kansaswiderack

Anyone that has actually used these care to comment on what you thought. Looks like a really good sharp blade but you throw away instead of sharpening. Can't see that you would be able to split a brisket on a deer or elk.

CalHunter

I bought one of the Havalon Piranta knives and have only used it to skin 1 buck. I caught a bit of hair with the blade and had to dress it a bit but was able to finish with the original blade. In comparison, I only dressed the Havalon maybe a 1/4 as much as my buddy's Schrade. I'm NOT bagging on his Schrade as I have one also and it's a good knife. Just providing it as a means for comparison.

The blades are 2&3/4" long so that may work for you or not on blade length. The blades are extremely sharp as in razor sharp. The blade's edge stays sharp a bit longer than one of my folding knives or the Shrade. The knife comes with a case and around a dozen spare blades so it would definitely be enough skinning blades for any hunting trip. And if you bring some kind of dressing stone, you can always dress up the edge as needed.

My overall impression of the knife is it was worth the investment but that is me and what I use it for. Another buddy of mine was with me when I used it on the buck and now he wants one also. Hopefully this feedback helps a little.

kansaswiderack

That all adds up to what I was thinking but I am still curious if you could split a brisket with one. I guessing not as they appear to have a very thin perhaps even flexible blade.

patchnball

bought a Razor Edge at lowes...came with a couple replacement blades. Very sharp and does a fine job. Yes you can sharpen the replacement blades. Split a brisket......don't know never needed to do that on a deer. Did split the pelvis on a button buck with it.

CalHunter

The one I had used very thin blades and I don't think I would try that. YMMV of course. But there's no reason you couldn't pack along something else for splitting a brisket.

Champlain Islander

One of my younger hunting partners who is an expert uses a Havalon Piranta. I am old school and go with a special issue Buck 110 and a small sharpener in the pack. I can do an elk without having to sharpen. If I need to touch it up no problem. When elk hunting I carry a Wyoming saw in addition to the knife for the legs and any bone cutting.

rockport

So many people love them that there must be something to it. Me personally I just don't see it.

My knives are sharper,tougher, hold an edge much longer,and are shaped far better for processing game.

My exact thoughts are "I can't believe people love this thing"

To me its a cheap knife with junk steel. I'd sooner use a utility knife as the steel on those is far superior and the design is just about as accommodating.

I just don't get it at all. Maybe good for an occasional user that just doesn't have any interest in learning how to maintain a good knife I guess or for a easy to carry backup(which is what I do with mine)

Like I said though a lot of people love them.

As far as Schrade goes the newer ones are garbage(worse than the Havalon)

If a good quality older Schrade doesn't out perform a Havalon hands down something is not being done right. I'd have to replace/sharpen the blade on a havalon 3-4 times for every deer to keep it as sharp as I want it to be.

For me there are lots of knives out there that are far better quality. I'd rather use a $10 carbon steel opinel pocket knife than a Havalon.

CalHunter

That raises a good question about Schrade knives. Mine is maybe 15 years old. My buddies is over 30 years old. What year did Schrade start going downhill in quality? And just to clear the air, neither my buddy nor I had to sharpen the Schrade knives, just dress the edge from hitting some hair on the buck.

rockport

Yeah hair is a killer for about any knife.

2004ish I think. They are really just not Schrade anymore....just a money grab company that bought the Schrade name.

Does yours rust? Does it say U.S.A on it?

That was really a pretty good guide in the past. Good knives rust although now days they do have some pretty good stainless steels. I still prefer carbon myself..Its has a good combination of not so hard you can't sharpen it but still hard enough to hold a good edge.

Some companies like buck defy the rules with there superior processing of cheap not so great steals like 420hc which can be found in lots of really cheap junk knives but buck has a hardening process that makes it pretty decent.

A lot of the mainstream companies go this route. Gerber,Buck,Cutco,pre 2004 Schrade stainless etc. They use steel that is not very good but still care enough about there product to figure out a way to make it work pretty decent.