Almost Slit my Wrist with Havalon

[sahunter06]

Fixed Blade knife. Quartering up any large game isn’t meant to be done with scalpel thickness steel. Especially working around bones where force is applied to seperate joints or debone meat. I‘ve heard similar complaints from hunters that order custom fixed blades from me. A thinned steel knife like those is Not worth the price of what could have really been a bad experience. Glad you only required stitches and it wasn’t worse.

 

[KHNC]

Well, definitely do not go to the Iron Will lightweight knife. There are a couple of threads on here already about them. I can barely skin a deer without having to resharpen. When i tried to skin an elk, it was close to impossible. Multiple times resharpening, they just wont hold an edge. I had to use a back up knife i brought just in case. I stil use the IW for quick jobs on does, but not for any large bucks, elk or bears. I still use a Piranta as well, but have to be extremely careful, it is a dangerous knife without a doubt.

 

[roosiebull]

Cut up a bear a couple days ago. During the process, my Havalon blade popped off probably 4 or 5 times and then the blade finally broke. I have a baricuta and my wife has the piranta. I put a brand new baricuta blade on and started cutting the hide for a rug. At some point I got her piranta out and started using that. It was crazy to me how much sharper her piranta blade was than the baricuta. Dunno why - both brand new blades. Anyway the piranta blade was the one popping off. I was using the barricuta for cutting the joints and the heavy duty work. At one point the piranta gave way and the knife jammed into my other arm's wrist. Thank God the blade popped off and didn't break in have with a sharp portion still attached to the handle, or I would have slit my wrist 7 miles away from the truck. Freaks me out. Thinking it might be time to ditch the Havalon knives.

For you guys that use the other light weight knives, how many animals can you get out of them before they need sharpening?

I'm not the best at keeping the traditional knives I have for butchering and filleting sharp so as it is, so the appeal of throwing a new blade on is high. Also, if I shoot an animal one day, and want to hunt with my wife or whatever the next, I'm not going to have time or energy to play with sharpening between trips.

How are Randy Newberg's new knives for interchangble blades? Any better than the havalons? Or should I just go back to a traditional knife? Or many just be more careful with the havalons, but it's hard to do sometimes when you need to get a job done.

Havalons are dangerous, I have used some version of them the last 8-10yrs as a primary knife, currently using a tyto. Of all of those years cutting up a pile of critters, I rarely take another knife out of my pack, I like using them.

the past couple years I have been trying different fixed blades, I have a bunch... I’m a knife junky, but when it comes to it, my little fragile scalpel blade knives do the heavy lifting.

realizing how dangerous they are potentially, I have been looking for that “real knife” that will do the job.

the truth is, I have not found a knife that makes it through a whole elk without getting more dull than I like... even the benchmade altitude with its s90v blade gets dull breaking an elk down, and what I don’t like about it is that it’s hard to field sharpen.

My best compromise I have found is a Dalstrong shogun series paring knife, it’s the best blade steel I have used for breaking critters down in the woods... holds an edge really well but it’s easy to get back to really sharp.

I will never be without a flimsy blade replaceable blade knife, I like them, but I am trying to turn it into a secondary tool rather than primary, and that’s only because I think a real knife is safer to use.

the benchmade altitude is the perfect knife in theory, but that has not translated to real life, it gets dull before the first elk is cut up with it, and you need a fairly substantial sharpening system to bring it back to effortlessly popping hair... I may be odd man out, but I don’t think the really hard super steels are good for hunting knives

I want a knife that holds a good edge but also easy to field sharpen.

I don’t mind sharpening my knives, I actually enjoy it, but I don’t like doing it standing over a half cut up elk by myself with a bunch of work to do

 

[woods89]

I've used a Havalon a bit over the years. I don't view them as a bad design but it is very easy to use them outside of what they were designed for while processing an animal. They don't like pressure very well. I now have a Benchmade Steep Country and my Havalon comes along in support of that. Having said that, a really sharp fixed blade can mess you up quickly as well.

