If you’ve ever field dressed a deer or packed out an elk, you know just how vital a Top-Rated 10 Hunting Knives is. It’s not just about having a sharp blade — it’s about having a knife you can trust when things get messy, cold, or rigid. In this post, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best hunting knives out there, all tested and trusted for handling big game and getting the job done right. Whether you’re new to hunting or you’ve been doing it for years, there’s something here that’ll fit your style and budget.
1. BIGCAT ROAR 10″ PATENTED Handmade Damascus Hunting Knife
Highlight: The Predator Hunter is more than just a knife and hunting tool; it’s a reliable partner for camping, hiking, skinning, fishing, and any outdoor activity.
Constructive Review: Bought this as a Father’s Day Gift for a collection. Upon receiving this knife, my father was extremely satisfied and overwhelmed at the craftsmanship and attention to detail, not to mention the high quality steel from which the blade is forged. My father, being an avid knife collector, stated that the steel is one of the highest-rated steel composites that a quality knife blade can be made from. Needless to say, he was very pleased with the overall quality. -Terry Bratt
Trending Review: The pictures on Amazon were great, but when I got the actual product in the mail, it was even better. The handle was very comfortable in the hand, and the walnut was absolutely beautiful. The edge was sharp and clean, and you can see the Damascus markings throughout the entire cutting edge, indicating authenticity. The overall appearance was that of a knife to be envied.
I purchased the knife in July 2019, and it has held up well, showing no defects in workmanship over a short time. I am very pleased with this purchase and would eagerly recommend it to my closest friends. I only have one regret. I purchased only one.
I have seen other reviewers make complaints such as the knife gave way while I was digging rocks out of the ground, or the knife came with a coating of oil or grease on it. A little more investigation would help people understand that a hunting-type knife is not designed to dig rocks out of the ground. A higher carbon steel retains an edge longer, but in exchange,e the metal may be more rigid. Just a matter of the right tool at the right time.A layer of oil or grease is sometimes put on a knife to prevent damage or any possible rusting of the product during shipping, transit or storage time. It appears that the manufacturer is proud of his workmanship and has taken the time to protect it.
I feel that anyone making this purchase will be pleased with their decision for years to come.
By the way, the leather sheath is equally impressive. -Drabc
Reassuring Review: Let’s start with the packaging. Out of the box, it is “mummy wrapped”. Several layers of tightly wound protective wrapping. Slipped from the final baggie, it is well-oiled. Never seen a knife so professionally packaged/prepped for shipping. The workmanship and therefore the quality are exceptional. If you are a knife person, you will recognize this immediately. Fake Damascus is often light-colored and just looks fake. This Damascus is deep and rich, giving the impression of being the real thing. As others have said in various reviews, spotting original Damascus is very difficult. I think this is the real deal. The handle has an ergonomic style that fits well in your hand as you grip it.
The walnut gives a deep, dark, rich luster that adds greatly to the overall quality and appearance of the knife. Usually, it stops there, and the scabbard is a cheaply made “toss away”. The quality of this scabbard matches that of the knife. The centerpiece of the scabbard is a quality faux alligator insert. I plan to locate a piece of real alligator and replace it later, just for grins. Overall, if I could give this a 10, I would. At a gun show, this would easily sell for $250-300, and I mean sell! I started not to purchase it, because, lord knows, I do not need another knife. However, I’m glad I did and consider it to be one of my best knife purchases. Highly recommend. -Pablo
2. Buck Knives 119 Special Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
Highlight: Steel blade has excellent strength, edge retention, and corrosion resistance for lasting durability.
Constructive Review: I carried this knife for 3 years in the Marines and on countless hunting trips. Overall, it’s a perfect knife for skinning, slicing, fine cutting, and stabbing. It’s very light, so it won’t pull on your belt, and mine has never rusted even when I was in the Pacific. It’s very well balanced, and the ergonomics are perfect with any orientation of the blade.
If I had any recommendation, it would be 3 things: I’d say do something about the slick handle, I personally slid part of a bicycle tube over it, but you can dremel or file grooves in it as well, as it gets slippery when wet.
Also, the sheath, like any leather sheath, will wear out and start to crumble over time, so consider upgrading to Kydex; this will help you deploy it faster as well.
