Hunting’s dirtiest secret is simply that, aside from preparation, the hard work often doesn’t begin until after the shot — processing, i.e. field dressing, skinning, quartering or deboning. Even the most seasoned hunters aren’t always excited about gritty, messy post-shot work. Of course, it’s worse for new or prospective hunters. The truth is that aside from lack of mentorship, what happens after the kill certainly can impact one’s motivation to plan future adventures. All of this is to say, hunting knives and saws cut deep into our outdoor lives and our overall hunting experiences. 

Fact: All hunters need them, and all outdoor enthusiasts should carry them. The problem then is what to stock. Retailers definitely bear some responsibility in determining what works within their markets and regions, and how best to guide hunters into their purchasing decisions through inventory, budgets and practical-application suggestions. Doing so and keeping a variety of blades and saws on hand can be a sales boon. Consider these 12 hunting knife and saw ideas for shelf space to up your cut of retail sales.

Half Face Blades Feather Light

Founded in 2014 by retired Navy SEAL Andrew Arrabito, Half Face Knives is certainly one of the newer knife manufacturers. Even so, having personally used their blades in the field extensively throughout the 2024 fall hunting season, I can attest to their performance — I do believe they are the best quality knives I have had the pleasure of using throughout my hunting career. That said, my experiences have been precisely what Arrabito was after when he set out to deliver custom-made quality at production knife price points “every person in every walk of life” could own and reach for as their go-to cutting tools. One of the best hunting knives in Half Face Blades’ robust lineup is the Feather Light. 

The American-made Half Face Blades Feather Light Knife features a 3.5-inch S45vn American stainless-steel blade finished in Armor Black Cerakote, Allen bolts, and aggressively designed, slip-resistant Chaos grip. Perfectly sized to handle any big-game hunting task, from field-dressing to skinning, quartering and deboning, the fixed-blade Feather Light Knife measures 7.6 inches overall and includes a Kydex sheath. Serious retailers and demanding customers looking for heirloom quality, practical functionality, better stability and control, lifelong reliability, long edge life and ergonomic, efficient, peace-of-mind cutting performance need to consider Half Face Blades. www.halffaceblades.com

Half Face Blades Crow Jr.

There isn’t much more to say about Half Face Blades I didn’t just write for the previous knife model — I simply love their cutlery! While Half Face Blades is a smaller knife company offering custom-made quality, they are quite an up-and-coming player in the premium American-made knife world, yet they also remain quite affordable. As such, they are worthy of stocking for discriminating hunters. Another model filling this bill is the Crow Jr. 

Half Face Blades’ Crow Jr. boasts the thickest blade in the roundup at .14 inches with a blade length of 4 inches. Larger than the Feather Light, the Crow Jr.’s overall length is 8.9 inches. The Crow Jr. also features an Armor Black Cerakote-finished S45vn American stainless-steel blade, slip-resistant micarta handle and Allen bolts. As with the Feather Light, the Crow Jr. includes a Kydex sheath; however, Half Face Blades also offers premium leather sheaths. 

Outdoor Edge 3.5-in. Razor HTX

Founded in 1986 by David Bloch and now headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, Outdoor Edge Knives has become an industry leader in manufacturing innovative, reliable and affordable knife and processing kits. Beginning with the Game Skinner, a prototype knife designed for a college project, Bloch’s initial designs quickly grew to four products and Outdoor Edge was born. Today, Outdoor Edge continues to grow under the ownership of Revo Brands, and the company’s innovative designs continue to shine as a top choice for avid hunters. New for 2025, the Outdoor Edge 3.5-in. Razor HTX is a great example and worthy of some retail space. 

The Razor HTX features a compact folding design and Outdoor Edge’s popular push-button replaceable-blade system. The base system boasts a 3.5-inch drop-point blade and is also SawSafe and 350 Blade compatible. The 350 blade options include drop-points and gutting hooks. Out of the package, the Razor HTX opens to 8.6 inches, weighs just 4.7 ounces and includes five drop-point blades, one gut hook and one wood/bone saw. The black-oxide coated blade holder and blades are constructed of Japanese 420J2 stainless steel. The Razor HTX also features Outdoor Edge’s SawSafe lock and an orange ABS polymer, slip-resistant grip complete with soft-touch gray TPR ridges. www.outdooredge.com

