Havalon dropping blades

[Desk Jockey]

Cleaning and packing away gear this year and realized my primary havalon (piranta stag) looses its blade about once per animal, sometimes more often. I love it otherwise but it is a pain in the ass to have to fish the blade out of the animal or off the grains and reinstall it, if I can find it.

Is this normal or should I think about changing it up?

 

[menhaden_man]

I use the Havalons and never experienced what you’re talking about (maybe 6 animals since I started using them)? They’re cheap enough I’d either call customer service or get a new one.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I was having the same issue. Usually when the entire blade was being used or the backend would get caught on hide. I went to a Tyto, same blades, a little lighter, and broken down 7 animals with it this season, haven’t lost a blade.

 

[rayporter]

never trust one again after losing the blade 3 times on a deer. i lost that knife after finishing that animal and have a new havalon. [a gift] if it acts up i will pitch it too

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yeah. I was fishing around in a deers guts for the second time this year trying to find a razor blade and it occurred to me that this is stupid.

I like the replaceable blade and particularly the scalpel blade concept a lot. Bought a Gerber version and wasn’t thrilled with the blade attachment. It wobbles and gums up with junk as you work.

I am going to email havalon CS and see what they say. If I can’t get something done I may need to go with a tyto.

 

[87TT]

I don't think I would ever trust one again. I have an Outdoor Edge that has taken apart several deer and two elk without any such issues. I usually can do one elk and one or two deer with the same blade.

 

[Cahunter805]

You can also resharpen the outdoor edge blades very easily.

 

[87TT]

Yep but I usually just change one and put the old one in a box somewhere.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I like them for small game, fish, and waterfowl..stuff I am going to be hitting bone a lot with so I like being able to change blade and it is easy to find if it comes off. Big game I still use my Case hunter. It's been breaking down big game flawlessly since '95.

 

[Michael54]

Cleaning and packing away gear this year and realized my primary havalon (piranta stag) looses its blade about once per animal, sometimes more often. I love it otherwise but it is a pain in the ass to have to fish the blade out of the animal or off the grains and reinstall it, if I can find it.

Is this normal or should I think about changing it up?

This is why i refuse to own one

 

[87TT]

My Grandfather made a knife that I carried and used on everything I shot. Two elk and an unknown number of deer. I have had it for over 45 years. It was easy to put and edge on but had to be touched up now and then. It had been sharpened so many times that the blade was starting to shrink. I still carry it every time I hunt (maybe more for sentimental reasons). A couple of years ago my girlfriend (now wife) bought me an Outdoor Edge. I tried it and was hooked. Zero problems, scary sharp, long lasting edge and easy to change blades. Like I said Grand Dads knife still goes along but more for the ride and just in case.
Now if the Outdoor Edge ever lost a blade while being used, I would never use it or any other disposable blade kinife again.

 

[MattB]

Interesting, I've used my Havalon on a bunch of animals and never had that lost a blade. Are you using the right blades for the handle and are they being installed correctly?

 

[Cahunter805]

The groove in the metal part of a havalon that holds the blade needs to be kept very clean. I usually scrub it out when replacing a blade. I use the old blade to scrape all the blood/fat/gunk from the groove.

 

[mbailey25]

I had the same issue this last year on two animals. One popped off the handle and into the cavity of a muley and I had to fish it out, the other time the blade snapped and I had to find two pieces. I was very careful about not cutting the shit out of my fingers while trying to find the knife blades. I'm going back to a fixed blade for sure unless I'm skinning out the skull for a mount.

 

[Stalker69]

If you apply a lot of pressure I could see the blades maybe coming off. I have field dressed probably around 75-100 pigs and javelina, a lot of deer and several elk and haven’t lost a blade. But when trying to cut close to the bone or find the socket I have broke a blade ( on the piranha series). If you like the concept and want one I don’t think you would pop off, try the barracuda it’s a lot sturdier blade.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Interesting, I've used my Havalon on a bunch of animals and never had that lost a blade. Are you using the right blades for the handle and are they being installed correctly?

Using blades I bought from havalon. Mix of 60 and 70. Usually install them with pliers and pretty sure they are well seated.

I should have also mentioned I carry a Winkler fixed blade that gets used a look for gutting and breaking down animals, particularly heavy tasks like severing spines and cracking open hip joints. I do like the scalpels for most other things but the blade dropping off of a drag.

 

[Stalker69]

Call havalon, I am interested to hear what they tell ( do for) you. I have a feeling they will make it right.

 

[MattB]

Using blades I bought from havalon. Mix of 60 and 70. Usually install them with pliers and pretty sure they are well seated.

I should have also mentioned I carry a Winkler fixed blade that gets used a look for gutting and breaking down animals, particularly heavy tasks like severing spines and cracking open hip joints. I do like the scalpels for most other things but the blade dropping off of a drag.

Are they 60A or 60XT and is your handle one of the newer ones that takes both blade types? The blades are not both backward compatible with the original handles. Wondering if that might be the issue?

 

[Desk Jockey]

60a. Bought it 2 (?) years ago. Maybe 3.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Finally got a reply from havalon on my second email asking what I was doing with the knife when the blade fell out...