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by: RobertCarlton
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Are you in the market for a camping or hunting knife? These are much different than choosing a knife for the home. All purpose camping and hunting knifes come in a variety of shapes and styles. Many will find that not only can they find a sharp knife that will fit their needs for slicing and cutting but knifes are crafted to be decorative and aesthetically appealing. The right knife for you will surely be a combination of a practical tool and one that you are proud to show off. Here are some tips to choosing the right knife for you.

There are many things to look at when choosing a knife. There is the handle and grip, blade and grind. On top of that there is the finish, materials used, and the heat treating to take into account. A combination of these features is used to select the best tool for you.

The first thing to consider is the steel that is used for the blade. You may think that stainless steel is the best since it resists rusting. While that is ideal for home use, it?s not the strongest material for hunting and camping. Stainless steal is mixed with a high percentage of chromium which is not as strong as solid steel. Damascus steel is two or more metals mixed together which can be very strong and decorative but not necessarily the strongest. You might think it odd that a high priced knife should rust but a solid steel knife will be more powerful and will last longer. You need to decide what is more important ? aesthetics or durability.

Heat treating also plays a big part in determining the durability of the blade. Hardening the metals will make the steel strong and durable. Annealing is used which is the process of getting the metal as hot as possible before cooling. Then the metal is tempered which means the cooling process is controlled to strengthen it even further. The longer and more intense the heat treating the more expensive the knife will be due to the added work involved.

After choosing a steel (or combination of steel and other metal) and the heat treating you can look for aesthetics. Most of the decoration on the blade is actually done with metals while the blade is being formed. There are various finishes including jeweled for a shiny and showy appearance. There is also a stonewash finish that gives a used look so it doesn?t look like a decorative knife. Likewise, vibed finishes looks slightly worn with smaller abrasions than the stonewash finish.

Taking into consideration the metal, the heat treatment, and the finish you should be able to find a knife that fits your needs and the style you?re looking for.

About the Author

Concentrating on latest developments in how to sharpen a knife, Robert Carlton pens normally for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . His contributions on knife sharpening kit are found on his site .

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