Sportsman warehouse

RELH

RELH

Long Time Member
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I had to laugh. Sportsman Warehouse sent me a email and the title of the email was,'Upgrade your trusty knife". Bess do you think I should take them up on their offer of buying a upgraded made in China knife? Maybe I can look for a gut hook for you.:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
RELH
 
I got suckered a couple of weeks ago. Called up my trap supplier. Told him I needed a dozen brand x traps. He said they were out of those but they had a dozen brand z that are just as good he could send me. Okydoky. I needed them and paid. Box arrives. I go to scrubbing the oil off them. On the bottom I read "Made In China". I felt a little dirty and a little pi55ed at my supplier. Caught a bobcat and a fox in them a few days later. I think the varmints even seemed a little dirtier.
 
Bess Sportsman Warehouse and Cabela's are both owned by Bass pro. The knives are the same for all three stores.

RELH
 
RELH said:
Bess Sportsman Warehouse and Cabela's are both owned by Bass pro. The knives are the same for all three stores.

RELH
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Yes but Sportsmans Warehouse is still independent from Cabelas and Bass Pro as far as purchasing goes. They still have their own buyers and I hope it stays that way.
 
I doubt it will stay that way when the peanut counters get their way. Large volume buying is cheaper.
RELH
 
Founder said:
It’s true. I think I did my entire deer and my wife’s entire elk with a Havalon. I always have a bit bigger knife in my kit, but rarely use it.
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Agreed! Another great knife are the cheap boning knives you get at a butcher supply store. Those are great for bigger animals like elk and moose.

I have a box of custom knives that have been given to me over the years. They just sit there and gather dust. I believe the custom knife market is more geared towards the older hunters. The last thing i want in my pack is something that is heavier than I need yet small enough to lose and be out a decent amount of $$$$.
 
I spend everyday with a knife in my hand. I use a ton of #60 and #22 scalpels. I can take apart an entire mule deer buck with one #60 blade. No saw needed. They are great for weight and space in a pack.

However I have been changing lately. I pulled out some of my old knives and got them sharpened up. I realized I hadn't taught my son how to sharpen a knife because we always used scalpel blades. I have some really good handmade knives and they have just sat in the safe for years. Now I take them out carry them on my hip and use them. I am getting older and more patient so its nice after using one to sit at the house in front of the TV drinking a mixed drink and finishing an edge on a well made knife.

I have reached a conclusion. A great handmade well sharpened knife is culture. A scalpel is business. The older I get the more I am valuing culture. Its not as common as it used to be.
 
Agreed on the Havalon. Get a disposable blade-style knife and screw carrying that monster knife/leather sheath, sharpening stone combo all over the hills. U cannot even tell you’re carrying a havalon because of how light it is and space saving.

I have never looked back since I started using the Havalon 8 about years ago. Best investment for taking care of game!
 
Tristate said:
I spend everyday with a knife in my hand. I use a ton of #60 and #22 scalpels. I can take apart an entire mule deer buck with one #60 blade. No saw needed. They are great for weight and space in a pack.

However I have been changing lately. I pulled out some of my old knives and got them sharpened up. I realized I hadn't taught my son how to sharpen a knife because we always used scalpel blades. I have some really good handmade knives and they have just sat in the safe for years. Now I take them out carry them on my hip and use them. I am getting older and more patient so its nice after using one to sit at the house in front of the TV drinking a mixed drink and finishing an edge on a well made knife.

I have reached a conclusion. A great handmade well sharpened knife is culture. A scalpel is business. The older I get the more I am valuing culture. Its not as common as it used to be.
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Well said. A post of yours I actually agree with ?.
 
A good custom knife of the proper steel will get you though 2-5 game animals before you have to touch it up or change blades.
I do not use a Havalon for the simple reason I do not like to work blind in the chest cavity and I use my knife to rip open the front bone of the chest cavity and prop it open to remove lungs, heart. A Havalon is worthless for cutting the chest cavity open and you run the risk of a broken blade.
The Havalon is great for skinning and cutting soft tissue and anyone that complains about a 8 ounce knife being too heavy needs to get into shape.

RELH
 
RELH said:
A good custom knife of the proper steel will get you though 2-5 game animals before you have to touch it up or change blades.
I do not use a Havalon for the simple reason I do not like to work blind in the chest cavity and I use my knife to rip open the front bone of the chest cavity and prop it open to remove lungs, heart. A Havalon is worthless for cutting the chest cavity open and you run the risk of a broken blade.
The Havalon is great for skinning and cutting soft tissue and anyone that complains about a 8 ounce knife being too heavy needs to get into shape.

