Swiss Army Knife

In my most recent article I wrote about the history of knives. Pocketknives have been around for approximately 2000 years. They were not always as popular as they are today but they have been existence. The Swiss army knife is a handy knife to carry in your pocket. I have found a very nice one and have listed it on our website. Pictured below, it is Sterling Silver. There is a place for engraving on the back. It has a small blade, scissors, nail file, screwdriver tip and key chain. It was make a wonderful gift. Check out this knife and our growing selection of other knives at http://hunting-knife-outlet.com.

Brief History of Hunting Knives

Hunting knives have been around since the Stone Age. Originally made of stone, bone or shells. Like today's knives they were sharpened with stone. The use of metal blades was introduced by the Romans. Metal blades dominate the knife world now. Egyptians were the first to attach wooden handles to blades. Jim Bowie was very instrumental in the development of hunting knives. There is no one Bowie knife. Bowie experimented with knives until he found one he liked. His knives were also used for hand-to-hand combat. A serpentine piece between the handle and the blade was added to ward off the blade of an opponent. During the 1800's the Swiss Army Knife was created. Many utensils attached to the folding knife made it a miniature toolbox in your pocket. Custom knives are becoming ever more popular. Antler-horn handles are very popular. Contact me if you are interested in a custom made knife. We do carry a buffalo horn handled knife on our website. It is pictured below. You can find it the Recently Added Items section (Damascus Blade Skinner).

Here's This Week's New Merchandise

Recently I published an article called "Should You Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight?". In the article I discuss the fairness of hunting with different types of weapons. Real sport can be made of hunting with throwing knives. That being said, I had better offer some on our website. Shown here is what I believe to be an excellent set. There are 3 knives made of 420j2 steel. The knives are 10.75" long. They come with a 3 compartment leather sheath. You can find them on the Recently Added Items page of our website. Look for this and other quality knives there.

Joke for Week of August 7-13

A duck hunter was in the market for a new bird dog. He found one that could amazingly walk on water. He could not wait to tell a friend of his, who was always bragging about his hunting dogs. He invited his friend to go hunting with him. All day long he shot ducks and each time his new dog would walk on water to retrieve them, never getting more than a paw wet.

On the ride home he asked his friend if he noticed anything unusual about his new bird dog. His friend replied, “Yeah, he can’t swim.”

New Knife Available

Recently I talked about knives with antler-horned handles. I am working with a dealer who handles knives with deer or antler horns. In my search I found a knife that has a buffalo horn handle. Pictured below, the knife has a forged welded 100% real Damascus steel blade. The handle is 100% buffalo horn with solid brass bolsters. The knife is hand made and comes with a carrying case. You can find it on our website
under Skinning Knives or Recently Added Items.

Antler Handled Knives

My brother recently asked if I carried any knives with antler handles. He is an engraver and is looking for knives on which to display his handiwork. I am searching the market for knives to fit the bill. Antler-handled knives are all uniquely different. Often the sheaths have to be made to fit the knife. That makes them a little on the expensive side. I'm thinking that there is a market for them among knife collectors. What do you think? Please respond here or on our website.

Ms. Knife

Joke for Week of July 24-30

A lawyer was out duck hunting. He shot a duck that landed in a farmer’s field. Just as he was climbing the fence to retrieve it, the farmer drove up on his tractor and asked what he was doing. The lawyer explained that he shot a duck and wanted to pick it up. The farmer told him that the duck was on his property and he would not let him have the duck.

Thinking he could scare the farmer, the hunter told of his profession and threatened to sue the farmer for the duck. The farmer explained that in his neck of the woods things were settled with the three kick rule. After the lawyer inquired what that meant, the farmer explained that he would kick the lawyer three times, the lawyer could then kick him three times and they would alternate kicking until one of them gave up.

Thinking he could take the farmer the lawyer agreed to the terms. First the farmer kicked the lawyer in the stomach so hard it made him bend over in pain. He then kicked him in the rump causing him to fall to the ground. Finally he kicked him in the face and broke his nose.

