Knife

[JCS]

Has anyone had any experience with the Havalon knifes.

[LckyTylr]

Yes, I have a Piranta. It's a wonderful tool. Incredibly light. I used 3 blades on a nice 6x6 last year. They are DARN sharp. I nicked my thumb and didn't realize it for about 20 minutes.

It was hard for me to replace my traditional knife with this utilitarian tool, but it's much more practical. When you recover an animal 30 minutes before dark and you want to get as much cutting done as possible before the headlamp comes out, this is much more efficient than having to stop and put an edge on your traditional knife.

[ElkNut1]

Several of us in the ElkNut Crew use them. Last year was our 1st time, yes they are sharp but I need more time behind it to really see how much I like it or not, so far so good!

ElkNut1

[twinkieman]

I use the Piranta. Pros sharp blade, easily replaceable when it dulls. Cons blades break easily, blades dull easily. I have used them in the field to skin out a turkey for taxidermy purposes, and it always takes me 2 blades to skin out a turkey. While ease of blade change is a snap, the blades do not hold. Even with having to use multiple blades, it is what is in y pack.

[Indian Summer]

I've used one since they first came out. You know how knife ad chainsaw manufactures always tell you not put put exec pressure on the tool but let the blade do the work? Well you'll learn that real fast with a surgical scalpel blade. No knife is made to be twisted or used to pry. Do that with a Piranta and the blade will eventually snap. But let the super sharp blade do it's job and it will last long enough to make it worthwhile to have. Two blades is plenty to do an elk once you master using it. I'll say this: it is WAY better than putting excessive pressure on some other knife because the blade is dull. that is how you get hurt! And if there is one thing I never do it is stop to sharpen a knife in the middle of skinning and quartering an elk. I've always carried multiple knives instead so I could just put one away and grab another when the first became dull.

I still carry this Buck fixed blade: http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?eve ... uctID=3041 for several purposes. But the Havalon has a permanent place in my pack. After all it weighs next to nothing and is always sharp. What more can we ask for in a field tool.

[aron]

I've used one for a few deer and a pile of waterfowl. They work great when used right. Need to really pay attention with how sharp they are and not to bend the blade.

[blackwolf]

Has anyone used the new Havalon "Bolt" with thicker blades?