Author Archives: Michael

The Best Pocket Knife? Comparing the Best Pocket Knives on the Market

Why Carry a Pocket Knife? What to Look for in the Best Pocket Knife?

Pocket knives have accompanied men for centuries, and the reason is clear: like multi tools, pocket knives are tools with a huge amount of potential for solving any kind of problem and situation you have in front of you.

A knife is a tool first and foremost. They have been standard equipment of military forces all around the globe, but nowadays they are frowned upon, mainly based on fear and ignorance. That said, we at A Tool for Every Job the benefits of carrying a pocket knife everyday still outweigh the drawbacks.

Find the best pocket knife

Knives can be used in many different ways through the day. Here are some examples of carrying a pocket knife:

Opening letters, presents, boxes and any other kind of package.
First aid, like cutting bandages.
Self-defense. Maybe not the most effective ones, but knives can be used as weapons (who knew?).

Not All Pocket Knives Are Created Equal: How to Choose the Perfect Pocket Knife

With literally thousands upon thousands of different models to choose from, deciding which knife to buy can be overwhelming. To find the best pocket knife, to know which type of knife to buy, you should consider some factors first.

What to look for in the best pocket knives?

Legality

It’s always a good idea to check whether it’s legal to carry one in your state. For the most part, in the US it’s legal to carry small ones, but if you want to double check just to be sure, here’s a handy page you can visit at TheFiringLine.

Purpose

Pocket knives come with different types of edges and points. While most pocket knives will be able to do almost anything you want, you should consider what you truly need when choosing a model.

Get to know the best pocket knife brands

There are good pocket knife brands

Size and weight

A knife should be small enough to fit in any pocket, yet long enough to be useful. Stick to the common 3 inches for the length, since longer blades may be illegal in certain states.

Blade material

The blade is the most important part of the knife, but it’s difficult to choose a material. You will find carbon steel and stainless steel in most models, but it comes down to what the intended usage is. If you want more information and recommendations, be sure to check out our survival knife guide where we cover the different type of blades available.

Opening mechanism

The best pocket knife varies from model to model

Opening mechanism example on the best pocket knife

There are manual and automatic methods for opening the knives.

Manual methods include, for example, the little indentation found in multi tools, allowing you to grab and pull the blade with the nail.

Automatic knives (or switchblades) are automatically opened by a spring when a button is pushed. This type is illegal in many countries, including the US.

Another mechanism is the assisted-opening knife. Main difference between this type and the switchblade is that the former requires the user to apply manual pressure up to a certain point before opening, while the later does this without any help. Wikipedia has some more information about assisted-opening mechanism and switchblades if you are interested.

Lock

The lock refers to the mechanism on the knife that keeps the blade in place when opened. Like with opening mechanisms, there are many different types of locks. The lever lock for example, prevents the blade from moving by passing a pin through a hole. A frame lock uses the handle to help folding the blade. You can watch the following video if you want to see some examples.

Straight blade vs. serrated blade

Like the case with survival knives, there are basically two types of edges you can choose from: straight and serrated. Again, it’s a matter of personal preference. Serrated blades are more difficult to maintain, often requiring professional help to sharpen. Straight blades are easier to clean and sharpen, and will cut almost anything you put in front of it.

The Best Pocket Knife Brands

There are many brands out there that produce quality pocket knives. The following are some of our favorites, hopefully you’ll find the knife you are looking for.

Knife	Weight (ounces)	Closed length (inches)	Blade length (inches)	Material	Price
Spyderco Delica4	2.5	4.25	2.56	VG-10 stainless steel	$$
Kershaw Ken Onion Blur	4.2	4.5	3.375	13C26 stainless steel	$$
Schrade 8OT Old Timer Senior	2.8	3.9	3.0	400 series stainless steel	$
Victorinox Swiss Army SwissChamp	7	3.5	2 blades (32 tools total)	Stainless steel	$$

Spyderco

Spyderco: one of the best pocket knife brands

A pioneer in the market, Spyderco is known for its designs and innovations that are now standard among folding knives, like serrations and the opening hole. The Spyderco Delica4 is a favorite among the fans, featuring a unique “skeleton” like design, the one-handed opening and closing, and its high quality VG-10 stainless steel. It is also really affordable and extremely lightweight. It retains the sharpness pretty well and the blade resists corrosion and rust.

