I must say, I do a lot of kitchen work and meat cutting, and after trying a bunch of different brands of kitchen knives, I keep coming back to Victorinox, and occasionally Wusthof steel. The beauty of these metals, is that it is easy to sharpen. If you can't put an edge back on the blade with a few swipes from a steel rod, it isn't worth having. My favorite knives have lost a few mm of the blade over the years, but keep going strong.

I only wish I could find a folder like the above in the same steel. Many of the hunting knives are made from alloys that I'm not familiar with, and they often sharpen with great difficulty.

Agree- Victorinox has great steel, even the Swiss army knife.

Have you tried their big folders, or the Opinel? Their Lagoile version carries easier.

I know that Opinel is supposed to be good, but life is too short to have a wooden dowel with a blade attached. Might as well just sharpen a saw blade.

I know that Opinel is supposed to be good, but life is too short to have a wooden dowel with a blade attached. Might as well just sharpen a saw blade.

https://www.opinel.com/en/multifunction/n8-outdoor-blue

Check the Victorinox Hunter pro alox. I use it when hunting.

OK
So who are the best custom knife makers .. ( and why ) ?
Website and pictures please

Have a look at the assortment of knives.

OK
So who are the best custom knife makers .. ( and why ) ?
Website and pictures please

Hi Newton, it is a very difficult question to answer. The question is what you want, and what your budget is. Your location and preferences will probably play a role as well.

There are literally thousands of custom knife makers in SA, some forge and the most do stock removal. Some buy precut steel and finish it, while others wil make a complete new design for you.

What do you want? A good hunting knife, a gentleman's folder, or maybe an edc fighting knife?

custom knife makers are mostly hobbyist and hobbyist that are good enough to have people want to own their products-creations. They are mostly however guys that love making knives and experimenting with blades and handles, the selling finances the hobby.
There are two poles in knife makers, the guys that obsess with the steel type,quality, properties etc and the guys that obsess with handle materials, using 1000 year old wood or 6000 year old mammoth tusks.

The knife makers world is one of the most classical rabbit holes.

custom knife makers are mostly hobbyist and hobbyist that are good enough to have people want to own their products-creations. They are mostly however guys that love making knives and experimenting with blades and handles, the selling finances the hobby.
There are two poles in knife makers, the guys that obsess with the steel type,quality, properties etc and the guys that obsess with handle materials, using 1000 year old wood or 6000 year old mammoth tusks.

The knife makers world is one of the most classical rabbit holes.

Guilty as charged your Honor!

I make two knives a year at the very most. Usually it is one knife in two to three years. The handle material is whatever lies around, doesn't look too bad and will last. Since I mostly make working knives I truly don't see the sense in using some exquisite material which might be damaged on the second day of a hunt.