Best Skinning Knives

Technically, a wide variety of knives can be used for skinning. The animal is already dead. They’re not going to complain that you’re using a Bowie knife instead of a proper skinning blade. The main reason for owning a skinning knife is convenience – getting the job done quickly so you can move on to butchering.

The best skinning knives have relatively flat blades for easily sliding under the skin and separating it from the flesh. They’ll also tend to be very sharp since a dull blade can have a hard time cutting through fat and connective tissue. Other than that, they can be almost any shape or size depending on your preference and the size of your game.

We’ve reviewed fifteen of the most popular skinning knives, across a wide range of prices, sizes, and options. No matter what you need, we’re confident that one of these will be the perfect knife for you.

Best Skinning Knives

1. Old Timer Sharpfinger

The Sharpfinger is similar to the Guthook Skinner, but instead of having a hook on the end of the blade, it has a sweep-back design with a second edge on the back of the last inch. The blade is 3.3 inches long, slightly smaller than that of the Guthook Skinner.

Which one of these knives is better is more or less a matter of personal preference. We’ll say this, though: the Sharpfinger is better for groundhog since it’s better for slicing through fat.

It has a Schrade blade, but like Old Timer’s other offering, this may be American or Chinese made depending on what’s in the box. Test it on a piece of paper before you hunt with it, to see if it needs sharpening. This knife has a well-designed full tang handle and comes with a leather belt sheath.

Pros

• Sweep-back blade
• Full tang handle
• Comes with a leather belt sheath
• Schrade blade
• Inexpensive

Cons

• High-carbon blade
• Inconsistent blade quality

Why It’s Recommended

This is another nice starter blade. It’s sized for small game and is well-made enough to remove the skin without any trouble.

2. Gerber Moment

This is a two knife kit. The first is a 4 inch gutting knife with a gut hook on the tip. The second is a 3-inch skinning and dressing knife. They have a full tang design for added strength, and the blades are stainless steel. Gerber has outsourced production to China, so the blades will need sharpening when they arrive. They’re still high-quality, though.

The handles are made from injected polymer. They have an ergonomic shape, with a sturdy fore guard that will keep your fingers from slipping forward. The only real disappointment is the sheath. Instead of leather, Gerber went with a flimsy fabric sheath that doesn’t hold up to long-term use. It carries both knives on your belt, but expect it to last a lot shorter than the knives will.

Pros

• 2-knife kit
• Full tang design
• Durable stainless steel engineering
• Ergonomic polymer handles

Cons

• Fabric sheath
• Needs sharpening on arrival

Why It’s Recommended

Two knives for the price of one! And they’re made by Gerber. What else do we need to say?

3. Victorinox Wide

This is another sharp knife manufactured in Switzerland. The blade is a whopping 6 ¼ inches long, enough to handle even large game like elk or grizzly bear. It has a sweep-back design with an extreme curve and a broad tip designed for slicing tendons and connective tissue.

It’s crafted from stamped stainless steel and arrives extremely sharp. As long as it’s well cared for, it will stay sharp for a while, although sharpening will take more time than a carbon steel blade.

There are two downsides to this knife, and they’re the same as the other Victorinox knife. While it has a tough Fibrox handle, it only has a half tang. This is a safety and durability concern, and we’d expect better from a Swiss manufacturer. The plastic sheath is also an annoyance.

That said, this is still a fantastic knife, with an ergonomic handle, sturdy fore guard, and plenty of length and leverage.

Pros

• Broad, sweep-back blade
• Made in Switzerland
• Very sharp out of the box
• Fibrox handle

Cons

• Half tang design
• Plastic sheath

Why It’s Recommended

The Victorinox Wide Skinning Knife is a good choice for large game. It’s made in Switzerland, so you know it’s a quality knife.

4. Old Timer Guthook

The Guthook Skinner is a full-tang skinning knife that’s designed for small game. The 3 ½ inch blade is ideal for squirrels, raccoons, or other varmints. It has a gut hook on the tip, which makes it a solid all-in-one knife for beginning hunters, or for anyone who hunts small game from time to time. It comes with a leather belt sheath.