I would be aware that this thing is not a beater knife, and I wouldn’t recommend using it as anything other than a cutting or stabbing utensil. It has a fine hollow grind that can chip or roll if abused, and the stick tang makes it a poor prying tool, so there you have it. Try to keep all this in mind if you wish to wield this blade. -Luke
Trending Review: This is a well-made, quality knife. I like its look, and the fit and finish are excellent, as is the leather sheath. When comparing the 119 with the Buck model 124 Frontiersman, which I purchased a few months ago, the 124 has a full-width tang that can be seen through the guard and sandwiched between the micarta handle slabs and the pommel, making for a heavier, more robust feel. From the way it appears, the 119 has a “rat tail” tang through the guard, the Phenolic handle, and into the pommel where it is riveted. A “rat tail” tang is narrower than the full width tang and tapers to perhaps 1/2″ wide in the pommel. I can understand why knife makers need to sell good knives at competitive prices like the 119, but many of us would surely be willing to pay for a Buck knife the size of the 119 with the full-width tang and micarta handle. As it is, though, the 119 is a handy size with its 6″ blade and shorter and narrower handle. For most people and uses, the 119 will be a great companion in the woods, in camp, or on the trail.
Update: I’ve had this knife for nearly 3 years, but I find I haven’t used it. In thinking about it, I’ve concluded it’s the handle. The Phenolic handle material is simply too slick to be useful with my bare hands. If I were wearing a leather glove, it would be ok, but in the desert, I don’t wear gloves. I’ve cut grooves in the handle material of other knives I own, but that’s like a last resort. My partial solution has been to sand the surface of the grips with a 60-grit sandpaper. I covered the pommel and the hilt/crossguard with masking tape and thoroughly sanded the surface of the grip. I can’t say it is significantly less slick, but it does feel better, plus it looks much more like a field knife. -Desertguy
Reassuring Review: I recently purchased a buck hunting knife for my husband. I chose the Buck brand for two reasons. 1. My husband has told me the story more than once of his father buying him his first “Buck” pocket knife for his 12th birthday. My husband is now 71, and he still misses his knife. He carried it with him everywhere. He used it to clean rabbits and squirrels, as well as fish. Some of his fondest memories with his dad were of him teaching him how to use a wet stone to keep it sharp.
He had been wanting a new hunting knife and nothing but a “Buck” would do. I must say that when it arrived, the quality and workmanship were every bit as good as he said they would be. With a lifetime warranty, maybe if he loses this one, he won’t have to worry about it being replaced. In addition to the quality of your knife, it was also important to me to purchase from a Christian company as well as an American company. Thank you for being a company that I feel I can always trust to have the highest quality knives on the market. I only wish he still had that first knife that, as a 12-year-old boy, his father gave him. That would be priceless. Mimi
3. Gerber Gear Ultimate Survival Knife, Fixed Blade Knife
Highlight: Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, ensuring quality and reliability in all Gerber essential hunting gear.
Constructive Review: Out of the box, the blade was sharp enough to shave my forearm. It’s a good weight — not very heavy and feels incredibly solid for its size. The grip material is very comfortable and gives you a good grip on the knife even in wet conditions. The 90-degree spine will throw a shower of sparks from a ferro rod, and the 90-degree spine also assists in making great tender in the form of very fluffy shavings. The serrations on the knife work very well at cutting any type of cordage or rope you need it to cut. The serrations are also capable of making very thin feather sticks, which is something that came as a shock to me. The great debate rages on about serrations or no serrations, but in my humble opinion, the serrations on this knife are a plus. The 420 steel used in this knife seems to hold an edge very well and seems to be durable.
