Field dressing/skinning knives

[Rainier10]

So a young hunter was successful in taking a bobcat on opening day at my cabin.  That gave me the opportunity to skin/tube my first animal and use my new havalon knife.  I have been a Wyoming knife and 4" fixed blade skinner guy forever.  The bobcat paws and smaller frame made me want to try out the havalon that had been in my pack for a year without use.

Wow! is all I can say.  I really liked the feel of the knife in my hand, how sharp it was and how easy it made the work.

This weekend he took a buck and I again used the havalon.  I did use my Wyoming knife at times but found that the havalon did just as well making the incisions under the skin.  I used the big fixed blade for breaking the joints down and cutting the backstraps out but the havalon actually did the majority of the other work.

I can see down the road the Wyoming knife might actually get retired once I get better with the havalon.

All of this was done with the smaller version, can't remember what it is called.  I have a larger handled and bladed one as well but the small one worked just fine.

Is there a benefit to using the larger one or is it more of a preference thing?

[boneaddict]

Is that the replaceable blade one? 

[Rainier10]

Yes, piranta is the smaller one and baracuta is the larger one I believe.  I used the piranta but have both.

I replace the blades using my leatherman pliers. Not sure I would want to grab that blade and torque it to get it off using my bare hands.

How do you guys change the blades is a good question also?

[Tschaefer72]

They make a blade remover that comes in a 4 pack. Really useful and is light plastic for the bag. Especially once one gets bloody this is easy to change and has been a big help in me not cutting myelf. Cabelas carries them:

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Havalon-Blade-Remover-Four-Pack/2338564.uts?slotId=14

[Rainier10]

Nice.  From that link I see that they have a gut hook blade as well.

Thanks for the info.

[Stein]

I use the longer one, seems closer to the 5" boning knife I would like to have but never haul in the field.  I don't have any experience with the shorter one, but do bury the longer one to the handle during some boning cuts.  If you are dressing a deer, it wouldn't be an issue, but with elk I'm happy to have the extra length.

[CaNINE]

I learned this field blade change technique from a hunting guide in Wyoming a few years back.  Take the cardboard sheath that the new blades are wrapped in.  Put that cardboard around the old blade you want to remove.  Grab the cardboard wrapped blade firmly and bend it at the base until it breaks.  Now you've taken the sharp part of the blade out of the equation during the removal process.  Place the old blade into the foil pouch that the new blade comes in and dispose of carefully.  Slip the base off the blade and put on the new one.  You're off to the races again.

[Magnum_Willys]

I use a havalon for most of my skinning but for mounts I worry about cutting through in soft skin areas unless I go really slow. 

[mossyoak arrow slinger]

All I can say is be very careful with these havalon knives.  I have been using them for years and this year they almost cost me everything. 

My buddy and I were boning out two elk we shot this year and when I was doing the last of the four hind quarters I cut myself down to the bone across my wrist.  I should have had him hold the meat on that hind quarter while I took it off the bone but we were in a hurry and when that meat slipped for the ground I went to catch it “reflexes are a censored” and slit my wrist.  We were 3 miles back from a road and I was going to bleed out fast if my buddy wasn’t on top of his game and EMT qualified.   With that being said, I will continue to use these knives and swear by them but you have got to take your time and be very careful around them. 


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[Magnum_Willys]

For that reason I don't let my son use one. 

[Stein]

I did throw one of those quick clot packs in my pack both for this and other bleeding accidents.  I also have a cut resistant glove in my kill kit, it should help somewhat on cuts as well as makes gripping stuff much easier.

[carpsniperg2]

For gutting and for taking meat off bone the outdoor edge bigger replacement blades are a lot safer. If I’m just skinning or caping I use a havalon.

Had to many break even the A doing to much work with them. My outdoor edge was dirty and grabbed a havalon. Just Incase. Sure enough brother knocks a buck down. I was cutting the diaphragm and the blade popped off and I could not find it for the life of me. Talk about scary reaching around in there had to be super careful never had one comes off so easy. Might not have locked in all the way but was a reminder why I don’t use them for that work and carry both.

[Magnum_Willys]

Yep lost a blade cutting out backstrap and almost had to throw a whole backstrap away - can’t risk kids biting into that. Fortunately found it but limit havalon to skinning. Fixed blade for meat work.

[brew]

yeah those havalons are scary sharp and that's my fear of losing the blade.  my go to meat cutter is now a 6" victoronix (spelling ?) made by swiss army
its real sharp and holds an edge and sharpens easily.  bought it off amazon for around $22... gonna buy some more cuz it's a helluva knife for the price

[Weehunt66]

After looking at how the blade is changed on the Havalon. I went with the Gerber Vital. As has already been mentioned here... Outstanding at skinning.