The blades are manufactured by Schrade, which is one of the leading companies in the business. Unfortunately, they seem to be outsourcing some of the work to China. Depending on how lucky you are, you’ll either get a sharp, American-made blade, or a dull Chinese blade that needs sharpening right out of the box.

The blades are also made from high-carbon steel, which can dull faster than stainless. Normally, this would be a serious problem in a skinning knife, but the blade isn’t likely to go dull faster than you can skin a squirrel.

Pros

• Also has a gut hook
• Full tang handle
• Includes a leather belt sheath
• Schrade blade
• Inexpensive

Cons

• High-carbon blade
• Inconsistent blade quality

Why It’s Recommended

This is a nice starter blade for young hunters. It will get the job done, and the gut hook is great for varmints.

5. Anna Home Collection

First, let’s clear up some confusion around Damascus steel. It was legendary in ancient times because smiths folded various grades of steel into a single piece, gaining some of the benefits of different steels. But that was in ancient times. Modern steel is more durable and will hold an edge longer.

Now that that’s out of the way, we’ll acknowledge the obvious; true Damascus steel is one of the most beautiful metals on earth. Pair that with an ergonomic, Pakistani pukka wood full tang handle, and you have a knife that would fit right in at a museum. It also ships with a leather sheath.

The steel itself cuts well but will need to be sharpened frequently. That said, the 4 inches, clip point blade is perfect for a medium-sized game like deer, and extends far enough out that it doesn’t need a foreguard.

Pros

• Damascus steel blade
• Full tang handle
• Pukka wood handle
• Comes with a leather sheath

Cons

• Not as durable as stainless steel

Why It’s Recommended

Holy Damascus steel, Batman! This knife is beautiful. It also has a nice, sharp edge, as long as you don’t mind sharpening it frequently.

6. Custom Damascus

Remember what we said about Damascus steel? Well, this knife isn’t real Damascus – it’s etched stainless steel. On the one hand, it will stay sharp longer. On the other hand, you’ll always know your Damascus steel blade is a replica. Whether or not this is a good thing is up to you.

The handle is crafted from genuine camel bone and has a full tang for added safety. It has an ergonomic grip, with slots for all four of your fingers, and the end of the blade has a gutting hook on it. At 3 inches, it’s ideal for varmints and other small game, although it can be used for deer in a pinch. The edge is only slightly sharp out of the box and will need some sharpening. It ships with a stitched leather sheath.

Pros

• Ergonomic bone handle
• Full tang
• Ships with a leather sheath
• Beautiful Damascus pattern
• Gut hook on the end of the blade

Cons

• Not real Damascus steel
• Blade needs sharpening out of the box

Why It’s Recommended

If you want a knife that looks like Damascus steel but performs like stainless, this Gladiator Guild piece is exactly the one you want.

7. DALSTRONG

The DALSTRONG Gladiator has a sweep-back, German-engineered blade that’s extremely sharp out of the box. It’s 5 ½ inches long, lot including the handle, which makes it ideal for larger game. Between the shape and the sharpness, it will cut through fat, tendons, or muscle with equal ease.

It’s a little too much knife for varmints, though. The full tang handle is triple-riveted for added strength and is crafted from Spanish made, varnished pakkawood.

The only thing that disappointed us about this knife is that it only has a plastic, kitchen knife sheath, not a proper leather one. This can make it awkward to take into the field unless you put it in your backpack. The blade will stay sharp for a long time but takes some time to sharpen. Make sure to sharpen it after every outing, and you won’t have a problem.

Pros

• Triple-riveted pakkawood handle
• German engineered blade
• Full tang design
• Sweep-back blade

Cons

• Plastic sheath

Why It’s Recommended

This knife is good not just for skinning, but also for butchering. If you want to skin a deer, then cut up a chicken, it’s a solid choice.

8. Victorinox

The Victorinox is a Swiss-made knife with a 5 ½ inch, sweep-back blade that’s perfect for medium to large game. It’s engineered from stamped stainless steel and arrives with an edge that’s sharp enough to cut just about anything.

The handle is manufactured from Fibrox, Victorinox’s proprietary polymer blend. It’s extremely strong but only has a half tang. We haven’t had any trouble with this, but the absence of a full tang is disappointing on an otherwise excellent knife.