I did engage the serrations during batoning and found none of them bent or damaged afterward. The way I tested the knife was I went out in the rain and attempted to make a fire with just my prodigy and a ferro rod. To get to the dry wood, I needed to split a bigger piece of wood to get to the dry wood on the inside. After getting to the dry wood inside, I used the 90-degree spine to make a large pile of fuzzy shavings. I then used the Prodigy to baton smaller pieces of kindling from the dry wood on the inside. Once my fire prep was completed, I was able to use the 90-degree spine to shower sparks from my ferro rod into the fuzzy shavings and ignite them. The knife performed all of these tasks very well, and I am very pleased with its performance. Good job, Gerber. -Tireslinger1
Trending Review: I just got this knife and I like everything about it. This is the same as the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife, but without all the BG insignia and coloring. I like the Bear Grylls style in general, but the subdued colors of this one make it much more appealing to me. As for the nuts and bolts, this knife is hefty, and you can feel how sturdy it is right away. The flint snaps right into a socket on the front of the sheath, and don’t worry about the fact that it hangs upside-down; it won’t fall out. It snaps firmly into place, a nd you have to exert a decent amount of effort to pop it out (but not so much that it’s impossible to remove). It comes out much easier than the flint on my official Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro, which I have to use the knife blade to pry loose. The sheath is strong and can be worn horizontally OR vertically.
The sharpening stone is housed under an unfolding flap of the sheath and can be accessed by opening a velcro strap. This knife does not come with the Bear Grylls Pocket Survival guide and doesn’t have a pocket in the sheath to contain it, but since this isn’t a Bear Grylls item, that’s to be expected. The handle and blade are massive, and even though I haven’t taken this knife out into the woods yet, I will not hesitate to rely on it for my needs when they arise. This knife is also available here under a different listing, with custom engraving on the blade if you so-choose. See: Custom Laser Engraved Gerber Ultimate Survival Knife 30-001829
I went with this original because I wanted the free prime shipping, but both knives are otherwise the same price at this writing. -T-Square
Reassuring Review: Great knife, I also have the Bear Grylls version that I found at a pawn shop. I lost the fire-starting ferro rod on my other knife, it fell out of the retainer. I don’t like that it’s faced down when wearing the knife in the sheath on my belt, if the ferro rod loosens a little or snags on something, then gravity makes sure it falls out. To avoid losing the ferro rod on this one, I tied a loop of string through the hole on the ferro rod, wrapped it around the sheath, and secured it to the lower Velcro strap. It seems strange to me that the ferro rod doesn’t have a safety string from the factory. The reason I gave the knife a 5 is that the ferro retainer is an accessory, not the knife itself.
The diamond sharpener on the back of the sheath is a nice addition. It’s not big, but it’s okay for touching up the edge while away from home. It’s fairly rough, not a fine grit, but okay for fixing a dull spot.
The factory blade edge was sharp on one part and shaved hair off the back of my hand. Part of the blade was slightly dull. A few strokes on my diamond sharpener fixed it.
There are three straps on the back of the sheath. One is vertical for hanging from a belt. Two are horizontal, one each at the top and bottom of the sheath. These should make it easy to mount to a shoulder strap on a backpack, or to use the lower one with a leg strap when carrying on a belt.
The survival whistle is okay, not loud, but better than nothing.
The sheath latch holds onto the knife very tightly, it takes a firm pull to get the knife out.
The sheath has a separate nylon strap on the back. I like that opening both Velcro straps allows the sheath to pivot down away from the backing strap, but it doesn’t come completely off. Presumably, as the Velcro gets weak with age and use, if the sheath swings down in use, it will flop around and draw attention, rather than just falling off and getting lost. Swinging the sheath down exposes the sharpener.
Overall, a great knife, easy 5 rating. -Ben Mallon
4. NedFoss Pocket Folding Knife DA75, 3 in 1 Pocket Knife
Highlight: Well-designed-It has a nice combination of G10 and aluminum handle with a great feel in your hand. Ergonomic design tactical pocket knife.