Kershaw

Kershaw produces some of the best pocket knives

Kershaw has a reputation for the quality and performance of its knives around the world. One of its best-seller products is the Kershaw Ken Onion Blur, a folding knife that includes an assisted opening system (spring-assisted). The 3-3/8-inch blade is made of 13C26 stainless steel, it’s highly durable and resistant to corrosion and rust, and the built in lock system keeps it in position to be ready for use. The knife opens quickly and the grip is comfortable, using thin rubbery silicone inserts.

Schrade

An Old Timer pocket knife means quality

The Old Timer pocket knife is known for its high quality stainless steel and its traditional design. It’s classy and very durable. The brand has been an important manufacturer for over 100 years. One of our favorite models is the Schrade 8OT Old Timer Senior Pocket Knife which includes 3 stainless steel blades.

Victorinox

Image courtesy of Leo-setä

Known also for its multi tools, Victorinox is the sole supplier of the Swiss army, and the biggest manufacturer of pocket knives in the world. The SwissChamp is one of its best-selling products, featuring not only two blades, but also over 30 other tools. It fits in any pocket, and comes with a lifetime warranty for any kind of malfunction. The stainless steel blades are really sharp and durable, but unfortunately they do not come with an assisted-open mechanism, so you may consider purchasing both a multi tool and a knife separately.

Personalizing your pocket knife

Example of engraved pocket knives

Something you may be interested in is the fact that you can buy personalized pocket knives. Engraved pocket knives, for example, are a great gift for anyone looking to distinguish themselves from other knife owners. You can choose to have a word or phrase, for example your name, directly engraved on the blade. Several online stores offer this option, so be sure to check it out before finishing your purchases.

What’s the Best Survival Knife? Tools for Survival

Choosing the Best Survival Knife: An Overview of the Different Types of Knives

Survival knives have been considered for a long time an essential tool for anyone venturing into the wild. Both being a tool and a weapon, a proper knife may very well save your life. Of course, finding the perfect knife is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Any beginner may feel overwhelmed at the great quantity of knives in the market. Form fixed knives to folding ones, straight or serrated blade. Options are many, and there are both advantages and disadvantages to each type. Owning a quality tool may be the difference between life and death.

The best survival knife: a tool to keep you alive

What’s the best survival knife?

What Should You Look For in a Survival Knife?

Choosing just one option among the best survival knives can be overwhelming. You should know what to look for when looking at survival knives for sale. Here are some considerations to take:

Size

The length of the blade in a knife typically ranges from four to eight inches, although there are many ten to twelve inches models in the market. A 6 inches blade is a great size if it’s your first knife. At the end of the day, it’s actually a matter of personal preference, and you should also consider the use the knife is going to get (skinning animals, cleaning fish, and self-defense).

Straight vs. Serrated blade

The blade in survival knives comes in two forms: straight and serrated. Both shapes have people on their side, but it’s also a matter of personal opinion, and the kind of use the knife is going to get.

It should be noted however that a straight edge blade will always come in handy. Purchasing a knife with only a serrated blade shouldn’t be an option, unless you plant to get another one with a straight blade. That said, if you are only considering purchasing one knife, you should look to buy one that comes with a partially serrated blade, or a fully straight edge.

Serrated blades are more difficult to clean and sharpen (they are normally sharpened using diamonds), and they are also noticeably less precise and smooth in the cuts. An advantage is that it’s easier and faster to make cuts using a serrated blade, but the cuts tend to be cleaner using straight blades. Serrated blades work by dragging the edge across the object that is being cut.

Choose among the best survival knives

Price

You want the best product your money can buy, with the perfect balance between cost and performance. You should consider how much you want to spend on the knife, and the activities you normally do. If you only camp alone or twice a year, spending a large amount may be a bit of an overkill, but if you’re often in the wild, it may be worth it since it’s more likely you will unlock its full potential.

