Folding scalpel

D

DeadOnTarget

Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
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Anyone had experience with the folding scalpels like Havalon Piranta or Gerber Vital? Thinking they would make good work EDC where many other knives would need constant sharpening over blade change. Whats your thoughts and experiences? :confused:
 
Depends very much on your use.

Personally, I dont intend to use a folding scalpel as an EDC.

How ever, I ve seen posts by hunters, who use these 'folding scalpels' for when skinning deer. Several hunters seem to like these scalpels.

I dont see the advantage, as I have no problem shapening my knives and Id rather use a skinning knife, but thats just me...
 
Easier to just sharpen. Sounds like a huge hassle to keep replacing the blades with "non generic/Gerber-Vital-Specific" replacement blades, particularly when each blade costs a buck to a buck fifty.
 
I kind of view them the same as I do the replaceable blade utility knives that use box cutter blades... some of these have gotten to be decent quality knives in their own regards, and for heavy daily use for job specific tasks ( cutting open lots of boxes, processing lots of rapidly dulling materials like carpet etc etc ) and for those given tasks, when I know I'll be in a situation that i'll be using the blade extra heavy, I like em...

as far as the skinners go... I view them the same way, they are an easy way to do a critical task without having to worry about your tools...and yes, the blades are a buck each, but honestly I don't clean THAT many deer a year, I can use a replaceable bladed knife blade on each and still be out less than 5 bucks or so a year.... and not have to worry about my tools in the process...for the cost difference in one of those knives and a 10 year supply of blades I could get a FAIR at best real knife....and it gives me a reason to add another knife in the knife cabinet....LOL that's a win

I like em, but I fully expect on this forum, that will seat me firmly in the minority of the population....

I've seen too many butcher knives over the years worn down to the spine, all the meat of the blade sharpened away to nothing....I try to keep from sharpening my knives till they need it....and heavy wear tasks that cause a lot of damage to a blade, from either use or over sharpening to correct the edge from use are best suited to something less than my best blades....

YMMV
 
They are intended to cut flesh only for skinning and field dressing. I can't imagine the blades would hold up very well for any type of utility cutting at all.

I have some buddies that have used the dispoasable blade skinning knives in the past and I find them unnecessary. I have dressed out quite a few deer with a cheap Mora companion and never had a problem or felt like a different knife would haven been helpful.
 
Hawgsnawt said:
I kind of view them the same as I do the replaceable blade utility knives that use box cutter blades... some of these have gotten to be decent quality knives in their own regards, and for heavy daily use for job specific tasks ( cutting open lots of boxes, processing lots of rapidly dulling materials like carpet etc etc ) and for those given tasks, when I know I'll be in a situation that i'll be using the blade extra heavy, I like em...
Click to expand...

Sure, but replacement blades are readily available. The same cant be said about the specific blade that goes into a Gerber.


Hawgsnawt said:
as far as the skinners go... I view them the same way, they are an easy way to do a critical task without having to worry about your tools...and yes, the blades are a buck each, but honestly I don't clean THAT many deer a year, I can use a replaceable bladed knife blade on each and still be out less than 5 bucks or so a year.... and not have to worry about my tools in the process...for the cost difference in one of those knives and a 10 year supply of blades I could get a FAIR at best real knife....and it gives me a reason to add another knife in the knife cabinet....LOL that's a win

I like em, but I fully expect on this forum, that will seat me firmly in the minority of the population....

I've seen too many butcher knives over the years worn down to the spine, all the meat of the blade sharpened away to nothing....I try to keep from sharpening my knives till they need it....and heavy wear tasks that cause a lot of damage to a blade, from either use or over sharpening to correct the edge from use are best suited to something less than my best blades....

YMMV
Click to expand...

I am trying to wrap my head around that part. It seems like you like having tools, but don't like using them. Which is fine if you are tool collector...but you sound like a user.

And if you dont clean that many deer a year...then how much sharpening hassle would you have to deal with if you actually used a knife to do it?