Constructive Review: Extremely sharp! I first used this knife to unpack my other orders and was honestly surprised by how easily it cuts through things. I was looking for a larger pocket knife that stayed sharp regardless of the price, but this one was still a great deal, so you’re getting good value for your money. The grip fits nicely in my hand, and it’s pretty durable—I used it to carve a walking stick while hiking, and it didn’t seem to dull. You can either keep it in its case or carry it using the hook. Plus, it’s very safe and won’t open randomly, which was something I was concerned about. -Mahdey rabee
Trending Review: Just got it. Inexpensive, but feels like it should be expensive. I guess your budget will tell you what’s inexpensive… but compared to the other knives in its category listed for like 15 pieces of Uncle Sam’s TP, I’d say the value I perceive when I hold this heavy little sumbeach is top notch compared to what it costs. The ergonomic grip with the blade out is phenomenal. I’ve got big sausage fingers, and it fits in my hand like a glass slipper. I’ll carry it and probably open a few boxes with it, but dangit, I’ll have the best box-cutting knife out of everyone I know! I hope I never have to test the belt cutter or window breaker, but they’re there if I need them. -Philip
Reassuring Review: I had my last knife for almost a decade, and it was finally on its last leg, so I got this guy, and it’s been pretty handy. It’s used mostly as a box cutter at work, but it’s made a few men shut up when they see I have it on me at work as well. Decided to wait a while and see if it fell apart. Dull easily or chip, but it’s still going strong. Cuts right through cardboard boxes fast and easy at least a couple of times a week. Coworker is a collector, and he was impressed with it, given the price. -Jennifer Farley
5. Mossy Oak 14-inch Bowie Knife
Highlight: The classic design handle is made of rosewood, which provides a comfortable grip and balance with a brass pommel/guard and non-slip grip.
Constructive Review: This is a STURDY knife. I did some basic tree-trimming with it, and it felt great.
The blade is amazing. I was dorking around with some of the tree limbs in my burn barrel and accidentally hit the rim of the steel burn barrel with the knife’s edge. I was mortified that I just destroyed my brand-new knife, but it didn’t leave a mark at all on the blade!
The poor barrel did not fare as well and now has a small gouge on the rim, lol. I didn’t get a picture of the burn barrel, but I will try to remember when I get out there again. -Martin
Trending Review: I ordered this for a field expedition, and it did not disappoint! It was sharp straight out of the box and tore through pretty much anything I had to cut without a problem. I found myself face-to-face with a (small) black bear during that trip, and while I didn’t have to use it, I felt significantly better knowing I had this on my belt as a backup. -Andrew Cook
Reassuring Review: I waited a while before deciding to give a review on this knife. I’ve been using it daily at work to clear small trees, limbs, and vines without having to carry a bush axe or machete all the time. I’ve also used it as a chopper to get through decent-sized branches and as a throwing knife, just messing around. The knife has held up good, and at most, the damage was only a few scuffs to the handle from throwing it at trees. The blade has yet to take any damage at all, and the only downside I can see is that you have to sharpen it more than a more expensive knife. Which isn’t a problem as long as you have a knife sharpener. It came razor sharp and can be sharpened back to razor sharp without much effort. I would recommend this knife to any surveyor or anyone going out hiking, clearing a section of land, etc.
I’m returning close to a year later after using this knife often while working and trimming around the yard. It has not sustained any bad damage to its cutting edge. It has not bent or broken on me, and it’s still easy to sharpen and cuts through vines, blackberry briars (wear gloves though because it doesn’t have the reach of a longer utensil), limbs, and small trees. It’s held up against a lot of chopping into bigger limbs and 4” or so trees to clear line, as well as throwing it into trees. The leather strap on the sheath popped off, but only because of the way it was positioned when I got out of the truck. Overall, I’d say if you’re looking for a knife to take with you, this one isn’t a bad option. -Kenneth Lashley
6. Smith & Wesson SWHRT9B 9in High Carbon S.S. Fixed Blade Knife
Highlight: Quick and easy access with the convenient belt or boot sheath, making it ideal for everyday carry.
Constructive Review: This came very sharp, sharp enough to give you a nice kiss if you open it up for the first time without paying attention. That’s my fault, the knife was just doing its job
The knife itself is solid, feels good in the hand, and so far has held its edge nicely, however, it’s only seen light usage to be fair. The sheath is nicer than I expected. The knife was a little too snug initially, but was easily broken in enough to allow for easy one-handed pulls. The belt clip is secure; it won’t come off unless I remove it intentionally.