Outdoor Edge RazorPro G Saw Combo

Perhaps considered the foremost innovator of hunting blade kits, Outdoor Edge impresses again with the RazorPro G Saw Combo. This two-system set includes everything you need for efficient field dressing, skinning and even quartering big game. The kit includes a two-blade knife, featuring a replaceable 3.5-inch drop-point blade and a gutting blade designed to easily open big game animals while also protecting internal organs. The kit includes six razor-sharp drop-point blades constructed of 420J2 Japanese stainless steel, and a handy 4.4-inch wood and bone saw perfect for clearing shooting lanes and processing game after the hunt. The saw also features a rounded tip for safer cutting and to help prevent puncturing fragile organs. 

xWith roots clear back to 1988, and balisongs (butterfly knives), Benchmade has become one of the most popular knife brands in personal defense and the great outdoors. Les de Asis founded Benchmade in California with his first product, the Model 68 Balisong. Today, Benchmade is headquartered in Oregon City, Oregon. The brand is highly respected as a top manufacturer of American-made knives and produces a wide array of cutting products for every purpose, including hunting. The Flyway is a great example and a perfect addition to your shelf space. 

Compact and purposed for bird hunting, Benchmade’s Flyway knife is also perfect for small-game cutting and processing and everyday utility work. The Flyway is a fixed-blade design measuring just under 7 inches with a 2.7-inch CPM-154 stainless steel, satin-finished, straight-backed blade. The orange, slip-resistant handle is constructed of durable G10 composite for reliable use even in messy hands. The Flyway includes a rugged black-orange Boltaron sheath. The Flyway knife weighs 2.1 ounces, while the sheath comes in at just .7 ounces — perfect for effortless carrying. www.benchmade.com

Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner (Stabilized)

While Benchmade cut its teeth on premium EDC cutting tools, the Saddle Mountain Skinner is an exceptionally popular heirloom-quality hunting knife sure to get the dirty work done season after season. The Saddle Mountain Skinner, enhanced via feedback from previous models, boasts improved blade design, ergonomics, updated sheath and more. These key feature enhancements improve handling, stability and control throughout skinning work as well as field-dressing and deboning — the knife handles any cutting and processing job quite well. Of course, with the laminated wood handle, it also looks great while doing it. The Saddle Mountain Skinner features a 4.2-inch stainless steel, satin, stone-washed, drop-point blade, as well as Benchmark’s LifeSharp service — free knife sharpening for the life of the knife. 

Montana Knife Company Blackfoot 2.0

Founded in 2020, Montana Knife Company was forged from the passion of master bladesmith Josh Smith. A passionate knifemaker since age 11 under the mentorship of his baseball coach, Josh grew up and grew legs in the knife industry forging premium, heirloom-quality knives and tools. It didn’t take Josh long to learn the people he loved serving the most could not afford those knives, so he shifted focus on the same level of high quality and reliability to more affordable products. As a result, Montana Knife Company has grown rapidly and has earned the respect and loyalty of some of the nation’s most ardent hunters. One of the most popular Montana Knife Company hunting knives is the Blackfoot 2.0, a premium-performance, ultra-reliable hunting knife perfectly suited for virtually every field-to-table cutting task, short of sawing bone. 

The American-made Blackfoot 2.0 boasts full-tang construction and 3.375-inch 52100 ball-bearing steel blade with a black parkerized finish. For better control even in wet working environments, the Blackfoot 2.0 Knife features a textured G-10 composite handle, measures 7.5 inches overall and weighs in at just 3.6 ounces. www.montanaknifecompany.com

Buck 110 Folding Hunter

Sprouting from handmade knives fashioned from “worn out file blades,” Hoyt Buck was onto something when he completed his first Buck knife in 1902. Unfortunately, while he continued to refine his blacksmithing and bladesmithing skills, he didn’t officially establish H.H. Buck and Sons until 1947, although he had produced many knives to donate to WWII troops. Two years later, in 1949, Hoyt passed away and his son Al took the reins, eventually incorporating Buck Knives, Inc. in 1961. Soon after, in 1963. Buck unveiled the most popular knife system ever offered by the company, the 110 Folding Hunter. It continues to rank among Buck’s most popular knives today and is certainly worthy of space on your retail shelf. 

