Almost Slit my Wrist with Havalon

[treillw]

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 half 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.

 

[Randle]

I had a havalon and just couldn't get to liking it. I picked up Gerber Ebs and used it on 3 turkeys a deer and 1 elk. I like it much better for working thru game and they stay sharp. If I break a blade on it lm using it wrong I would think.

 

[NEhunter]

I have really liked the Benchmade steep country. Been able to get several deer broke down to quarters in a season then send it to benchmade in the off-season for their life sharp service. Tried the altitude for awhile but didn’t care much for the slim design.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

You may want to consider wearing a filleting glove on your other hand. Greatly reduces your risk especially when a long way from help. I have one in my kill kit when hunting solo and then also when hunting larger game (ex: bear). I consider them "disposable".

Also a good idea if someone is on blood thinners.

 

[Rob5589]

I checked out the Havalon, it just looked like a poor design for anything but maybe caping. I did buy the Outdoor Edge Razor knife. The blade has a full capture and is far less likely to break. One blade took care of an elk and then some. I love a good fixed blade but I suck at sharpening.

 

[Felix40]

The outdoor edge razor knife handles pretty much like any regular knife. I haven’t had a blade pop out yet.

I still prefer to just take a little ceramic rod to touch up my regular knife as needed. If you maintain the edge as you use the knife it only takes 20 seconds each time to get it back to razor sharp.

 

[Bubblehide]

I love my Havalon and have never had an issue. It sounds like you are putting to much pressurezmuscle into it. A new blade cuts with a feather touch, for that matter, a worn blade cuts meat the same.

 

[JohnnyB]

My Outdoor Edge has handled multiple bears and several mule deer. Never changed a blade mid animal. Never had a blade pop off.
I also carry a Benchmade Altitude but like it too much to get it dirty...

 

[Cahunter805]

If you want to stick with replaceable blades the outdoor edge is very nice and solid. Replacing a blade on them is easy also.
Whenever I change a Havalon blade I first use the old blade I just removed to scrape all the blood/meat/fat from the grooves the blade sits in and then install a new blade.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have, like and use havalon. I did have one that kept dumping its blade. They exchanged it and that seems to have solved the issue.

I also carry and recommend a hemostatic bandage and a CAT tourniquet for major bleeds. It isn’t a magic cure but it would be better than nothing or improvising if you get a major trauma.

 

[wapitibob]

Love my havalon but I use a little folder that used to come with QAD arrow rests when doing joints. Folded t's like 2-1/2" long and maybe .150 wide. The archery shop had a box full of them so I grabbed a cpl.

 

[BBob]

I've had Havalon Piranta's since they first came out long long ago. Never had any issues with blades popping off. I hardly ever use the long blades anymore. I've been almost exclusively using the short 22 and 22XT blades for about 5 years now. I really don't miss the long blades much and never break the short ones. I'd occasionally break a long one.

 

[FLAK]

Gotta be super careful with those things.

 

[Jsn_leonard]

I’ve had Havalon blades break and had blades come off inside animals while gutting. I switched to a Browning replaceable and haven’t had any issues.

 

[Jacack]

yeah be careful with them changing blades. I carry a small hemostat i I plan to carry one now.

 

[Beendare]

My Taxi and my guide buddy like the replaceable blade knives- both have had serious cuts (though they do 20x more animals than an avg hunter.

I like a high quality steel Fixed blade knife, just one less factor to worry about In the backcountry.
-

 

[NikolaFermi]

Have had a Havalon Piranta since last season and no issues so far.

Given the price I changed out a blade per deer so not sure on the duration but prefer the short blades over the long.

 

[5MilesBack]

Once I went to a knife with S30V steel I didn't need the sharpener in my pack anymore, so I replaced that with a Havalon. I like the Havalon but I switch to the knife for any heavy work, mostly use the Havalon for the skinning then break out the clean knife for taking care of the meat.

 

[rclouse79]

I thought this was going to be another post about a miss on an archery bull from the title. Be careful! Those things are crazy sharp.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I went back to a real knife.
I don't like the havalon or outdoor edge.

I have to complete kill kits with a buck folder in each.

But I think a benchmade, iron will, kestrel, argali etc should be able to do 2 elk unless you're really hacking at bone.