RELH
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That's why I carry an 8 oz folding saw. Should have one of those anyway to make a crutch when my clumsy self trips and twists an ankle...
 
Gerber Vital here. Took some getting used to, but extremely efficient. I do have a saw. Between the two it's easy. My big knives are heirlooms now. mtmuley
 
RELH said:
A good custom knife of the proper steel will get you though 2-5 game animals before you have to touch it up or change blades.
I do not use a Havalon for the simple reason I do not like to work blind in the chest cavity and I use my knife to rip open the front bone of the chest cavity and prop it open to remove lungs, heart. A Havalon is worthless for cutting the chest cavity open and you run the risk of a broken blade.
The Havalon is great for skinning and cutting soft tissue and anyone that complains about a 8 ounce knife being too heavy needs to get into shape.

RELH
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No doubt custom knives are great for gutting and quartering an animal. But there’s no way you’re going to break down two animals and cape them without touching up the blade. No way. So your 8 oz knife turns into 12 oz and just the liability of having a dull blade is enough reason to leave that custom knife where it belongs, in the truck. Use it for those day hike hunts. But try lifesize caping a mountain goat or dall sheep without touching up a knife. You will hate life. I’ve done enough Alaskan moose to know there isn’t a custom knife out there that can do it without needing touched up.

Pullling the heart out is no problem using a havalon. Hell most the time I do the gutless method anyhow. There really isn’t any downside to having a havalon. Hell one day I’ll pass it down to my kids. ?

You should start making custom knives that take scalpel blades. It’s the future????
 
I have knives with disposable blades that I won at banquets. I realize they're sharp as hell, but my dad was a butcher and I just like regular pocket knives and game knives.

The Havalon-type knives just sit with my hunting stuff, unopened. Does that make me racist?
 
I Don't know that it makes you a racist!

We'll see what ss says!


Snoopdogg said:
I have knives with disposable blades that I won at banquets. I realize they're sharp as hell, but my dad was a butcher and I just like regular pocket knives and game knives.

The Havalon-type knives just sit with my hunting stuff, unopened. Does that make me racist?
Click to expand...
 
Slightlysober said:

No doubt custom knives are great for gutting and quartering an animal. But there’s no way you’re going to break down two animals and cape them without touching up the blade. No way. So your 8 oz knife turns into 12 oz and just the liability of having a dull blade is enough reason to leave that custom knife where it belongs, in the truck.
___________________________________________________________________
You should get your facts before you spout off on a subject you think you know about.
There is a gentleman who is with "Ireviewgear" and bought one of my knives based on several members of this forum telling him how great they were. He tested the knife for a year and sent me a email telling me that he field dressed and skinned out 2 elk and 2 mule deer and my knife still shaved hair on his arm.
Another hunter who belonged to a deer camp back East used my knife to field dress and skin out his deer, and then skinned out 4 deer belonging to his hunting buddies and stated the knife was sharp enough that he could do 1-2 deer more.
A local woman, who is a better hunter then her husband used my knife to field dress, skin out 2 deer and 1 bear and debone all three animals and cut the meat up to package for the freezer. She bought the knife back to me to re-sharpen as it was just starting to drag a little on slicing the raw meat.
When S30V stainless steel came out, a lot of knife experts referred to it as "Super steel" based on it's toughness and ability to hold a very sharp edge. It has 4.00% vanadium and 2.00% molybenium added to the steel that makes it highly abrasive resistance. In other words it will hold a sharp edge over other steels and can be a bear to resharpen because of that abrasive resistance.
As for me I only get 2 deer before I have to touch it up due to me using the knife to rip open the chest plate.
Some people like a Ferrari and others like a ford pinto, you sound like the Pinto guy.
RELH
 
No doubt a havalon with disposable blades is ideal for fine detail work like capeing a skull.

I hate to give away all my secrets :) but I have a Hatfield knife and for the most part I don't let it get dull. I keep a small honing steel handy and I give it a few licks now and again. It keeps it sharp and avoids the sometimes tedious work of letting a knife get too dull and bringing it back to full sharpness. If you watch a butcher work, he cuts for awhile and then hits it with a steel to keep the edge, especially if he's working around bone. Of course a 3 ounce steel is extra weight to pack. I get that. No wonder my back hurts.
 
eelgrass said:
No doubt a havalon with disposable blades is ideal for fine detail work like capeing a skull.

