Journal
Plain answers on choosing, using and caring for a hand-forged knife: which blade shape suits the job, how to keep Damascus from rusting, and how to sharpen it by hand.
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What Is a Gut Hook For on a Knife?
What the notch on the spine does, how to use it on deer, whether it earns its place on your knife, and how to keep the hook sharp.
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What Is a Good Hunting Knife? Size and Steel
Pick a hunting knife by the game you dress: blade length by job, the shape, steel, tang, handle and sheath that matter, with our own knives as examples.
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How Much Does a Damascus Knife Cost?
We priced 365 best-selling hand-forged and Damascus listings from 31 online stores, then set our own price list beside them. Here is what each type of knife costs and why.
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Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel Knives: How to Choose
A working comparison for cooks, campers and hunters: what each steel is, how it sharpens and ages, and which one fits the job you have in mind.
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1095 Steel and 15N20 Steel Explained
A plain explanation of what each steel is, how it behaves in a knife, why smiths weld the pair into Damascus, and how to keep the result free of rust.
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Full Tang vs Hidden Tang: How to Choose
A plain guide to five tang types, how to spot each one along the handle edge, and which belongs on a hunting, camp or kitchen knife.
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How to Sharpen a Knife: Whetstone and Honing Guide
A working guide for anyone holding a dull blade: which stone to use, how to find the angle, how honing differs from sharpening, and how to look after Damascus and carbon steel.
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Engraved Knives for Groomsmen: A Gift Guide
How to pick, engrave and order knives for a wedding party, with an honest look at the price against the usual $25 to $80 gift and the old superstition.
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Hatchet vs Axe: What Is the Difference
One hand or two, 12 inches or 36: a plain comparison of handle length, head weight and the camp jobs each tool actually does well, with sizes in between.
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What Is a Bowie Knife?
The clip point, the guard, the size: what makes a knife a Bowie, where the shape came from, and how it compares to a hunting knife for camp and field work.
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Best Knife for Skinning a Deer
A short guide to choosing a skinning knife, gut hook and boning knife for deer season, with blade length guidance, steel choices and prices from our shop and the wider market.
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Knife Blade Shapes Explained
Drop point, clip point, skinner, tanto and the rest, side by side, so you can pick the right blade shape for hunting, camp or the kitchen.
