Our Guide To Using A Caping Knife
If you’re into hunting sport you might be looking to kit yourself out with some hunting knives, but what about a caping knife, are they important?
A caper knife is essential for a smooth skinning process when hunting, this is because it has a razor edge which helps to separate the meat from the bone.
We’ve discussed in more detail below what caping is, what else you can use a caping knife for, how they differ from skinning knifes and some other essential kinds of hunting knives.
What Is A Caping?
Before we can get into what you can use a caping knife for let’s start with what caping actually is to see how the knife is useful.
Caping is an essential process during hunting which involves skinning the dead animal in the upper body area to create most of the time a game trophy.
This precise cutting keeps the shape of your hunted game since the knife has a scalpel shape which allows you to slice through the meat in a very sharp way.
The short handle of these knives also helps for better precision, you might find that blades can differ in shape and size, however.
What Can I Use A Caping Knife For?
Apart from using a caping knife as a type of knife for hunting, you can also use caping knives for a variety of other things. We’ve listed some other uses down below.
Utility Knife
Caper knives can also be used for cutting veggies due to their rugged edge, it has a similar design to a chef knife allowing you to descale fish or butcher meat for example.
Carving
Thanks to caping knives being small they can also be used for wood carving, they are strong enough to shave wood and make intricate details. You could also use it for a patch knife since it’s portable.
Processing Game
After capturing a game a caping knife can prove very useful during the skinning process in order to make the animal a trophy head due to the scalloped design. Compared to a skinning knife the blade is smaller which allows it to make more delicate cuts.
Caping Knife Vs Skinning Knife – What’s The Difference?
When deciding on the right knife for hunting and skinning, you might be confused between skinning and caper knives, wondering which one is most suited to skinning animals.
We’ve listed the differences between both hunting knife designs down below.
Caping Knife
Compared to a skinning knife a caping knife is better used for intricate game details when skinning. The finer edge on the type of knife prevents damage to meat layers and game skin.
Cape knives are most useful in successful game hunting for small animals and taxidermy.
Skinning Knife
Skinning knives are larger than a caper knife but have the same degree of sharpness, they are useful in meat processing due to their big size which allows them to speed up the skinning process and cut larger kinds of meat from big animals.
What To Consider When Choosing A Caping Knife
If you’ve decided to add a caping knife to your hunting knife collection then you need to make sure you’re considering all the important factors in your knife.
We’ve listed a few below.
Blade Material
When choosing your caper knife one of the most important parts to consider is the durability of the steel, for the blade you want to make sure the steel is sharp, corrosion free and has a defense against rust.
One of the best steel materials you can choose for a caping knife is M390 steel, the only downfall is that the sharp edge can be hard to sharpen at home.
Handle Material
For high precision when doing taxidermy you need to consider the handle material on your caper knife, having a good grip on the handle is a fundamental difference between a good caper knife and a bad.
We would suggest choosing a lightweight handle too for better work.
Other Types Of Hunting Knives
Caper knives or skinning knives are an important addition to your hunting knives collection, but you should also consider the other types of knives which can be used for hunting.
Gutting
A gutting knife is a specialized knife used during hunting to separate the organs from the game meat, for example, this is one of the first things you do when dressing a deer.
Deboning
A deboning hunting knife is more like the straight type of knife, the boning knife helps to remove meat from the game carcass bone.
Butchering
A butchering knife is needed for cutting up the game animal’s meat, it has to be very sharp for making clean cuts and comes in various stylish blade designs.
Camp Knife
A camp knife is a multi-purpose hunting knife and is a large drop point knife which can be used for various outdoor activities.
Buck Knife
Buck knives come from the popular American brand called Buck knives and have a huge hunting range for various uses during hunting games, you can find them in pocket knife styles with drop points.
Bowie Knife
The Bowie knife is a large fighting knife with a clip point blade and is a staple during hunting games for multi-purpose use.
Frequently Asked Questions About Caper Knives & Usage
How much do Cape hunting knives cost?
This depends on the quality of the cape knife, they are on average between $30 and $80.
How do you sharpen a cape knife?
You can sharpen a cape knife at home with a sharpening stone, but sending it to be sharpened professionally is more ideal.
Is a normal skinning knife the same as a caper knife?
A skinning knife is much larger than a caper knife and therefore tends to be used for skinning larger sizes of game meat.
Can I use a caper knife as a simple utility knife?
Caper knives can be used as utility knife for cutting up veggies and other ingredients when camping.
Final Words
Overall, a Caper knife is used for skinning game meat, especially in detailed areas around the head or neck thanks to its smaller size than the average skinning knife. Always consider the blade steel and handle when choosing one of these specialized skinning knife types to ensure you’re getting a high-quality model.