Goodbye. -AmazaD
Trending Review: I’ve carried this knife every day for 3 years. It is consistently sharp, has a good weight to it. And it works great for opening packages, cutting rope, etc. I love the double edge, you never have to deal with pulling your knife out, trying to cut something, and realizing it’s the wrong side. It has a good grip on it and feels good in the hand. The sheath is the best I’ve had on a knife so far. It has a good feel, the clip works great, and the strap is easy to lift with your thumb for easy access to your knife. One disclaimer, the knife does go in the sheath a certain way, I didn’t realize it till I had trouble putting it in, then I realized it needed to be turned the other way. Overall, this knife is excellent for EDC, self-defense, or just opening the mail. It’s essential for anyone who just wants a good-quality knife on their side. Also, for the quality, the price is excellent. I would recommend this to anyone! Just a great knife! -Thomas
Reassuring Review: Typically, I stay away from knives bearing the names of firearms manufacturers because, in my experience, they are mostly always a disappointment. This knife is an exception. Everything about this knife and sheath is well worth every penny. As a personal protection/weapon retention tool, I would trust my life to this knife. Both the knife and the sheath are durable. The handle has a great ergonomic shape, and the blade comes extremely sharp with symmetrical plunge grinds and central ridges. The sheath is good, thick, pliable leather with a strong boot/belt clip. Treat the sheath with a leather conditioner from time to time, and I’m sure it will last for years of EDC use. I gave 5 stars because it’s an excellent quality budget knife and well worth the minimal cost. -Lyle D. Yates
7. MOSSY OAK Fixed Blade Bowie Knife
Highlight: Excellent strength, edge retention, and corrosion resistance for lasting durability, good for piercing, detail work, and cutting in tight places.
Constructive Review: Fresh out of the box, these feel like quality, hefty knives! Also, only for the insane price of $20! Now I did see that some people had issues with the handle breaking on them, so I won’t be beating the hell out of these knives ( ie, Batoning wood). But for daily use knives, these seem like a solid choice FOR THE MONEY! They’re kinda dull out of the box, so a good session on the wet stone is needed…. but like I said for the money they’re great… if they break, then I won’t care since they were only $20… but I don’t think that will be the case. 5 stars from me, Mossy Oak!!! -Jared & Lavonna
Trending Review: These are pretty good quality knives considering how inexpensive they are! Both knives came deadly sharp! They seem to hold their edge well. The large knife is great for gutting deer, and the smaller knife is a great knife for everyday use and even smaller furbearer skinning. Handles are fairly comfortable and don’t slip in a hand covered in deer blood. Overall, a great set of functional working knives. -Thisonefellaiknow
Reassuring Review: I bought several sets of these over the past few years. I always take them to a jewelry shop and have initials engraved on them for graduates. It makes a nice gift. The knives are good quality for what they are, especially for what they cost. I’ve bought at least five or six sets of them in the past, and the actual engraving of the initials for students graduating typically costs more than the knife set. I believe the knife set is a great value. -Russell Keith Edmonds
8. Mossy Oak Survival Hunting Knife with Sheath
Highlight: As a perfect camping and hunting survival knife, Mossy Oak fixed blade knives are built to last. It’s suitable for hunters, campers, survivalists, or outdoor sports enthusiasts so that you can enjoy your adventure.
Constructive Review: I got this knife a few years ago, and I’m impressed. Anytime I take my wife and kids camping/hiking, I have this knife attached to my belt. Decent canvas scabbard that is also pretty durable. The piece that secures the blade with a snap button is a little frayed, but I do use it frequently. Cutting down briars, small limbs, a many other jobs along the trail. It even has a decent little ferro rod, which I prefer over a lighter for campfires. The price is a steal for the quality. Is it pretty? No, but it’s effective, and that price, if it breaks, I can buy a new one. -Chris E. Dimock
Trending Review: This knife came in as advertised. It was somewhat sharp, but not paper-cutting sharp. After a few swipes down a Chef’s knife sharpener, it was very sharp. I used a diamond credit card sharpener to make the edge dangerously sharp. I’ve used the knife to baton firewood and small kindling, and it works famously! Before you take a baton to ANY KNIFE, make sure that you know how to do it correctly.
Those complaining about the top serrations not being sharp, I found out coincidentally that this is also by design. When using the fire starter down the blade, as is done with most fire starters, it produced only marginal sparks. When pulling the fire starter through the dull serration, it produced such massive sparks that I accidentally set my pants on fire.
