Havalon Knives

K

kraigwy

New member
Yesterday I was browsing Cabala's and just because I couldn't find anything else to waste money on I bought one of the Havalon Knives with replaceable blades.

Anyone ever use one? How long do the blades last?

Can you get through dressing something like an elk with one. Normal I have to touch up the edge on my knives.

Just curious how these things hold up. The blades are super sharp, just wondering it its worth taking hunting.
 
The only replaceable blade knives I've used have been the basic "utility knives", specifically the folding ones by sheffield. I use the hook blades and the regular blades. They are carbon steel and sharpen easily. I have wondered about the Havalon and others but just couldn't warm up to them. I'm still waiting my chance to use my Outdoor Edge Swing Blade I bought myself for Christmas. Any idea what sort of steel the cutting edge is?
 
I have been running the Havalon knife for a while now and love it! My buddy and I used our Havalons 2 years ago to process his bull but we did not try to do a test on how long we could go without changing blades. That is the beauty of the knife you can have a scalpel sharp knife from start to finish by simply changing blades in seconds as soon as you are slightly unhappy with the speed in which you are butchering.

Not sure if that helps or not but I can tell you my Havalon has butchered a Javelina, 2 pronghorn, a cow elk and one bull elk so far and I have no intention of going back to a regular knife. I cut a few ounces in my pack by not carrying extra knives or a sharpening stone, just extra blades and an old plastic pill bottle to put the old blades in as a sharps contained.
 
Mine, the Piranta, gutted, and helped quarter my cow elk last year. Used one blade, and was still sharp enough after that to cut up some fresh tenderloin for dinner. Best knife for cutting hide I've ever used/seen.............goes through it like butter.

I carry it and my Wyoming knife while out hiking (Wyoming knife does have a shorter overall length and the gut hook, which come in handy).

Two of my brothers, that saw my knife in action on the cow, have since purchased thier own. It won't replace a good hunting knife for everything, but sure is a good addition, and is well worth the money.
 
kraigwy
I was browsing Cabala's
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"cabala's"? Is that where Madonna shops? lol

I'm old school when I want to change blades, I just lose my knife.

More to the point of discussion: having cut myself up a bit mounting/un-mounting broadheads, but never while re-sharpening, I'm not leaning toward changing blades when I don't have to. Generally, reviews of the Havalon have been good, though, from what I've read.
 
I've been having some trouble finding a good replacement for my Wyoming knife, over the last 3-5 years. I've tried a few different things, and really didn't like any of them. The Wyoming knife was never really the end-all, be-all for me, but it was nice to have.

But, after seeing Crankylove's Piranta slice through that elk like butter (the hide, in particular), I was very interested. The fact that the blade was still sharper than any other knife in camp, while being used as a camp knife for the rest of the week, had me completely sold.

I wanted one, anyway, but when I came across a discontinued Piranta model (60EX, I think), on clearance for about $12, there was no hesitation. It was mine. The Wyoming knife was retired.


In my opinion, they don't directly replace any general purpose or skinning knife, for the average hunter. But, they make a very nice addition.
 
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One of my hunting buddies has one just like yours. He loves it. I own a WorkSharp knife sharpener. I can sharpen my older BUCK model 105 to same razor sharpness as your knife. BUCK has mastered the business of tempering cutlery steel.

Good hunting to you.
Jack
 
A hunting buddy had one of those last year in elk camp. I remember being impressed. I do recall him changing the blade at least once, but we had multiple elk down that trip so a blade may have lasted for an entire elk, gutting and skinning. I don't recall. Like I said though, when the blades are sharp, I was impressed.
 
A buddy of mine has one. I was checking it out after hearing about them when we were out pig hunting. He went through a couple blades skinning and quartering the pigs. His was like this one
http://www.havalon.com/piranta-edge-skinning-knife-xt60edge.html

The blades are pretty flimsy.

Another buddy or ours had The Outdoor Edge Razor Lite

http://www.outdooredge.com/category-s/31.htm

Man it was a night and day difference between the 2. The Outdoor edge is by far a better knife. The guy that had the Havalon said he was getting a Razor-lite before this season.

After messing with both of them I bought myself a Razor Lite too. I just posted a link to their site, you can find them cheaper other places.
 
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