Best Field Dressing Knife – Top 3 & Detailed Review

My Top 3 Choices for the Best Field Dressing Knife – Introduction

When asked the question, what is the most important part of the hunt? Most people will likely respond with the actual killing or taking of game. An argument could be made however, that the most important part of the hunt is the step that immediately follows the taking of game. That step is field-dressing.

As a hunter all my life, I have come to know the importance of field dressing and how critical it is to the process of taking game from the field and putting it on your table. When it comes to field dressing, there is one tool a hunter or survivalist simply cannot do without and that tool is a great knife.

In this article I’m going to look at three of my top choices for a field dressing knife. The three knives selected were chosen for a combination of factors including, price, blade, grip and functionality.

Not only will these knives help you make quick work of downed game, they will also provide you with a solid and sturdy blade for a variety of other uses. I’m sure I don’t need to explain the importance of a having a good knife or two in a survival situation. For the purpose of this article, you can be confident than any of these knives will serve you well.

What To Look For:

Briefly, I’d like to mention a few things to look for when purchasing a field dressing knife.

First, a good knife needs to be quality-built and durable. Mainly, I’m looking for a knife that uses high quality and corrosion-resistant materials. Rust on a blade does us no good when cleaning game and it also destroys the structural integrity of the blade.

Secondly, a good knife should have an excellent grip. Field dressing an animal can get messy and it’s likely your knife will be covered with blood, hair and moisture from the process. A sure grip helps you to make better cuts and makes sure you do not cut yourself.

Lastly, I look for functionality in a knife. Most knives don’t have a lot of bells and whistles, however there are a few. Things like folding blades, a gut hook and a god sheath can all add considerable value to any particular blade.

Top 3 Field Dressing Knives for the Money:

1. Gerber Moment Fixed Blade Knife

First up, I’ve chosen the Gerber Moment Fixed Blade Knife. As the name suggests, this is a fixed blade knife and it comes with a sheath. Gerber has been in the knife-making business for a long time, and they know how to produce a quality product.

Best Field Dressing Knife - Gerber Moment Fixed Blade Knife

The Moment Knife delivers a simplistic design that flat out functions. For the simplicity, you will pay a lower price and at less than $30, this knife is a great value.

The Moment utilizes a full tang construction which simply means that the blade travels all the way through the handle. This puts one solid piece of metal in your hands and allows for greater feel and strength of blade.

The textured rubber handle provides excellent grip and the glass bead finished blade will take and hold an sharp edge through repeated use.

Again, the Moment knife from Gerber is a simple tool, but it is one that does its job and does it well.

2. Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk Survival Knife

Next up, I’ve chosen the Selkirk Survival Knife from Buck Knives. This knife is also manufactured by a company that has been in the business for a long time. The Selkirk serves as an excellent field-dressing knife with it’s drop point blade, but it doubles as an essential survival tool with the included ignitor and whistle.

Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk Survival Knife

A custom designed, injection molded nylon sheath secures your knife and allows for horizontal or vertical carry. Also included and attached to the sheath is a Ferrocerium striker for starting fires and a whistle integrated into the grip. A textured and contoured grip combined with a full tang construction ensures smooth handling and excellent feel with the Selkirk knife. Last but not least, the rear bolster, or butt-end of the knife has been flattened and strengthened to allow for use as an improvised hammer.

The added features and functionality of the Selkirk knife make this an excellent survival tool. You can rest-assured this knife will field dress game and in a pinch, it might even save your life.

3. Outdoor Edge FZB-20 Flip n’ Blaze Knife

Lastly, I have chosen the Flip n’ Blaze Knife brought to you by Outdoor Edge. Outdoor Edge is a company that has made a name for itself in the butchering and game processing industry. They have a reputation for designing unique and functional knives that do the job well and always come with a razor sharp edge, right out of the box.

Outdoor Edge FZB-20 Flip n' Blaze Knife

The Flip n’ Blaze knife delivers on Outdoor Edge’s promise and even comes with two separate blades. What makes this knife you unique is the folding two-blade system. The traditional drop-point blade is excellent for field dressing game, skinning and butchering. The secondary gutting blade allows you to use a separate blade for opening up the hide and gutting animals.