The included Stainless steel sharpener is not great, BUT it is sufficient to “tune up” the blade’s edge while out in the wild. I wrapped a 20-foot length of 12-pound test line and a fish hook around the sharpener, and it still fits in the rear pocket of the sheath. One can pull the rod out of either of these accessories and use the whistle part for a fishing float by simply adding a small round of cork are the plastic holders.
The whistles on the fire starter and sharpener are not loud, but they beat shouting when help is needed. Perhaps the BEST THING about these included accessories is the bank line and fasteners attached to each of the devices. If found just enough bank line on the accessories, along with the clips to keep an unruly tent secure.
I have gigantic hands and prefer a larger grip. So I weaved 25 feet of 550-pound test paracord around the handle. This makes for a thicker grip, AND you can never have too much paracord in a backpack. The inside of paracord is flammable, so as an experiment, I unwound 6 inches of paracord, used the knife and sharpener to remove the cover of the paracord, and started a fire using only the knife, the included fire starter, and the strands from inside the paracord. It worked flawlessly and produced a great fire with the aid of only some dried twigs.
I liked this knife so well, I bought another to keep in the boat. The stainless and rubber design should keep the moisture from ruining the knife, as it did the previous high carbon steel boat knife.
GREAT VALUE, especially for $18! -Andrew Little
Reassuring Review: I bought this for a friend who uses these kinds of knives to make large wood sculptures! She told me it is now the only one she uses, the blade does not chip the edges, does not rust, sharpens up great, has a knife carrying case, and she said it came with survival gear like flint to start fires. Looked great when it arrived, and I think that the price was great for the quality. Adjusting fit. -Marie
9. Mossy Oak Fixed Blade Hunting Knife Set
Highlight: Suitable for various outdoor situations: hunting, survival, tactical, industrial, and military.
Constructive Review: This is better than any other Mossey oak brand knife or and sharper than any other deer skinning knife very easy to skin a deer with these very durable sheath I bought the same ones two years ago I just wanted to buy them a second time because their trip price is so good I would not recommend any other Mossey oak product thoughI bought another Mossey oak high carbon steel it was too doll just gonna deer with a crappy leather sheath paid the same price only got one knife I figure they’re gonna raise the price of these is why I bought more of them. -Zackary Smith
Trending Review: Overall, I’d recommend this purchase. Handles are pretty comfy, knives are full tang, sheathes felt pretty comfortable, and held the knives securely. Arrived rather dull, but I mean, hey, they’re $20, you get what you pay for. I was able to sharpen them up, and they went through paper like butter. Nice, cheap hunting knives. -McCringleberry
Reassuring Review: I wanted new knife sets for all my boys that hunt so I bought this set and one more of slight deference so they would be different and not the same since I have 2 boys and a husband wanted each of them slightly varied so less likely to accidently take the wrong one when hunting they all have a different need as well. They were just what I needed for a stocking stuffer for teenage boys and my husband. They also seem to be made with good, solid material. Not junk, worth the money. -Philip
10. Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folding Knife
Highlight: Quick And Easy Access With The Convenient Pocket Clip, Finger Flipper And Ambidextrous Thumb Knobs Making It Ideal For Everyday Carry.
Constructive Review: I got this knife today, and immediately knew I needed to review it. See, I picked this knife because it was in top reviews, and it had the features I was looking for (serrated, carbon steel or AUS-8, low price point, etc.). I later went back to the reviews here, and a ton of them scared the crap out of me. The biggest one being people claiming the locking mechanism didn’t come down far enough to lock the blade into place….
I’m including up close pictures so you can see this knife for yourself.
It’s a good, solid build. Much better than what I expected, $12 to get me. I recently paid $22 for an AUS8 knife, which wasn’t nearly as nice as this one is.
Razor-sharp edges, even at the serrated portion. The clip is heavy duty metal, and is screwed into the frame. There’s good weight to it, which indicates it’s good metal, but it’s still lightweight enough to make a great pocketknife. Most importantly, about the weight is when it’s open, it’s balanced towards the center – the ultimate mark of a great knife.
No, the top part isn’t sharp. I DIDN’T EXPECT IT TO BE SHARP. Anyone familiar with this kind of blade design KNOWS the top part is NEVER sharp, and WHY.
