Priced Out of Replacement Blade Knives

[KayakMacGyver]

These are all great comments and I appreciate the wisdom. I'm generally very careful about my cuts but the throw away blades just don't carry the edge I like long enough to get the life some of you all experience. That, and I've taken for granted how relatively cheap they were and haven't worried about being wasteful to this point.

For me...1 is good for a deer, and 3 or 4 for elk and pigs (depending on what I'm doing with the skull). As it loses its razor edge through the butchering process, I find myself starting to hack and that's when trouble usually happens by way of a sliced up finger. So I just replace them as soon as I notice that starting to happen and save those blades for joint cutting/initial hair cuts/etc.

I'm going to try sharpening the replacements as I go to extend some life. Definitely going to pick up the paring knife as well. Still on the fence about the investment in a Benchmade or MKC knife.

 

[geewhiz]

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

I bought a box of these and though they will snap into place on the knife similarly, they are much thinner blades which results in alot of "wiggle" since they dont fill up the channel completely. That and they have a huge amount of flex since they are so much thinner. I only used a couple and stopped using them.

 

[perma]

FWIW I had butchered two pronghorn with the Gerber EBS. The edges were dull on the second one but you can resharpen them with a few passes. I've never butchered a whole animal before in the field and I got those two done in less than 30 min with the EBS. Lightweight and has multiple blades for different applications. I also carry a tyto scalpel for the initial cut of the hide and for any smaller hide cuts, and caping the skull. I go through two of those, could probably go to one once I get more experience. The scalpel is nice but very pricey.

 

[Werty]

I dont use replacement blades, This can easily touch up those blades to last a little longer. This stays in my pack

 

[Dsnow9]

I dont use replacement blades, This can easily touch up those blades to last a little longer. This stays in my pack View attachment 298847

Those are sweet! Use them at work regularly for our pruners.

 

[Steiny77]

Replacement blade knives are just silly wasteful gadgetry.
I've been taking deer and elk apart with the same Cutco knife for over a decade.

Keep a steel handy and use it regularly as you work. About twice a year I clean it up good on a stone then finish with steel.

 

[npaden]

I bought a box of these and though they will snap into place on the knife similarly, they are much thinner blades which results in alot of "wiggle" since they dont fill up the channel completely. That and they have a huge amount of flex since they are so much thinner. I only used a couple and stopped using them.

Thanks, I haven't bought them but assumed they were the same since they were #60 blades. I need to figure out where I bought my last ones. They don't say Havalon on them, just 60A on the box and the blades. They are a good blade and work well for me. I have some of the 60XT ones that I know are Havalon and they aren't as stiff as the 60A ones I'm using.

 

[belshawelk]

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.

Just bought a couple. Glad I did

 

[Greyman]

This is what I use on hogs. They are cheap, light enough to carry a couple in my pack, and scary sharp. When they get dull after several hogs, or they break, you toss it in the trash.

Ceramic Paring Knife

 

[Touchdown88]

I freshen the replaceable blades on a leather strop. By doing this I can cape at least 2 deer on one blade.

 

[whatnot]

I've never understood the point. I've run a Buck 112 since I was 10. Hundreds of fish, birds, deer, elk, a few sheep(domestic, my odds suck), a few half beef.

You guys must have robotic hands,because on a big animal, I get the hand cramps, and don't mind a minute break in cutting to run it on a steel.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

I bought the 100 pack of blades @npaden provided a link for. If they don't fit my knife, I'll send em' back. Otherwise, I'll give them a run and see how they perform and report back.

Victorinox paring knife on the way. For $8, I can't see a reason not to try this.

Finally, I bought a Benchmade Steep Country per @belshawelk 's recommendation. High remarks for this knife all across the internet. Found a new one for $130. Not sure why, but Benchmade quit making them. I was already leaning towards carrying a fixed blade and if I don't like it (not sure why I wouldn't), I'll sell it.

Long story short.....I shouldn't have any knife complaints for a while.

 

[belshawelk]

I bought the 100 pack of blades @npaden provided a link for. If they don't fit my knife, I'll send em' back. Otherwise, I'll give them a run and see how they perform and report back.

Victorinox paring knife on the way. For $8, I can't see a reason not to try this.

Finally, I bought a Benchmade Steep Country per @belshawelk 's recommendation. High remarks for this knife all across the internet. Found a new one for $130. Not sure why, but Benchmade quit making them. I was already leaning towards carrying a fixed blade and if I don't like it (not sure why I wouldn't), I'll sell it.

Long story short.....I shouldn't have any knife complaints for a while.

Well crap you made me look and I don't see it. I just bought another one and the folder version 2 moths ago because I had a coupon code. Glad I did. $130 is a good deal for one.
I see a few that are very similar so they must have updated I guess.

 

[winmag]

$8 paring knife, $8 fine grit Diamond hone, some cardboard and duct tape. Anything more is just for show.


The paring knife even comes in @Dsnow9 approved hot pink!

 

[fleabagmatt]

Well crap you made me look and I don't see it.

If you're referring to the Steep Country:

https://www.scheels.com/p/benchmade-15006-steep-country-knife/61095319722.html

 

[Dsnow9]

$8 paring knife, $8 fine grit Diamond hone, some cardboard and duct tape. Anything more is just for show.
View attachment 298911

The paring knife even comes in @Dsnow9 approved hot pink!

Way ahead of you lol

 

[MTGunner]

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

PM to you. MTG

 

[Redman]

I forgot my knife on a mule deer hunt and threw a utility knife in my pack from a ranchers pole barn. I quartered up a buck in probably the same amount of time had I had my old trusty hunting knife. Did a whole cow with a knife on my multi tool ended up breaking the tip off when I stuck it in a log and hit it swinging a quarter over the log

 

[KayakMacGyver]

If you're referring to the Steep Country:

https://www.scheels.com/p/benchmade-15006-steep-country-knife/61095319722.html

Yep, that's the one.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I had a fancy custom for a bit, the classic buck folder, used the Vic parers for a couple years, used havalon and outdoor edge replaceables, a decent/generic fixed CRKT hunter. They all have pros and cons. I've kinda come full circle back to preferring a simple fixed blade, at least for what I do.