Priced Out of Replacement Blade Knives

[KayakMacGyver]

I ran through 4 blades last night cutting up a big boar hog and thought nothing of it. I like a sharp edge and replacement blades are (were) cheap. Realized I'm getting low and hopped online to buy a bulk pack of 50 for my havalon and was floored.....$100! Absolute insanity as I bought a box last year for $35 and $30 two years before that. Anyone have any insight on that? I know everything has gotten stupid expensive, but that's crazy.

I'm priced out of the replacement blade knives and figure I can now justify the investment of a great knife for skinning and butchering game.

Any recommendations? I've been a havalon guy for 10 years and daily carry a case trapper in carbon steel.

Looking for something light that holds a good edge and can be sharpened relatively easily in the field.

Thanks in Advance

 

[npaden]

Still expensive but $60 for 100 for the same #60 blade.

MedBlades Box of 100 Carbon Steel Blades, Sterile, Individually Foil Wrapped. Dental, Surgical, Veterinary, Dermaplane, Hobby, Craft & More (# 60, Carbon) https://a.co/d/1fYt6Fg

 

[KayakMacGyver]

MedBlades Box of 100 Carbon Steel Blades, Sterile, Individually Foil Wrapped. Dental, Surgical, Veterinary, Dermaplane, Hobby, Craft & More (# 60, Carbon) https://a.co/d/1fYt6Fg

Well dang. Here I was shopping for the havalon brand and didnt even consider an alternative brand. Still almost double the price from last year, but at least not triple. Thanks for sharing.

 

[npaden]

Well dang. Here I was shopping for the havalon brand and didnt even consider an alternative brand. Still almost double the price from last year, but at least not triple. Thanks for sharing.

That’s for 100 so the same as the $30 for 50 that you paid 2 years ago.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

That’s for 100 so the same as the $30 for 50 that you paid 2 years ago.

Whew, definitely didn't pay close enough attention. You're the man, thanks for the link.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

One tip I use, certain cuts aren't suited for replacement blades. I use one fixed blade for like the initial cut through the hair, all the joints, and cuts right on the bone. Basically the cuts that will ruin a disposable blade I'll use the tougher fixed blade for.

Works for me, can usually get by with one blade for a deer doing that method

 

[npaden]

I use mine for everything and one blade lasts for an entire deer. I might use 2 on a really dirty pig or elk that was wallowing in the mud or something. The dirt dulls the blade pretty quick.

Knock on wood I haven’t broken a blade in a long time. At least a dozen animals.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I use mine for everything and one blade lasts for an entire deer. I might use 2 on a really dirty pig or elk that was wallowing in the mud or something. The dirt dulls the blade pretty quick.

Knock on wood I haven’t broken a blade in a long time. At least a dozen animals.

Ya that's not bad. Just a change I made that seemed to help them last I little longer. But it also means carrying two knives in the field

 

[Hem]

Doesn't MacGyver know how to wing it?
Joke might precede you.

 

[winmag]

Just stop using them. Replacement blade knives have to be the biggest gimmick in the industry. Buy a $8 paring knife. Takes a couple seconds to resharpen to a razor blade edge. Just resharpen instead of replacing blades. $8 once and you’re done. You don’t need to carry a big Rambo knife in addition to this either. I’ve completely quartered and butchered multiple elk with this exact knife.

 

[brendog84cj8]

They are not cheap but after gutting, quartering and carcass trimming three deer just recently, with the same Montana Knife Company knife and not resharpening I would recommend what they make.

 

[Lasiocarpa]

Yup, I tried Havalons for a while and keep coming back to the good old Vicky paring knife

 

[kansasdad]

Scalpel blades will develop a burr (dulling edge), but will also regain an edge with a ceramic sharpener like is found in a Rapala filet knife or a ceramic hone.

 

[willy]

I resharpen my replaceable blades to razor sharp(Outdoor edge brand). They have been through 5 elk and several more deer. I assume the other brands have the same ability. if not, might want to try them.

 

[belshawelk]

Yes buy a Benchmade Steep Country. Best knife IMO period ( production knife). It can gut, quarter, skin several critters without losing an edge. When it does, send it back to them and they will sharpen for life for free.

 

[JustinsDad]

I like the replacement blade knife myself.

 

[Gellar]

If I’m just doing meat work or skinning an animal and my blade gets dull I’ll just run my replacement blade over a steal if it’s getting dull. It’s not new sharp but still sharper than I need. If I’m caping an animal for taxidermy I’d put a new blade on if it got dull.

 

[thomas89]

Yes buy a Benchmade Steep Country. Best knife IMO period ( production knife). It can gut, quarter, skin several critters without losing an edge. When it does, send it back to them and they will sharpen for life for free.

I think this knife is being discontinued as it's no longer shown on the website. Was able to snatch one up from the BX here. Seems like a super solid knife, can't believe they'd discontinue it.

Sure replacement blades are expensive, but I don't know that I'm burning through them at a rate to worry just yet. Have been touching mine up on a ceramic hone and seems to get a bit more life out of them.

 

[Jamen]

I use an outdoor edge to gut a deer and when caping. I have over a dozen buck knives new and old "old ones are way better than the new". I hand sharpened those on stones. I used a worksharp on them in the past wasnt a fan of how much steel they take off the knives imo. We skin and debone deer for people in the fall normally over 100 deer. i bought cheap knives on amazon and bought a nice chefs choice electric pass-through sharpener. Gets the cheap knives sharp enough for a deer or two before i run them back through. Its very tough on the blades but they are cheap steel so i knew that going in.

Is your time worth more than the cost of the replacement blades is what id ask myself. i personally enjoy using my stones and do my nice knives on them. I can normally do 4-6 deer with my hand sharpened buck knives before they need touch ups.

 

[BRI]

I've been sharpening my used havalon blades on a lansky. A few minutes is all it takes to get them back to razor sharp.