APtravelnews-Knoxville, TN.-September 21st–Without a doubt, the knife and all its iterations (swords, spear heads, sharp blades, both fixed and folding) for a myriad of needs down through the history of man on earth, is probably the most important evolving  innovation in history. Today, knives are used and also collected by millions of people throughout the world (I just sent a collector in Germany, a military Swiss Army Knife style item from the 1930’s) Today, knives are also big business, very big business indeed! Knives are a multi-billion dollar business-all manner of folders and hunting style knives are bought in shops, mail order, on e-bay, Amazon, privately through collectors, etc. Frankly, as an outdoors oriented person who fishes, hunts, plays with throwing knives and hatchets as a hobby, or any other of mine, and others pursuit in the outdoors, or of course, indoor sports such as carving, I wouldn’t leave home without my trusty blade. For today, I’m profiling a few knives that would work for anyone heading out on a hike, to fish, hunt, camp or just have with them for even the mundane opening of a letter, box or cutting a thread or rope. The following three knives are all hunter, (will profile folders at a later date) non-folders:

Buck Knives have always been a standard of excellence and when I first met Buck Senior, he told me that “excellence is always what we strive for to be the best at what we do to make “keeper” knives that become heirlooms.” This Buck Omni Hunter is part of Chuck’s family of sportsmen and womans knives. Specs: 7 ¾ overall with a 3 ¼ 420 HC Stainless Drop Point blade. Handle: Black rubberized thermoplastic with a lanyard hole. Heavy Nylon belt sheath MSRP: $45.95  www.buckknives.com

Kershaw Antelope Hunter ll,  is a fine tool of a knife it comes in hunter orange and black. You can trust the finger grooved co-polymer handle to stay firmly in your hand through the thick and thin of blazing your trail.Specs:  overall length is 8 1/8 with a 3 5/8—8Cr13 MoV Stainless steel blade. Finger grooved Co-polymer handle in orange or black. It comes with a leather belt sheath MSRP: $34.95  www.kershawknives.com

Shrade SharpFinger comes in a brown, orange or camo handled stainless steel knife. I personally have an originally made knife for the past 3-decades and think it is the most ergonomic knife in my collection. As its namesake says, it is really like an extension of the index finger allowing precision in cutting open a fish or any cutting job at home or on the trail. A great knife to carry anytime! Specs: 7-inch overall length full tang for strength. The 3 ½ stainless steel blade is Cr 17 MoV High Carbon. A through- the- tang -lanyard hole. MSRP:  $25.95 www.taylorbrandsllc.com