Also, it is a good idea to not choose stainless steel blades because they are hard to sharpen and don’t always hold the sharpness needed for outdoor skinning. It is very difficult to try to sharpen a blade out in the woods or at a lake. It’s also best to have a dedicated knife for skinning as it’s a specialist task that your more general purpose hunting knife may not be suitable for.
In addition, multi-tools are okay for many tasks, but unfortunately, they make bad skinning knives. The reason is there are crevices and places for meat, hair, and blood to get inside of.
It is not a good idea to purchase a serrated knife for skinning either as the edge pulls the meat rather than giving a precise cut. Also, it is easy for meat and hair to get caught in them as well. Now that you know what not to buy, let’s look at what makes a good skinner.
Table of Contents
So how do you find the best skinning knife?
Short, Thin Blade
You want to look for a short, very thin blade with a rounded tip and/or a hook for making precise cuts and reducing wrist and hand fatigue. A case pocket knife and a fillet knife are good examples. A knife that is fairly thin and light with a razor sharp blade makes skinning a breeze in no time. Try to look for a quality blade rather than a cheap one because in actuality it will last you longer and save you money on replacing the knife.
The longer and thicker the blade is, it makes precision very difficult and you have to use your wrist and hand for most of the maneuvering which tires you out before the job is done. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a full lifetime warranty on the blade. However, the most important thing about the blade is that it must be razor sharp.
High Carbon Steel
The type of blade is very important and it does not have to be full carbon, can be stainless with a high carbon content as long as it holds a very sharp edge without dulling easily and must be easy to sharpen because it is difficult to stop to sharpen out in the field.
Good handle that is Easy to Clean
It would be a good idea to also look at other issues such as the handle to make sure that it is ergonomic and comfortable and lightweight to hold. No point buying a flashy looking knife, to only find it will not stay in your hand or you tire out very fast. You may like the look but it’s very important that you make an informed decision before you actually buy. And, you also need one that is easy to clean because some knives have many crevices for debris to get into. There will probably be a lot of blood to clean as well as slimy stuff so a good ease of cleaning will be needed. If you have to soak a knife in hydrogen peroxide for hours to get the dried blood out, it is a waste of time.
Skinning Knife Reviews
Benchmade - Hidden Canyon
Jero 3 Piece Pro Butcher Meat Processing Set
Jero knives use the same quality materials used in higher priced knives like Benchmade. The line originated in Portugal and uses high-carbon stainless steel and dense polymers for the handle. Set includes a three Piece Set with the most popular Knives. They all come with lightly textured polymer handles and fit easily in a sheath. They are all made of Good German High-Carbon Stainless Steel made in Portugal.
MOSSY OAK Field Dressing Kit
The serrations are configured to increase efficiency of cutting bone. The 7 inch caping knife is a smaller blade used for smaller game. The gut hook skinner is a fixed blade hunting knife that features a 4″ fine edge blade with gut hook made for efficient processing. Equipped with camouflage handles with semi high carbon stainless steel blades and full tang for durability that is long lasting.
It’s worth noting that kits like this look bulky and annoying to carry, but you don’t have to take the case with you. Putting them into a leather pouch saves room in your rucksack and makes them very easy to carry. I only use the plastic case when storing them at home after cleaning and only take the knives I think I will need on that partiular trip depending on what I plan to hunt.
Buck Knives Open Season Skinner
Gerber Myth Field Dress
Best Skinning Knife Conclusion
Basically the best skinning knife you could want is the Benchmade Hidden Canyon. An excellent knife designed for the job at hand with a great razor sharp blade and good grip stainless steel thin flexible handle. It did an excellent job on our hunting trip. The tip is narrow, while the curved belly aids in getting through thick layers of flesh. It worked excellently. This knife will retain an edge really nicely as well which is an added bonus. I collect knives and this has become my favorite knife. It is very sturdy and tough, and has a full tang. It is a dependable, quality made tool. You can’t go wrong with a Benchmade -especially this one.
If you are looking for a good quality skinner knife at a better price, you will want the Jero Three Piece Set. This brand is a leader in quality products made out of high quality materials which are basically the same quality materials used in higher priced knives. Razor sharp high-carbon stainless steel in the blade and dense polymers for the handle make this set a very good buy at an affordable price. It includes a three Piece Set with the most popular Knives that fit easily in a sheath. You can’t go wrong with this knife either.
And, if you are on a fixed budget, this Mossy-Oak Game Processing Kit is for you at a very affordable price. This is actually a full kit with several knives included for a complete dressing kit for the wild. Designed for easy carry outdoors. The case doubles as a cutting Board and everything fits snugly inside for safety. The knives are razor sharp and in my estimate stayed that way. They did the job excellently for a much cheaper price. However, it was difficult to keep switching knives. I think one knife designed for all features would have suited me better.
The Buck Open Season skinner comes with full tang construction and an excellent high carbon 420HC stainless steel blade with a beautiful contoured Red wood handle with large butt for secure grip. However, as I stated earlier, I think this knife for larger hands. I have to admit I was not crazy about the way the wood handle looked in the photos but it is oh so beautiful in person. The Company used advanced Edge blade technology to design the razor sharp blades. Included is a full lifetime warranty. I was not as impressed with this knife as I was the first one, the Benchwood. It did not perform as well.
I was not as impressed with the Gerber either. It was not as good a quality knife for the price. Although it did include a dual knife kit as a complete field dressing in a compact leak proof sheath, it did not perform as well as most of the other knife sets in the wild. I had to sharpen the blade several times for one skinning. That took valuable time. The kit includes a Fixed Blade Pro, Compact Fixed Blade, and a sheath with a built-in carbide sharpener to be used in the field and I would rather have one knife that does it all. Just my preference.
