Havalon, Gerber, Outdoor Edge, other? For dressing big game
What's the best and why?

I see that Gerber's blades are much more expensive. I watched a youtube video comparing the 3 but the guy was so hung up on germs that much of what he said was nonsense. He was very worried about hair, fat, and germs inside every gap. I'm sure he carried alcohol to pour over everything.

Slow morning so here’s my worthless tangent, required in each campfire thread.

Solid non-replaceable blades work fine for me and I prefer them. I don’t even like to change exacto or box cutter blades. I am fortunate in not having any trouble getting a good steel blade shaving sharp, and though I have not done it, have no interest in changing a razor blade in a slippery tool with cold hands in dim or no light.

Having said that, IME Gerber blades have all been a softer steel than my preference as judged by how poorly they hold an edge once sharp. Have no idea if this holds true for replaceables, probably not.

I might could like a replaceable system for cutting meat on a clean table while watching college football.

I like-and use- the Outdoor Edge, mainly because blades are easier to change than on the Havalon.

That said they don't last long, skinning and completely boning a large critter ( over 200 lbs) may require more than one blade.

But I travel and hunt a lot, and bring home the meat, and the spare blades are just plain easier and quicker to deal with than sharpening a fixed blade.

I use my old Buck knife, don’t need saws, Jack hammers, sazalls to skin and quarter an animal.
Them old boys in my deer camp would make fun of you if you pulled out something like that.

Thanks for reminding me. The spring steel for the blade lock broke the first time using it a couple of years ago in the field. I forgot I need to send it in. Example of one, and doesn't mean squat. Sharp as hell, and not a bad knife, but I don't know that I'd buy another one. My hunting buds swear by the Outdoor Edge knives. The ability to quickly change a blade is handy.

Of that replaceable blade knives, i like the outdoor edge.

Those knives have a place.

I’ll use it for peeling the hide off hogs. It’ll be full of mid and grit. Good place for a throwaway blade.

What do you do with the old blades?

The Havalon 60A blades are a bit thicker than the 60’s and work pretty well.

I’ll sharpen the outdoor edge blades a couple times with one of those carbide pull thru type sharpeners.

I have both the Outdoor edge and the Gerber. I prefer my fixed blade knives and my folding buck knives to either of the replaceable blade knives. The Outdoor edge knife is pretty sturdy but I had a lot of fat get stuck in the thing that supports the blade. If I had started out with one of them replaceable blades I would probably be fine but I started decades ago with a fixed blade and a sturdy folding knife blade and its hard to get used to them new replaceable blades.

I bet you have 3x the hunting experience than me but I have to disagree that spare blades are quicker and easier than sharpening a fixed blade. I never let my fixed blades get dull so it takes 5 seconds to keep them sharp and continue cutting meat.

Just as fast and easy with a fixed

I’ve used a havalon a lot over the last couple of years. Been able to gut, skin, quarter/debone around 2 deer without changing blades. Took a little practice to get to that point. I won’t let my son use one because he’s new enough that I’d be digging a broken blade from somewhere and that doesn’t sound like a good time to me. I bought a box of 100 of some type of #60 blades. They’re a little thicker than the off the shelf ones. 60X maybe? I throw the knife with 2 extra blades in and there’s nothing I haven’t been able to do in the last several years. It’s taken care of 6-8 deer, an elk, predators, pigs, and several other animals. They aren’t pretty, but they work damned well if you know what you’re doing.

My God! how did we ever gut, skin and process wild game before the "wonderful" invention of replaceable blades.
I guess I'm behind the times, I prefer my fixed blade knives.