The tip is blunted, so you won’t accidentally poke through the skin while you’re trying to remove it. This knife only ships with a plastic kitchen sheath, though. If you’re wearing a backpack, that’s not a problem, but it’s another mystifying oversight. The blade will stand up to a lot of use but will take some time to sharpen when the time comes.

Pros

• Swiss-made, stainless steel blade
• Arrives very sharp
• Blunted tip
• Sweep-back design
• Tough Fibrox handle

Cons

• Half tang design
• Plastic sheath

Why It’s Recommended

This is a well-engineered knife for medium to large game. It’s sharp and it stays sharp.

9. Morakniv

The Morakniv Companion is a Swedish made skinning knife with a stainless steel blade that’s razor-sharp on arrival. Make sure to sharpen it after every hunt, though, as with all stainless steel blades.

The blade is 4.1 inches long and has a tapered point that’s somewhere between a standard point and a true drop-point. The handle is made from a grippy, ergonomic polymer that won’t slip when you’re elbow-deep in a whitetail.

It’s available in nine colors and has a matching plastic sheath that’s quite sturdy. We were disappointed to learn that it only has a ¾ tang. That’s better than a half tang, but it’s still not a full tang, which we would have expected from a European manufacturer. It’s very affordable, though – less than most of the knives on our list.

Pros

• Sharp, stainless steel blade
• Sturdy plastic sheath
• Ergonomic polymer handle
• Available in 9 colors
• Inexpensive

Cons

• ¾ tang design

Why It’s Recommended

This is an affordable skinning knife that’s good for almost any game. At this price, it’s hard to beat.

10. Buck Knives Ranger

The Ranger Skinner is Buck’s small game skinning knife, and it’s a beautiful piece of work. The solid walnut handle is stained and varnished to a perfect finish and has a brass bolster with a wide flare at the end.

The drop-point blade itself is 3 ¹/₈ inches long and is forged from corrosion-resistant 420HC stainless steel. It’s extremely sharp when it arrives, and is long-lasting, although it takes some effort to sharpen. This knife is on the expensive side, but compensates with American made quality and a lifetime warranty.

At this size, with the drop point, you won’t want to use the Ranger Skinner for anything larger than a raccoon or opossum, but it’s perfect for varmints. It ships with a leather sheath with a snap-down restraining strap.

Pros

• Corrosion-resistant steel blade
• Walnut handle with brass bolster
• Full tang
• Comes with a leather sheath
• Made in the USA
• Lifetime warranty

Cons

• Expensive

Why It’s Recommended

This is the ultimate small game knife, and it’s also easy on the eyes. If money isn’t a major concern, it’s an excellent choice.

11. Wild Turkey

The Wild Turkey Handmade Skinner is a gorgeous little knife that has a broad, stainless steel blade. The full tang handle is manufactured from stained camel bone, which looks beautiful and feels good in the hand.

There’s no fore guard, but the blade is wide enough that your fingers aren’t at any risk of skinning. It’s only 3 inches long, which means it’s designed for small game, and it shops with a high-quality leather sheath.

Out of the box, the blade isn’t terribly sharp, so you’ll definitely want to sharpen it before you put it to work. For a stainless steel blade, it both sharpens and dulls fairly quickly. The best explanation we have is that it uses inexpensive alloys like aluminum instead of chromium or tungsten. It’s still a good knife, though, especially considering that it costs about as much as a night at the movies.

Pros

• Full tang design
• Stainless steel blade
• Beautiful, camel bone handle
• Includes a leather sheath
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Blade is dull when it’s shipped

Why It’s Recommended

This is a budget skinning knife that still looks fantastic. If money is short and aesthetics are your thing, the Wild Turkey is a winner.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Skinning Knife

If you’re new to hunting, or if you’ve never bought a skinning knife, you probably have a few questions. Here’s a quick overview of the most important features of the best skinning knives, so you can make a more informed purchase.

