who's using replaceable blade knives?

[HIGHLANDER HUNTING]

I made the switch to a replaceable blade razor knife last year.
For the kind of backpack style hunting that I do, it's great.

Just wondering who's using them, who isn't and why?

Cheers.
John
highlanderhunting.podbean.com

[madball]

I've been using the Gerber Vital for a few years now and I love it. I've done a number of deer and I did my elk with nothing but it this year too.

[elkhunter11]

I had my first experience with a Havalon in cold temperatures last month, and was not impressed. Once the fat and blood froze on the blade, it was very difficult to change out the blade.

[madball]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I had my first experience with a Havalon in cold temperatures last month, and was not impressed. Once the fat and blood froze on the blade, it was very difficult to change out the blade.

If you like the knife other than that issue I'd look at the Vital from Gerber. It uses the same blade as the Havalon but it has an actual button to release the blade and works a lot easier.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by madball

If you like the knife other than that issue I'd look at the Vital from Gerber. It uses the same blade as the Havalon but it has an actual button to release the blade and works a lot easier.

I still prefer a different blade shape myself.

[Mike_W]

I dislike the havalon. I cannot speak for the gerber or the outdoor edge versions.
I tried one on an elk and for my style or maybe I required a learning curve, I felt the knife was too small, which made things slow, it was too flimsy and broke a few blades, I also found the blades to dull very quickly.
Myself I am use to using hard high quality D2 tool steel knives where I can cut through hair on legs and push and pull hard and having a 4 inch blade to allow for longer skinning strokes.
At the end of the day I hated the havalon I feel it is a cheap gimmick for guys that are use to crappy knives and cant sharpen. I would hate to use one in cold weather as well, although my experience was in early fall where getting an animal quartered and out cooling in a speedy time is important the time spent ****ing around was far too long not to mention unsafe and small blade that dulls far too quick.

It does work nice for caping back at camp and it might be ideal for a sheep hunter where every ounce is important however I still feel there are better options for this.

[HIGHLANDER HUNTING]

Originally Posted by Mike_W

I dislike the havalon. I cannot speak for the gerber or the outdoor edge versions.
I tried one on an elk and for my style or maybe I required a learning curve, I felt the knife was too small, which made things slow, it was too flimsy and broke a few blades, I also found the blades to dull very quickly.
Myself I am use to using hard high quality D2 tool steel knives where I can cut through hair on legs and push and pull hard and having a 4 inch blade to allow for longer skinning strokes.
At the end of the day I hated the havalon I feel it is a cheap gimmick for guys that are use to crappy knives and cant sharpen. I would hate to use one in cold weather as well, although my experience was in early fall where getting an animal quartered and out cooling in a speedy time is important the time spent ****ing around was far too long not to mention unsafe and small blade that dulls far too quick.

It does work nice for caping back at camp and it might be ideal for a sheep hunter where every ounce is important however I still feel there are better options for this.

D2, sounds like you know your tool steels.
I've been thinking of attempting to make a knife out of D2. Maybe when I'm retired.....
Anyhow, the Havalon I have was a gift. I like it for the speed of it. However it does take a while to get used to it. They're so sharp you need to always keep fingers clear.
For blade changes I used to use a multitool but now just use my fingers, just be careful.

Most of my animals are done gutless now. So I think it's a good fit for that style, but I still have a sharp lock blade knife for the heavy duty jobs.

I'd like to try another brand as well. I imagine other company's have taken the initial idea and improved it in some ways.

Cheers
John
highlanderhunting.podbean.com

[209x50]

Originally Posted by Mike_W

I dislike the havalon. I cannot speak for the gerber or the outdoor edge versions.
I tried one on an elk and for my style or maybe I required a learning curve, I felt the knife was too small, which made things slow, it was too flimsy and broke a few blades, I also found the blades to dull very quickly.
Myself I am use to using hard high quality D2 tool steel knives where I can cut through hair on legs and push and pull hard and having a 4 inch blade to allow for longer skinning strokes.
At the end of the day I hated the havalon I feel it is a cheap gimmick for guys that are use to crappy knives and cant sharpen. I would hate to use one in cold weather as well, although my experience was in early fall where getting an animal quartered and out cooling in a speedy time is important the time spent ****ing around was far too long not to mention unsafe and small blade that dulls far too quick.

It does work nice for caping back at camp and it might be ideal for a sheep hunter where every ounce is important however I still feel there are better options for this.

