The Buck 279BK Folding Alpha Hunter offers the best features of the Alpha Hunter fixed blade in a drop point folder style. If you've dressed out enough game in your life that you don't need a gut hook, skip the Buck 278 and get this one -- the same ...

Suppose you ignored the standard logic about what makes a good hunting knife and started out with fresh ideas -- if you looked at what materials are available today and what the typical hunter's needs really are, you could come up with the Buck 693BK Alpha Hunter Guthook.

This ...

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Remington went a little ways past the good idea that inspired the Sportsman Series Tectonic CTi. To make a full-sized skinner blade with the lightest materials possible is a reasonable project, but there's a lot about this knife that just seems ...

Buck explains the 183CM Camo Alpha Crosslock (PBS) as a Portable Butcher Shop. Although the small size of this knife also works well for small game, the bone saw blade makes field dressing larger animals like deer possible as well. If you hunt quail, you'll need Buck's regular bird ...

Buck's calls the 192BK Vanguard the company's classic field knife for big game hunters. If the biggest thing you hunt is a deer, the Vanguard works just fine for that, too. Buck combines a 4-1/8-inch-long hunter/skinner hollow ground blade with both traditional and modern materials and comes up with a ...

The Gerber Prodigy scales down the design of Jeff Freeman's tactical fixed blade, the LMF II. Still a large knife by civilian standards, the 9-3/4-inch Prodigy provides more than 4-3/4 inches of strong Sandvik 12C27 high carbon stainless steel. The combo edge serves well for quick cutting of straps and ...

If you need a knife heavy enough for chopping wood, the Ka-Bar 14-1/4-inch Bowie could be a match. The tactical black high carbon 1085 steel blade is flat ground and tempered to Rockwell 55 to 57 -- it's a strong edge that will even hold up to rocks without ...

Ka-Bar's Black Cutlass Machete reaches back to the roots of both designs, coming up with a new approach that works well for modern campers and adventurers. The 16-1/2-inch rat tail tang knife -- with 11 inches of 1085 high carbon steel cutting edge -- chops brush, slashes rope, and in ...

The Kershaw Alaskan Blade Trader System avoids combining all the blades you need for skinning and butchering big game by offering three interchangeable blades which fit to one handle. Instead of a massive hunter style with saw tooth back and gut hook tip, the Kershaw system provides separate blades performing ...

The SOG FS01-N Fusion Spirit Knife combines belt knife and spearhead with options for attaching a full length shaft. Wear it on the belt in the knife-style nylon sheath and use the Spirit as you would any stout belt knife. If you need a long weapon, you have the option of ...

Designed as an LDK or Last Ditch Knife for police, the TDI knife Rig from Ka-Bar comes in two sizes with two slightly different mounting assemblies. The larger knife is for belt wear, and the smaller rig straps discreetly to the ankle.

The unusual design of the TDI knife ...

Thanks to a reader here I now know the history behind this combination Scottish Regimental Dirk and mess kit. This replica dirk isn't of the best quality, with fittings of cheap pressed metal and faux cairngorn of real colored glass. The matching knife and fork tuck into small pockets ...

Survival knives usually try to do everything with one tool and wind up not being very good at any of it. The Schrade Extream Survival Knife is a better knife than most all purpose blades but has a few weak points.

The Extream is large (12.5 inches overall length) and heavy ...

The thick bolster makes this light skinner look heavy, but in the Buck Gen-5 Skinner Fixed Blade knife, Al Buck's old ideas have been updated and streamlined. Josh Buck -- the fifth generation of the Buck family to design fine hunting and skinning knives -- included all the ...

The collector's version of the Buck Gen-5 Skinner series designed by Josh Buck, great-grandson of the company founder, the Gen-5 Guitar Skinner with Cocobola hardwood handle is a limited edition of 1,000 numbered knives. Each purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity verifying the knife's place in the series.

The basic ...

Two beautiful and rare woods form the handle of this full width, full tang hunting and skinning blade from Boker of Germany. Shaped to match the stainless steel bolster and fingerguard, two small slabs of Brazilian rosewood fill the forward section of the Elk Hunter's bolster. Full ...