Most importantly, THE LOCK WORKS PROPERLY. No, it doesn’t move ALL the way to the other side, because that would quite obviously make the blade unsteady and more likely to slip down. It positions itself right below the blade, like it very well SHOULD.
Honestly, for the $12 I paid, this is an absolute STEAL. It could quite easily be a $30 knife.
Please. Check out the detailed reviews here. Those are the people who know what they’re talking about. Most of them discuss using this knife for work purposes, as well. Those are the kinds of reviews you need to pay attention to here on Amazon.
For me personally, I’ve been trained in hand-to-hand combat, including knife fighting for self-defense, since I was 5 years old. My grandfather was a Korean War vet with medals and honors, and he was into knives both as a collector and as a defensive weapon. I like to carry a good pocket knife on me because a. People in public get nervous when I carry a Buck knife strapped to my hip and b. I know if I have to defend myself, I’ve got my best chances with a knife in my hand, no matter the attacker.
I also know that one doesn’t need a $100 knife just to stick it to someone or something. Just good metal, good balance for throwing, and a good blade design which not only allows for it to cut, but also allows one to twist it so a wound doesn’t close back up when it’s removed. When it comes to survival, this is how you take down dinner, and with a serrated edge, you can even saw some small things. Additionally, should you ever get pinned down by a seat belt, serrated edges will allow you to cut yourself free.
This knife qualifies for all of that. So if you’re just looking for a good, cheap multipurpose knife, this is a good pick. -Jonquil M
Trending Review: I usually buy knives that are slightly more expensive but not much more, like Kershaw, around the $30 mark. I lost some knives during a move and needed to get replacements. I saw a video review of this knife, and it impressed me. Smith and Wesson products are usually just contracted from a different company, made cheaply, and then donned with a logo. My Smith and Wesson flashlight was one of the worst I’ve used.
This knife is very cheap but pretty nice. It is made with decent metal and black treated for protection from rust. It can be flicked open, which I like, and with more use and lubrication, I’m sure it will get better. I haven’t done any heavy work with this one yet. I mostly just open boxes, but it works great for that. It will also cut through the box if needed. I have not needed to sharpen it yet, good to. I think at this price, it is a no-brainer, and I wouldn’t be mad if it is lost, stolen, or damaged. -Harry
Reassuring Review: I needed to replace my little Schrade serrated knife, but I wanted something a little bigger. I purchased this off the recommendation of a colleague who already owns one, and I must say his recommendation is spot on. This thing is sharp. I usually do the “shave” test whenever I get a knife to get an idea of how good the blade is. Essentially, I’ll take different parts of the blade and see if it will shave the hair on my hands/wrist, as well as how it slides through a piece of paper. Every inch of the blade cut smoothly.
The weight of the knife feels balanced, and the grip is comfortable, even though the sides of the knife are smooth. There are “knots” on both sides of the thumb opening, so whichever hand you’re comfortable with, you can open with your thumb. However, you’ll want to take your time, as it does require a little bit of pressure if you’re opening with one hand.
The lock of the knife doesn’t appear to be thick, but it’s fairly solid/sturdy, and therefore I don’t have concerns that the blade would fall back on me when fully extended. Lastly, it does have a belt clip that is fairly tight and firm. I’ve not put it on my belt, but I do carry it clipped inside my pocket, and running around with it, I can share that it’s stayed put.
Overall, it’s a great knife, looks really good (as I’m a fan of the smooth/serrated blade style), feels good to wield, and does a great job cutting, shaving, you name it. -Gus Weiss IV
Final Words For Top-Rated 10 Hunting Knives for Deer
Over the years, I’ve learned that a good hunting knife isn’t just another piece of gear — it’s something you come to rely on when the real work begins. I’ve used blades that dulled halfway through a deer and others that held their edge through an entire elk quarter. Trust me, once you’ve had a knife that feels right in your hand and doesn’t let you down, you’ll never look back.
The knives listed here are ones I’d carry into the field without hesitation — solid choices whether you’re new to hunting or you’ve been at it for decades. I’ve included links to each one so you can check them out for yourself. If you end up buying through those links, it helps support the site and lets me keep testing gear — no extra cost to you.
Thanks for reading, stay safe out there, and may your next hunt be a good one.