Blade material

The blade is the most important part of the knife. It’s essential to know the different blade materials, since all of them have both its advantages and disadvantages.

Carbon steel

One of the advantages of carbon steel is that it is extremely durable. It corrodes easier than stainless steel because it lacks chromium (found in stainless steel), so you won’t find it in for example kitchen knives. They required extra care since they tend to rust easily, but the sharpness makes it one of the preferred materials for survival knives.

What are the best survival knives?

Stainless steel

It’s another one of the most popular choices for blade material. Stainless steel resists corrosion better than carbon steel, and it’s easier to maintain.

Ceramics

The material is good for people that do not sharpen their own knives, since they require specific tools (like a special type of sandpaper). Ceramic can be very fragile if dropped, but they make up for it by being 100{63e9163d2c17d0b069b8deee763be7330d4e0c7ed51605edf339b1f505433272} resistant to corrosion (since it’s not a metal), and they stay sharp for longer periods of time.

The Best Survival Knives on the Market

Finding the best survival knife is no easy task. Now that we have gone through some of the different types of materials and characteristics, we are going to take a look at our recommended products here at A Tool for Every Job.

Knife	Weight (ounces)	Total length (inches)	Blade length (inches)	Material	Price
ESEE Knives IZULA-II	3.2	6.75	2.63	1095 carbon steel	$$
Fallkniven A1	12.8	11	6.375	Lam. VG10 steel	$$$$
ESEE 6P-B	11.8	11.75	6.50	1095 carbon steel	$$$
Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion	16	10.5	5.5	1095 cro-van steel	$$

ESEE Knives IZULA-II

A fixed blade survival knife fan favorite

This straight blade knife is known to be extremely flexible while also remaining strong. The blade length is approximately 2.75 inches, so it’s great for skinning, carving and other activities that require doing detailed cuts. As a budget to mid-range item, this ESEE knife is simple to use, sturdy and durable. It’s easy to sharpen, and it will retain its sharpness under most circumstances.

Fallkniven A1

One of the best survival knives, a fan favorite

Fallkniven has been one of the best brands for many years. The A-models are regarded as some of the best quality knives in the market, and the A1 is 11 inches of pure beautiful death.

The Swedish knife uses VG-10 steel for a blade that’s slightly thicker than others. Only downside is the price, but if you are serious about venturing into the wild, survival is guaranteed with this masterpiece.

ESEE 6P-B

Fixed blade survival knife review

This knife packs a carbon steel blade 6.5 inches carbon steel blade. Few knives can beat the ESEE 6P when it comes to functionality outdoors. The knife may not be as good looking as other models (I’m looking at you Fallkniven A1), but the main focus of this lies in having perfect grip, being comfortable to use and having a great balance between length and weight. At 11.75 inches total this is one of the longest knives on the market, but it’s extremely durable, the quality is top notch and you’ll always feel comfortable holding it.

Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion

Fixed blade survival knives: Becker BK2

This another one of the most popular models out there, loved by both beginners and knife enthusiasts. Ka-Bar built it specifically for outdoors and camping, so this fixed blade knife is longer when compared to many others. From skinning meat to chopping thick foliage, this knife will cut anything you throw at it. The build quality of its 1095 Crovan Steel blade is fantastic, and with its 5.5 inches of length (10.5 inches total), its price is very economical considering the quality of the product.

Another survival knife that gets everyone excited is the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate PRO, the official knife of ~~madman~~ survivalist Bear Grylls, known best for the show Man vs. Wild. If you’re heading out into the wild then this may be the ideal knife for you.

The Best Multitool of 2014: A Multi Tool Comparison Guide

Everyone Needs a Multi Tool: Benefits of Owning the Best Multitool

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
― Benjamin Franklin

Let’s start by defining what a multi tool is. According to Wikipedia, a multi tool is:”any one of a range of portable, versatile hand tools that combines several individual functions in a single unit.”

