Blade Length for Hunting Knife?

[Swifty Morgan]

As a new hunter, I am tired of cutting up squirrels with a filet knife. I decided to get a good sheath knife. I ordered an Entrek Javalina, and the seller sent me the wrong thing: an Entrek Wolf. Annoying. Anyway, even though I'm returning this thing, I looked it over.

Entrek says this knife has a 4.5" blade. It seems a little short to me. I'm wondering: what's a good length for a hunting knife? I would have thought 5-6" would be about right, but it seems like there are a lot of shorter ones out there.

Stuff I anticipate shooting: squirrels, deer, hogs, coyotes, turkeys.

 

[Steve51]

I prefer a lockback folding hunting knife. My preference is the Buck 110 and the slightly smaller Buck 112.

 

[bikerdoc]

5 INCH for fixed blade 4 INCH for folder is my preference.

 

[bearman49709]

4"-5" max 6" is a good size for just about any animal in the U.S..
Folding knives are a pain in the butt to clean you will get blood and fat inside when you clean any good sized animal.

 

[Varminterror]

Fixed blade only.

4-5", nothing longer for me, just don't need the size or weight. Would rather have a 3.5" than a 6".

 

[SharpDog]

As a new hunter, I am tired of cutting up squirrels with a filet knife. I decided to get a good sheath knife. I ordered an Entrek Javalina, and the seller sent me the wrong thing: an Entrek Wolf. Annoying. Anyway, even though I'm returning this thing, I looked it over.

Entrek says this knife has a 4.5" blade. It seems a little short to me. I'm wondering: what's a good length for a hunting knife? I would have thought 5-6" would be about right, but it seems like there are a lot of shorter ones out there.

Stuff I anticipate shooting: squirrels, deer, hogs, coyotes, turkeys.

4.5" is fine, the blade shape, blade material and handle shape matter much more. IMHO, if I had to get just one knife for cutting up small / medium game it would be the KOA Muskrat.:



https://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=18

Better yet I would get one the combos:



https://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=35



If you can afford it the Alpha Wolf / Muskrat also comes in S30V. That's a GREAT material!

https://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=26



https://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=30

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Thanks for the help. I am going to TRY to get an Entrek Beaver, which is 4.5" long. We'll see what they send me this time. Frustrating.

I agree with the poster who said folders get gunked up. My main reason for carrying folding knives is that sheath knives freak people out. That being said, I decided to try a Cold Steel Recon, because I read impressive stuff about the steel. So now I have a folder and a fixed blade on the way.

Can't have too many knives.

I love Forschner knives, but I was surprised to see how fast squirrel hair dulled my Forschner filet knife. I read up on Victorinox steel (same people), and I found out it's actually somewhat soft. I can sharpen the filet knife in a few seconds, but I would have to do it twice per squirrel, and that is not acceptable.

 

[Patocazador]

I've owned lots of knives in my life. The ones that fit me best are lightweight lockblades with a 3'' drop point blade. It's always in your pocket and big enough to gut & quarter a deer.
A very bright-colored knife is essential. I've left too many olive drab and camo knives in the woods next to a gut pile because I couldn't find them.

 

[FL-NC]

You are disassembling squirrels, not butchering an elk. A good Case pocket knife honed to a fine edge will work for any small game and turkeys. Unless I have a big game animal (deer, hog,) my Case pocket knife does everything. For dove and quail I use scissors. for the bigger stuff, I have a tupperware box with several knives for different jobs- a gerber gut hook, a cold steel roach belly (very sharp, very cheap caping knife) and some other stag handled skinner knife I've had for 20+ years. And my "butt hole tool". About the only application I need a larger knife for is cutting away a hanging deer's front shoulders- it's just easier with a longer blade. Another good GP knife that's not too expensive is the Mora. They hold a great edge and are very lightweight. Probably the nicest "gadget-type" knife I've seen in a long time is the havalon folders- they use what is essentially a disposable scalpel blade. Some friends have them, and they make short work out of just about everything. They have 2 downsides I can see- its a scalpel, so if you have a mishap, you will need stitches or at least crazy glue. Also, its just not very good as a GP pocket knife-cause its a scalpel.

 

[jmr40]

Three inches is plenty. Anything longer than 5" is in the way.

 

[Axis II]

For squirrel I can get away with a Gerber Paraframe mini. For deer it used to be a buck 110 hunter but now its this bad boy. https://www.outdooredge.com/collections/hunting/products/flip-n-zip-double-blade?variant=21519964739 I know its a folder but nothing a little water wont clean up. I don't like fixed blades because it takes up too much room. I agree with the bright colored handle above. Field dressed a deer a mile in a national forest and came back a year later and found it. Black handle. Also make sure its good steel so it holds an edge for awhile and get a lansky or something to keep them sharp.