He was in bad shape but stood to take his turn. Imagine his surprise when the farmer said, “I give up, you can have the duck.”

New Merchandise

I have mentioned in previous blogs that I rely on information from my nephews when selecting hunting knives to add to our selection. My county officer nephew has been asking if I can get Emerson brand knives. I have found four. This week's addition is the Emerson Hd-7 pictured here. It has a 3.25" black teflon coated plain edge. The blade is made of 154 cm stainless steel. It sports a 4.7" handle that has .125 Titanium on one side and black g-10 on the other. The Emerson logo is imprinted on the knife. I would like some feedback about these knives before adding the other three. Find out more about this knife and our other knives on our website.

Internet Hunting

I do not hunt myself, but my husband and nephews are be quite serious in their love of hunting. I learned about something yesterday that blew my mind. Did you know that there is such thing as internet hunting? You can log on to a website and shoot an animal from your computer, using a rifle connected to a computer and webcam.

Several states have passed legislation to ban this practice. There is congressional action introduced to prohibit internet hunting. Those who support the legislation feel that it is unfair and unethical. Opponents believe that this practice allows disabled people to participate. What do you think?

Comment, then log on to our website. At the bottom of the homepage click on E-mail preference to enter a drawing for a knife of your choice to be given away in December. Your address will only be used to contact you if your name is drawn.

Knife Hunting

When I think of hunting knives, I think of accessories to use while hunting. True hunters want a balance between a hunter's ability to kill prey and the prey's ability to escape.

Modern technology, such as telescopic lenses, make the balance lean more in favor of the hunter. Knife hunting was used centuries before guns and crossbows were invented. It requires quick reflexes and hand coordination to hunt with a knife. There are more and more hunters taking up this approach to shift the fair chase back to 50-50.

Why not have a look at some of the knives on our website?

Ms. Knife

Joke for Week of July 10-16

One day, late in the afternoon, a man was returning from a hunting trip. It was raining. As luck would have it, he had a flat tire right outside a monastery. One of the monks came out to lend a hand. He invited the hunter to dinner. The hungry hunter gladly took him up on the offer.

The cuisine that evening was fish and chips and they were wonderful. Wanting to compliment the cook on the delicious meal, the hunter asked, “Are you the fish fryer?” The cook smiled and said, “No, I am the chip monk.”

We Have a New Addition to Our Family

No, my husband and I did not have a kid. We have, however, added a new addition from the Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn family to our selection of knives. It is the Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Covert FAST (pictured above).

Designed by Colonel Rex Applegate as a combat weapon originally, this knife family is internationally known as best-of-class among folding, tactical knives. The strength, durability and balance of this knife is hard to beat. Click here to check it out on our website.

Anyone purchasing this knife from us will get a free engraving as a gift from us. Just e-mail us to let us know what you want etched on the knife.


 Today’s Blog from Ms. Knife

Hunting Joke of the Week

Hunting With Your Wife

A man was taking a friend on a tour of his home. In his den there was the stuffed head of a lion above his desk. His visitor asked, “When did you bag him?”

“I got that when I went hunting with my wife.” he replied.

“What is it stuffed with?” he queried.

His reply “My wife.”




Today’s chuckle from Ms. Knife (Why not have a look at our website.)

History of Knives

Knives are on the the oldest and most useful tools. Evidence of knives has been discovered by archeologists who have studied the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Primitive knives were made from sharp stones and wood pieces.

Civilization advanced with the discovery of metal as did the knife. Knives with metal alloys and combined metals were produced, evolving into the stainless steel blade that is so common today.

There were knives made for men, knives for woman and knives to be used by both sexes. Many purposes were served. Knives were used as weapons, tools and eating utensils. As an eating utensil, they were used to pierce food then raise it to the mouth. I have seen this in old cowboy movies.

A knife was a symbol of bravery. Warriors decorated these proud possessions first with feathers and then embedded gold and silver design into the knives. Knives hold religious significance for some people, even today.

Why not click here to check out some of today's favorite knives.