I think most of us underestimate just how dangerous processing in the backcountry can be. Often we are tired, it's dark, sometimes fingers are cold, and help is a long ways away. I have had to stop myself sometimes and remind myself to slow down.

OP, glad it turned out ok.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

the benchmade altitude is the perfect knife in theory, but that has not translated to real life, it gets dull before the first elk is cut up with it, and you need a fairly substantial sharpening system to bring it back to effortlessly popping hair... I may be odd man out, but I don’t think the really hard super steels are good for hunting knives

I want a knife that holds a good edge but also easy to field sharpen.

I don’t mind sharpening my knives, I actually enjoy it, but I don’t like doing it standing over a half cut up elk by myself with a bunch of work to do

This is really interesting to me. I quartered and deboned my bull last fall with a Benchmade Bugout in S30V and could still rough shave hair back at the truck... (mind you, I reprofiled the edge when I got it).

Maybe I am just extra good at avoiding hair and bone contact when I go gutless method? I dunno.

But I have no need for any more knife in my kit than that little Benchmade. I may still carry a big fixed blade backpack hunting for firewood duties, but that's about it.

 

[Beendare]

Delete

 

[CoStick]

I was breaking down a cow elk and the havalon slipped out of my hand and stuck into my thigh. I was really close to disaster, got lucky it didn’t hit anything major. I now use an Argali, if I don’t let it get too dull a couple passes on a strop keeps it super sharp.. I can also use a worksharp to sharpen. Pretty easy.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

I've got some scars on my left hand from outdoor edge and havalon. All user error on my part.
A wise man once told me "You're a surgeon not a samurai"

 

[MuleyFever]

I use a Havaln for skinning and an Outdoor Edge for the heavy cutting and it works great. I use the blade changer device for the Havalon so I dont risk cutting myself.

 

[CoStick]

How do you all pack out the broken blades?

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

How do you all pack out the broken blades?

Put them back into the package.

 

[Rob5589]

How do you all pack out the broken blades?

For the Outdoor Edge, I put the used blade in the plastic the new blade came from. The knife pouch has a sleeve for extra blades.

 

[BBob]

How do you all pack out the broken blades?

If I break one or change one out I roll them up in the used rubber gloves and put it in zip lock baggie with any other trash when I'm all done.

 

[BuzzH]

Best thing to do is take your time, there's no need to hurry once you have a critter on the ground dead. Its dead...it isn't going anywhere.

I've had to tell friends to slow down while processing an animal in the field dozens of times and everyone I've seen get cut was just not paying attention or in a hurry (myself included).

Right after I kill an animal, I take some photos, grab some water, sit down and maybe have a snack. Relax a bit, then get on with the processing.

Cutting yourself with a properly sharpened fixed blade is no different than an exchangeable blade knife...both happen for the same reasons, user error.

 

[prm]

I stuck a Havalon Piranta to the bone in my thumb while deboning an elk. It really is easy to do when your tired, cold, and wanting to get on with packing meat out. I was able to clean out the cut, put some Neosporin in it, then duct tape it and finish.
I now use a Benchmade Altitude (S90V). I seem to have a better feel for where the blade is, or perhaps more awareness. I'm not blaming the Piranta for me cutting myself, but man those things are scary sharp and things can go south fast. I know my limitations. I've kept the Piranta as a backup, but have not used it since. I deboned a mule deer and an elk without resharpening the Altitude and it was still fine.
My mistakes aside, the Havalon was fine for deboning an elk. I think I used two blades each time, swapping when I rolled the elk over. Obviously you can't do any prying with them, so they are limited in that regard. I never broke a blade or had one fall out.

 

[hikenhunt]

I've also done multiple animals with high quality steel knives without resharpening as well, but I still carry a small sharpener in the field just in case

 

[roosiebull]

This is really interesting to me. I quartered and deboned my bull last fall with a Benchmade Bugout in S30V and could still rough shave hair back at the truck... (mind you, I reprofiled the edge when I got it).