You may be wondering, why carry a multitool? Carrying a multitool means being prepared for anything the world may throw at you. Multitools are small and lightweight tools. They fit in any pocket, and, like can do almost any kind of job.

Multitool comparisons

You may or may not end up using it on a regular basis, but it certainly shines those times you actually use it.

With so many options to choose from when looking to purchase a multitool, it may be hard on a beginner to purchase a product. Take for example all the different types of knives (like hunting knives), all with their advantages and disadvantages.

There are many multi tool reviews roaming around on the Internet, and they are generally useful, but the first stop to anyone wanting to purchase one of these amazing tools is the person himself.

The buyer should know what he needs, or else he may end up spending more money than he should, buying tools and products he may never use.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim for quality, or that you should settle for a cheap tool, or buy one from a not so trusted brand, but that you should careful not to overspend on a tool you may never use. Always buy smart. That’s the A Tool for Every Job‘s way.

What to Look for in the Best Multitool

Multi tool reviews

Size

First of all, ask yourself whether size is an important factor. Multi tools come in a variety of sizes, and it may not make any sense buying one that includes every single tools under the sun, when you will only occasionally fix some things inside your house.

Functionality

Maybe you don’t need 17 types of pliers, of 12 different kind of knives, or 5 screwdrivers. Maybe you only need a small knife and small or medium pliers. Point is, while you can get much more functionality with certain tools, others may allow you save money, and don’t have to worry about weight or being a huge bulk in your pockets. Think about what the tool will be used for, are you a keen fisherman, a backpacker or camper, or maybe you want a tool to use when out biking.

Price

Obviously you want the best bang for your buck, but it wouldn’t make any sense to spend a significant amount on a multi tool, when one at half the price has most of the utilities you would need. You also need to consider buying a well-recognized brand, like Victorinox, Gerber or Leatherman, that are known for their history and quality.

Warranty

One thing you may notice about multi tools, is that most of them come with long warranties. And when I say long, I mean 25 years to a lifetime. Always consider the warranty a product comes with when considering to purchase a tool. You want to make sure it will not last you a month and then break, with no way of getting your money back or getting a replacement.

The best small multi tool

Quality

If we made a multi tool comparison, we could easily see that one brand stands out the most out of many. There’s a reason why one brand rules them all in the multi tool market, and you don’t get to that position selling cheap, bad quality tools that break on the first use, or having terrible customer service.

You get there by continuously offering amazing, top of the line products at great prices, and a good enough customer service to satisfy even the tiniest of complains or troubles.

Multi Tool Comparison

Now that we have covered what a buyer should look for, we share the following multi tool comparison. Finding the best multitool is no easy task, so here you can find our recommended products. In the next sections we go over you why a certain model is considered the top rated multi tool.

Multi tool	Weight (ounces)	Length (inches)	Material	Warranty	Price
Leatherman Wingman	7	3.8	Stainless steel	25 years	$
Leatherman Skeletool	5	4	Stainless steel	26 years	$
Victorinox Swiss Army Swisstool Spirit X	5.75	3.25	Stainless steel	Lifetime	$$
Leatherman New Wave	12	4	Stainless steel	25 years	$$

Leatherman Wingman

The best multi tool 2014: Leatherman Wingman

Widely considered one of the best multi tools on the lower price range, the Leatherman Wingman is a mid-sized tool ideally suited to have around the house or on outside adventures. With a weight of 7 ounces and a closed length of 3.8 inches, this product includes most of the tools you’ll arguably ever need on various sizes, like screwdrivers, scissors (one of the best ones), a knife blade (serrated) and the typical pliers, openers and hooks. It’s small enough to carry in the pocket, and the blade and scissor will always come in handy if you carry it with you.

Leatherman Skeletool

Multi tool reviews: the Leatherman Skeletool

Weighing 5 ounces and with a length of 4 inches, the Leatherman Skeletool packs two pliers (both needle nose and regular), a pair of wire cutters, a bottle opener and a couple more tools in a beautiful stainless steel “skeletal” design. This model is the lightest multitool in the market, and also includes a belt clip.

The best thing about this model is that due to its small design, it can easily fit into any pocket. While there are other models packing more functionality, this multitool will cover most basic necessities, at a great price.

