Hunting is popular in different cultures, and there is no doubt that it requires special tools. One of these tools is undoubtedly a skinning knife.

Varieties of skinning knives

Many people know that there is a special tool for each type of activity, there are special knives for cooking, special knives for survival, some knives for camping and there are also tools for skinning.

The process of skinning an animal is a difficult and not the most exciting part of hunting, but you can make it interesting and make your work easier by using a high—quality and convenient custom hunting knife.

Skinner

The skinner knife is a special one because its purpose is very different from all other hunting knives.

These types of knives have a large cutting edge, which makes them ideal skinning tools. The incisions are smooth, and the movements of the knife are easy to control. This will allow you to make small and neat incisions in the process of skinning the animal.

The specialization of such a knife is narrowed to a minimum – it is intended exclusively for skinning. It is inconvenient for them to even butcher the carcass they have caught, since it is very difficult to stick it into the elastic material.

Drop point

The drop point blade is one of the most popular forms of skinning blades used nowadays. The back (not sharpened one) edge of the knife is smoothly curved from the handle to the tip. The lowering point is very popular on hunting knives because of the controlled tip (so as not to accidentally cut the internal organs) and the large cutting area. But be careful, because such a knife is not suitable for performing punctures.

Clip point

The clip point blade is a more versatile form that can be used to make both incisions and punctures of skins. The back (not sharpened) edge of the knife runs straight from the handle and stops about halfway up the knife. Then it turns around and continues to the end of the knife. This “cut out” area can be straight or curved and is called a “clip”.

Knife selection criteria

There are some key features for creating a good skinning knife, consisting of the blade design, blade length, the type of steel the blade is made of, and handle.

Blade

When choosing a skinning knife, it’s helpful to know a few things to avoid. At first, stay away from long, heavy blades. This will lead to rapid fatigue of the wrist and hand during the skin removal process. In addition, long blades will not allow you to make important precise incisions when separating skin from muscle tissue. It is best to buy a short, thin and light knife.

Replaceable blades are the least durable. This is because the point where the blade connects to the handle has a hinge, and this hinge is prone to breakage. They are not designed for twisting or bumping. However, replacement blades usually have a more reasonable price than standard blades.

Knives with a fixed blade will always be more durable. In addition, any good quality knife with a fixed blade will be completely pointed, which means that the blade runs along its entire length as one continuous section. There are no moving parts, which means there are no weak points.

Steel

The type of steel used in the manufacture of the blade determines the quality of the knife itself. The soft steel will not hold the edges, and the knife will be with the wrong angle of inclination. Steel must also resist corrosion, be strong and solid, but at the same time flexible.

Cheaper blades become brittle due to temperature fluctuations. They deteriorate exactly when they are most needed — in frosty or hot weather. Here are some examples of what to look for in quality steel:

• Vanadium steel. It is stainless and very durable. Although this type of blade is difficult to sharpen, it will keep the blade sharp almost all the time.
• Carbon steel. Carbon blades are quite durable, with a hard edge that stays sharp for a long time. However, carbon steel is more brittle than vanadium. You are better off choosing shorter knives when choosing carbon steel.
• Stainless steel. It is almost the same as a carbon steel blade, except that it is also resistant to corrosion.
• Medium carbon stainless steel. As expected, this knife will be very resistant to corrosion, but the blade will be more fragile. The great thing about this knife is that it is easy to sharpen.

Please note that steels with a higher carbon content will require special care and maintenance. If you want the blade to look relatively new, attractive and functional, then you will need to clean the blades (if there is anything other than clean water on the blade) and dry them thoroughly after each use.

Handle

When buying a skinning knife, you should choose a knife with an ergonomic handle design that will allow you to easily hold and use it. In addition, when removing the skin, some hunters prefer to wrap their index finger around the handle of the knife along with other fingers, while other hunters prefer to stretch their index finger along the butt of the blade, and thus the handle should be convenient for your method of operation.

Most hunters tend to view their skinning knife as something similar to jewelry, and thus most hunters prefer aesthetically pleasing materials for handles, such as exotic hardwoods and other materials such as bones, horn, horns, or even fossils.