Today’s blog from Ms. Knife

Care and Handling of Hunting Knives

It goes without saying that sharp objects should always be handled carefully. Avoid cutting on hard surfaces such as stone, metal and glass. Only meat cleavers should be used to cut through bone, other blades can be easily damaged.

Hand wash knives with warm water and mild detergents and dry immediately. Some advertisements say that knives can be put in the dishwasher but we don’t recommend it. Avoid cleaners that contain bleach or citrus extracts.

Sharpen as needed. With regular use and honing once each week, you should not have to sharpen your knife more than once or twice per year. Sharpen with a whetstone or knife sharpener designed to sharpen at a 16° angle or have it sharpened professionally.

Store in a safe place to protect the edge and prevent injuries.


Today’s blog from Ms. Knife

Shun Knives

These extremely popular cutting utensils are in high demand world wide. First manufactured in Japan, which is renown for knife excellence, they began to be manufactured in the U.S. in 1998.

D-shaped wood grain handles are made from Pakkawood and are water-proof. The thin, light-weight stainless blade incorporates layers of softer steel, giving it a hard razor sharp edge. This makes the knife sturdier and non-stick.

Shun knives remain sharper longer and come with a lifetime guarantee. You can view some of these knives on our website.

New this week: Shun Kaji 6" Boning Knife

Today’s blog by Ms. Knife

Hunting Joke of the Week

Two guys are coming out of the woods dragging a deer when another hunter stopped them to say, “I don’t want to tell you guys what to do but it would be a lot easier to drag that deer on the other end. The antlers won’t dig into the ground.”

After the third man left one of the hunters said to the other. “You know, that guy was right. This is easier.”

His buddy replied, “Yeah, but we keep getting further from the truck.”



Speaking of hunting, you might like to take a look at our website.

Ms. Knife’s chuckle for the week.

Gerber Answer Knives

This knife comes in both a serrated version and a fine edge drop point. Both knives are technical and tactical. The are lightweight. Their aluminum handles contribute to the lesser weight and are textured with inlays for better grip.

The tanto serrated blade is used for thrusting. The shape is similar to Japanese made knives. The drop point fine edge is used for general purposes especially hunting.

Both of the these knives can be found on our website.

Gerber Knives-Feature of the Day

Gerber knives have been around since 1939. Pete Kershaw, a very successful knife merchant, once was employed by Gerber. Gerber knives are known for their “bolt-action” and push button locking systems. They are made of AUS-8 and ATS-34 high carbon stainless steel. Japanese knife manufacturers use this same steel. Zytel handles are light but tough injection mold. Kraton rubber is used for enhanced grip.

We carry Gerber knives on our website. Today I would like to feature the Gerber Prodigy-Serrated Edge Knife. This is an example of hybrid knife design at its best.

It is easily opened with one hand. There is a pocket clip for convenience. The handle is a blend of die cast aluminum and Softgripâ inserts. It comes with a Lifetime Guarantee.

There is a picture of this knife in the right hand column. If you buy this knife from us, we will have it engraved for you for free. Just e-mail us from the website and let us know what to engrave.

Fixed Blade or Folding Knife?

I polled the responders to a Field and Stream blog to find out what they had to say.  Only one respondent picked one over the other.  He preferred a fixed blade. 

Most guys had both kinds of knives.  The fixed blade knives tended to be longer in blade length.  I was happy to see that some of their favorite brands were Buck, Gerber and Puma knives that we carry on our website.

One hunter said that folding knives were easy to lose, so he usually buys the less expensive ones that had assisted opening.  Others definitely had brands they preferred.  Much to my delight we carry some of those also.  Buck and Kershaw knives, especially those designed by Ken Onion made the list.  These also can be found at hunting-knife-outlet.com.

Plain Or Serrated Edge

When my husband and I started looking at knives to sell he was amazed at how many serrated knives are available.  He prefers a fine edge knife.  What it really boils down to is the purpose of the knife.

