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Trim The Fat With One Of These 7 Top Skinning Knives.
Using your tactical tanto knife to skin game is akin to using a hammer to open an Amazon package — it can be done, but it’ll be frustrating and could ruin the goodness inside. Skinning blades are designed to precisely separate the, well, skin of an animal from its meat. No pierced hide, no burst innards. Just a smooth division between fur and flesh so you can eviscerate your trophy and get it on ice as quickly as possible.
What makes a good skinner? Knife nuts debate whether the blade should be stainless steel or high-carbon steel. Each has pros and cons, revolving around ease of sharpening, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Like firearms, it boils down to personal preference.
However, a skinner has three requisites: it needs a nonslip handle, a blade profile with a generous belly, and a razor-sharp edge (since most of the work comes from pulling the hide back and letting the knife slice, not saw).
With this in mind, we’ve assembled a handful of the latest models available today. Read on to find the right tool for your game.
7 Great Skinning Knives
Browning Buckmark Hunter
OAL: 7 inches
Blade Length: 3.125 inches
Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV stainless steel
Weight: 3.7 ounces
MSRP: $35
URL: browning.com
A fan of Browning firearms? This full-tang fixed blade’s for you, thanks in large part to its creator. Having started off as a hunting guide first, knife-maker Ross Kommer is no stranger to pursuing big game. The Buckmark Hunter combines an old-school aesthetic with modern touches, resulting in a knife that’s versatile and attractive. If you have just one knife in the field, this drop-point blade could gut, skin, and debone. Comes with leather sheath.
PROS:
- Drop-point blade profile can handle various duties.
- Well balanced in the hand
- Surprisingly, it retails for only 35 bucks.
- Zebra-and-ebony wood scales and brass pins
CONS:
- Though charming, the two-tone hardwood isn’t the most long-lasting handle material.
- Though affordable, the blade’s made from Chinese stainless steel.
- The sheath swallows most of the knife handle, making it difficult to deploy the knife quickly.
Camillus Western Kota 7-Inch
OAL: 7 inches
Blade Length: 3.25 inches
Blade Material: 420 stainless steel
Weight: 3.7 ounces
MSRP: $25
URL: camillusknives.com
The Kota comes in both a 7-inch and an 8.25-inch version and is part of Camillus’ Western lineup, appealing to anglers, hunters, and cowboys. As a budget model, it’s made from 420 stainless steel — the same kind used to make the butter knives found in your kitchen drawer. Yes, really. Fortunately, the blade is bonded with titanium to vastly improve its toughness and stain resistance. Comes with a nylon sheath.
PROS:
- Peels skin and fat with precision and has no problem fighting off stains, proving it’s more than the sum of its parts
- G-10 scales provide an assured grip, ergonomics, and durability.
- The most inexpensive model of this bunch
CONS:
- Without the titanium bond, the blade’s 420 steel would do no better in the backcountry than a butter knife.
- The sheath’s embroidery is the only thing of note; nylon makes for a subpar scabbard and the snap-button is an inferior retention method.
TOPS Knives Quick Skin
OAL: 7.125 inches
Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Blade Material: 1095 high-carbon steel
Weight: 6.6 ounces
MSRP: $160
URL: topsknives.com
This skinner has the most unique profile in this buyer’s guide — and that’s a good thing. The “all-belly” blade’s long and curved edge follows the arc of your stroke, meaning more continuous skinning with fewer movements. That’s a good thing when you want to field dress as quickly as possible. The design also allows for different grips (i.e. index finger on the blade’s spine) while the included sheath can be carried multiple ways. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- The full belly blade allows for lightning-fast skinning and slicing.
- Can be held multiple ways, including choking up and pinching the blade with your thumb and index finger
- Well-placed jimping on blade spine for traction
- Superior Kydex sheath
CONS:
- Quick Skin serves its single purpose superbly — but it isn’t versatile. It won’t do anything else nearly as well, such as stabbing or bushcrafting.
