Field dressing knife

Abstract

A knife includes a body that includes a handle section, a substantially circular blade housing section, and a blade including a cutting edge having substantially the same radius of curvature of the blade housing. The substantially circular blade housing section extends substantially perpendicular from the handle section. The blade extends longitudinally out of the blade housing at a position substantially 180° away from the position of the handle section along the circumference of the blade housing and terminates in a sharp point. The width of the blade at the portion immediately adjacent to the blade housing and opposite the blade point is substantially equal to the diameter of the blade housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A knife comprising:
 a body having a handle section secured to a substantially circular edge of a planar blade housing section that extends substantially perpendicular from the handle section, wherein the handle section is rigidly affixed to the blade housing section at a position along the circumference of the housing; and   a blade having a convex cutting edge affixed within the blade housing section, wherein the blade extends longitudinally out of the blade housing section at a position along the circumference of the blade housing substantially 180° away from the position of the handle section along the circumference of the blade housing, wherein the width of the blade immediately adjacent to the blade housing is substantially equal to the diameter of the blade housing and wherein the convex cutting edge of the blade has substantially the same radius of curvature as the blade housing.   
     
     
       2. The knife of  claim 1 , wherein a bore extends through a proximal end of the handle section. 
     
     
       3. The knife of  claim 2 , wherein a grip handle extends through the bore in the proximal end of the handle section, wherein the grip handle is substantially perpendicular to the body, and wherein the grip handle is interchangeable to accommodate a right-hander user and a left-handed user. 
     
     
       4. A knife of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the knife is formed in two parts that enable separation of the body for at least one of replacing the blade and sharpening the blade, and wherein the body includes means for connecting the two parts. 
     
     
       5. A knife comprising:
 a body having a handle section and a blade housing section that extends transversely from the handle section, the handle section including a proximal end, a distal end, and a length therebetween, the blade housing section having a front end, a back end, a top edge, and a bottom edge, wherein the top edge extends between the front end and the handle section and the bottom edge extends between the front end and the back end;   a first cutting edge coupled to the blade housing section, the first cutting edge extending from the top edge of the blade housing section, wherein the first cutting edge is concave and originates and terminates at the top edge; and   a second cutting edge coupled to the blade housing section, the second cutting edge extending from the bottom edge of the blade housing section, wherein the second cutting edge originates and terminates at the bottom edge;   wherein one of the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge is curved along a majority of a length thereof.   
     
     
       6. The knife of claim 5, wherein the second cutting edge extends less than 0.25 inches past the bottom edge of the blade housing section. 
     
     
       7. The knife of claim 5, wherein the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge are separate edges of a single blade. 
     
     
       8. The knife of claim 7, wherein the body of the knife is formed of two removably coupled parts and the blade is disposed at least partially between the two parts. 
     
     
       9. The knife of claim 5, wherein the second cutting edge is convex. 
     
     
       10. A knife comprising:
 a body having a handle section and a blade housing section that extends transversely from the handle section, the handle section including a proximal end, a distal end, and a length therebetween, the blade housing section having a top edge and a bottom edge;   a first cutting edge coupled to the blade housing section, the first cutting edge extending from the top edge of the blade housing section, wherein the first cutting edge is concave   a second cutting edge coupled to the blade housing section, the second cutting edge extending from the bottom edge of the blade housing section;   wherein one of the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge is curved along a majority of a length thereof; and   a grip handle extending transversely from the proximal end of the handle section of the body, wherein a length of the grip handle is substantially perpendicular to the length of the handle section and a length of the blade housing section.   
     
     
       11. The knife of claim 10, wherein the grip handle is removably coupled to the handle section of the body. 
     
     
       12. A knife comprising:
 a body having a handle section and a blade housing section that extends transversely from the handle section, the handle section including a proximal end, a distal end, and a length therebetween, the blade housing section having a front end, a back end, a top edge, and a bottom edge, wherein the top edge extends between the front end and the handle section and the bottom edge extends between the front end and the back end; and   a blade at least partially disposed within the blade housing section, the blade including a first cutting edge extending from the top edge of the blade housing section, wherein the first cutting edge is concave and originates and terminates at the top edge, and a second cutting edge extending from the bottom edge of the blade housing section, wherein the second cutting edge originates and terminates at the bottom edge.   
     
     
       13. The knife of claim 12, wherein the second cutting edge is convex. 
     
     
       14. The knife of claim 13, wherein the body of the knife is formed of two parts removably coupled together by a fastener. 
     
     
       15. The knife of claim 14, further comprising:
 a grip handle extending transversely from the proximal end of the handle section of the body, wherein a length of the grip handle is transverse to the length of the handle section and the length of the blade housing section.   
     
     
       16. The knife of claim 15, wherein the grip handle is removably coupled to the handle section of the body.