When using a knife, usually one of two functions are needed-slicing or cutting as you sort of push the blade.  Examples would be whittling, peeling fruits or vegetables, or skinning game.  When the push action is involved a plain edge knife is more useful.  You have more control and accuracy.  The cuts are also cleaner.

Slicing is best handled with a serrated edge. You can use a plain edge for slicing but the edge must be very sharp.  Generally serrated knives work better to slice.  Serrated edges have high and low points along the edge.  The high points touch the material first.  That increases the pressure on the blade and makes it more powerful.  The chisel-ground edge of the blade is thinner and will cut better than a plain knife.  Hard and dry surfaces can be handled more easily.  Tough ropes and wood are prime examples.

The serrated edge is said to have a more menacing appearance also.  Security clearances dislike serrated edges more than plain edged-knives.

There is an argument, though, that plain-edged knives can be sharpened with a coarse stone that creates a semi-serrated edge.  Plain-edge knives are easier to sharpened.  Sharpening changes the characteristics of the knife.

Combo knives are becoming more prevalent.  It makes sense to have both types of edges on the same blade.  Two things have to be taken into consideration.   Unless the knife is a good length, the amount that is serrated would hardly be feasible.  Ninety percent of combo knives are generally designed with the top 50%-60% of the knife having a plain edge and the serration closer to the handle.  The combination of plain edge at the top and serrated near the handle may be formatted incorrectly for someone who wants to cut meat at a campsite and whittle with it at some other time.  This individual would be more likely to use a coarse stone to give the top edge of the knife more bite and polish the lower edge with a less coarse stone to use when whittling.   

Type of Steel Used in Hunting Knives

Here is an explanation of the different types of steel used in hunting knives.  This is an important aspect of your knife.

420 knife steel has a low carbon content.  It is found in inexpensive knives and is used more prominently for diving purposes.

420HC steel, when treated properly, has good corrosion resistance and holds an edge well.  Buck knives contain 420HC steel.  They are carefully treated.

Sometimes referred to as “semi-stainless”, because it contains 12% chromium instead of the 13% standard, D-2 knife steel is excellent for holding an edge.  It may not be as strong as a knife that has more carbon content.

S30V knife steel is mainly for cutlery.  It is thought by many to be the best steel for knives.  Carbon and vanadium content makes it corrosion resistant and it holds a sharp edge.

440 knife steel comes in three grades: 440A, 440B and 440C.  440C, in my opinion, is the best of three grades.  The only downfall is that it is the least rust resistant.  It contains the highest carbon content and therefore is the strongest.  If a knife says 440, it is probably 440A and has the least carbon content.  All grades meet the standard to be considered stainless steel.

Similar to 440A, is 425M knife steel.

Many high quality knives are made in Japan.  AUS knife steel is used there.  It also has three grades: AUS-6, AUS-8 and AUS-10.  With AUS-10 being comparable to 440C,  It is even less rust resistant but stronger.  AUS steel contains vanadium that improves it wear.

The Japanese use two other types of steel.  The ATS-34 knife steel is also similar to 440C.  VG-10 has an added element of cobalt.  It is used to enhance other qualities of the knife.  There is a toughness factor present that increases the knife’s ability to withstand stress.  VG-10 keeps a good edge and resists corrosion.  It is easily scratched, however.

Today's Blog by Ms. Knife
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How to Choose a Hunting Knife

A hunting knife serves more than one purpose.  These include, but are not limited to, skinning animals and splitting through the ribcage and bone.  Consider how you will use your knife and what type of game you plan to pursue.  Big game hunters will use a different kind of knife than those preying on rabbits and squirrels.  Large knives can be cumbersome when working with small animals.  The risk of getting cut also increases.

You have to take into consideration how often you plan to use your knife.  Occasional hunters, that use their knife for more than one purpose, tend to purchase knives with smaller blades that fold.  Avid hunters are more likely to purchase a fixed blade knife.

"To sheath or not to sheath?" is the next question.  Of course, fixed blades need a sheath.  Folding knives might better serve you without a sheath.

-Today's blog from Ms. Knife