Yeah, this sums up my luck with the Havalon. The blades are way too flimsy for me.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Mike_W

I dislike the havalon. I cannot speak for the gerber or the outdoor edge versions.
I tried one on an elk and for my style or maybe I required a learning curve, I felt the knife was too small, which made things slow, it was too flimsy and broke a few blades, I also found the blades to dull very quickly.
Myself I am use to using hard high quality D2 tool steel knives where I can cut through hair on legs and push and pull hard and having a 4 inch blade to allow for longer skinning strokes.
At the end of the day I hated the havalon I feel it is a cheap gimmick for guys that are use to crappy knives and cant sharpen. I would hate to use one in cold weather as well, although my experience was in early fall where getting an animal quartered and out cooling in a speedy time is important the time spent ****ing around was far too long not to mention unsafe and small blade that dulls far too quick.

It does work nice for caping back at camp and it might be ideal for a sheep hunter where every ounce is important however I still feel there are better options for this.

I took 90% of this deer apart with a havalon. I could have done it all. I also know what a good knife is and how to sharpen one. I had a razor sharp Ingram knife in my pack as well. If you are rammy and ham fisted you may have problems.

[last minute]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I had my first experience with a Havalon in cold temperatures last month, and was not impressed. Once the fat and blood froze on the blade, it was very difficult to change out the blade.

I often wonder about fat and the cold

Good to know in cold weather bring a couple of knifes.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by last minute

I often wonder about fat and the cold

Good to know in cold weather bring a couple of knifes.

Have a few and when one bungs up slip it into the ribs, grab the other, repeat as required pulling the warm knife out and removing the fat prior to start cutting.

[Dean2]

I have used a number of the various replaceable blade knives. Went back to a regular knife. I have no problem getting and keeping a razor edge on D2 or SV30 steel so I see no advantage to the changeable blades and the regular knives are far more robust. Try splitting a brisket on a deer or moose with one of the changeable;e blade types, not going to happen but I do it all the time with a good folder or fixed blade.. I can put a diamond steel to a blade faster than I can replace a blade and no danger of cutting myself or needing a multi tool.

The only use I have for the replaceable blade knives is fine work around eyes, lips etc when capping. There the thin flexible blade is an advantage. To be honest I am too cheap to buy replacement blades so I resharpen them once I get a couple replaced. With a good stone and a leather strop I can get them back to as razor sharp as they were from the package.

[Drewski Canuck]

Been around for a VERY LONG TIME.

Very handy for gutting (incorporates a Gut Hook) and for skinning.

Blades are about $7.00, and are very very sharp.

Cannot really re sharpen the blades, but typically not an issue at the price of a new blade.

Drewski

[Dick284]

Yup I'm using them now too.

First it was because I was gifted a Havalon. They sure are sharp, but man are they delicate, nick a bone and it's dull. Then there's the nightmare changing one of them, I won't do it without a multi-tool(I see that Havalon has a tool now).

Then I bought an Outdoor Edge model, just cuz the price was right. Maybe not as sharp as the Havalon, but way more rohbust, and blade changes are a breeze.

The only take away I have with both models is safely disposing of the blades.

For the money they are a win.
You don't have to have a sharpener, which I still do.....
They aren't a butcher knife, so if you wanna try breaking a critter down with one, enjoy yourself.
Great starting point for the beginner, but may I recommend a knit Kevlar gloves, as there is the inevitable cuts and knicks that will happen.

[wildwoods]

I use a Havalon Piranta. The barracudas are good but the blades are way too expensive to justify heavy use. I simple use the piranta for skimming (2 deer roughly) and back a Henkel boning knife for quartering.

[agentsmith]

I have a Havalon Piranta, though due to my relative inexperience it's only been used on 2 deer so far. Used it to gut, skin, and quarter a good sized buck last week. I even used it to separate joints, but if you're really digging & prying on something, you'll want a more sturdy blade. It was getting kinda dull by the end, but still usable. Only nicked myself twice. When it's clean I can CAREFULLY change the blade with just my fingers, but when it's dirty I definitely need pliers.

[HIGHLANDER HUNTING]

Originally Posted by agentsmith

I have a Havalon Piranta, though due to my relative inexperience it's only been used on 2 deer so far. Used it to gut, skin, and quarter a good sized buck last week. I even used it to separate joints, but if you're really digging & prying on something, you'll want a more sturdy blade. It was getting kinda dull by the end, but still usable. Only nicked myself twice. When it's clean I can CAREFULLY change the blade with just my fingers, but when it's dirty I definitely need pliers.

Smith, did you connect with your mountain mule deer?

[Freerider]

I have the larger havalon barracuda really like it I don’t find blade changes to difficult but the smart thing to do is use a multitool I am not that smart and haven’t cut myself yet. I just bought the Havalon Jim Shockey multitool because it had the gut hook and the smaller blade I thought might come in handy used it for the first time and first time ever I broke a blade. With the barracuda I’ve done 3 elk and 6 deer and a bear no issue.

