How to Choose the Perfect Hunting Knife: A Guide to Blade Shapes & Steels

October 28, 2025

Choosing a hunting knife is about selecting a reliable partner for the field. The right tool ensures efficiency and safety, whether you're field dressing or performing camp tasks. As passionate knifemakers, we believe the two most critical decisions involve blade shape and steel type. Understanding these elements is the key to finding a knife that feels like an extension of your hand.

Understanding Blade Shapes for Hunting

The shape of the blade dictates its primary function. For hunting, a drop point is an excellent all-rounder, offering a strong tip and a large belly for skinning. A clip point, with its thinned, sharper tip, provides precision for delicate work. The key is to match the geometry to your specific needs, ensuring control and capability for every task.

The "Workhorse" Convex Grind

Beyond shape, we champion the convex grind for our knives. Unlike flat grinds, a convex edge curves smoothly, leaving more steel to support the cutting edge. This geometry provides superior durability and resistance to chipping. For a hunting knife that has to perform tough tasks in the field, this robust edge retention is an invaluable asset.

Choosing Your Steel: High-Carbon Tool Steels

We often build our knives using high-carbon tool steels like A2 or O1. These steels are renowned for their incredible toughness and resilience. While they require a bit of care to prevent rust, they are simple to sharpen in the field and will develop a unique patina over time, telling the story of your adventures.

Modern Stainless Steels for Low Maintenance

For hunters in frequently wet or humid environments, modern stainless steels are a fantastic choice. Materials like CPM 154 and Magnacut offer exceptional corrosion resistance without sacrificing toughness or edge-holding ability. These advanced steels provide peace of mind and high performance with less maintenance, letting you focus on the hunt.

Ultimately, the perfect hunting knife is a personal choice that balances blade design, grind, and steel. The right combination results in a tool you can trust season after season. At Fiddleback Forge, we obsess over these details in our knifemaking process to create tools that are built to last. We invite you to explore our collection of hunting knives or learn more about our material choices.