I thought that outdoor edge was a gimmick but I did 4 deer with that knife and never once busted guts and its super sharp and just zips right up. No using your fingers to guide or anything.

 

[John Joseph]

I'm in the 3.5"-5" fixed blade drop point camp on this one, but it all comes down to what you prefer.

 

[Bigmike79]

 

[Bigmike79]

Three inches is plenty. Anything longer than 5" is in the way.

You've been lied to my friend

 

[Captcurt]

I guess that I am the only one who uses a short blade. I have a couple of nice LeMoine customs with with 4" blades but I prefer a 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" Lockback. I would guess that I have field dressed 200+ deer with small blades. My favorite for the last 5 years has been a Gerber 3" with spring loaded assist.

 

[.308 Norma]

I'm in the 3.5"-5" fixed blade drop point camp on this one, but it all comes down to what you prefer.

Yeah, for big game hunting, in the field I prefer about a 4" fixed, drop point blade too. But I can see this thread going in the same direction as the thread about budget versus expensive hunting rifles. That is, I anticipate a few "reverse snobbery" posts like, "I use a smaller knife than you, therefore I'm a better and more experienced hunter than you."

 

[greg_r]

About 3 inches. No longer than 4 inches. My favorites for a long time were the sharp finger and little finger from Old Timer. My small game favorite is a Case Trapper. My favorite all purpose is a Case Barlow. And I use a basic Old Hickory 6" sticker for pigs. And I prefer the handle be yellow.

Today I use custom knives made for me by a friend. The one with the orange lanyard is my favorite. It's a very good knife.



And trying my hand. This is my Skinner that I made. Functional but dosen't look near as good as the ones from Oak Level Knives!

 

[red rick]

My two favorites are Buck 105 and 110 for skinning deer and small game .

 

[sage5907]

I use a Buck 110 folding Hunter that has a 3 3/4 inch locking blade. I also do taxidermy work and I know how easy it is to cut yourself with a sharp knife. With a folding knife the blade is hidden inside the handle and your not apt to fall on the sheath or hit the sheath and jab the blade into your leg. Not only that, a short sheath takes less of a beating when sliding under fences than a long sheath. A few years after I started taxidermy work I talked to the man who taught me the business and he asked how I was doing. I told him that I finally quit cutting myself with a scalpel. I treat a sharp hunting knife just like a scalpel because they are equally dangerous.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I like the homemade knife. I started working on knives, and my first blade was a heavy-duty birds beak skinner, but I moved from Miami to my current home in the United States of America, and I haven't put all my tools in the new shop. I hope to make my own hunting knives in the future.

 

[MCgunner]

I like a 3" blade, no more'n 4". I have a Buck Bantam 285 that I carry all the time. It's a folder. Some folks prefer a fixed blade, easier to wash the blood and guts out of. I can understand that, but the little light weight Bantam stays clipped to a pocket and is always with me. It weighs nothing. I carried a 110 for years. Danged things are so heavy they pull your pants down and I normally have a firearm on my belt, don't need anymore weight. The little Bantam is very well made and, like all USA made Bucks, takes and keeps an edge quite well.

For deer and hog field dressing, I do like a partial serrated edge for cutting through the sternum. I had a Gerber Gator Serrator, don't know where I put it. It's about 30 years old and the handle was deteriorating. Need to find that thing. I've been using a fixed blade Gerber for deer and hogs due to its partially serrated edge. Laugh if ya want, it's one of those Bear Grylles survival knives, but the thing has an unbelievably good edge AND, it's a stout blade. I like it. I didn't really buy it to hunt, just collect, but I ended up using the thing when my Gator ran off.

 

[MCgunner]

Oh, I've been thinkin' about trying one of those "Outdoor Edge" switch edge knives. I haven't priced 'em, though, might be the killer. But, it might be nice for skinning pigs. Pigs have a way of dulling a blade and I have to stop several times per pig and whip an edge back on whatever I'm using.

 

[Patocazador]

Pigs have a way of dulling a blade and I have to stop several times per pig and whip an edge back on whatever I'm using.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I have two Gerber Gators which are great for prying things and hacking around, but the 420HC steel is total garbage, so the edge is about as durable as cheese. I am considering making a 440C blade for one. I'll throw the old blade out and keep the nice handle.

Have to see if I can take the knife apart first, though.

 

[George P]

I prefer a blade about 4" long in a drop point design for skinning. My old Schrade will do the job. Its steel is hard enough to do a good job but not so hard I can't quickly resharpen it in the field. I also have a 40 year old Buck 110 and a Buck 321 Bird knife - perfect for small birds and game where basic kitchen shears won't do.



Why it seems they discontinued this model is beyond me.........