Blade Design

The type of blade you want for skinning is going to depend on the type of game you’re hunting. Generally, though, there are going to be two main categories:

• Deer and other lean game: These animals tend to have very little subcutaneous fat. As a result, you’ll only need to cut through some fibrous membranes to remove the skin. For this type of game, any comfortable, well-sized knife will do the job.
  Since you’ll mostly be using the tip of the knife, a drop-point blade can be useful for precise work that does minimal damage to the flesh. Conversely, a clip point blade can be an ergonomic choice, since you can slice with either side of the blade.
• Boar, bear and other fatty game: These animals have a lot of subcutaneous fat, particularly in the autumn when they’re fattening up for winter. This means you’ll have a lot more slicing to do in order to free up the skin. Since you’ll need to be making long, sweeping cuts, a long blade is almost essential. It helps if the blade is flat, and has a sweep-back design.
  While you can do the job with any blade, a drop-point or serrated blade is going to do a total hack job. This is where a true skinning knife comes in handy, which is why our reviews mostly covered long-bladed knives.

Blade Length

The ideal skinning knife will have a blade that’s long enough to get the job done quickly, while not being so big that it’s unwieldy. It won’t come as a surprise, then, that the length of the blade, like the shape, will depend on the type of game.

• Small game: If you’re hunting rabbit, raccoon, squirrel, or other varmints, you’ll want a blade that’s between about 3 and 3 ½ inches.
• Medium game: For animals like whitetail deer and mule deer, a 4 to 5-inch blade will be your best choice.
• Large game: If you’re hunting elk, moose, or brown bear, a 6 to 8 ½” blade will be large enough to remove the skin quickly.

If you only want to carry one knife, a medium-sized one will be the most versatile. You’ll have to be careful with varmint hides, and you’ll spend a little longer skinning large game, but it’s the best of both worlds. Of course, compared to the cost of ammunition, the one-time expense of two or three blades isn’t all that steep. If you do a lot of hunting, why not own a full set?

Blade Steel

Blades can be hard, or they can be strong. Generally, they can’t be both. This is true for all knives, not just skinning knives. But why?

The answer is that there are two main categories of steel: high-carbon steel, and low-carbon (stainless) steel.

• High-carbon steel is stronger than stainless steel. You’ll usually see this steel in camp knives, hatchets, and other tools that are designed to be used for chopping or prying. On the other hand, it’s softer than other steels. This means the edge doesn’t stay sharp as long, although it will be relatively easy to sharpen.
• Stainless steel is harder than carbon steel. The edge will hold for a long time, although it will be harder to sharpen because the steel is harder to grind down. It’s not very good for prying or chopping since the more rigid metal is more likely to snap.

If you’re looking for an all-purpose knife, carbon steel is the way to go. It’s useful for all tasks, at the expense of needing more frequent sharpening.

That said, the last thing you want to do when you’re skinning an animal stops to sharpen your knife. A sharp, stainless steel blade will hold its edge more than long enough to remove the hide from your game, and you can deal with sharpening it after you get home. For this reason, the majority of our chosen knives have stainless steel blades.

Handle and Grip

This is one of the areas where you have the most freedom. Because you aren’t trying to stab anything with your skinning knife, just slice it, you can choose whatever handle is comfortable for you. There are a couple of things you’ll want to consider, though:

• Ergonomics: You’re going to be holding this knife very tightly, and cutting for an extended period of time if you’re skinning a larger animal. Make sure it’s comfortable in your hand.
• Your preferred grip: Some hunters like to hold the blade with all of their fingers, in a closed fist. Others like to put their index finger on the back of the blade, for extra leverage. A blade with a large quillion (cross guard) is not going to work well with this type of grip.

As far as material goes, skinning knife grips run the full gamut. Budget knives will have composite or steel grips, while finer knives can have grips made from exotic wood, bone, horn, antlers, or more exotic materials. Choose whatever material looks most beautiful to you. Again, this knife is for slicing, not stabbing, so smooth materials are perfectly fine.

Bottom Line

As we’ve seen, there’s a lot that goes into making a good skinning knife. From the design of the blade to the steel that’s used to the handle and the grip.

As we’ve also seen, the best skinning knives don’t all look alike. They can have an old-school design or an ultra-modern one. They can be designed for large or small game, for rugged deep woods use, or for backyard varmint hunting. They can be very affordable or somewhat expensive.

There are also a few things they have in common, like a slim design and a very sharp blade.

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