Cutlery: Replaceable Blades

In an ideal world, you never have to bring a sharpener on your hunt because your blade never dulls. But let’s face facts. If you’ve spent any time processing big game, you know that even the best fixed blade will eventually lose its edge. For centuries, hunters had to either know how to sharpen their knives in the field or carry multiple knives with them.

Nowadays, there’s a new convenient option: knives with replaceable blades. This growing trend allows you to carry a compact knife (lightening your overall load) while also letting you substitute a sharp blade for a dull one within seconds (eliminating the tedium of hand-sharpening and reducing the time it takes to get your carcass on ice). Plus, for those on a budget, knives with replaceable blades are often cheaper than premium fixed blade skinners on the market.
Read on to see if there’s a model that’s right for your field dressing needs.

Havalon Piranta-Edge

OAL: 7.25 inches
Blade Length: 2.75 inches
Blade Material: Stainless steel
Weight: 1.5 ounces
MSRP: $45
URL: havalon.com

411: Compared to the Bucks and the Brownings of the knife world, Havalon is just a fawn. But its reputation has grown rapidly, thanks to its super sharp replaceable blades —no surprise since its parent company makes scalpels for the medical industry. The Piranta-Edge features Havalon’s popular #60A scalpel blade, which might be one of the smallest contenders in this buyer’s guide, but it can cut with the best of them. Comes with a nylon sheath, 12 extra blades, and a plastic blade-remover tool.

Pros:
> Extremely sharp and precise blade
> Slim and compact, for those who prefer lighter loads
> Affordable package

Cons:
> Blade requires forceps, pliers, or the included tool to remove.
> Thumb-disc is small, making it harder to open the blade quickly.
> Pocket clip has right-handed tip-down configuration only.

Wiebe Knives  Arctic Fox

OAL: 7.13 inches
Blade Length: 3 inches
Blade Material: Stainless steel
Weight: 2.2 ounces
MSRP: $35
URL: wiebeknives.com

411: At first glance you might mistake this Wiebe knife for a Havalon folder. Why? First, there’s the surgical-style blade, which rotates out using an equally ill-designed thumb-disc. Next is the liner-lock within a plastic handle and the clone of a nylon sheath. However, while Havalon’s Piranta-Edge comes with 12 replacement blades, the Arctic Fox includes a whopping 24 extra blades. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to compensate for an overall “meh” quality.

Pros:
> Razor sharp blade with accurate cutting
> Handle fits our medium-sized hands well.

Cons:
> Lackluster materials and construction
> Stiff and gritty knife opening
> Use caution when swapping out the blades; no tool is included.

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