During the gutting process, the knife normally comes into contact with lots of fur which can be dulling to the blade. With the Flip n’ Blaze, after the animal has been opened, up you can switch to the standard blade in order to finish the job with a sharp edge.

Also, the Flip n’ Blaze combines a unique folding design to save you space in your hunting or survival pack. The reinforced and fully enclosed sheath protects your knife from the elements, while the air vent keeps it dry and rust-free.

If you’re looking for a solid and sturdy knife that you can take anywhere and do just about anything with, the Flip n’ Blaze will serve you well.

Best Bushcraft Knife for the Money

A Guide to Choosing the Best Bushcraft Knife

It is important to have the right knife, if not the perfect, which can be used in place of different tools in different situations. If you’re someone who loves the outdoors, then having a great bushcraft knife is a must for you and I’ll tell you the secret to owning the best bushcraft knife.

Bushcraft Knives differ from survival knives and pocket knives and are considered as primarily a wood cutting tool which can be used effectively for notches, feathering and creating points on wooden objects. A bushcraft tool is extremely sharp with a blade of 3 to 6 inches in length.

Bushcraft is also a popular term for wilderness skills; these skills include fire-craft, tracking, hunting, fishing and shelter building. The term came into existence when it was coined by Bush Tucker Man (Les Hiddins) in the Southern Hemisphere and Mors Kochanski in the Northern Hemisphere. The knife is used mostly in Anglo Saxon countries like the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The right bushcraft knife is an essential tool for the bush crafter who loves the outdoors.

There isn’t a perfect bushcraft knife available as a lot depends on the right environment, conditions and likely tasks. For a beach scenario, often a stainless steel blade with a lower hardness is required while a hard carbon steel knife is used in dryer wooden areas by a camper.

There are hundreds of brands and manufacturers available for Bushcraft knives and thus, while choosing the best bushcraft knife, one may make some common mistakes which should be avoided.  The functionality, strengths and weakness of knife are dependent on material, design, features, fit and finish.

One important fact that I always share with my readers is that it is always better to avoid buying a folding bushcraft knife. Always choose a full tang bushcraft knife – where the knife steel runs through the full length of the knife. Also, many people think that the Rambo knife is the ultimate bushcraft knife as it looks attractive. But actually, this is an exception as these knives are cheap and low in quality and are of no use in real life outdoor survival situations.

The best way to truly understand your knife is to put the knife to the task and test it in the wild. For hunting purpose you should be able to track the animals and skin them for food. You can also use it for self defence purpose where you can rescue yourself when attacked by an animal.

Top Bushcraft Knives – Value for money

Below are top bushcraft knives which will help you make your best pick in regard to functionality and money.

1. Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Fixed Blade Knife

Morakniv bushcraft knives have achieved a cult status over time. The knife is made in Swedan and is known for its state of the art quality, impeccable resilience and an extremely sharp blade.

Despite its quality and performance, Morakniv are extremely light on the wallet. It has a 3.3mm thick high carbon made blade which is anti corrosive as it is treated with DLC anti corrosive black coating. To avoid further corrosion, you should clean and wipe the knife to make it dry, plus oil the blade after each use. The blade has a flat grind and sharp point.

best-bushcraft-knife-morakniv-bushcraft-carbon-fixed-blade-knife

The backside of the knife can be used as a fire starter. The knife comes with ergonomic handle with high friction rubber grip and there is jimping at the top of the handle to provide greater thumb control. The sheath comes with full loop and a belt clip while the contour of the grip is extremely pleasing which takes care of the condition that knife will involve some sweat. While working with fire steel or scrapping tinder, the knife is extremely useful as the spine of the blade has a very sharp 90 degree angle.

