Bring sharpener for fixed blade or ditch it for a Havalon?

[6mm Remington]

I like a knife with a 3-4" blade as that seems to be a sweet spot for me. Large enough but not too big. I carry either my Ruana Steelhead knife with the 3 1/2" blade or the 5AD with the 4" blade. In addition I also carry either my Buck 110 or Schrade folders. I just like having two knives. In addition I found ceramic sharpening rods on the internet for just a few dollars each and they work great for touchups should it be needed. The sharpener is shown below with my Benchmade mini-Barrage with it's 2.9" blade.

 

[PathFinder]

I've tried a few different combos, some truck hunting but mostly backpacking:

• Traditional, large hunting knives. A Buck V52 in their 420HC, and a custom in 440c. This worked but was heavy and bulky.
• Havalon/60A replaceable razor blades for several years. Never hated it but changing blades in the dark and cold with slick hands was an unnecessary annoyance. Tended to poke and cut myself a lot more with them. The only reason for this combo was absolute minimum weight. Still have these and use them for detail skinning (paws, turning ears/lips, etc) at home.
• Higher performance UL/small knives. Only tried one, the Iron Will K1. Same weight as the 60A type knives, but no blade changing or breakage. Works well, but it struggles and needs a touch-up at the end of an animal.
  • A2 is a non-ideal choice for this type of knife. CPM-M4 or something even harder would be better. It's short on wear resistance and prioritizes toughness for a knife that really should prioritize the opposite.
  • I'd try another similar knife, but they don't come in the sort of steel I'd like with a reputable heat treat.
• This year I'm going to carry one knife to cut weight, and use it for everything. Going to try a couple of Spyderco Para 3 LW in CPM-M4 and CPM-15V. They weigh 2.4 oz, have excellent ergos, and the steel/heat treat maximizes wear resistance while retaining sufficient toughness. From my initial testing they hold an edge unlike anything I've ever owned, so the theory is that they'll be able to handle a full elk/deer plus any odd chores without needing any kind of edge maintenance during a backpack hunt. Heavier than the UL knives, but vs carrying the small knife, a folder in my pocket, and a small sharpener the weight savings are worthwhile.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I prefer the Outdoor Edge over the Havalon. I have never broke a blade on the OE. I gave my Havalon away.

 

[tombombadilo]

I'm in the "bring both" camp, and I firmly agree about the dangers of trying to swap Havalon blades with bloody hands. I strongly recommend dulling the entire length of a "done" blade on a rock before removing it. I also like bringing multiple pairs of nitrile gloves to keep my hands and the meat clean.

 

[Halfdozen Hunter]

Hey y'all,

Thanks for any input. I'm hoping for advice for a backcountry kit for boning out a mule deer. I want to go very lightweight as I'm hunting far out there but don't want to sacrifice my ability to do a good, thorough job. It will be my first time butchering a deer and I want to do it well.

The question is, if I buy a sharpener for my Morakniv Companion that I already own is that a decent setup? Or would I really benefit from having something like a Havalon Piranta? Would anyone make an argument that I should really be bringing both?

Thanks Much,
-S

Montana Knife Company makes really good knives. Hardly ever have to touch it up.

 

[droptine818]

I bring both. I use the scalpel to do some smaller cuts and what not when skinning but that is about it though. Last season I got a nice cut right on my face when my scalpel blade broke and flew past my eye….I’ll be sticking to my knife for most work from now on. Probably was pushing the scalpel a little too hard as far as what it’s meant for I’ll admit but I’d rather avoid any unnecessary mistakes from now on

 

[huntingislife]

I have a gerber vital I perfer over the havalon because its easier (and safer) to change the blades. i have the regular blades and gut hook blades for it

 

[eaglemountainman]

I carry 2 fixed blades in my pack on all hunts. I have yet to need the second blade to finish processing any animal, but it's reassuring to know its there. As far as the extra weight, I can take the second blade out or put it back in the pack and never notice the difference. Even if I did, sometimes the advantage is worth the penalty.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I got a havalon when they first came out. While I admit they aren’t perfect for everything or everyone, I continue to use them on multiple animals every year. My sons have outdoor edge replaceable and they like those too.

 

[TheLastFrontier]

I've been using the Havalon as my primary for the past few years now and I haven't had any of the blades break on me and never had any problems replacing the blades in the field. To pull the blades off I use the tip of my pocket knife and pry the blade up and then push it forward with the side of my knife blade so I'm not using my hands at all. I really like how easy it is to cut with the scalpel blades but you do have to be pretty careful - especially if theres more than one of you cutting up an animal at the same time. I still bring my Benchmade Steep Country as a backup but haven't needed it yet.