Three of the Best Cheap Skinning Knives
Kevin Felts 06.28.18
Not all knives are good for skinning wild game animals. For example, knives with long and thick blades are unwieldy. The longer the blade, the less control the person has over the knife. The thicker the blade, the heavier it is.
Length and weight are two reasons why large survival knives typically do not make good skinning knives.
Swiss army style knives with all blades give blood and pieces of meat places to hide.
The ideal skinning knife should have a short, thin blade that is easy to clean after the job is done.
Case Trapper
Go to just about any hunting camp, look at what knife the older people are using, and chances are it is going to be a Case Trapper pocket knife.
While the Case Stockman is shorter and lighter than the Trapper, the Trapper has two chrome vanadium blades while the Stockman has three stainless blades. The high carbon steel blades of the Trapper allows it to achieve razor like sharpness, and is easy to resharpen,
The spey blade on the Trapper makes it ideal for skinning wild game. Blades measure three inches long. Which means it is short enough for rabbits and squirrels, yet long enough for deer.
However, this is a high carbon steel blade that will rust. Some high grit sandpaper and oil will help keep the heavy rust off. Eventually, the knife should develop a nice patina. My Case Trapper developed rust on the blades after being carried around the farm working and getting sweaty.
The Case Trapper is a throwback to the days when grandpa carried a pocket knife for working around the farm, and skinning rabbits and deer.
Case knives are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Morakniv Companion
Looking for a fixed blade knife that is at home in a wide range of outdoor activities, including skinning wild game? Then look no further than the Morakniv Companion.
The Blade:
- 4 inches long
- 3/4 inches wide
- 1/8 inches thick
This means the blade is short and light enough to make those fie cuts. This is a high carbon steel blade that will develop rust spots. The sheath is a durable polymer that has a clip belt loop that will also fit MOLLE webbing.
The Companion is backed by Moras limited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty.
Gerber Big Rock
The Gerber Big Rock is the largest knife on the list, and chances are the most expensive. As of when this article was written, the Big Rock is available in fine and serrated blades.
The Blade:
- 440A stainless steel
- 4 1/4 inches
- 1 1/4 inches
- 3/16 inches thick
The 440A stainless blade will help prevent rust, but it may not hold an edge as well as the carbon blades.
Sheath is nylon and has a large belt loop that should fit all but the widest belts. For all intents and purposes, the Gerber Big Rock is a quintessential camp knife. It would be well suited either skinning a deer or working around the hunting camp.
Final Thoughts
There are a great number of knives on the market which would would be good for skinning wild game. Hopefully the article gave the reader some ideas on what to look for when making a purchase.