I have only used the Havalon Piranta and have been doing so for about 5 years. I have used it on big game and coyotes and once I learned not to torque the blade I haven't broken a single blade. Changing blades is not difficult but I do use my Leatherman which is always in my pack. I always have a scalpel sharp blade no matter how tough/muddy the hide. I learned to buy replacement blades from a surgical supply Co. They are much better. I will continue to use it until someone gives me something better.


mike r

Those change-a-blade knives don't bother me.
There's a whole lot of people that can't sharpen
their own knives that would be better served by
going to such a system
I'm fortunate in that I can sharpen my knives
myself with a stone, and don't require any
jigs or guides or plug in machines.
If I couldn't do that, I'd have a couple of the
change out handles and a lifetime supply of blades
and not look back or give it a second thought.
The thought of not having a sharp knife with me
is a way worse possibility for me. I'd rather have
an exacto blade than nothing

I have been using havalon since they came out originally. The blades got a bit thicker. They are not good for side pressure but it takes one animal to learn and avoid that.

I clean lots of animals a year. Guide parts of the year etc...Typically deer wise I'm involved in about 50 deer a year. Maybe 30 pigs. And moose and bears etc... just kind of depends on the year. I also filet fish every day about 2 months of the year. I'm not sold on the filet knife from Havalon for that simply due to cost of blades. But they do work well. I hate the fact I have to sharpen my filet knives a time or two a day to hit em on ceramic, but just depends on how many salmon we are doing. I may still go over to the havalon filet knife totally in the future too.

Biggest animals are brown bears and moose.

Havalon is the only knife I use for the most part. I might use a fixed blade to help skin a bit, especially a ULU. But I generally take moose apart with 2-3 blades max. Have done it with 1 blade before too.

I hear all the folks about their old knives. Cool and all but sharpening is a waste of valuable time. If I use knives to be sharpened much I have a bag full of them. I'm not about to stop a job to sharpen a knife. And I usually sharpen when I"M back in civilization on paper wheels on a grinder quickly. Knife sharpening is like cleaning guns and loading ammo. It kinda has to be done but I avoid it as much as I can as I have much more enjoyable things to do.

My blade count on 2 mature bull moose last fall for clients was 4 blades and the 4th blade was used up to do 2 whitetails before it was dull enough to chunk.

Gut hooks are another thing. You can buy hook blades for safety knives.. saying you can do without is all macho and all but hooks speed up gutting and skinning at times. Very much so. AND cleaner, they can end up cutting much less hair in the process.

This.

I've quit using "regular" knives for processing, skinning, and field dressing deer.

Three years now, and I don't see me going back.

And, no, sharpening wasn't an issue. Convenience of the change blade is well worth it to me.

I have been using the outdoor edge for a number of years. Have a couple of them and a scalpel style.

I'll be honest, putting an edge on a fix blade was never my strong point.

Both of these posts.

After sharpening on the pull through carbide just pass the blade through the ceramic polishing sticks and it’s ready to shave hair again .

I have the Havalon and smaller Gerber.I use the Havalon when field processing elk.Fine for most of that,but I always have a hard fixed blade knife for removing legs and cutting heavy hide. The blades on those replaceable ones are too flimsy to trust as a survival knfe.
If you are in the packing business you need a study knife to cut pack rope or straps in a wreck.

Save them for Halloween?

I swapped to Havalon quite a few years ago and no longer bother with fixed blade knives. At various times I have compared the Ouotdoor Edge and Gerbers to the Havalon and there is no comparison. The Havalon blades start far sharper and maintain the edge far longer than the Outdoor Edge. And the Gerber is a joke compared to the Outdoor Edge in both departments.

Havalon blade changing is simple and very safe using their clamshell-style blade changer. Clamped by the clamshell the blade is sprung up away from the knife and the handle is simply pulled back out, leaving the used blade safely inside. The new blade is set in the same way and pops right on. If I was stuck using Outdoor edge I would go back to solid knives...

I thought the blades were 60XT but could be A.

For 9/10 of folks these replacable blade knives are the way to work an animal because few people can actually sharpen a blade. Just a fact. But as noted before theres a bit of time savings too. Sharpening a blade requires you get it and the stone surface clean and lubricated for best results and it take a little time to do this. Advantage to the replacable blade knife.