Finally, a serious boot/neck knife from Cold Steel -- previous offerings from that renowned self-defense company were not always up to Cold Steel's no-nonsense standards. This tanto-style knife, designed by Barry Dawson, is one of seven blade styles available and probably also the most sensible. The tanto blade was ...

The Buck 103 Skinner's "turned-down" point blade resembles several famous Puma styles of hunting knives. With a forward-weighted blade that puts more cutting edge up front and more steel behind the point, it's a sensible design but very different from American bowie patterns. For more efficient piercing, you may ...

The knives from Puma's Solingen, Germany, factory always look more like weapons than the average factory-made knife, and the Puma Stag Skinner knife holds true to that. The 5-inch blade of the Puma Skinner may be technically a Bowie style, but it has the flair of a European dagger. ...

Let's talk tackle boxes before bringing up the Buck Protege. If you fish, you probably do have a knife tucked away in the bottom compartment where everything gets wet and nasty. Not every knife will hold up to that, and probably you've stashed something cheap under the extra reel ...

This hunter skinner knife from Boker of Germany will need more upkeep than blades with higher grades of steel. Made with 440A, the knife could be an excellent choice for fisherman, especially those who go after saltwater prey. One of the most corrosion resistant stainless steels, this alloy will ...

United Cutlery's Anduril, sword of the hero Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings saga, is no cheap imitation. This blade recreates the legendary weapon forged from the shards of Narsil, the sword shattered during the battle at the end of the Second Age. The two-handed broadsword Anduril ...

The frontier look of the Buck Special dates back to the days when Buck Knives was a two-man shop. This striking bowie pattern evolved from one of the most popular knives made by Hoyt and Al Buck when they built every knife themselves by hand. The blade is a ...

Since the Buck Pathfinder only weighs 4.5 ounces, it's hard to argue that there's no need to take a full-sized knife with you on your longest walks. The Pathfinder's streamlined design puts a 5-inch high carbon stainless steel hollow ground blade in your hand with less overall weight and more ...

The United Cutlery version of Blade's Sword of the Daywalker doesn't include the classy back sheath that goes so well with Blade's black leather trench coat and black sunglasses. The Daywalker sword actually has the look and feel of a real weapon, but the flimsy leather sheath that only sometimes ...

The origin of the Nan Dao or Southern Broadsword is murky, with few historical examples of old weapons that actually match this pattern. The Nan Dao may have been designed for training rather than actual fighting, built in the pattern of the Nine Ring Broadsword or even simpler weapons of China's ...

The Pudao or Horse Cutter Sword was designed for heavy work. Carried by Chinese infantrymen, this long weapon formed the footsoldier's primary defense against cavalry. Originally, the blade of this chopping broadsword and staff combination was heavy enough to take out the legs of a charging horse.

Toned down several levels to ...

Sword makers in Lung Chuan village of China produced these spring steel twin broadswords. Over the last century, that district's premier weaponsmiths, the Shen family, produced several swords considered to be of national treasure quality . Though these swords are a lesser build, the signs of real knowledge are still ...

This Tai Chi Broadsword, forged in the district of Lung Chuan in China, possibly at the Shen family foundry, comes from a region legendary for its high quality weapons. Visitors to the district in recent times comment that it's still easy to find a good sword there, but it usually comes with ...

Cold Steel's San Mai III Gurkha Kukri may be the heaviest kukri produced today -- with full tang VG-1 high carbon stainless steel construction and a thickness of 5/16 inches, that's certainly possible. Designed by Lynn Thompson, the president of Cold Steel, the San Mai III Kukri varies only slightly in ...

All right, another fancy parrying dagger, certainly not the first one I've ever seen -- but hold on a minute, there's something new at hand. Actually the German Main Gauche is something old brought to life again for possibly the first time since the 1600s, when dueling with swords and ...

Natural stag handles which vary in shape and pattern from knife to knife give each Puma IP Scout Bowie the unique look of hand craftsmanship. Manufactured in Spain, the Puma IP line uses modern technology to produce knives in the tradition of the parent company's German craftsmen. Though fewer hand ...

The Blackjack Trailguide, a full-sized skinner, offers collectability as well as practical value. The wide Bowie-style blade with false double edge is designed well for the piercing and slicing work necessary when butchering big game. A long nickel silver finger guard gives full protection for heavy levering and twisting. The overall length ...

