Folding hunting knife: how to choose? Hunting equipment

To date, for the hunters there is a huge amount of different equipment. Folding hunting knife - this is no less important thing than a gun, on the hunt. It has high functionality, so it allows you to perform many tasks. For example, it can be used to arrange local lodging, splitting prey, cutting food, stocking up firewood and much more. In addition, he can save his life. Therefore, the choice of knife should be approached very seriously and responsibly.

general information

Every hunter or ordinary buyer of a knife puts forward his specific requirements to him, therefore it is very difficult to formulate a specific list of characteristics that folding knives for hunting should possess, but some general recommendations still exist.

If you need a quality knife, it is best to give preference to models that have a fixed design, since they are endowed with increased strength and durability, compared to folding knives. In addition, in case of an attack by a wild beast, such a knife will always be ready for battle, while a folding one does not always have time to alert.

Folding knives can also be used for hunting, but only if the hunter is more important practicality, compactness and convenience. Knives with a folding design will also be more preferable if you go hunting for waterfowl and plan to navigate the river on a boat. In this case, from a folding knife will be much more useful.

In addition to products with folding and fixed design, skinners still exist. These are knives, designed to remove skins from the prey, so as not to damage it. To perform this task, skinners are much more convenient and functional, in comparison with other types of knives.

Wearing a knife

To carry a knife, you do not need to get a license, but in order to avoid unnecessary problems and conversations with law enforcement officers, any hunting equipment should be taken out of the backpack and zipped on the belt best after arrival at the place of the proposed hunt. In most cases, this applies to knives with a fixed structure and very large ones. Nevertheless, cases when folding knives caused trouble to their owners are not uncommon.

What should I look for?

So, how to choose the right knife for hunting? At purchase it is necessary to consider the certain factors on which quality, durability, durability and convenience of knife operation depend. The first and most important criterion is the hardness of the blade. The higher it is, the longer the product will remain sharp. The minimum indicator of hardness that a hunting knife should possess is 55 units.

Some novice hunters prefer the large size of a hunting knife, which in this case has an unusual shape and handle, made of various exotic materials. This is not quite the right approach, because, as practice shows, all these materials have rather low performance characteristics and very quickly fail. Such knives are more suitable not for hunting, but for collecting dust on the shelf as a souvenir.

Equally important is the choice of brand. Modern knife manufacturers, whose products have quite impressive value, make a tool of high-quality materials and control all the stages of production, so their knives will last much longer and will not fail at the most crucial moment.

Domestic folding knives, prices for which are notable for their accessibility, it is better not to buy, because cheap steel grades are used for making the blade, so the blade is very quickly dull and rusts. Yes, and it is possible that such a knife will simply fall apart when you kill a wounded animal or try to save your life.

When choosing a knife, one should take into account the material from which the blade was made, but in this matter everything depends on what kind of hunting you are following. For example, for steppe and forest hunting where there are no reservoirs, a folding hunting knife will be ideal for the production of which a special grade of steel was used, and for steel swamps the best blades are best suited for swampy terrain or for hunting near water bodies.

It is not necessary to be guided by various marketing and advertising tricks, promising that your knife will be a single stroke to cut trees and metal objects. In most cases, such knives are made in China from low-quality materials, which have low strength and durability. However, this does not apply to blades of European and Japanese production, which are manufactured in strict accordance with all modern international standards.

Knife testing

Any hunting equipment needs to be thoroughly tested and tested in field conditions. Knives are no exception. In this case, many factors should be taken into account, which will be discussed later.

Checking the blade

When buying a knife, it is necessary to perform a visual inspection of the blade. It should be perfectly even, without any defects and deformations. If this is all in order, then you should check the quality of the grinding. The thickness of the blade should be the same throughout its length. Cheren should be in a perfectly level position, without any visible distortions. If, however, the black is seated on the glue, then it should not appear anywhere, and in the case of fastening with the help of plates and rivets, all the elements should be carefully and evenly adjusted.

Checking the handle

A folding knife of good quality must have a handle made of natural materials. The best is considered a wooden handle, because it is more comfortable sitting in the hand and does not slip out of the sweating palm, which can not be said about the metal and plastic handles. In this case, the tree should not have any defects and defects, for example, fungal lesions, cracks, knots and so on.

Checking the latch

To ensure that the knife lasts a long time, it is critically important to check the retainer when buying it. To check the reliability of its attachment, the knife should be turned upside down with a blade and not very hard to hit the handle on the table. If it does not lead, it means that the fixator is attached very qualitatively.

Also, the folding hunting knife needs to be squeezed very tightly in the closed position. If he does not reveal it, then this is a sure sign of his quality, and if the disclosure has occurred, then it is better to refuse such an instrument, as it may inadvertently open up in your backpack or in your hands and inflict a wound.

General recommendations for knife operation

To buy a good quality folding knife is half the battle. That he long and faithfully served, he needs the right care. Further, some recommendations for the operation and care of the knife will be listed, which will extend its service life.

• Use the blade solely for its intended purpose. Do not open cans for them, cut down trees and logs for a fire, or try to clog pegs when installing a tent.
• After each hunt, rub the blade with oil, which will significantly increase its service life.
• That the wooden handle does not crack, it also should be wiped with oil. In the case of a metal handle, it must be periodically polished.

If you follow these simple recommendations, then your knife will be your faithful companion for many years and will serve you reliably.

How to properly clean the product?

Folding hunting knife needs constant care, and not only when it has any problems with it. If you do not perform periodic cleaning of weapons, then the mechanism can accumulate a lot of dirt, which simply will disable it. Clean the mechanism better with the help of special solvents.

When polishing the blade with special pastes, be very careful, as they quite easily fall into all available places, remove from which the paste will be difficult. After each cleaning of the blade, it must be wiped with white spirit. This will prolong the life of the knife and keep the blade sharp for a longer period of time.

If you do not go hunting too often, then after cleaning the knife it must be lubricated. What are the best tools for this? Specialists in the field of knife production recommend camellia oil. In addition, in the arms stores are sold special lubricants, which retain their properties for a long time and perfectly protect the knife from corrosion.

More careful care requires hinges. If you have a knife with a non-separable design, the hinges should be periodically washed under running water, after which they are dried and lubricated with oil. It is not worth pouring too much lubricant, because it will not only drain and soak everything in the backpack, but it can freeze in severe frost, and you simply can not open the knife. When dismountable construction, lubricate all the hinge elements. Choosing a hunting knife is not difficult. The most important thing is to follow him correctly, and then he will serve you for many years.