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Field Dressing/Skinning Knife

Im a little late to the party here....G2 asked why anyone wouldnt just use a havalon. I had to think about that one. I have one and really like it...right now its just a back up though. I have broken a blade once or twice in the field..but the biggest problem I was having was I dont break/cut the pelvic bone. I just cut around the vent from the inside and out....and pull out along with the guts. Kinda like a butt out tool..but dont need to carry another tool. The havalon was just a little short for getting up as far as I needed to cut the membrane.

Right now, im using a bark river fox river....Love that knife....stays crazy sharp for at least 3-4 deer before I need to strop it. There is a more sentimental reason as well. If I ever get the chance to pass down my Hunting knife to one of my kids...I think it would be nicer to hand down the Bark river then a havalon....lol...but that is just how I was thinking about it.
 
Bark River Knives are top notch. I had one that I traded to a guy in Bulgaria for a custom Jukka Hankala Boar Hunter his friend made for me. That will go to my daughter, but I carry the Havalon.
Knife_Yasen_Bulgaria_23.jpg
 
I love my Havalon, but the thought of handing a knife down to my son had recently been on my mind so I mentioned it to my wife and she found this one and ordered it for me for Christmas. Anxious to see how nice it is
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I completely agree about the sentiment attached to knives. I think I could get into collecting custom knives....

The Havalon is purely a utilitarian resource.
 
flinginairos said:
I love my Havalon, but the thought of handing a knife down to my son had recently been on my mind so I mentioned it to my wife and she found this one and ordered it for me for Christmas. Anxious to see how nice it is
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Beautiful knife. I need to start looking for an heirloom. As mentioned, the havalon is completely utilitarian

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Erniepower said:
Beautiful knife. I need to start looking for an heirloom. As mentioned, the havalon is completely utilitarian

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I'll post some pics when I get it in my hands. Hard part will be keeping my son away from it now lol. He thinks every knife I own is his already!
 
Most scalpels I have seen have a retractable blade cover.

I never wanted a havalon because I like carrying a more significant knife in the woods, don't want to carry extra stuff, and a sharp Mora knife did the job for me.

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There's nothing wrong with bigger, stronger knives. For me I never need anything but a skinning blade. I can't remember a time when I needed a big knife during a hunt.
 
flinginairos said:
I love my Havalon, but the thought of handing a knife down to my son had recently been on my mind so I mentioned it to my wife and she found this one and ordered it for me for Christmas. Anxious to see how nice it is
8b9d42a2f947d22d93d8c3dc8651a6f4.png



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Click to expand...
My lord if that aint a beautiful piece of art!
 
flinginairos said:
I know! It came in the mail yesterday but she wouldn't let me have it lol. Gotta wait for Christmas she says.
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That's ok man. My wife keeps telling me about the "Amazing" hunting pressent she got me and she can't wait to see the look on my face when I see it. I think she's just trying to keep me from buying hunting stuff personally. She keeps saying "now don't by anything because you might just go out an buy something I already got you." :\
 
DIYSaddler said:
That's ok man. My wife keeps telling me about the "Amazing" hunting pressent she got me and she can't wait to see the look on my face when I see it. I think she's just trying to keep me from buying hunting stuff personally. She keeps saying "now don't by anything because you might just go out an buy something I already got you." :\
Click to expand...

Haha! Well hopefully it's something good!


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I have done many a deer from start to finish with a $20 Wal Mart purchased Gerber fillet knife. they have the plastic sheath that has a cheap sharpener built in. But that was mainly when I didn't gut them.
Now I'm using the Piranta and like it a lot. But at the start of every season I go looking at custom knives. I'd really like to have a nice one but so hard to make the choice.

I have a hard time paying $300 for a knife made from 440 steel. And when you get out searching you see that you are paying for a craftsmans time spent on a nice handle and leather sheath. At the end of the day, I don't want something that will win a beauty contest (although if I found the right knife I'd gladly pay a little extra for that). The blade is the business end. And while there is NO reason why I should ever need more than 440 to gut and dress a deer... it just feels like I should be able to pry open a paint can for that kind of money.
Too many tradeoffs between stain/corrosion resistance, hardness, toughness, edge retention... So I never make up my mind and then the season starts with the Piranta in my pack/
 
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