Personally, i prefer a pocket knife and a fixed blade combo because ive no issue sharpening and own that skill. But this is a skillset and it also requires more tools, more weight, and i dont need to consume or buy blades and its a long term solution. But for the masses the replacable blade is a better solution.

I have two AG Russell knives that are very easy to keep at wicked-sharp. What more is needed eh?

How did we shoot deer before the flintlock replaced the matchlock, or before cartridges replaced flinters? Tech changes.

Dear God......

All I have to say is I helped my buddy gut and skin his last bull elk. He good naturedly whipped out his Havelon knife to piss me off (He owns about 20 of my knives). The joke was on him but I didn't say a thing. He replaced his Havelon blade SIX times during the task...we counted!

After the skinning was over I ran my knife down my forearm and popped hair off, smiled and punched him in the shoulder. CPM154 Stainless doesn't mess around.

From what I've seen lately, most guys leave them on the ground at the kill site.

Knife sharpening, another outdoor skill fading into the twilight...

I’ve only used the havalon. I carry a regular blade for general chores in my pocket


I hate sharpening and I really hate sharpening when I should be cutting up elk. I’ve heard all the lines from my hunters about how their knife can do six muddy moose hides and a jack rabbit without needing to be sharpened. I guess their definition of needing to be sharpened and mine are a little different.

Used blades are easy to stick back in the wrapper and pack out.

I’ve carried fixed blades to do the lower legs and the neck hide up the back. And I’ve also easily done entire bull elk with the havalon. Changing blades isn’t tough and the cost isn’t worth considering.

If cleaning multiple animals at the skinning rack, I'll do the gutting and initial cuts through fur with a havalon/tyto and then switch to a fixed blade for the remaining skinning/quartering. They work great for skinning hogs. I'll chunk the havalon blade at the end of the skinning session no matter how sharp it still is. I usually put them in a water bottle or coke can. I don't like the idea of a scalpel blade floating around a garbage bag. I'm not crazy about them but they have their place. I know a few guides that use a replaceable blade exclusively. They aren't easy on them and get allot more use out of them then I do.

This is exactly what I found on my last deer last December. My sons had given me a Havalon a couple years ago but I hadnt used it until now and after my third blade I went back to my 50 yr old fixed blade Kabar folding hunter and finished without having to sharpen even after I was finished.

I also use a fixed blade Puma Hunters Pal that I got in 1967 and it holds and edge for skinning out an entire elk without having to sharpen.

This is what concerns me about these type of knives. I will stick to my fixed blades. Thanks for the info fellas.

I have the Havalon and the outdoor edge . I usually use the Havalon for caping and the outdoor edge for everything else. I like both and think they both have their place. I've found that sometimes when I've ordered bulk havalon blades they don't stay sharp long.

Outdoor edge. Not nearly as flimsy as a havalon. And you can re-sharpen the blades if you want.

My experience too. The havalon are better for caping, delicate work.

Outdoor edge seem to get dull fairly quickly with a stick. The handles aren't that great though at least for me.

Even the better steel knives, which I prefer, can get through about one large animal. I always carry a small sharpening steel with me.
I still like the victoronix paring knives too, but steel is pretty soft but like the flexible blade. They do sharpened quickly.

For years I've carried a sharpener like this in my pack. It's light wt, inexpensive, and works great.
There are lots of choices in sharpeners these days. Some have gimmicks like whistles and fire starters but they still will sharpen a blade. Many have preset angles to keep things consistant.

I agree, I vastly prefer the Outdoor Edge. Blades and be changed easier. You can cut your finger off with the Havalon.

