Hunting Knives Not Only for Hunting

The hunting knife has many, many uses they been around for centuries in fact hunting knives were invented by the caveman, the knives were used for killing animals for food, for skinning, used for protection. Hunting knives were used for cutting tree branches for making shelter and were used for sharpening branches to use for hunting game for food. Knives were even used to cultivate the earth and they still are used for all these things.

Knives were first made of stone, bone or wood they were first made of metal in about 2000 B.C. using bronze. Around 1000 B.C. iron became the metal of choice for knives because it was stronger and stayed sharper longer.

The most popular American hunting knife is the wooden handle knife called the Bowie knife was first made and used in 1827 by the American statesman Jim Bowie with a blade 6.5 inches long 1.5 inches wide and.25 inch thick. The original Bowie knife did not have a hand guard just a wood handle riveted to it. In 1830 the hand guard was added. Over the years these knives usually were made with a 6 inch to 12 inch blade. Today most of the popular hunting knives are designed similar to the famous Bowie knife.

Knives are invaluable when hiking or camping, whether you need to clear a trail while hiking,it can be used for self defense against wild animals. A good sharp knife for cutting branches to prepare a shelter. A sharp hunting knife works great for skinning small game for supper. Hunting knives have many uses!

Of course these knives are very useful on a hunting trip. Good sharp knives are a necessity after killing that elk, deer, moose, etc. hunting knives are used for gutting, skinning and quartering your animal.

Take care of your knife, stainless steel can stain, usually stains will be surface stains and can be removed however it takes time to get rid of them. Carbon stainless steel can stain and even rust causing the blades to pit. Your hunting knife's handle such as bone or stag horn, which are porous, will soak up liquids such as blood and will stain the handle if not washed. Knives should be washed by hand with warm soapy water and rinsed in warm water and towel dried. Remember putting your knife in a dishwasher will ruin most knives because of the extreme heat.

Also like the passion for pocket knives thousands of us enjoy collecting hunting knives of all brands and shapes. I personally have not collected a knife for over 35 years because of other interests taking my time. However recently I felt the need to start researching hunting knives and pocket knives again.