CARNIVORE Skinning Knives Patrick Vuong Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More Using your tactical tanto knife to skin game is akin to using a hammer to open an Amazon package — it can be done, but it’ll be frustrating and could ruin the goodness inside. Skinning blades are designed to precisely separate the, well, skin of an animal from its meat. No pierced hide, no burst innards. Just a smooth division between fur and flesh so you can eviscerate your trophy and get it on ice as quickly as possible. What makes a good skinner? Knife nuts debate whether the blade should be stainless steel or high- carbon steel. Each has pros and cons, revolving around ease of sharpening, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Like firearms, it boils down to personal preference. However, a skinner has three requisites: it needs a nonslip handle, a blade profile with a generous belly, and a razor sharp edge (since most of the work comes from pulling the hide back and letting the knife slice, not saw). With this in mind, we’ve assembled a handful of the latest models available today. Read on to find the right tool for your game. Browning Buckmark Hunter OAL: 7 inches Blade Length: 3.125 inches Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV stainless steel Weight: 3.7 ounces MSRP: $35 URL: www.browning.com W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Patriot Kirinite Trapper OAL: 7.125 inches Blade Length: 3 inches Blade Material: Tru-Sharp surgical steel Weight: 4 ounces MSRP: $72 URL: www.wrcase.com For the rest of this article, click on this link to purchase a copy of CARNIVORE Explore RECOILweb:RECOILtv NRA 2017: SureFire Ryder 22 Mini SuppressorSAAMI Accepts Two New Long Range CartridgesMossberg Releases 940 Pro Turkey Autoloading ShotgunsFull Spectrum Warrior: Learning Dynamic Shooting Skills with Safariland and Former Navy SEAL Rich Gr... NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.