Hunting’s tough.

Long hours of patiently waiting.

Persistence to reach every new draw and every new ridgeline.

And a little bit of luck.

But when you finally land that bull, that buck, or that boar, the sense of accomplishment is overwhelming. Sacred moments are shared, but what comes next is just as much work as the hunt itself. Animals need to be skinned, quartered, and de-boned, and a sharp knife can make all the difference.

Replaceable blade skinning knives are a recent development. They take away the work of sharpening and replace it with the ability to quickly change out dull blades for sharp ones. A popular knife of this type is the Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite EDC. After a few months of using the Razor-Lite EDC on different hunts, here’s some things I think you should know.

The Blade

You don’t want to be that guy always carrying a dull knife whose animals look like someone cleaned them with a weedwacker.

Seriously, don’t be that guy. Get a sharp knife.

A knife’s quality depends heavily on its blade’s ability to cut and slice, how long it stays sharp, and wether or not it’ll bust in half when the going gets tough. After using the Mountain Edge Razor-Lite EDC for a couple hunts, I’ve noticed a few things about its edge.

#1: It’s Pretty Sharp

After having used a Havalon Piranta and the Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite EDC, I’ve found the Havalon to be sharper.

But the Razor-Lite still does a great job.

I have been able skin black bears and quarter deer in Southeast Alaska, cut up ducks in Idaho, and clean turkeys in Utah with ease. The blade definitely comes sharper than the majority of other knives I have used, including Benchmade, Gerber, and Kershaw.

#2: It’s Thick But Lacks A Durable Edge

The blade on the Razor-Lite EDC is thicker than those that you’d find a Havalon. I’ve found this to be a nice feature, especially when cutting off quarters. I don’t have to worry about the blade snapping when working around joints or bone. It is also big enough to resharpen and re-use if needed.

Yet the edge can really struggle to stay sharp. Small jobs, such as cleaning ducks, go well with this knife, but I had to switch the blade out twice while skinning a black bear. Meanwhile my uncle, using a Havalon, finished with the same blade.

#3: It’s A Manual-Opening Knife

The Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite EDC is a manual-opening knife, meaning there are no springs to help the knife open. The blade has two knobs which you can press your thumb against to open, which when fully extended locks in the upright position. You can disengage the lock and refold the knife by pressing the metal bar on the back of the handle.

#4: The Blades Are Easy To Replace

After the blade dulls, changing it is simple enough. After locking the blade in the upright position, you press a small button on the left side of the knife, and pull the blade from its slot.

I would suggest keeping a pair of pliers with you, as the blade is impossible to hold onto when covered in blood and grime. To install the new blade, you simply line the blade up and reverse the process.

The Body

Pocket clips come loose.

Pins break.

Locks fail.

And broken knives are worse than dull knives.

The body and framework of a knife are equally important as its edge. Without it, your knife can be lost or become totally useless, leaving you in a tough spot. Here’s a few things I think you should know about the body and framework of Outdoor Edge’s Razor-Lite EDC.

#5: It’s Made Of Plastic

This is more an advantage than a problem in my opinion. The plastic body makes for a light knife, a nice feature on hunts where every ounce counts. The plastic is thick and durable, and I can’t forsee this knife snapping in half anywhere in the near future, although it does struggle to hold the knife tight at the hinge.

#6: The Removable Pocket Clip and Rubber Coating

The Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite EDC comes with a removable pocket clip. The clip is made from plastic and attached to the knife by three small screws. It’s rigid and pinches your pocket tightly.

The body of the knife is also coated in rubber. This is a nice feature when your working on an animal with wet or bloody hands, as it gives you a better grip. Before you buy your knife you can choose the color of the rubber. I prefer orange as it makes it easier to find if I drop it in the grass or snow.

Conclusion

You want a replaceable blade skinning knife that can do it all.

Something that can skin game with ease and is tough enough to quarter animals without snapped blades.

That knife is the Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite EDC. A true workhorse among replaceable blade skinning knives. It’s sharp, tough, and it won’t cost you an arm and leg (only 26.95 on Amazon). So what are you waiting for, check it out!

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