Damascus Skinning Knife with Camel Bone Handle and Tooled Leather Sheath

A skinning knife is for the part of the day when the hide comes off. The blade is short and broad with a deep rounded belly, since the cut is a long sweep along the curve rather than a poke with the tip. This one is a 3.5 inch drop point blade in hand forged Damascus, 7 inches overall, full tang through a cream camel bone handle, with a tooled leather belt sheath.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the layers show as light and dark bands. No two billets move the same under the hammer. At 3.5 inches the blade is small, and that is the point of it, since a short blade turns tighter around a joint and stays easy to control. It is a drop point, so the spine curves down to meet the belly and the point finishes low. Carbon steel sits under the pattern, so it will rust if left wet.

The handle

Camel bone is pale cream, close grained and hard, with fine natural marks that no two pieces share. It takes a smooth finish without turning slippery in a wet hand, and it does not pull warmth out of your fingers in the cold. At 3.5 inches the handle puts your hand up close behind the edge, where you want it for detail work. The tang is full, one piece of steel from tip to butt, with brass pins through the bone scales.

The leather sheath

The sheath is cut for this knife, so the blade seats properly and does not shift. It is vegetable tanned leather with a wide belt loop stitched to the back and a strap that crosses the handle and closes with a snap. The edge is welted, so a strip of leather sits between the seam and the blade and keeps the stitching off the edge. It is stitched by hand, and the face is hand tooled with a carved rope border around a small floral center, so no two faces match.

Who it suits

A small skinner for people who like a short blade and close control, and for buyers who want pale bone against etched steel. It is also the easiest one here to carry.

• Hunters who prefer a short blade for close work
• Anyone skinning smaller game or working joints
• Buyers who want bone rather than wood
• Someone buying a gift for a hunter

What comes in the box

• The Damascus skinning knife
• The tooled leather belt sheath
• A care card
• A free laser engraving quote on request

Every piece is different

Each knife is forged, ground and finished by hand, so nothing is an exact copy. The Damascus pattern, the color of the camel bone and the depth of the tooling vary from the photographs. Yours will be its own piece.

Looking after it

Wash and dry it by hand every time. Never the dishwasher, never wet in a pack, and dishwasher damage voids the warranty. The carbon under the Damascus takes on a gray patina, which is normal and protects the steel. Oil it lightly before the season ends and dry the leather away from heat. Sharpen at roughly 20 degrees per side, then strop. More in our knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per blade, added on this page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade, and a longer message suits the sheath. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Clean line art engraves cleanly. Free on orders of 10 pieces or more. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is a skinning knife used for? It takes the hide off game with a sweeping cut along the curved belly.

Is a 3.5 inch blade long enough for deer? Yes. It turns tighter around joints and is easier to control.

Why is the point low? So the tip does not catch under the hide.

Is camel bone hard wearing? Yes. Keep it out of long soaks and it holds its finish.

How sharp is it out of the box? Sharpened by hand, ready to use.

How long until it ships and can I return it? Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days. Returns run 30 days, unused and unsharpened.

The Damascus skinner with a buffalo horn handle is the longer blade, and the Damascus gut hook skinning knife with a rosewood handle adds a hook in the spine. More sits in skinner knives, bone handle knives and Damascus steel.