Victorinox Swiss Army Swisstool Spirit X

One of the top rated multi tool: the Swisstool Spirit X

Packing 27 different tools, this multi tool’s length is 4-3/16 inches closed, weighing 7.4 ounces. Balanced around design, weight and function, the tool is more expensive than most of its counterparts. Some will even consider it to be a more expensive version of the New Wave. With great finishes and built of stainless steel, the Spirit X has a regular knife blade, and it includes a lifetime warranty.

Best Multi Tool of 2014

There is an infinity of different types and kinds of multi tool models, but only one can be called the best multi tool 2014. We considered many reviewers and customers opinions, along with our own experiences, and most of us agree that the XXX model, made by the highly praised company Lehmann is, without a doubt, the best multi tool of the year.

Leatherman New Wave

Multitool review: the Leatherman New Wave

With the greatest combination of tools, design, construction quality and price, the Leatherman New Wave is widely considered of the best in the market. With a small investment, you get the quality build that only Leatherman can offer, with greatly constructed blade locks, excellent precision on the pliers and a perfect design that comes with the best features packed in a small size. The New Wave is an all-around perfect tool for the everyday job, and it’s portable enough to fit into any pocket.

If you want other recommendations, you can check out the following video:

Find the Best Fishing Knives in the Market? An Indepth Guide

The Quest to Find the Best Fishing Knives: Every Fishing Knife is Different

Knives are an important tool of any fisherman. From preparing bait to filleting a salmon, there are many different obstacles that we need to be overcome every day at sea.

Like we say when we covered other types of knives, such a thing as the perfect knife doesn’t exist. There are great knives that can be used for many different things, but nothing beats the quality you’ll get by doing a task with a specialized tool.

Like the case with other types of knives, fishing knives models are abundant. Having a good knife is essential to get the most out of your fish. Once you have captured your fish, you want complete control to turn your catch into great food.

What’s the best fishing knife?

Fillet knives are a type of knives used to fillet and prepare fish by cutting under the skin of the fish. These long fish cleaning knives have blades ranging from 4 to 11 inches, and are known for their flexibility. Because of this, fillet knives allow the user to make cuts along the backbone, facilitating the removal of skin from the fish.

How to Choose a Fishing Knife

Choosing a good fillet knife will allow you to properly clean and cut the fishes caught on the spot. There are many different options, and you should choose one according to your needs, the type of fish you are going to clean and your budget.

Flexibility & sharpness

Fish cleaning knives are known for the flexibility of their blades. Cutting fish often requires the person to make precision cuts. The knife should be able to adapt to the form of the fish you are cutting, otherwise you risk wasting meat and ruining the fish completely. You should always check that a fillet knife is able to cut through the backbone and ribs with little to no effort in one swift motion. Flexibility is directly related to the thickness of the blade. This means that the thicker the blade is, the less flexible it becomes. This is something to consider

Length

The knife’s length depends on the type of fish that’s going to be cut. The average length is between 6 and 11 inches, but there are also 4 inches models, and some larger fish tend to require even longer blades. The size of the blade depends on the size of the fish, and that’s a reason why most people will often own several knives.

Blade material

The most common material is stainless steel, which is both resistant to corrosion and rust. The quality will depend on the brand more often than not, so it’s recommended to only purchase knives from respectable ones.

Other blade materials include ceramic and carbon steel, but in the case of they are simply not as popular as stainless steel. If you want more information about the different types of steel knives are made of, we recommend the following chart.

Parts of the fishing knives

Handle

The handle of the knife should be ergonomic and comfortable to use. You should look for materials that prevent your hand from slipping when wet. Rubber and plastic are the most common in the market, and they also have the advantage of being easy to clean, so you can be sure

What’s the Best Fish Fillet Knife?

If you can’t decide which knife to buy, here at A Tool for Every Job we give you some recommendations.

