Don’t be stupid like me. Knives are sharp.

[Fireflyfishing]

Havalon knives are a no for me unless I need to do detailed work. After all, you don’t see butchers using scalpels and doctors using butchers knives…food for thought.

 

[waspocrew]

A no-cut glove on the hand opposite of the one holding the knife will save your bacon - please don't ask how I know this. I nearly saw a fatality in a gutting/quartering operation on a kid's first mule deer buck. Dad was standing at the buck's head leaned over and holding the front legs open and (for some unknown reason) the kid decided he was going to split the ribcage with a knife. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict what was about to happen - that first rib broke under extreme force from the kid and he nearly drove that knife in his follow-through upswing into Dad's throat. It was CLOSE, so close I believed he made contact. Scared the hell out of everyone. And with good cause, we were three miles from a boat to get back across the Snake River to a point that was four hours from McCall. Knives are really dangerous in field situations because we're tired and in a hurry to get an animal in a pack.

Holy shit, that sounds terrifying. Glad it was a miss.

 

[dhatter9]

Thanks for the reminder! I got super lucky last year in that I only cut the very top of my thumb off last year and not the whole thumb. I was opening up a bear and the knife stuck, and then stupidly I applied more force instead of repositioning. The knife “released” and flew into my off hand neatly slicing the very top of my thumb. I cut off the 1/8” between the end and the nail. Bled a lot and was able to clean and be ok, but an inch or two lower and I may not have a left thumb. I definitely always wear the cut less gloves now.

 

[Pharmseller]

Gerber fixed blade in the field.

Havalon in the barn and the processing table.




P

 

[Boarmaster]

Havalon knives are a no for me unless I need to do detailed work. After all, you don’t see butchers using scalpels and doctors using butchers knives…food for thought.

This is where I’m at with my type of hunting. No real reason for me to use a scalpel style knife. I bought and played with a few but went back to a drop point folder in my pack for walk in hunts and fixed boning knives if I’m cutting up deer at a camp. Not the most lightweight option but I more comfortable with it.

 

[H@mstar19x3]

Yikes. super glue works to close bad cuts when you don't have much of a choice.

 

[LongWayAround]

FIRM GRIP Large ANSI A5 Cut Resistant Gloves 79007-06 - The Home Depot

FIRM GRIP ANSI A5 Cut resistant gloves provide serious industrial grade cut protection. The performance fitting and breathable knit shell delivers maximum dexterity with all-day comfort that provides grip in any condition. The high visibility color contrasts for lo-Watt light safety and makes...

www.homedepot.com

I keep these in my kill kit. ANSI level 5 is about where I think is the best combination of dexterity and protection. ANSI recommends level 6 for meat processing, for what it's worth. At level 8, dexterity is fairly compromised, in my opinion.

Pro's: better grip than nitrile, breathable, protection from incidental knicks, cuts, pokes, keep your hands warm when it's cold, reusable.

I throw them away if they get really fatty or otherwise gross. If they're just bloody, I wash with my game bags.

These gloves probably are not going to fully stop a forceful puncture or slash but they would lessen it.

 

[BackcountryIdaho]

Glad you made it out alright. I have duct tape and electrical tape wrapped around my water bottle, partly for this reason.

I made a similar mistake in grad school. Buddy killed a bull and I got in too much of a hurry breaking it down. Knife slipped and I got a pretty good gash across my pinky and ring finger, mostly pinky. Wrapped it up in duct tape and had to keep going.

Somewhere there's a picture of me riding a motorcycle out of there with an elk rack on my back holding one hand in the air.

Seven stitches at the university health clinic that evening, still in hunting clothes and covered with elk blood.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

like others here, I bought a havalon thinking it would be my sole backpacking-animal-breakdown knife. After using it around home I won't take it into remote areas with me. I have yet to get through an elk without "knicking" myself and doing so with a havalon could make something much worse.

My worst butchering cuts though have came from butchering at home. It's easier to get complacent when you're in a controlled setting with help and phone service at the fingertips. That's when I try to rush and end up having close calls.

 

[TaperPin]

“Cut towards your chum, not your thumb.”

I see people with cut resistant gloves develop a number of bad habits, that will get them injured when not wearing the glove.

 

[Jimmy]

I've never had this problem, my knives are dull.

seriously though, I think all the time how cutting myself is the most likely bad thing to happen out hunting. I added some blood stopping stuff to my pack this year. Never thought about a special glove

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

FIRM GRIP Large ANSI A5 Cut Resistant Gloves 79007-06 - The Home Depot

FIRM GRIP ANSI A5 Cut resistant gloves provide serious industrial grade cut protection. The performance fitting and breathable knit shell delivers maximum dexterity with all-day comfort that provides grip in any condition. The high visibility color contrasts for lo-Watt light safety and makes...

www.homedepot.com

I keep these in my kill kit. ANSI level 5 is about where I think is the best combination of dexterity and protection. ANSI recommends level 6 for meat processing, for what it's worth. At level 8, dexterity is fairly compromised, in my opinion.

Pro's: better grip than nitrile, breathable, protection from incidental knicks, cuts, pokes, keep your hands warm when it's cold, reusable.

I throw them away if they get really fatty or otherwise gross. If they're just bloody, I wash with my game bags.

These gloves probably are not going to fully stop a forceful puncture or slash but they would lessen it.

I picked up some amazon cut resistant gloves for my kit this year. Always seem to nick myself at least once. Hopefully they get some blood on em in a couple weeks. (not mine)

 

[Mikido]

A sharp knife is a safe knife….

 

[TimberRunner]

Done it several times. Clean band aid and a wrap of duct tape. Never had one worse than that.

 

[Hectocotylus]

Done it several times. Clean band aid and a wrap of duct tape. Never had one worse than that.

Me too. Till this time. Gave it a clean bandage tonight. Looks like it went to the bone from what I can tell. Bunch of dead tissue around the cut now. Not posting pics because I don’t think people love that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cb2176]

I lost count of how many times I've superglued and taped cuts. Every time I get into (an unnecessary) rush, it happens.

 

[Loper]

Thank you for the reminder. I just bought some cut resistant gloves and will buy some quick clotting agent to add to the kill kit.

For those that have gloves, are you wearing them on both hands or just your non-dominant hand?

 

[hunt1up]

I for one hate Havalons and other scalpel type knives. Give me a quality traditional fixed blade knife every time. More control, no breaking blades, and less fear of cutting the tip of you finger off with a surgical knife.

I think Havalons are junk. There, I said it.

 

[kickemall]

Me too. Till this time. Gave it a clean bandage tonight. Looks like it went to the bone from what I can tell. Bunch of dead tissue around the cut now. Not posting pics because I don’t think people love that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Correct, but they do like pics of the buck you killed!

 

[LongWayAround]

For those that have gloves, are you wearing them on both hands or just your non-dominant hand?

I wear both gloves.