- The blade’s 1095 steel can stain quickly if not cleaned and oiled.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Patriot Kirinite Trapper
OAL: 7.125 inches
Blade Length: 3 inches
Blade Material: Tru-Sharp surgical steel
Weight: 4 ounces
MSRP: $72
URL: caseknives.com
The trapper genre is at least a century old and used to prep small game. This type of jackknife features two blades of the same length — one that’s a clip-point and the other that’s usually a spey (used to castrate livestock). Being one of the oldest U.S. brands, Case has numerous variants of its Trapper series. If you’re not into the red, white, and blue scheme, the Trapper comes in everything from from black buffalo horn to camo-pattern Zytel.
PROS:
- Clip-point is a proven skinner shape, but the spey works, too, because of its blunt tip.
- Good size for field dressing
- Jackknife-style folder gives you a second blade option in the field.
CONS:
- The Kirinite handle (a type of acrylic) looks pretty, but can get slick when wet.
- Though it’s a folder, the Trapper follows an old-school style and doesn’t have a pocket clip or thumb-studs.
Greg Moffatt Knives Kaniksu
OAL: 8.125 inches
Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Blade Material: 1095 high-carbon steel
Weight: 4.85 ounces
MSRP: $260
URL: gregmoffattknives.com
Greg Moffatt is a custom knife-designer who started as a classically trained furniture-maker. This uncommon background for a bladesmith gives him the varied technical know-how of a craftsman but also the outside-the-box creativity in an industry known for its fair share of copycats. His Kaniksu is a perfect example of this, resulting in a unique skinner that works just as beautifully as it looks. Sheath included. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- The blade’s hamon is the side effect of making the edge harder than the spine. It’s functional and fashionable.
- The clip-point blade is made of 1095 steel, which holds a razor’s edge and is easy to sharpen.
- Outstanding Kydex sheath
CONS:
- The above pro can also be a con, because this steel rusts quickly if not properly maintained.
- Unless it’s kept in a display case, the wood handle won’t last forever.
Buck Knives Open Season Skinner Knife
OAL: 8.25 inches
Blade Length: 4.5 inches
Blade Material: S30V stainless steel
Weight: 5.7 ounces
MSRP: $142
URL: buckknives.com
No buyer’s guide on skinners would be complete without a Buck knife. For many, this brand is a hunter’s best friend and has been for more than a century. This particular model strikes a balance of vintage visuals, classic skinner design, and modern engineering to produce a high-performing, aesthetically pleasing knife. For an extra $5, you can get a version with an integrated guthook. Comes with leather sheath. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- The blade’s made of premium S30V, which cuts like a laser, maintains its edge, and beats back corrosion with ease.
- A good-looking knife that can also perform
- Handle fits great in hand, with a finger choil that isn’t too deep
CONS:
- The Dymondwood scales look great, but won’t last as long. Plus, when wet, they stained our hands and produced an odor almost stronger than the meat we were processing.
- While nicely made, the leather sheath is a pain when inserting or removing the knife.
Ruger Knives by CRKT Accurate
OAL: 9 inches
Blade Length: 4.38 inches
Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV stainless steel
Weight: 9 ounces
MSRP: $100
URL: crkt.com
If you have more Rugers in your safe than any other rifle, then this fixed blade will certainly strike your fancy. The Accurate is among a lineup of knives manufactured for Ruger by Columbia River Knife & Tool. Designed by famed knife-maker Bill Harsey, it’s more of an overall hunting knife than a skinner — but it’s no slouch in the slicing department thanks to its drop-point profile. Comes with a nylon sheath.
PROS:
- Though one of the heavier knives in this bunch, it has excellent balance and feel in hand.
- Handle design features a non-obtrusive Ruger medallion and solid finger guard.
- The drop-point blade is sharp out of the box and cuts skin with ease.
CONS:
- We expected a knife with a $100 price tag to come with at least a U.S. blade steel, not Chinese stainless.
- A tad long for accurate skinning
- The sheath is rather ho-hum.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Carnivore Magazine Issue 1.
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