Whats The Difference Between A Hunting Knife And A Bowie Knife?

Understanding the difference between hunting knives and bowie knives can be a little difficult. Part of this is because bowie knives ARE hunting knives, at least to some extent. However, you'll find a much wider range of blade shapes in hunting knives that you will with bowies. What will you find? Is a hunting knife or a bowie the best choice for your needs? While only you can answer that question with any accuracy, you'll find the information here helps a bit.

First, standard hunting knives tend to be designed for a single use. Take the skinning knife for example. These have long, slim, razor-sharp blades. They are powerful tools when used for their intended purpose (skinning animals). However, how do you think that blade would hold up if you tried to chop with it? What if you encountered a bone or tough sinews? Would the skinning knife be able to handle the increased pressure and abuse? Chances are the knife would not be suited for any purpose other than skinning.

Bowie knives also come in a wide range of different sizes. You will find these run the gamut from a modest six inches to a massive foot and a half. You obviously will not want to use an 18-inch blade to gut a fish. However, that blade would work quite well in clearing brush, for protection and for general-purpose use. Bowie knives have an immense number of uses and their size will certainly play a role in the uses to which they are put. One of the reasons that hunting knives are so limited in the scope of their uses is their blade design. If you look at a gut hook knife, it's hard to imagine using it for any other purpose.

As you can see, a bowie knife is very different from a standard hunting knife. However, they are often classified as hunting knives and are sold in sporting goods under that label. This doesn't mean that they are for use in hunting alone, though. In addition, you will find that a bowie knife will put you in good stead for a variety of situations, whether you need to do some work around your home, or just want protection in your car.

Therefore, bowie knives differ from hunting knives in size, design and intended usage. While a hunting knife is usually only a single-use tool, you'll find far more benefits with a bowie. This is because a single knife can be used for multiple needs, ensuring that you don't need to carry several different blades with you all the time.