Knife	Weight (ounces)	Total length (inches)	Blade length (inches)	Material	Price
Victorinox 47513 6-Inch Flex Boning Knife	8.96	15	6	Carbon stainless steel	$
Rapala4 Soft Grip Fillet	5.4	10	6	Rapala flexible stainless steel	$$
Kershaw 1259 Fillet Knife	3.9	14.25	9.25	420J2 stainless steel	$

Victorinox 47513 6-Inch Flex Boning Knife

Victorinox produced one of the best fish fillet knife

The Victorinox 47513 is considered by many to be the best fishing knife currently available on the market. With over 270 5 out of 5 stars customer reviews, the 6-inch flexible stainless steel blade is perfect for separating the meat of the fish from the bones. The handle is very large and the texture makes it so it’s easy to hold even when it’s wet. It includes a lifetime warranty directly with the manufacturer.

The knife features a stainless steel flexible blade with a rubberized handle, and with a length of 6-1/2″, it’s compact enough when folded to carry it around safely without much trouble. It’s pretty sharp out of the box, and it includes the lifetime warranty that Buck is so well known for.

Rapala4 Soft Grip Fillet

The Rapala4 is regarded by many as the best fishing knife

The Rapala4 is an excellent knife at a very affordable price. The knife features a flexible stainless steel blade combined with a comfortable textured handle to prevent the hands from slipping. The only complain about this model seems to be that it isn’t sharp enough out of the box, but Rapala packs it with its own sharpener.

Kershaw 1259 Fillet Knife

Kershaw also produces fish cleaning knives

This Kershaw knife packs a 9-inch stainless steel blade. Overall length is 14 ¼ inches, making it larger than other models in this list. The knife is really good for filleting larger fish. Grip is solid, and the rubber handle fits the hand perfectly so it doesn’t slip. It’s known to be really good at slicing through bones because of its sharpness. The blade is flexible enough to bend so that it moves easily inside the body of the fish. The knife includes a sheath made out of solid plastic and it also includes a limited lifetime warranty.

Choose the Best Hunting Knife: A How to Guide

The Knife Makes the Hunter: How to Choose the Best Hunting Knife

Why the One-size-fits-all Approach Doesn’t Work for Hunting

Knives have been companions of mankind since ancient times. From weapons to religious ornaments, knives have played a very important role in shaping the history of humankind. One of the most significant functions of knives has been hunting.

Each knife is different from each other, and choosing the best hunting knife is almost impossible. Where one model excels, another one may fail. Hunting knives are no exception to this. There are thousands of models you can choose from, but the best hunting knives should be able to do anything from chopping thick foliage following game to skinning, cutting and slicing. While they could potentially help you clean fish, you may also be interested in our fishing knives post. Now let’s get down to business.

A guide to finding the best hunting knife

What Should You Look For in a Hunting Knife?

Before looking for a knife to buy, we need to know what we want and what we need. You should assign a budget, and consider the usage it’s going to get, for example, how often you actually go hunting. You should also consider getting a survival knife if you plan to stay in the wild for a long time, but for now let’s get started.

Size

Size is an important factor when considering to purchase a hunting knife. Bigger animals require bigger knives, while the opposite holds true for smaller animals. An all-around solid size are knives with a length of about 4 inches, since they will work fine for both hunting and everything that comes after it, like gutting and cutting.

Blade material

Typically you will find carbon steel and stainless steel with many different variations. You can check our post about survival knives where we cover blade materials more in depth.

Carbon steel is more durable than stainless steel, and it’s also cheaper to get. Lacking the chromium that carbon steel has, it tends to rust and corrode easier. Stainless steel is easier to maintain.

Ceramics are another option also discussed on the survival knife article. They are less common that other materials, but will not rust under any circumstance. The tradeoff is that they’re more fragile, so dropping them could crack the blade or even break it.

Our recommendation is to go with stainless steel. It’s the most popular choice among experienced hunters and the differences in sharpness aren’t that noticeable unless you are really picky.

How to choose between the best hunting knives?

Attributes to look for on the best hunting knives

Straight blade vs. Serrated blade in hunting knives

When choosing between serrated blades and straight blades, one should always determine the amount to cut, frequency of use, thickness, type of cut to be made.