[Battle Rat]

Yes replacable blades are sharp and cheap.
The are cheap because of the low cost/quality of the steal used.
A good quality steel, such as D2 that has been mentioned, will alow you to two skin moose before sharpening.
I can touch up a blade quicker than I can change out a blade on a disposable.
A small steel is used frequently will help keep any type of edge last longer.
To use a disposable blade knife to me is akin to putting a Tasco on a #1.
Spend wisely and buy quality is better in the long run.

[Peebles]

I use a Havalon Piranta but I can't imagine it being the only knife in my kit or doing a whole deer with it, let alone anything larger. It's my tool of choice for fine work, caping, and removing the head. Some hunters like it for the anus but I'd rather use a real knife there.

It's good for its specific tasks, but the blades are fragile and can't cover the range of scenarios I count on my pocket knife for. I have a Ritter Griptilian in M390 that handles my other cutting chores with ease.

I strop the blades with 1μm diamond paste at least once before disposing of them. Good as new and economical too. I bought what looks like will be a lifetime of blades for under fifteen bucks. Changing the blades without pliers is certainly a pain, so I always use the proper tool.

[agentsmith]

Originally Posted by HIGHLANDER HUNTING

Smith, did you connect with your mountain mule deer?

Nope, no luck at all in that department. I did connect with a nice whitetail elsewhere though.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Yup I'm using them now too.

First it was because I was gifted a Havalon. They sure are sharp, but man are they delicate, nick a bone and it's dull. Then there's the nightmare changing one of them, I won't do it without a multi-tool(I see that Havalon has a tool now).

Then I bought an Outdoor Edge model, just cuz the price was right. Maybe not as sharp as the Havalon, but way more rohbust, and blade changes are a breeze.

The only take away I have with both models is safely disposing of the blades.

For the money they are a win.
You don't have to have a sharpener, which I still do.....
They aren't a butcher knife, so if you wanna try breaking a critter down with one, enjoy yourself.
Great starting point for the beginner, but may I recommend a knit Kevlar gloves, as there is the inevitable cuts and knicks that will happen.

Where did you get them and do you consider them to be sufficiently tactile enough to use a knife handily? I guess you must considering that you use them but I had a brief look on the interweb and they look bulky. I'm probably not looking at the same gloves you have. I am interested though I'm nursing a trigger finger knife cut that I got 5 stitches in a couple months ago and it's not the same finger any more.

[rem338win]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I have used a number of the various replaceable blade knives. Went back to a regular knife. I have no problem getting and keeping a razor edge on D2 or SV30 steel so I see no advantage to the changeable blades and the regular knives are far more robust. Try splitting a brisket on a deer or moose with one of the changeable;e blade types, not going to happen but I do it all the time with a good folder or fixed blade.. I can put a diamond steel to a blade faster than I can replace a blade and no danger of cutting myself or needing a multi tool.

The only use I have for the replaceable blade knives is fine work around eyes, lips etc when capping. There the thin flexible blade is an advantage. To be honest I am too cheap to buy replacement blades so I resharpen them once I get a couple replaced. With a good stone and a leather strop I can get them back to as razor sharp as they were from the package.

Originally Posted by graybeard

Now this guy "gets it".

There is no substitute for high end steel. A hard steel will easily do 2-3 animals with no sharpening.
Those Havalon replacement blades can be sharpened easily, with a hand held style Lansky-quick edge - hand-held, sharpener....3-4 pulls and a razor sharp knife again.

The problem is you're not getting it.

My custom with L6 will easily do 15-20 animals with a little leather stropping a time or two if I do the old gut and skin method.

The replaceable blade knives excel for back packing or wilderness hunting where the gutless method and boning completely are more common.

I don't think the surgical blade knives had replaced good old steel. It just better at certain things.

[58thecat]

Yup, just cut up, deboned an entire deer, start to finish in an hour with an ezacto knife. Been doing it for years.

[covey ridge]

I really like the outdoor edge knives. I hope that everyone that uses these knives use care in how and where they dispose of used blades.

[JohninAB]

I had the Havalon to begin with, never tried it on a big game animal but love it for grouse. I too use a multi tool to switch the blades out.

Have the Outdoor Edge one now too and used it on a moose and was impressed. As Dick284 stated earlier, I am going to get a glove like one uses for filleting fish as I did donate some blood to the gods that day.

I also carry the "old" style and a stone as well just in case.

[winchtr]

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!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[thumper]

Originally Posted by winchtr

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!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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

[HIGHLANDER HUNTING]

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

[MartyT]

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.