Damascus, Carbon or Stainless? Choosing a Hunting Knife

Walk the knife aisle at any outfitter and you'll hear three words over and over: Damascus, carbon and stainless. Each one makes a good hunting knife. They just ask different things of the person carrying it. Here's how to choose.

Damascus: pattern-welded steel

Modern Damascus is made by forge-welding layers of two or more steels, then folding and twisting the billet before etching it to bring out the pattern. Each blade's pattern is its own. Most hunting Damascus is built from high-carbon steels, so it takes a keen edge and is easy to touch up in the field.

Good for: the hunter who wants a knife that works hard and looks like an heirloom. Mind: most Damascus will rust if it's put away wet. Wipe it dry after use and give it a light coat of oil before storage.

High-carbon steel

Plain high-carbon steels, like the 1095 found in many classic field knives, are tough, simple to sharpen and forgiving to work with. They darken over time, and many owners like that grey-blue patina because it also helps slow rust.

Good for: skinning, caping and camp chores where you'll sharpen often. Mind: the same care as Damascus: dry it, oil it, and don't store it in a leather sheath for months at a time, because leather holds moisture.

Stainless and titanium

Stainless steels add chromium to resist corrosion, which makes them the low-maintenance choice for wet country, salt air and anyone who forgets the oil. Modern stainless steels hold an edge well, though some take more effort to sharpen in the field. Titanium shows up in handles and frames more than edges: it's light, strong and doesn't rust.

Good for: everyday carry and hunting in wet weather. Mind: pack a good sharpener, since harder stainless can be slow to bring back.

Blade shape matters as much as steel

• Drop point: the all-rounder. A strong tip that's less likely to puncture hide or gut, and a long belly for skinning.
• Guthook: a sharpened hook on the spine that opens the hide without cutting into the body cavity. Popular with deer hunters.
• Skinner: a deeply curved belly made for long, clean strokes when separating hide from meat.
• Clip or reverse tanto: a finer point for detail work, and a handy shape for everyday carry.

Our short answer

If you'll baby it and want something to hand down, choose Damascus. If you'll use it hard and sharpen it often, choose high-carbon. If you hunt wet country or just want to wipe it and forget it, choose stainless. Whatever the steel, a full tang, a handle that stays secure when wet and a sheath that fits are what make a knife you'll keep carrying.

See Texan Knives' Damascus guthook and stag horn hunter, or Big Idea Design's USA Lookout fixed blade. Browse all of our blades.