Havalon knives

We all need a sharp knife for hunting, but the more successful a hunter you are, the more use your knife will get and the duller it will become. That’s no real problem if you are skilled at knife sharpening, but if you’re not – and many of us aren’t – what if there was a system that allowed you to simply replace your knife’s blade with a scalpel sharp surgical steel edge?

Well your prayers have been answered with the new Havalon Piranta range of knives sold by the British sole distributor JMS Arms. Havalon’s goal is to provide, longer-lasting, surgically sharp replaceable blades for extended use that safely lock within lightweight handles using Havalon`s secure Quik- Change fitment system. Thus, overall, you have a smaller yet more highly efficient system that will never dull due to the interchangeable nature of the blade design.

Model Sizes

These knives are available in four distinct designs to cover the range of outdoor and hunting situations you may find yourself in. There are two small/medium sized Piranta-Edge knives that are suitable for gralloching game from rabbits to deer whilst the two Baracuta-Edge larger knives, are offered with filleting blade or saw blade. Blades can be interchanged between the same sized knives for extra versatility. Also within these groups there is a choice of steel or stainless steel blades, some with differing profiles benefitting use for skinning, gralloching or filleting.

Each spare blade is surgically sharp and spares are supplied in sterilised sealed packs and there is a black cordura pouch so you have a complete skinning, gutting, cutting tool in one.

 

Piranta-Edge

Common features to these knives are the folded 4.25 inch length and open length of 7.0 inches. The Edge has an ABS plastic handle that is available in a myriad of colours and frames ranging from aluminium to engraved animal scenes or even pink contoured if you like!

Regardless the ABS plastic model on test is tough and highly stain resistant so makes for a hygienic gralloching or skinning knife that can be sterilised or cleaned easily. The plastic grips secure to a skeletal frame, hence the lightweight of 2.2oz. It is also easy to clean. Inset to the handle on one side are two rubber panels for extra grip and a holster type clip for belt attachment is fitted but can be removed if you desire. To open, the folded blade has a small raised lip so you can flick it open with your thumb and the blade then locks securely with a traditional sprung steel catch, holding the blade against a stainless bracing pin. Supplied with the Piranta Edge are 12 additional stainless steel 60A blades of 2.75 inches length that have a slim profile and a pointed tip.

The Piranta also comes with a black cordura pouch that houses the Piranta and some spare blades so you have everything you need in one place. Replacement blade types can be bought separately in pointed or rounded tip and even a slightly longer blunted point that’s very handy, and even with four replacement blades in the pouch total weight is only 3.0oz.

 

Havalon Baracuta Edge

These are the big brothers to the Piranta, having bigger handles and longer blades for larger species or bigger tasks. The Baracuta Edge has the same surgically sharp blades but they are longer at five inches instead of 2.75 inches as on the Piranta. You have a choice of blade types, the #127XT is the fillet blade, ideal for filleting and deboning fish or deer rear ends, whilst the #115XT hunter’s blade is a universal drop pointed blade and #115SW is a serrated bone saw blade.

Overall length is 11.0 inches and has a black mil spec polymer handle with Orange rubber grip inserts. You still have a cordura pouch and there are five additional stainless steel blades included.

 

Replacing Blades

Common to both models is the method of replacing the blades, the unique design that makes the Havalon models so useful. To remove a dull blade all you have to do is grip the top of the blade with tweezers on the opposite edge to the cutting edge. With the other hand use your index finger to lift the blade at the base now using the forceps gripping the blade, pull on the blade and you can slide the blade off over the retaining clip. Fitting the new blade is really just the reverse – grip the blade with the cutting edge upward and slide on over the securing clip until the blades base snaps into position and the blade is secure. It’s fast, simple and means you never have to sharpen a blade again… take care as they are sharp, but you will get the hang of it.

 

Conclusion

This is a great range and diverse selection of designs to suit anyone’s tastes and type of hunting or fishing that you undertake. They have a very lightweight design and the replacement blades means that you will never have to worry about sharpening a knife again.

Take care as they are very sharp and, due to the open framed nature of the design, it will collect dirt, blood and body tissue, but it is easily cleaned.

Great value with prices ranging from £31.40 for the Piranta Edge to £61.20 for the Baracuta Edge and for more information please contact JMS Arms on tel. 07771 962 121 or 01444 400 126 www.havalonknives.co.uk.