I hate to give away all my secrets :) but I have a Hatfield knife and for the most part I don't let it get dull. I keep a small honing steel handy and I give it a few licks now and again. It keeps it sharp and avoids the sometimes tedious work of letting a knife get too dull and bringing it back to full sharpness. If you watch a butcher work, he cuts for awhile and then hits it with a steel to keep the edge, especially if he's working around bone. Of course a 3 ounce steel is extra weight to pack. I get that. No wonder my back hurts.
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But have you run it through the dishwasher? ?
 
I love my havalon. I put the dull blades in the foil seal of the new blade and put it in the nylon sheath with the 9 sharp blades. I've skinned, quartered, and boned 2 elk with a single blade. They're a surgical instrument, not a pry bar. But I still have an appreciation for a quality hand made custom knife. I can't afford the "Nissan or Mitsubishi" chick, I'll just admire her from a far. But I will enjoy the finer things in my price range!
 
RELH said:
Slightlysober said:

No doubt custom knives are great for gutting and quartering an animal. But there’s no way you’re going to break down two animals and cape them without touching up the blade. No way. So your 8 oz knife turns into 12 oz and just the liability of having a dull blade is enough reason to leave that custom knife where it belongs, in the truck.
___________________________________________________________________
You should get your facts before you spout off on a subject you think you know about.
There is a gentleman who is with "Ireviewgear" and bought one of my knives based on several members of this forum telling him how great they were. He tested the knife for a year and sent me a email telling me that he field dressed and skinned out 2 elk and 2 mule deer and my knife still shaved hair on his arm.
Another hunter who belonged to a deer camp back East used my knife to field dress and skin out his deer, and then skinned out 4 deer belonging to his hunting buddies and stated the knife was sharp enough that he could do 1-2 deer more.
A local woman, who is a better hunter then her husband used my knife to field dress, skin out 2 deer and 1 bear and debone all three animals and cut the meat up to package for the freezer. She bought the knife back to me to re-sharpen as it was just starting to drag a little on slicing the raw meat.
When S30V stainless steel came out, a lot of knife experts referred to it as "Super steel" based on it's toughness and ability to hold a very sharp edge. It has 4.00% vanadium and 2.00% molybenium added to the steel that makes it highly abrasive resistance. In other words it will hold a sharp edge over other steels and can be a bear to resharpen because of that abrasive resistance.
As for me I only get 2 deer before I have to touch it up due to me using the knife to rip open the chest plate.
Some people like a Ferrari and others like a ford pinto, you sound like the Pinto guy.
RELH
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Meh hearsay. Your facts are questionable to say the least. Your metal you use for your knives is nothing special. same as all the others.

You would of been one of those guys still riding horses while everyone was using those dang automobiles.

I get it. You make knives. That’s cool. You buy the metal and make the handles. Cool. You should really get with the times and buy the scalpel holder and make some bad ass handles. Only then will you have made a knife that can do what you claim your current knives do.

I’ do suppose you’re referencing those little CA blacktails when you say it can do two animals. So you’re saying two coyote sized animals ?? Well a havalon could do a few hundred of those without needing sharpen.
 
slightlysober you are so full of hot wind and it is very apparent you know nothing about knife steel. The 2 deer I was talking about were Wyoming mule deer.
So all that cheap China made knife metal is the same as top grade American or German and Japanese steel. Gee! you just proved how ignorant you are concerning this subject.
You probably do not even know that S30V steel is only made by one steel mill, CPM, that has the patent on it and was made at the request of some well known custom knife makers that wanted a better stainless steel then what was on the market at that time, and you say it is same as all others. Stick with your Ford pinto.
Go sit in the corner of the room and find a subject where you can hold a intelligent conversation. It is no fun arguing with a person that is handicap.

RELH
 
RELH said:
slightlysober you are so full of hot wind and it is very apparent you know nothing about knife steel. The 2 deer I was talking about were Wyoming mule deer.
So all that cheap China made knife metal is the same as top grade American or German and Japanese steel. Gee! you just proved how ignorant you are concerning this subject.
You probably do not even know that S30V steel is only made by one steel mill, CPM, that has the patent on it and was made at the request of some well known custom knife makers that wanted a better stainless steel then what was on the market at that time, and you say it is same as all others. Stick with your Ford pinto.
Go sit in the corner of the room and find a subject where you can hold a intelligent conversation. It is no fun arguing with a person that is handicap.