And I understand that the cost savings ... but I'm not following what you say after that. You save enough to buy a fair real knife that you don't use? :confused:
 
The reason I m considering this is at work I currently use a folding box cutter. Its good for most tasks but not all. The issue I have with box cutters is when cutting straps, I have to use a slicing motion rather then push cut. Small box cutter blades dont offer enough edge to cut through in one swipe or without sawing through strapping.

So that is where the longer scalpel blade seemed appealing, of course I had not priced the blades! Yikes think I just keep sawing or use my main knife to slice quickly when needed and just touch up the edge.
 
Might wanna check out the crkt edgie 2. My dad cuts boxes and zip ties at work with it. It self sharpens. Nothing fancy but it replaced his box cutter and has a year or more of use on it and it has held up. Not the prettiest but it does the job.
 
:thumbup:
Hawgsnawt said:
I've seen too many butcher knives over the years worn down to the spine, all the meat of the blade sharpened away to nothing....I try to keep from sharpening my knives till they need it....and heavy wear tasks that cause a lot of damage to a blade, from either use or over sharpening to correct the edge from use are best suited to something less than my best blades....

YMMV
Click to expand...
Some butchers (or others who use their knives A LOT either as private persons or via their jobs) have through time sharpened their knives on bench grinders (the horror!). That of course puts a lot of wear on the knife and not everybody are good at it let alone care much about the looks of the knife afterwards.

If you only have to skin five to ten deer a year, you wont have to worry about excessive wear on your knife, because you of course dont sharpen you knife on a power tool, right?

As others have said, cant be much hassle to sharpen your knife for that minimal use each year (in the big scheme of things).

And yes, you do sound like you like tools but dont like to use them for some reason. A hunting knife is supposed to be used......and a lovingly used and worn knife has its own charm.

Dont worry, use your knife and sharpen it when it needs it (just dont use a power tool).

I use this Scheppmann Hunter. Its in A2 and is my 'go to' hunting knife. No wear to speak of in spite of being sharpened on a regular basis each hunting season.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ann-Hunter-outstanding!!?highlight=scheppmann

PS
I dont count patina as wear per se, but consider it a bonus:D
 
OP - to continue my above chain of thought; whats so bad about sharpening your knife? You are supposed to sharpen your knife, its all part of the fun of owning a knife:)
With a disposable blade, you dont get to enjoy the ritual of sharpening (the zen of sharpening:p), where is the fun in that.
Youll never get a meaningful relationship with a disposable knife like you will with a well used and well worn knife!!:D
 
Pioneer Valley said:
Might wanna check out the crkt edgie 2. My dad cuts boxes and zip ties at work with it. It self sharpens. Nothing fancy but it replaced his box cutter and has a year or more of use on it and it has held up. Not the prettiest but it does the job.
Click to expand...

I like that! Think I found a work blade!
 
BladeScout said:
OP - to continue my above chain of thought; whats so bad about sharpening your knife? You are supposed to sharpen your knife, its all part of the fun of owning a knife:)
With a disposable blade, you dont get to enjoy the ritual of sharpening (the zen of sharpening:p), where is the fun in that.
Youll never get a meaningful relationship with a disposable knife like you will with a well used and well worn knife!!:D
Click to expand...

I enjoy sharpening my normal knives when needed, but my work knife can get dull in a day cutting straps. Last thing I want to do after being at work for 12 hours is come home and tend to a knife. No, I rather sit down and relax. Maybe use a knife to do some wood carving while talking with they wife on the porch. BUT I still want a sharp knife to start the next day at work.
 
Hunters seem to like them, especially for dressing deer or something rife with parasites like fox. From what I've gathered, some people have a dedicated "fox" knife that they don't use on deer (or anything else they intend to eat) as to avoid contamination.
 
I have a lot of the Havalon stuff. I use the 4 1/2" filet blade for food prep. If I were doing a lot of cardboard, I would use my Milwaukee 48-22-1901 Fastback box cutter. It opens and closes with one hand. I like the Lennox Gold bimetal blades with TiN coated edges.
 
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