I am a firm believer in Havalon as well. I bought my replacement blades off Amazon.ca. If you look around there are some great deals on there. I bought a package of the "blunt" tip ones. I like them better for the most part, they are amazing for caping as well.

I carry both a Havalon and a meatier CRKT knife when hunting. I like the Havalon for finer work but don't see it as a stand alone.

Been awhile since I've used either so my opinion doesn't carry much weight.

I always use my old dependable Kershaw for gutting everything. 30 plus years and will never get rid of it.

As to skinning, for many years, have always used a simple utility knife. Works great, and simply replace the blades when required.

This year, I bought a Browning "Speed Load" folder knife. Same idea as the other replaceable blade system, but short stubby replacement blades. Best thing about this knife...one can use utility blades. More comfortable handle compared to the usual CT type utility knife.

This Browning system is nice. For $39.99, you get the folder plus 4 blades ( skinner, caper, guthook, and utility). And a sheath. One can buy a four pack replacement blades for $6.99. Lot cheaper than competitors.

relpaceable blade knives
 

AS a hunting guide for sturgeon river outfitters,near Gearldton ont,skinned over 60 black bears,this past two years,these knives work really well,i can do about 3 bears with one blade--I have many knives,big and small,different blade styles--and before the cancellation of the spring bear hunt in Ont i gutted and skinned many hundreds of bears with those knives---IE a 5 bear night 2016.

I have a small havalon , works great for Caping and basic skinning. Blade drops quick and you keep going for a low price point. The outdoor edge seems like a middle ground as far as rigidity goes but I can’t attest to that. Have a cutco with gut hook I bought this year and lasted well through 2 moose and 4 deer before I actually wanted it to be sharper. So dropped off and they just mailed a new knife which is pretty cool. Not sure what cutco is doin but edge holds exceptionally. Quite surprising actually .

A for the last 4 - 5 years I have used both a Havalon Piranta and Barracuda for skinning and field dressing moose and elk. Using a multi tool to change blades, I typically replace the Piranta blade after working on an entire animal. This year I mounted a gut hook on the Barracuda and found it to be quite effective and efficient. I do not use either knife on bone.

I have also used the Barracuda for filleting and cleaning fish as well as de-breasting Canada Geese - very effective for these tasks!

Havalons are my preferred knife choice!


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Problem I see with the replaceable blades is darn near 40-% of gut plies you see there's blades left behind, just more litter all cause a guy who can't sharpen a knife, I skinned an elk 2 bear and mule deer and wolf all on my puma without sharpening it.

Personally never seen that but if guys are really leaving blades in or near gut piles they need a kick square in the nutz. That is absolutely the stupidest thing I can think of. Proper disposal of used blades is always going to be a problem but throwing them someplace another animal can ingest them defies belief.

Never have left a disposable blade behind, but I have left a knife!

I use a Outdoor Edge. I will buy a Havalon eventually. Just because. Keep one in the truck.

http://www.coldsteel.com/pendleton-mini-hunter.html decent knife, good value, holds edge very well.

Last week I tried a second Havalon to clean and skin a moose, and I am still not sold on them. Being warmer out, it was easier to change blades, than previously with material freezing on the blade, but I still prefer a blade that I can clean an animal with, without having to change blades or touch up, and as I found before, I prefer a different blade shape for skinning.

I just checked out the Havalon gut/saw blade combo - $17.65 on Amazon US, and $41.65 on Amazon Canada!

I'm still happy with my Havalon and will likely use it again in 2018.
Unless Santa brings me something different. Haha

Cheers
John
highlanderhunting.wordpress.com

got an outdoor edge last Christmas as a gift so this fall I used it and WOW those blades are sharp and make you think several times over what you are doing when you are elbows deep gutting an animal. I still carry my fixed blade knives as after 30 years it doesn't feel right hunting without one on my belt but this little outdoor edge is now a permanent fixture in my gear.

Think Outdoor Edge will be the one I try next.

Me too. I want to try their Razor edge, with the gut blade.

Bikersroad
 

I bought one this year.
Carried my puma and this new knife while hunting. Not until I harvested a bull moose at last light it became evident that these blade changing knifes are the way to go.
Hands freezing and trying to do a gutt job my standard blade was dulling because of a extremely trick hide.
Went with the replacement knife and life was so much easier.
It will never replace my puma but they differently have a place in my hunting kit.
Cheers

I own and use a Havalon Torch. I think it's an exceptional little knife except for one important caveat - it's not totally reliable.

It's light weight and form factor are not impervious to damage, accidental or not. If I'm 5 miles from the truck with an animal down, I'm not taking a chance that my knife will let me down.

I always have a fixed blade in my pack, and the Havalon as a back-up.
It's very light so it serves that purpose well.

I'm old school I suppose, as I prefer hand crafted blades. Here are my 2 favorites of many. The bottom one is a 128 layer Damascus recently gifted to me by my brother. The knife maker is from Montana. The top one is my own design, made by H. Colver out of Maine USA.

https://s31.postimg.org/z4zndi3cn/DSC_0662.jpg

I have custom knives and a havalon
Tried the gerber but if you twist it just wrong the button that releases the blade brakes off and the knife is useless
I buy my blades from the vet clinic in town. 100 for about $20
Same as the havilon blades. Use it more on the farm than hunting
But i do pack one in my sheep pack.
But prefer my custom knives. Better feel and works better for me

I have a havalon, has its use which i use for caping overwise not sold on it, too flimsy.

Bought a outdoor edge but havent tried it yet, like that it's more solid.

Always carry my gerber gator, doesn't leave my side when hunting and a replaceable blade wont change that