[CaNINE]

Wow mossy oak arrow slinger glad you had help there to provide first aid. A knife slip cam happen in an instant. The surgical blade leaves little margin for error. I jabbed one through my forefinger down to the bone last weekend while removing a deer hock.  I’m going to keep using the havalon too but am going to double down on caution.

Be careful folks

[carpsniperg2]

yeah those havalons are scary sharp and that's my fear of losing the blade.  my go to meat cutter is now a 6" victoronix (spelling ?) made by swiss army
its real sharp and holds an edge and sharpens easily.  bought it off amazon for around $22... gonna buy some more cuz it's a helluva knife for the price

Hands down the best butcher knives out there. If I am bring a animal out whole or when processing it at home its getting worked with them. Cheap and sharpen easy/hold edge great! You can buy them 20-40 online but cash and carry stocks them to!!!!

[CaNINE]

This knife (Victorinox 6” boning) was just recommended to me by a professional butcher. I was surprised to learn how inexpensive they are. Going to get a couple of them for my home butchering kit.

Are you guys using the straight or curved blade version?

[Widgeondeke]

I have been using a Havalon Piranta for the past 4 seasons. They are great for skinning. I also have the fear of breaking/losing a blade, but haven't yet.

For the heavier cutting or breaking the hip socket connection I grab my DH Russell Canadian Belt Knife. They do cost about $105, but hold an edge. I love the ergonomics of them and are what I used exclusively before the Havalon. Mine was given to me by my FIL and is probably 40 years old.

[brew]

This knife (Victorinox 6” boning) was just recommended to me by a professional butcher. I was surprised to learn how inexpensive they are. Going to get a couple of them for my home butchering kit.

Are you guys using the straight or curved blade version?
[/quoteusing the curved blade...awesome knife for dirt cheap..

[HighlandLofts]

I have the larger havalon that I bought for skinning cows over on my friends farm. My advise is stay focused and have a clear mind. Some guys like to have a few shot on cold hunting days, they are for after you get everything done and back at the camp.
I seen what can happen with these knives, they are extremely sharp and hazardous. One slip up and you can cut an artery which would be life threatening.
 Being a thin bladed knife I limit what I use mine for, any of the heavy cutting or joint removal I will not use my havalon, I use a fixed blade knife.

I keep a small pair of needle nosed players in my day pack for swapping out the blade.

[Kenaiwild]

Been using the Havalon for a few seasons now and after breaking one in half gutting a deer and having a blade pop off gutting an elk I’ve learned to go slower and let the blade to the work and not torque it.  It’s no fun feeling around a chest cavity for a blade. 

A few years ago in MT a buddy of mine had his buck head in his lap and was removing the hide and put too much into it and the knife went right into his thigh to the bone.  Blood started squirting out like a super soaker.  2 hour drive to the nearest hospital where he spent a couple days repairing the artery. 

[Scheindogg]

Been using the Havalon for a few seasons now and after breaking one in half gutting a deer and having a blade pop off gutting an elk I’ve learned to go slower and let the blade to the work and not torque it.  It’s no fun feeling around a chest cavity for a blade. 

A few years ago in MT a buddy of mine had his buck head in his lap and was removing the hide and put too much into it and the knife went right into his thigh to the bone.  Blood started squirting out like a super soaker.  2 hour drive to the nearest hospital where he spent a couple days repairing the artery.

 
 

[PolarBear]

My kids got me an Outdoor Edge Razor Pro for Christmas last year and I was able to gut, skin and break down my buck this year with one blade.  I absolutely LOVE it! You do have to be very careful and I did wind up cutting the crease in the joint of one of my fingers while gutting but that was just repositioning the knife in my hand and not paying attention. I won't let my daughter use it to gut but she really liked the skinning blade on it.  I have buddies that have had Havalon blades come loose or break while gutting. 

[Pinetar]

My kids got me an Outdoor Edge Razor Pro for Christmas last year and I was able to gut, skin and break down my buck this year with one blade.  I absolutely LOVE it! You do have to be very careful and I did wind up cutting the crease in the joint of one of my fingers while gutting but that was just repositioning the knife in my hand and not paying attention. I won't let my daughter use it to gut but she really liked the skinning blade on it.  I have buddies that have had Havalon blades come loose or break while gutting.

     The outdoor edge razor pro is my favorite as well. And they sharpen easy and fast so blades can last longer, if you don't mind sharpening. The Havalon's are sharp and nice but they will pop off and break. Watched a buddy of mine break his Havalon blade cutting off a deer leg at the joint and the part that broke off stuck in his lower forehead  right between his eyes, luckily it wasn't deep and didn't get an eye.
 

[PolarBear]

Damn!!!  He was lucky!  I never thought of sharpening the blades. I told the kids that all I want for Christmas is a couple packs of replacement blades.  I'm using that thing for everything.

[KFhunter]

I like my commercial knives, considering packing those with me. 6" boning and skinner all I'd need

This is my 3 knife set I use for home butchering, finally got my steels figured out so they stay sharp al the time.