Regarded by many as the most iconic hunting knife in American history, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a folding knife designed to clip to a pocket, belt or strap. While the 110 Hunter is neither the lightest or smallest in this roundup, measuring just under 5 inches long (closed) and weighing 7.2 ounces, the blade and build quality have been proven for generations — hunters in 2025 can expect no difference. The 110 Folding Hunter includes a clip-style, 3.75-inch, heat-treated, 420HC stainless-steel blade, brass bolsters and a genuine ebony handle complete with a rock-solid blade lock-back system. If your hunting customers are looking for the right hunting knife with a nod to significant historical influence, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a must-stock knife. www.buckknives.com

Case Leather Hunter Two Knife Set

The oldest manufacturer in our roundup, W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company (aka: Case Knives) has also established one of the most esteemed generational reputations in the American cutlery industry. Founded by four Case brothers in 1889 and named after their father, William Russel (W.R.), who also advised the business, Case Knives has provided the nation with heirloom-quality knives for more than 135 years. As a personal fan of Case Knives, I know this to be true, having acquired some of my pop’s Case knife collection. Reflecting on my earliest memories, I scarcely recall a time when my pop did not have a Case Knife clipped on his pocket or in his hand, and his sage advice still rings clearly: “Always carry a good knife.” Of course, what excites me most about Case, sentiments aside, is that generation after generation, their knives are still nods to fine bladesmithing, artistry and practical, purpose-driven designing. Not only should Case knives be passed down, but they are legitimately purposeful, well-built and affordable. Case in point, no pun intended, is the Leather Hunter Two Knife Set. 

The Leather Hunter Two Knife Set is composed of large and small Leather Hunter knives. The larger Leather Hunter measures 9.5 inches with a 5-inch blade. The smaller Leather Hunter measures 6.5 inches with a 3.13-inch blade. Both knives feature polished leather handles and Case’s Tru-Sharp surgical stainless steel, concave-ground, clip-style blades. The kit also includes a premium leather sheath. www.caseknives.com

Case Knives Trapper

Available in a robust array of finish styles including Case “XX” branded bone handles, oak handles, curly oak handles and more, the Trapper is one of Case’s most popular hunting knives. Trapper knives feature mirror-polished Tru-Sharp surgical stainless slender-clip and long-spey blades, ideal for field-dressing small- to midsized-game animals. Of course, the blade combination and compact, lightweight folding size — 4.13 inches and 4 ounces — make the Trapper a perfect hunting knife as well as an everyday-carry blade well-suited for more universal, do-it-all cutting tasks. 

Gerber Exo-Mod Saw

Building an American cutlery company over an 86-year period doesn’t happen by accident, which leads me to believe Joe Gerber’s intent to close shop on advertising and start up a kitchen knife company in 1939 was more than a pipe dream. With the help of his sons Pete and Ham, Joe founded Gerber in Portland, Oregon, with a mission to provide affordable kitchen cutlery to the masses. In 1947, Joe and his sons broke into the hunting knife space with a custom knife order from a Montana hunting outfitter, and the company has expanded in hunting and other target markets where cutting tools are critical assets. With respect to hunting, Gerber continues to produce a number of affordable, American-made, purpose-driven tools. One such product is a recent addition to my personal hunting pack, the Gerber Exo-Mod Saw.

Lightweight and perfectly sized for mid- to big-sized-game processing, the 2.6-ounce Exo-Mod Saw stows easily in my pack for effortless carry and makes quick work of bones as well as wood. The Exo-Mod Saw features a stainless-steel blade with crosscut teeth and rounded front end to protect delicate organs, durable full-tang construction and an ergonomic, skeletonized, bright-orange handle. Designed as part of a modular setup, the Gerber Exo-Mod Saw’s snaps together with other Exo-Mod tools for a wearable cutlery kit your hunting customers can customize. www.gerbergear.com

Schrade Isolate Bone Saws

Like most other knife companies, it seems, Schrade was not forged in hunting fires; rather, it was founded by George Schrade and his brothers Jacob and William in 1904 to produce push-button automatic knives. In fact, Schrade built his first automatic knife a dozen years earlier, in 1892. In the beginning, Schrade built automatic push-button knives and folding pocketknives, and then, like most others, ventured into hunting tools. Schrade was purchased by Taylor Brands in 2004 and Smith and Wesson acquired Taylor in 2016. With Smith and Wesson’s backing, Schrade is back to manufacturing innovative, affordable good-better-best quality knives, saws and multitools. Great examples are Schrade’s Isolate Large and Compact Bone Saws. 

Schrade Isolate Bone Saws, available in Large for big game like elk and Compact for mid-size game like deer, offer exceptional cutting performance in a lightweight design for easy stowage and carry. Both saws boast durable SK-5 stainless-steel blades, cross-cut tooth patterns and green, slip-resistant, skeletonized, overmolded TPR handles. The Isolate Large Bone Saw measures 7.5 inches with a 5-inch blade and weighs 4.3 ounces. The compact model is 5.5 inches long with a 3-inch blade and weighs just 3.1 ounces. Even better, Isolate Bone Saws are offered at exceptionally affordable price points, perfect for accessorizing your hunting customers with practical gear. www.schrade.com