I carry a knife or two every day and have never tried a knife with a replaceable blades. I don't care for knives with folding or retractable blades either. Personally I can't see a replaceable bladed knife being a very good self-defense tool.

the aluminum havalon with the thicker blades, 1 in every vehicle with a few blades. 1 blade per gutting qnd skinning a single animal usually, probably did 60 deer and elk with them, i hqve all 3 brands. and 2 dozen fixed blades factory and custom,
hate the gerber the lock is a joke blades pop off, , its terrible no matter what people on another site say, i actually hqve 6 pendelton lite hunter fixed blades and bought twice that many as gifts, my pack has q havalon qnd a pendelton always,,
the custom knives stay in the gun safe any more

The havalon has put the hunting knife out of business. The havalon blades are thinner compared to a hunting knife. They go through flesh like a vicious laser beam. If I had to use a hunting knife again I would get pissed off. I can do an elk with 2 blades, the second blade is normally pretty fresh and I could get by without it if I had to. Those not using havalon probably haven’t tried one. I have very nice hunting knives with high end steel. They gather dust and never get used.

I have both the Havalon and the Gerber vital. They can use the same blades. IMO/E changing blades is much easier on the Gerber. The #70 with the rounded tip is the blade I use the most on big game. I've touched the edge up when needed, but it really isn't needed all that much IME if one stays off the bones. I've skinned/boned an elk with 2 blades. If just quartering, the second isn't needed.

I trap, generally skin 80-100 various critters a year. Weibe brand is my go to, both knife and blades. Weibe blades are just as good and more economical than Havalon , and interchange with the #60XT. I use the Outdoor Edge on big game animals, the blade and backbone is more suitable for the task.

https://www.fntpost.com/Products/Wiebe/Wiebe+Wicked+Sharp+Replacement+Blades

Have they dropped that one? I don't see it on their website. Amazon has it but not extra blades. Where do you get blades?

Is this the one you're talking about? :

Wiebe sells this thing called a zipper. The blades appear to be like standard box cutter hook blades. I have lots of those on hand along with several knives. Do you know if these are any sharper than box cutters?

I use a havalon withca regular blade and a removable. The removable is great for skinning but too thin/fragile for joints.

Unless the hook is larger than it appears in the picture, zipper’ looks like a standard roofing knife. I use the RazorPro.

https://www.outdooredge.com/collections/hunting-processing/products/razor-pro

The 60A blades are thicker and stronger than the 60XT blades. (Havalon)

Major ditto!!

Use whatcha like and what's most efficient in your hands.

If your buddy changed Havelon blades 6 times gutting and skinning one bull, its not the knifes fault. Your buddy has no clue what he was doing.

+1

Was he using used blades?

That’s VERY possible. Another contributing factor is he’s left handed. 😖

Have one that was given to me. However, I own three $100 Arkansas stones and have no interest. At any given time, I usually have a minimum of three knives on my person.

Don't much care for the blade shape on this one.

I like a good 'switch blade' knife myself

which model do you perfer?

Replaceable blades can also be sharpened. Sort of defeats the purpose in my opinion, but my cheap ass old man sharpens his havalon fillet knife blades with good effect.

Can only speak about the Havalon as I have never used the other two. I have two Havalons (Piranta and a Baracuta) and love them.

Yep; +1

I like the outdoor edge one for the reasons laid forth by others here.

I have had the issue of fat accumulation on the blade retainer mentioned by at least one person but figure all options have a drawback or three and that’s the drawback of this choice.

About that fat accumulation problem - I don't have one of those knives but why not take an old blade, grind off the sharp edge, and carry it for a groove cleaner?

Your knife in his hand would have been dull long before it was done too.

Like I've mentioned, Havalon are about all I see in the guide field and it rarely takes but a blade or 3 on a moose. And a moose is a substantial job. Treat that havalon edge like you treat your knife edges and all will be good. Only thing don't put side or twist pressure on it.

But we are totally free to use what we want, thats for sure.

I like to use a stockman pocket knife. 3 blades and less chance of stabbing yourself if you fall than a large belt knife.