I've been using Havel's #22 blade for years and have noticed something recently. I use this blade to turn and flesh the lips, nose, eyes and ears on deer and until recently I could do all these areas on a deer with 1 or 2 blades. Now I am having to use 5 or 6 blades on one deer. Has anyone else noticed this? I am wondering if something has changed about the blades or did I get a bad box?
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I am so glad you raised this dilemna! I thought it had something to do with me losing my mind. I use the havel's 20, and noticed the blades losing there edge, so I switched to the non-sterile blades. Seemed to matter for a few boxes, but then I'm back to the blades losing the edge quicker again. What gives?
For SURE a blade sitting over nite will be worthless in the morning, no matter if just taken out of the wrapper or not. Oxidization?
Mr. Rogers?!
A couple of years ago I bought a pollished steel , sharpening steel. You know the type that is perfectly smooth. They look like they couldn't sharpen anything. They work great for putting the edge back on the scalple blades and knives. Although the blades are only 20 cents each it takes less time to hit them on the steel than to change them.
for me. I picked up one that is small (about 3" without handle) that is used for sharpening fish hooks. Very smooth and does a great job. Think "Smooth" is a key word. Your right "Z", takes less time for a few straps than it does to change the blade.
From one of my favorite archives: Webster's dictionary
Tem.per (tem/per) n. 1. a particular state of mind or feeling. 2. Habit of mind, esp. with respect to irritability or patience, outbursts of anger, or the like; disposition: an even temper. 3. Heat of mind or passion, position shown in outbursts of anger, resentment, etc.....
....
6. Metal, a the degree of hardness and strength imparted to a metal, as by quenching, heat treatment, or cold working b. percentage of carbon in the steel...
13. to impart strength or toughness to (steel or cast iron) by heating it to some temperature below the transformation point, maintaining it there for some time, and then cooling it under controlled conditions. ... quenching to impart strength.
Basically Ms. Leanne, it has to do with the metal makup and the temper imparted by the cooling process. Back in my play days of stone-cutting we would sharpen our stone picks and chisels with a forge and an anvil and quench them with the correct color - generally when the straw was hitting the tip after filing a surface to watch the color flow back into the tip. If we tempered them incorrect they would become brittle and break, or the tip would wear down. Just right and we could chisel twice as long without starting the forge up again.
Essentially, the batches of scalpel blades were either of 1)poor metal or 2) incorectly quenched.
The first few meaning for the word temper sounded like this webcite - taxidermytemper.com
The only way I know to keep an opened scalpel blade sharp is to store it in a cardboard box folded to emulate a pyramid. Most people here forget the corners and wear them on their heads (a joke - I must pint that out to not get chastised)
We aren't crazy, okay you're not. But THATS why they lose their sharpness quicker.
Mr. Rogers, thankyou for putting my mind at rest! You rock!
I have gotten alot of awnsers from this forum and have never responded until now.When I got into taxidermy the first thing I learned on my own was that I couldn`t keep a knife sharp let alone a scalple.So my first issue was to set up a sharpening system.I have a tight weaved buffing wheel(rotating away from me,with guards)mounted into my work bench,add a little fine rouge and practice and everything you own is a scalple.I have heard this called a buffdrop system.This brings the edge back to almost everything.If you have a bad or abused edge you need to cut in the angle(not sure of the correct name )with a 1 inch upright belt sander ,you will end up with a bur and you buff or pull the metal(bur) out for your edge .I now it sounds strange yet once your set up for it ,it is pricless.Not to mention you can offer knife sharpening services to your customers.I have used the same scalple blade for four deer now,just hit it on the wheel on each side and keep carving.Any questions feel free to E-Mail me.I learned about this from my Bro,Sister in Law they both work at the local cutlery and sharpen for a living.
The last three boxes of #22 Havels blades I ordered have been very poor. They last me 5 minutes, maybe. I'm glad you brought this up. Now we should write the company and register our dissatifaction with their product of late.
Bob Mead
I have been using the #22 Havels blades also. Here recently I bought 2 boxes of the RAZOR SHARP blades and have noticed they seem to be worse than the Havels? I was getting ready to ask the very same question but on the RAZOR SHARP brand. Have any of you tried these? I can't wait until they are gone. Seems I go through 2-4 blades on 1 COYOTE compared to 1-2 blades of the Havels? Also I have noticed the RAZOR SHARP blades snap in half! I have never had a Havel do that. Thought about contacting the company but I thought as some of you did, I thought I got a bad box? Dan Hudzik
A high temper will cause the scalpel to snap, a low temper it will bend and not hold an edge. However if it is snapping AND not holding an edge, then the quality of the steel is lacking.
There are a few posts worth investigating on the archives - type in "sharpen scalpel"
I thought I had forgotten how to flesh. I have been using 4-5 blades on a deer head turning lips., etc. I firmly beleive that you cut more holes in the hide and yourself with a dull blade and am notorious for changing blades, but this was extreme for even me. Now I at least know I am not alone. Maybe my next box of blades will be better.