RELH
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Blah blah blah. I've heard it time and time again with you old guys and your knives. Those are really touching knife stories though.

Again nothing wrong with custom knives. Sorry I hurt your feelers. But don't go claiming there's this super metal out there that you can take care of a bunch of animals without needing touched up. Because its not true.

This isn't a ferrari vs pinto. Its a classic car vs brand new. I shouldn't have to explain it but your boring heavy custom knife that needs sharpen is the classic car. Yeah it looks good. But its going to break down on ya. The havalon is like a brand new off the line car that's going to keep going. So that cool you want to use something that's going to fail on you in the field. All in the name of looks. I'm ok with that. Me on the other hand, I'm going to use the knife thats going to get it done again and again. You're a custom knife maker so its all about looks to you. I'm on the practical side. Custom knives are the kardashians of the knife world. HEY HEY LOOK AT ME.

RELH knives are based out of CA where the Kardashians are. Coincidence? I think not....
 
Did anyone else notice in those Harry’s razor commercials, that they brag about “German engineered blades”. Couldn’t they have found an American to come up with a thin piece of metal?
 
Hey RELH why don't you go on Forged on the History channel those guys crank out some weapons in such a small amount of time. Some are good some are bad but if I could do it it sure looks like fun. Forged In Fire
 
Just looked at a crappy knife I got around Christmas from a customer. It’s made with S35. Looks like RELH knives are made with S30. S35 > S30. RELH why are you using such outdated metal???
 
I wonder if flintknappers look down on custom knife makers. Psssh SV30? We running obsidian over here thats 2 million years old...
 
Deerhunter53, my wife told me that if I decided to make forged carbon steel knives two things would happen. One I would end up burning down the shop, two, she would kick my butt for burning down the shop and causing the insurance policy to get jacked up in price. So I decided to us the stock removal method.
I went with stainless steel because most hunters today do not wish to maintain a carbon steel knife that will rust if not cared for in the field.
RELH
 
elkassassin said:
I'D Bet You've Never Skinned a Buck with Obsidian!

F'N ROOKIE!
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Careful. If you ever get out of your truck and go for a hike there’s chips laying around form thousands of years of flintknapping. Lazy Indians didn’t respect the land. They are sharp so be careful.

On second thought you better stick to road hunting.
 
Slightlysober said:
Careful. If you ever get out of your truck and go for a hike there’s chips laying around form thousands of years of flintknapping. Lazy Indians didn’t respect the land. They are sharp so be careful.

On second thought you better stick to road hunting.
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Ooops. You definitely lost some credibility with that remark!
 
I carry a couple of Havalon knives as well. They work well. But I still carry an old Buck knife in my pack. Still holds a great edge.
 
Slightlysober said:
This isn't a ferrari vs pinto. Its a classic car vs brand new. I shouldn't have to explain it but your boring heavy custom knife that needs sharpen is the classic car. Yeah it looks good. But its going to break down on ya. The havalon is like a brand new off the line car that's going to keep going.
Click to expand...

The new car is made of plastic and falls apart easy and requires a code scanner to tell you what's wrong. Then you have reuse your jingle gym skills to replace a simple spark plug that requires a special wrench and idiot engineer designed. The spark plug may even snap off in the process.

The classic is easy to work on and more durable.

Doc Brown said it best: "Marty. He's in a '46 Ford we're in a DeLorean. He'd rip through us like we were in tin foil."
 
When the Havalon's first came out I got one. While cutting up a elk. The blade broke off inside the elk. Those thing are sharp. We worried about some getting cut with it . When you don't want to grab the wind pipe of a elk and cut the rib cage up towards the neck. Something you can't do with a Havalon. To keep your new Kuiu from getting all bloody. A Hatfield knife you can do anything with. I don't think you have to worry about breaking the blade. That being said ! Do I have a few of those deposable knives laying around that Eastman's gives away? Yes I do.
 
As BIGJOHNT put it, there is a place for both depending on how you use them and what you are comfortable with. Both have their pros and cons.
Heck I still have my first hunting knife my Father-in-law bought for me. A folding Buck 110 that is over 40 years old. It has field dressed and skinned out over 40 deer and antelope over the years.
RELH
 
elkassassin said:
How Many of You HAVALON PACKIN JUNKIES Are Just Tossing Broken Scrap metal in to the Woods For Animals to Get Wounded?

