Does anyone have an opinion on the Swingblade knife... that is if you own one and have used it. I was thinking about getting one being that I need a new knife for my elk hunt in AZ in the fall..
Knives
- Thread starter Catahoula12
- Start date
tdub24
Veteran member
I love mine, the gut blade makes quick work for me on both deer and elk. And the drop-point skinner is really nice and comfortable to my hand. The skinning out the neck can be tough, but if you keep your blades sharp it shouldn't be much of an issue just like with any other knife. My only recommendation is get the swingblaze, that hunter orange handle can be helpful when this get dark!!! Let me know if you have any specific questions I may answer.
I've heard that the steel is lower quality and doesn't stay sharp. I don't know this first hand just what I've been told.
Thank you tdub24... Ikeepitcold, they have two different models.. I've heard the the one with the two blades side by side are cheaper quality steel.. The one that pivots does have better steel... Dont know why..
Really? That is strange that they would use different quality steel. If you get one report back on how it works for you so we have some real info on the knife quality.
Thanks ikeepitcold, if I send a bullet at an elk this fall and have that knife I will be sure to report how it works. Maybe others will reply to this post if they have this exact knife.
tdub24
Veteran member
I used it on multiple animals before needing to sharpen the gut blade side. The drop point skinner side needed touch ups after each animal. I normally would make it through 1/2 to 3/4 of an elk before I grabbed and sharp knife like my buck or another outdoor edge to finish up the animal. The swing blade normally is enough to finish a deer by itself. Don't know anything about the flip n zip version.
Kevin Root
Very Active Member
I got one not long ago in blaze orange. It held up ok on the deer I quartered out last and skinned out ok. If I had had to bone it out I'd have had to sharpen it though I'll gather. Worked well for the price but the steel is perhaps not the highest end knife material out there. It sharpens up quick though.
clacklin009
Active Member
I believe all of the Outdoor Edge knive that have been talked about are AUS8 steel, generally considered a mid-grade steel. most people I know that use them can handle a deer just fine with them. Mid-grades sharpen easy so touching one up if you have to will work fine.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
My friend bought one last year, the swing-blade model. We used it to field dress 3 cow elk, held an edge through all 3. It may be softer steel than say a Buck knife, but it sure was easy to touch-up with crock sticks 4 or 5 swipes and it was sharp as new. Buck knives are notoriously hard to sharpen. This Swing-Blade was not. Get the Outdoor edge sharpener along with it. They work great too!
az.mountain runner
Active Member
I don't have a swing blade but I bought their kodiak set ,liked the saw ,but knifes were not good ,had to resharpen a lot , I use them for camp knives now, I went out and bought a Gerber for a skinning and gutting kinfe, stays razor Sharp.
elkgrunt
Member
I have had the swingblade since they came out and it is a pretty good knife.But I have recently switched to the raptorazor, check it out, it is a great knife. http://raptorazor.com
I have a drawer full of Gerber & Buck hunting knives. I haven't used any of them since I got the two Havalon knives I now use. I like the Barracuta for skinning and quartering, like the longer thicker blade. The fillet blades are great for boning or fish. The Piranta is good for caping and fine work. The pair and a few spare blades is the lightest option I've found.
Downside is I've heard of Piranta blades snapping and causing injury when side pressure is applied. It happened to a friend of mine who was an outfitter for many years. They came out with a new model that takes thicker blades now for people who had this problem. He went back to a Spyderco Endura (or similar model, shaped like that one) with an AUS-8 blade he loves. He carries a big heavy steel in his pack to touch it up though partway through an elk.
My favorite blade steel is the new S30V. My old favorite knife before the Havalons is a Buck Crosslock with that steel in it. I just wanted a little longer blade a lot of times, I prefer a 4-4.5". The Benchmade Emissary folder I carry in my pocket also has this steel and I love the way it holds an edge and sharpens right back up. I've had it for 4 years now I think and it has held up to daily abuse on the ranch. Downside is the price, it isn't cheap.
Downside is I've heard of Piranta blades snapping and causing injury when side pressure is applied. It happened to a friend of mine who was an outfitter for many years. They came out with a new model that takes thicker blades now for people who had this problem. He went back to a Spyderco Endura (or similar model, shaped like that one) with an AUS-8 blade he loves. He carries a big heavy steel in his pack to touch it up though partway through an elk.
My favorite blade steel is the new S30V. My old favorite knife before the Havalons is a Buck Crosslock with that steel in it. I just wanted a little longer blade a lot of times, I prefer a 4-4.5". The Benchmade Emissary folder I carry in my pocket also has this steel and I love the way it holds an edge and sharpens right back up. I've had it for 4 years now I think and it has held up to daily abuse on the ranch. Downside is the price, it isn't cheap.
carmelasmith
New Member
- Dec 8, 2013
- 10
- 0
This is a cool knife..great product..the blades are awesome...really want to buy this as a gift for my uncle..