If you're a fan of the video game adventure Assassin's Creed, take a look at this real life remake of the tool of Altaïr Ibn La-Ahad's trade in his war against the machinations of the Knights Templar. While it does tend towards the fanciful, with an elaborate but functional chest harness ...

This 10.83-inch black combat dagger from Puma IP -- the international production branch begun in Spain in 2003 -- sports a double-edged 6" blade of 440C alloy high carbon stainless steel. Coated with black Teflon to prevent glare and increase corrosion resistance, the dagger is a no-nonsense concept for the ...

The stag-handled Wapiti follows the Puma Knives' tradition of simplicity and excellence. This old Solingen, Germany knifemaking firm has made sporting knives, survival knives, and military weapons since the mid-1700's and tailors its products to local consumer demand. The drop point skinner Wapiti offers American hunters one of the most popular ...

This set of polystyrene sheaths from Ultimate Edge helps protect the blades of your favorite knives in drawers as well as carrying cases. The set of 9 offers two widths and five lengths of blade protectors.

With one-inch and two-inch widths designed to slide over the edges of blades, the ...

Instead of a heavy multi-tool with a host of options no fisherman needs, consider the Pro Guide Camp Combo from famous lure maker Rapala the next you head for the lake or stream. This kit places a 5" (closed length) surgical steel filet knife and an 8" pair ...

Based on an old trench knife design, this cleaned up version represents the spirit of the worst of times, the trench war of WWI that inspired many of the Geneva Protocols commonly known as Rules of Warfare. Even with the slight civilized changes of this model, it's a knife that ...

If you're looking for pure function, the Buck Omni Hunter ought to be of interest. The Omni 397BK gives full size features in a folding lockback with ergonomic grip, and it comes with a belt sheath. For rough country use, a belt sheath beats a clip any day.

The ...

The 3 3/4" dropped blade of this compact traditionally built hunting knife from Puma of Solingen, Germany, combines the hollow grind and gut hook of a modern light hunting blade with the beauty of old country craftsmanship. All you'll need to do is hone the edge of the blade. ...

Kai USA, the Japanese producer of this American design by Ken Kershaw, makes some good choices in this utility camo knife--as well as some that aren't so good. Intended as an everyday companion for work or field use, features that we've come to see as standard in modern folders ...

The wide strong 3" long tool steel blade of the Woodland Special from Bark River Knives of Michigan is a step back to the quality and practicality of frontier days. The Woodland is designed for a full sized grip and feel, with the same micarta slab canvas textured handle as ...

Nice to see that someone out there hasn't completely shifted over to stainless steel, and it doesn't surprise me to find that among the last to resist that impulse is Microtech, producer of high quality military blades. The D2 tool steel Microtech favors is corrosion resistant, needing a minimum of ...

Twenty years ago Bob Loveless designed the first of these classic tactical knives, never suspecting their popularity would extend even to the realms of computer gaming. This Stealth styled epoxy black dagger has been the backup weapon for such famous fantasy characters as Lara Croft of Tomb Raider and Sam Fisher ...

We'd better prequel this next review with a warning: Kids, don't try this at home! While the traditional Okinawan tonfa is highly sought after in martial arts as an elite weapon of choice, this particular set is meant for those who know their way around the mat. Professionals and elite ...

This is a massive knife. It's a clip point, plain edge 7.5-inch stainless steel blade with serrated spine and serrated swedge ground tip. A lot of the weight of this knife is cut out due to the fact that the steel handle is hollow, for storing survival essentials inside. ...

This impressive fantasy sword strives to recreate the massive two handed blade of Guts Rage, the hero of the hit Sega videogame Sword of the Berserk. In practical terms you can only approximate a weapon that appears to be bigger than the man who wields it, but a good ...

This set of three stainless steel throwing knives from United Cutlery is sure to relieve the boredom that sets in after your third day at camp. Rather than wrecking your good hunting knife by trying to stick it in a tree from twenty feet away, it's wise to have a few ...

An economically priced and functional katana with a good reputation, the Zetsurin Warrior is hard to find now. Buyers liked the simple things about it, like being able to actually cut through training targets. The black sheath, covered with imitation ray skin, and the white nylon cord wrapped handle ...