I've used the Havalon for several years now on at least 5 elk and probably close to 20 deer and a few antelope. When I first got the knife I broke a few blades. Then I learned that I needed to let the knife do the cutting and not force. This is where folks get into trouble with the Havalon, they try to treat it as if it is their grandpa's old Buck knife.
Additionally, a friend of mine was asking me last fall about my Havalon while taking care of a couple deer that myself and his daughter had killed that evening. I suggested that he look into the Outdoor Edge because I thought hey had taken a pretty good concept and made it better. This fall he killed a mule deer. While we were skinning out the deer it was brutally cold, about -12 to -15 that evening. His OE had gotten a bunch of fat and additional fleshy material in the slot that held the blade. You can guess what happened, it froze. When he went to change the blade, he had to put it on the dash of his truck to unthaw it enough to get the old blade out, while I continued to work on the front half with my Havalon.
I'll say I like the concept of the Oe with the stronger spine, but the performance in cold weather has me thinking that it is infallible. I own an OE myself now, and plan on taking both into the field next fall.
Finally, I don't use the Havalon to cut thru brisket it rib bones, that is what my light weight bone saw is designed for, however, when it comes to breaking down and dismembering a carcass, the surgical blade type knife is hard to beat.
Zactly and well said!