Key Features of knife:

  • Blade thickness – 3.2mm
  • Blade length – 4.3 inches
  • Total length – 9.1 inches
  • Net weight-  5.4 ounce

2. ESEE-6 Survival Knife

The ESEE-6 is generally used on a camping trip or while fishing. The knife cuts with precision and is used to cut freshly caught fish or any other animal during a hunting trip. It is known for its quality and performance as it is manufactured by Randell’s Adventure Training Company which specializes in making all purpose knives from outdoor to military to kitchen. The knives manufactured by the company are especially used by law enforcement, the military, backpackers and adventurers.

esee-6-survival-knife-review

The handle is made with a comfortable linen Micarta which can be removed or replaced, if needed. The handle provides maximum gripping power and doesn’t get slippery and a brown polymer sheath is also included which can be carried with convenience. There are lashing and cord storage holes and a drainage port at the end of knife which reduces water damage. Towards the end of the blade, there is a friction retention mechanism which gives it a good hold in the sheath.

Key Features of knife:

  • Overall length of knife – 11.75 inches
  • Blade length – 1.56 inches
  • Overall Blade length – 6.50 inches
  • Made – 55-57 Rc 1095 carbon steel
  • Handle – Linen Micarta

The ESEE- 6 is a great and handy tool but you’ll have to do a few preparatory things and the flat grind takes a few passes to make the blade sharp. It has a beautiful design and comes with a lifetime warranty. ESEE knife edges are razor sharp so you have to be careful while using them. The ESEE 6 comes with a full flat grind and a drop point for piercing and general safety.

3. Cold Steel Survival Edge

The knife can be considered as an upgraded version of the old Japanese hunting knives. The Cold steel knife is razor sharp, light and is not a full tang blade in the traditional sense. However, it is not made to be used for batoning. The handle of the knife gives it a firm grip which is of great help while doing fine detail work and to be honest, it is a perfect tool to take with you while backpacking or hiking in the wood.

cold-steel-survival-edge-black-knife-review

Key Features of knife:

  • Overall length – 9.25 inches
  • Weight – 3 ounces
  • Blade thickness- 2.5mm
  • Blade length – 5 inches
  • Made – German 4116 stainless steel
  • Handle material – Polypropylene with several rubber O rings

The handle of the knife is hollow with a waterproof cap at the end which allows you to use it for small storage purpose for survival aids. It is not a full tang knife and it comes with an ambidextrous secure-ex sheath and a ferro rod. The rubber ‘O’ rings give it a good grip even when the hand is wet. Since the knife is extremely light, you don’t feel a burden carrying it around; it even floats on water because of its weight.

4. Tom Brown Tracker 2

#4 on my list of the best bushcraft knife is the Tom Brown Tracker 2 is designed by the renowned Tom Brown Jr who is an expert survivalist and tracker. The knife is specifically designed to be an outdoor survival knife and is convenient to carry for camping, hiking, fishing or hunting purposes because of its smaller size. The Handle has multiple finger grooves and traction surfaces for easy and safe handling.

tom-brown-tracker-2

Key Features of knife:

  • Overall Length – 9.5 inch
  • Blade material – 0.25 inch thick 1095 high carbon steel
  • Blade Height – 2 inch
  • Blade length – 3.5 inch
  • Handle material – Black linen Micarta with Lanyard hole
  • Sheath – Kydex
  • Weight – 9.6 ounces

The knife can be used to cut through anything because of the durable high carbon steel. It is designed as a survival tool to chop, split, scrape, hammer, saw and do much more. The knife has been made famous by getting featured in movie “Hunted” as well as getting published on the cover page of BLADE magazine.

5. Spyderco Bushcraft G-10

The Spyderco bushcraft G10 knife is a threefold collaboration between Tactical bushcrafter Chris Claycome, a Bushcraft website called BushcraftUK.com and Spyderco designers. The knife has a typical 4 inch blade which is a specific characteristic of Bushcraft knives and the blade is Scandinavian and is made with O-1 tool steel.

Spyderco bushcraft G10

O-1’s high carbon content holds a long term edge and also gets sharpened easily. The black G- 10 handle is comfortable to hold and comes with a lanyard hole while there is also a black leather sheath as well that comes along with the knife. The knife is used to perform wilderness chores such as slicing, chopping, whittling and game processing.

Key Features of knife:

  • Overall length – 8.75 inch
  • Blade – 4 inch O-1 steel blade
  • Blade hole – 0.23 inch
  • Blade thickness- 0.14 mm
  • Weight – 7.75 ounce
  • Blade material – G 10