You'd Best Be Picking Your TRASH Up!
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Good point. I have started carrying leftover urine drug testing bottles to hold fresh/dirty blades. They weigh next to nothing and keep me from getting poked or cut. I didn't think this through the first time I used the disposable blades and ended up burying the used blades at the kill site since I didn't have a safe place to carry them back to the truck.
 
JakeInLasVegas said:
Good point. I have started carrying leftover urine drug testing bottles to hold fresh/dirty blades. They weigh next to nothing and keep me from getting poked or cut. I didn't think this through the first time I used the disposable blades and ended up burying the used blades at the kill site since I didn't have a safe place to carry them back to the truck.
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Damn how many drug testing bottles you got laying around? hahaha

An even easier way is the wrapper the new blade comes in fits the old blade....
 
JakeInLasVegas said:
Good point. I have started carrying leftover urine drug testing bottles to hold fresh/dirty blades. They weigh next to nothing and keep me from getting poked or cut. I didn't think this through the first time I used the disposable blades and ended up burying the used blades at the kill site since I didn't have a safe place to carry them back to the truck.
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When you replace a Havalon blade you're left with the packaging that the new blade came in. I've always just slipped the used one in that packaging during exchange and it goes back with the other garbage like rubber gloves. I often use the used blades later for hacking away on a skull for boiling.

I sure don't want to ever go back to sharpening knife blades! I have much better things to do, like play on Monster Muleys. :)
 
Founder said:
When you replace a Havalon blade you're left with the packaging that the new blade came in. I've always just slipped the used one in that packaging during exchange and it goes back with the other garbage like rubber gloves. I often use the used blades later for hacking away on a skull for boiling.

I sure don't want to ever go back to sharpening knife blades! I have much better things to do, like play on Monster Muleys. :)
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I can only assume the guys who sharpen knives do so while reading their AARP magazine:p
 
Slightlysober said:
Damn how many drug testing bottles you got laying around? hahaha

An even easier way is the wrapper the new blade comes in fits the old blade....
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I do a lot of DOT physicals and drug screens at work so we have a ton of them. The drug screen bottles are pretty durable and waterproof. Except when they are cracked. One of my assistants forgot to check for damage to the container the other day and it leaked urine all over her when she filled it up to send to the lab. She was not pleased.
 
I've watched plenty people break down an animal, hair and bone are hard on any blade. And who wants a bunch of cut up hair in their venison?
 
Slightysober said:
I can only assume the guys who sharpen knives do so while reading their AARP magazine

Only a tree hugging liberal would read that magazine. Did you get your copy this month?
RELH:ROFLMAO:
 
Founder said:
Ha Ha, I highly doubt you'd keep up with this Havalon packing sissy. You just sit in the truck and sharpen that huge, dull knife. Some of us have big bucks to kill.

Would that because you do not have the expertise to sharpen a knife. It does take some eye to hand coordination to do it right.:ROFLMAO: RELH
 
RELH said:
I can only assume the guys who sharpen knives do so while reading their AARP magazine

Only a tree hugging liberal would read that magazine. Did you get your copy this month?
RELH:ROFLMAO:
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Maybe you should read how to quote a post. Or ask the nearest 5 year old ??
 
I was in the filing room at the sawmill one day sharpening knives for some of my co-workers. We had a post grinder with a diamond wheel that I used for sharpening carbide trim saws and some edger saws. I made a jig that I could use for knives.

The mill owner came in one day and caught me. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was caught up with my regular work and was sharpening a few knives for some of the guys. He turned and walked out without saying a word. Not good. I was kind of worried.

The next day he brought in a box of knives from home and asked if I would sharpen them for his wife? Absolutely, I'll get right on that and bring them to your office when I'm done.
 
Be truthful and tell us you Handyman blade guys how many of you can actually gut and skin a deer with those toys and not get cut at least twice or more.
Truthfully but probably not possible on this site.........
 
I can. And yes they are good for caping except for the whole flimsy blade thing. Snapped one doing antler bases. A little dangerous I would say.
 
Bluehair said:
I can. And yes they are good for caping except for the whole flimsy blade thing. Snapped one doing antler bases. A little dangerous I would say.
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Use a flathead screw driver to pop the hide off around the antler bases next time. Much easier and cleaner.
 
A Case trapper properly sharpened is all you really need. Most will never take the time to learn to sharpen a knife correctly. I did 2 deer a bear and 2 moose last year with my pocket knife. Both deer before a touch up needed. And the other 3 animals all the way through each one before breaking out my diamond sharpener.
 

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