Havalon Piranta Z Folding Blade Skinning Knife

This week we have a user review of the popular Havalon Piranta Z Folding Blade Skinning Knife. I bought this knife through Amazon because of the recommendations from several website visitors.

It looks good!

Upon receiving this knife I was very impressed with the quality construction and thoughtful design. The knife uses disposable blades and comes with a pack of 12 extra blades which was very nice. I am terrible at losing knives and I really liked the fact that it is bright orange so I do not misplace it as much. If you drop it on the ground while skinning a deer, you can easily see it and keep working which is always a good thing  when working in low light conditions.

It’s sharp as you know what….

Yep. It’s very sharp and the blades can be swapped out without using extra tools which is handy. The blade locks open securely and closes by pressing a small safety catch with your thumb. The knife body is easy to clean and wash out in the sink. The knife body looks to be constructed of a strong ABS plastic and it is about 7 inches long when fully opened. This size is just about right for good handling when using. Some skinning knives are just too large for my tastes and the Piranta is just about right in both weight and bulk.

The Good and the Bad

The good points are the excellent overall quality of construction, the extra blades that are included with the knife, and the bright orange color. It also comes with a nice belt holster.

The bad points are the blades are very thin and will not take much abuse. The blades hold an edge pretty good, but I would have thought that it would stay sharp longer. After using it to cube two 6lb beef roasts in prep for grinding, the blade was done. It was dull and dangerous. Since it is not deer season yet, I have not used it for what it was actually intended for, skinning. I would suspect that you could go through several blades to skin a single deer. The knife is not real expensive, but the replacement blades are rather pricey.

It Is What It Is

The knife was designed as a skinning knife and not so much a utility knife such as a pocket knife. I have decided to shelve it for now and wait to see how it performs when it comes time to skin a deer this year. It most definitely will not replace my trusty pocket knife for everyday use. I am pleased with my purchase as you will be too, but just remember that it is designed with a single purpose in mind and I suspect it will excel in the skinning department.

Bud