Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Havalon Piranta

Well, that was a pretty good suggestion (the knife itself), and I might look into those, I'm always open to something better. If you look back at my post on that, you'll see I had nothing negative to say about the Fire Knife.

As far a "taking" a high dollar knife over a cheap one, the point of that comment was, this thread ain't about which knife is "better," the Dozier or the Piranta, even though some want to make it into that. If someone was going to give me a gift and asked which one I wanted, the answer would be easy. Just as easy as deciding which to spend my own money on, although the answer would be different.

I haven't read many of the comments. I looked into them and decided the blade was a little too flimsy for my taste. Plus, the replacements are spendy. I equate it to computer printers.
The companies make their money on ink cartridges which no have less fluid. Here, its the blades.

Yet another opinion based on hands-on experience, Thanks!!!

I picked up the Havalon Bolt before heading to Wyoming last week. It uses the 60A blades which are thicker than the original. I used it to debone a mule deer and antelope with no issues. The blades are definitely thicker than the original Piranta which I also have used.

Blades are 10 bucks a dozen which seems reasonable to me and the knife came with 12. It is not one of my custom knives but I don't pretend it is either. For a light option when backpacking it works great. I will use it again in the future.

You ever peeled the hide off of a skull?

And me. Losing a $30 Havalon is a lot less heartache also. I include a small fixed blade Buck for the rough stuff, joints, etc.

An average season we'll bone 12-16 deer, 2-3 goats, and 1-2 elk. Everyone I work with swears by the Havalon.

Replacement blades are spendy at .25$ apiece? I killed a bear in May, a pronghorn in August, and a muley buck a week ago. Don't know how I'll ever recover that .75$!

This has been a good thread. Lots of hands-on experience cited; many who use the knife and like it, and some who don't. All good information, thanks for those experience-based opinions both positive and negative. Enough positive opinions that I got one and used it, and now have another tool in the kit.

Smoke, you don't think we are done yet do you?

If Gene Ingram made a Havalon whammer pack with s30v replacement blades and a s30v Vic, the war would be over......

I've found plain old 440C superior to S30V. They both hold an edge equally well, the 440 takes half the time to sharpen.

It's a simple fact that not all steels are created equal. If you've had 440C hold an edge as well as S30V then the heat treatment for your S30V sucked or someone lied about their composition........

Here's a little info on a comparison of S30V and 440c stainless by Crucible Materials Corp. via Doug Ritter.

http://www.dougritter.com/pop_up_cpms30v.htm

whats really interesting is that since Havalon, I haven't had to read or study a damn thing about blade steels, holding edges etc...

I bought one of Ritter's "fund-raiser" Benchmade Griptillians. Sorriest steel in any knife I've ever seen. The elcheapo Griptillians spank it.

Ha, good one. I think the guys just need to get out more. Why, just while some of the guys were arguing about blade steel, I went out and shot this pronghorn. Gutted, skinned, and boned him out with a Piranta, if that matters.....

Nice antelope Smokepole. Montana season opens next weekend, and I am getting pretty excited.

I used a Havalon Piranta a little over a month ago to quarter up my buddy's Canadian moose. I did break one blade in the process, but it worked great overall!

Levi

Thanks Levi, and good luck, knock down a big one.

You drew a rifle tag?

I had to slum it with the recurve for a week.

I used one yesterday on an pronghorn doe. At this rate I'll never pay off my mortgage.