Serrated blades have a saw-like blade, and they work really well with tasks that require aggressive sawing, like cutting through bones and cartilage. Serrated blades are also faster when cutting as long as precision is not an issue.

Straight blades are more suited to precision cuts. When hunting, you may use it for chopping and slicing meat. This type of blade generally requires more effort to use than a serrated one, so continuous use could wear down the user. They also require to be sharpened more frequently than serrated edges. Overall, plain edge is a better if you only can choose a type of blade and are serious about hunting, since its uses are not as limited as serrated blades.

“Combo edges” are a common option if you want to get the best of both worlds but don’t want to spend money on two different knives, since they have a partially serrated blade in a single product.

You may consider reading this fantastic article written by Joe Talmadge at agrussell.com that goes into more detail about the on going debate between straight (plain) and serrated blades.

Example of fixed blade hunting knives

Fixed Blades vs. Folded Blades

Like with most other kind of knife, there’s an option to get fixed blades knives and folded blades knives.

Both sides have their supporters, and at the end of the day is a matter of personal preference. That said, fixed blade hunting knives make skinning and cutting meat easier.

Fixed blades are stronger, since they are constructed by just one piece and don’t have any movable parts (they’re overall more reliable). They are also easier to clean, because there’s no risk of substances entering the internal mechanism of the knife. Given their size, they’re not exactly the easiest tools to carry around (that’s where folding-knives shine), but they make up for it with their cost (they’re generally cheaper). Folding knives are more compact and easier to carry, and are suited for quicker tasks that don’t require as much precision.

Handle

You should look for a handle that is ergonomic and comfortable to hold, and that it’s made of quality materials. Skip fancy handles made of bone, and instead choose wood or synthetic materials, like nylon.

Hunting Knife Reviews: Finding the Best Fixed Blade and Folding Blade Knives

If you are looking to buy a fixed blade hunting knife or a folding blade knife, check out some of our hunting knife reviews here at A Tool for Every Job.

Knife	Weight (ounces)	Total length (inches)	Blade length (inches)	Material	Price
SOG Seal Pup Elite	5.4	9.5	4.85	AUS8 stainless steel	$$
Buck 110BRS	7.2	4.875	3.75	420HC steel clip blade	$
Kershaw Ken Onion Blur	4.2	7.88	3.38	13C26 stainless steel	$$

SOG Seal Pup Elite

Hunting knife reviews praise SOG for quality

SOG always scores high on hunting knife reviews

Another great fixed blade hunting knife. The Seal Pup is an extremely durable knife that will retain its sharpness under the worse kind of abuse. The 4.85 inch blade is made of AUS8 stainless steel, having undergone SOG’s CHT (Cryogenic Heat Treatment) process. Its handle is made of glass-reinforced nylon, and offers great grip thanks to the textures around it. The knife is extremely lightweight, weighing just 5.4 ounces, and it also includes a leather sheath for increased portability. It’s really sharp out of the box and doesn’t really need that much maintenance

Buck 110BRS

Buck is synonym of fixed blade hunting knife

Is this the best fixed blade hunting knife?

This knife is a classic in every sense of the word. The model features a 3 ¾ inch 420HC steel clip blade known for its durability. It’s easy to sharpen, and will stay sharpened for a long time. This Buck knife uses a full straight blade, which has a lock-blade mechanism, so it won’t accidentally snap one of your fingers. It´s overall a great hunting knife, and it´s been really popular for over 50 years among beginners and hardcore hunters alike.

Kershaw Ken Onion Blur

Kershaw is known for producing one of the best hunting knife

The best hunting knife may be a Kershaw

The Blur features a 3-3/8 inch blade made of 13C26 stainless steel, with the option to buy the blade straight or serrated. It has a comfortable grip with thin rubber inserts. The build quality is really good for the price, it packs one of the fastest assisted opening systems, and the knife does a good job retaining its sharpness over long periods of time. There are however some minor issues, like reported failure on the liner lock or opening mechanism by some customers. Even with those issues, the Kershaw Blur is still a solid option at that price range.