Havalon Knives

dito

Active Member
Feb 22, 2011
167
0
Alamosa, CO
The blades seem to break easy. Also be sure to know you have to have some pliers or forceps to swap out the blade. Other then that they are decent.
 

wolftalonID

Very Active Member
Mar 10, 2011
679
0
Idaho
Ditto on the breakage.(as in I agree...lol not meant to point at a guy who calls himself dito! lol) Part of hunting is knowing how to keep a blade sharp! Field skills 101.
Packing two skinners helps, and a stone for those bad days where every cut hits solid objects.
Quality blades will hold up to more abuse as well.
Try the buck mini alpha or alaskan knives. Both are superb blade quality.
 
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Archer32

New Member
Feb 22, 2011
25
0
SoDak
This is an Outdoor Edge Folding Fillet knife are the only two knifes you'll find in my pack. I carry a Gerber mini Covert in the pocket for misc stuff like cutting cordage, getting meals open etc. The havalon is what it is.... A skinning knife. If you find yourself trying to pop bone sockets out, yup, you'll be breaking blades. I've caped entire elk, deer and antelope and at the end it was as sharp as when it started. If you're careful you can change blades without a leatherman. I love mine and feel very confident I can cape/boneout anything in North America with these two. That folding fillet knife is awesome as well for boning out. It's nice to get the backstrap out without being all dinged up by a shorter knife. Good luck!
 

pat_estvold

New Member
Mar 8, 2011
17
0
North Dakota
I also have a Havalon knife, the blades will break if you are bending it the wrong way, but the advantage of that is that about an inch of blade that is still there and you can get aggressive and cut around bone sockets and cartilage very easy. Plus they come with 12 extra blades, and I just bought a replacement pack of 12 from scheels for $5.99
 

sjsmallfield

Veteran member
Feb 22, 2011
1,399
1
Jackson, CA
I have the Edge and I love it. I used one blade to skin my blacktail last year and one blade to cape out my buddys buck. If you get the holster you can pack the knife and a dozen blades in it. It is the last hunting knife I will buy unless Havalon comes out with a better one.
 

DryFlyGuy

Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
155
0
Cody, Wyoming
I am a havalon fan. They are very lightweight and easy to change. I boned out a cow elk this winter with one blade. I used one blade each on two antelope and mule deer. I probably could have used one blade for more than just one antelope, but the blades aren't expensive to replace. I will say that I was pushing it with one blade on the elk, but I made it just fine.

For backpacking, I think Havalon is worth considering. I'll be taking the knife with two blade replacements on my bull hunt.
 

THEBUGLER

Member
Feb 21, 2011
53
0
Idaho
www.elk101.com
Used the Paranta this last fall on a couple Bull elk and a Whitetail buck. The blades are a little flimsy, but awesome for caping around the eyes, nose and lips. The biggest obsticle was spitting the hide up the back of the neck on the bulls and the blade was a bit too short for boning. That thick hide made that little knife work for it so I'll keep my second knife with me in the pack for sure.
 

BOHNTR

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
647
478
Lakeside, AZ
I can tell you they are scarry sharp.......my left index finger can attest to that.....after surgery to re-attach a tendon. :)
 

shed

Member
Mar 10, 2011
57
0
Box cutters work great! The razor blades are cheap in price. I can do an entire elk hide with one blade. I only use Havlon's for facial work to capes I keeping.
 

huntscout

New Member
Mar 1, 2011
2
0
www.huntscout.com
Havalon knives are WICKED sharp so you need to be extremely careful! But, they are the best knife I have ever used and will ever use. Replacement blades are cheap and there is nothing sharper. I usually use 2-3 blades on an elk. I don't carry anything else. Hands down, they are top notch!
 

txnhunter

New Member
Apr 1, 2011
2
0
Fort Worth Texas
I like them...but they do break when forced to bend a way they are not meant to. Handled mostly whitetails at this point, but looking forward to boning an elk or muley. Light for packing too.