Maybe I am just extra good at avoiding hair and bone contact when I go gutless method? I dunno.

But I have no need for any more knife in my kit than that little Benchmade. I may still carry a big fixed blade backpack hunting for firewood duties, but that's about it.

Easily could be my carelessness of hair/bone contact, and also being spoiled by using a wicked sharp blade... if a knife won’t shave, I either set it down or sharpened it well before that. I like working with a very sharp blade.

don’t get me wrong, I could easily get through a bull with the altitude or my Dalstrong, but I want to be using a knife that shaves with no effort.

with replaceable blades, I have a system I can get through an elk with 2 blades and work with a sharp blade the whole time.

when blade 1 starts dulling, I do the knife wrecker work, switch blades and keep going. I think the little fragile knives with no soul have spoiled me using a scary sharp blade the whole job... and if it’s in my pack, I’m not going to use a dulling fixed blade. I just switch (or touch up if it’s a easy option)

I will say, my Dalstrongs hold an edge better than my s30v benchmades, and it comes back easier

 

[gelton]

I am pretty good at finding ways to cut myself so I don't want to carry a havalon so that I could make it any easier.

I completely ditched the replaceable blade category of knives and went with a Cutco drop point serrated edge which is a beast both functionally and weight-wise. Then my dad bought me a custom skinner that I felt obligated to carry and between both of them and their sheaths they have to weigh over a pound and a half.

Now with my pops getting older and me having to carry some of his gear, I am looking to cut weight again and considering an Argali + a Benchmade folder.

Besides the recent knife review on here does anyone have any experience with the Argali?

 

[Ross]

They have worked well for me as noted above take time, do not rush, be verrry careful. I use a very small pair of pliers to change the blade and when getting into heavy bone I grab my fixed blade skinner….just be more than careful or it could be a bad situationWe all make mistakes but this for sure is one you want to minimize and a clotting kit is a great addition to anyones gear.my buddy learned that in Montana a few years back never good when you hear oh know that was not good…he became a believer

 

[sahunter06]

Havalons are dangerous, I have used some version of them the last 8-10yrs as a primary knife, currently using a tyto. Of all of those years cutting up a pile of critters, I rarely take another knife out of my pack, I like using them.
the truth is, I have not found a knife that makes it through a whole elk without getting more dull than I like... even the benchmade altitude with its s90v blade gets dull breaking an elk down, and what I don’t like about it is that it’s hard to field sharpen.

My best compromise I have found is a Dalstrong shogun series paring knife, it’s the best blade steel I have used for breaking critters down in the woods... holds an edge really well but it’s easy to get back to really sharp.

I will never be without a flimsy blade replaceable blade knife, I like them, but I am trying to turn it into a secondary tool rather than primary, and that’s only because I think a real knife is safer to use.

the benchmade altitude is the perfect knife in theory, but that has not translated to real life, it gets dull before the first elk is cut up with it, and you need a fairly substantial sharpening system to bring it back to effortlessly popping hair... I may be odd man out, but I don’t think the really hard super steels are good for hunting knives

I want a knife that holds a good edge but also easy to field sharpen.

I don’t mind sharpening my knives, I actually enjoy it, but I don’t like doing it standing over a half cut up elk by myself with a bunch of work to do

Ask a bladesmith. It goes much deeper than just steel type as mentioned. There’s are many variables involved from a makers perspective. No one wants to stop and sharpen a knife while breaking down their game in the September heat on a early season Colorado hunt, when you need to get that meat cooled as quickly as possible. A dull knife is a dangerous knife. I always ask my customers whats the knife going to be used for, so I can align my process to fit their needs. While some production knives do a decent job overall, there’s no comparison to a knife built for a specific use such as skinning and quartering game in the field far from your drop camp or vehicle. Just something to think about.

Mine skinned and quartered my bull and could still shave forearm hair afterwards ( I built it for that purpose not general use)