Spyderco Harpy as EDC ?

S

stefanschlaegel

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I think about buying a Spyderco Harpy in SS Serrated. Somewhere are Harpys offered with Carbon scales, plain and serrated, which will come in some month. For that sice I would prefer a SS because of the heavier weight.
My question: Is there somebody who have the Harpy as EDC ? And is there somebody who have - may be from time to time - the Harpy as the only knife with her/him the whole day ? I ask this because for me the functions are limited, i.e. how do you butter bread and cut sausage ?? ;-) Is it just for cutting ropes, plastikstripes, cutting cardboards ?

Stefan
 
I'm not sure what your question is, I have cariied a SS harpy for EDC. It's a little on the heavy side but worked out fine.
 
I like carrying a Harpy (G10), Stefan, but you are right that it is better at some tasks than others. That's why I carry two knives. I hawkbill just isn't that great for spreading peanut butter. :)

Jack
 
I seem to remember that Dr. Lecter used a Harpy as an EDC in "Hannibal"
 
If I may quote esteemed Dr. Lecter (from the BFs):
"... I always carry the Harpy. Things just wouldn't be right in the world otherwise... "

Franco
 
When I buy a knife it is only for using, even if it is a custom. On the other hand I am interested in special and unusual bladeshapes like sheepsfoot, lambsfoot, wharncliffe - and may be in an hawkbill-shape. I am really confused if I should buy one, because I am not H.Lecter or a gardener but it still thrills me a bit. By the way I thought there would be more people using/having a harpy.

Stefan
 
I carried one for a while, you end up using the point to do a lot of cutting jobs. It's a great design, just don't expect to do anything that requires a flat cutting edge.
 
I carry one often. As noted by Mr. BadExample you use the point a lot. Unfortunately my g10 harpy was bottoming out on the steel spacer, dulling the tip. But some work with a file on the spacer fixed that. YOu can cut sausage easily, the serrations are very aggressive. You'll have some trouble spreading butter, but you don't really need the extra calories. :) You can cut and core fruit, open envelopes and boxes, but you need to keep your tip sharp for fine work. Since it doesn't have a point and straight shape, it won't ever be classified as a dirk or dagger. Since it has a defined use as a tool (i.e. rescue, rigger, box opener, etc) it won't be readily classified as a weapon. These two things coupled with the blade size make it a knife that a cop would have trouble arresting you for carrying.
 
Thank you all for your friendly and very interesting replys. So the harpy is prepared for very special work and I think for very few tasks and so I ask me why will spyderco have some new with carbone-scales ? Is this knife-type really so much asked that they can make profit ? I am not worried about their business, am just curious.

Stefan
 
Prepared for certain tasks, but that doesn't limit it's use. A host of Spyderco knives seem to be made with certain tasks in mind, but always end up being used for a lot more. Spyderco makes a good profit, good knives, good fanbase, very user friendly.
 
So I got now a Harpy C08, Serrated, even with ATS-55 and all the things you mentioned became - certainly - true. I tried to cut a slice of bread and it works and I can confirm how important the very short tip is and I will be very careful not to destroy it and I will see what the future will bring to my Harpy.
It is extraordinary, but an EDC ?? May be together with my Mini AFCK or Spyderco Tim Wegner jr. C49, plain.
 
I carried the Merlin (plain-edge) for about three weeks but I never really loved it that much.
There's a reason that you don't see the majority of knife users carrying hawkbills--overall, they're not as useful as a non-hawkbill blade, IMHO.

I also think that a hawkbill is'nt nearly as easy to sharpen as a standard blade.

I even prefer the Spyderco Rescue with its sheepsfoot blade over the Merlin or the Harpy.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I EDC one SS Harpy and find it quite useful for cutting plastic banding from whole units of lumber. The hawkbill shape gets into the banding easier than my BM710 does without straining or putting the blade into an awkward position.
 
I liked mine so much that I gave one to both my dad and brother. I had the first letter of our last name engraved on them as a little extra sumpin' sumpin'. My brother was a carpenter at the time and said he used it constantly, loved it, dad is pretty enamored of his as well. Dad works for a smallish outfit and everyone does a little of everything, he says its the best knife he's ever had as far as shipping and receiving work. Ditto for me, I worked a large bookstore for years, we'd get well over a hundred boxes a day most days. There is no better production knife for dealing with cardboard (imho). Filleting, shaving, gettin' cream cheese on that bagel? Not so much, but for line, boxes, plastic bands, etc, it's a winner. I think it's a pants-filler as an sd knife too, just looks mean as hell, and it's a fairly intuitive knife in that context. I usually used it as a claw, with my index finger along the spine, so there wasn't enough blade showing to scare co-workers. big thumbs up on the Harpy from this corner, but as always, ymmv.
 
I don't have to cut cardboards, boxes, etc. - but my Harpy worked very well cutting grass. So I think it will cut mushroomes in the same easy way, we will see next autumn.
 
In fact, according to Sal Glesser, a mushroom farm orders Spyderco Matriarchs (correct me if I'm wrong) by the bulk for use by their employees. Close enough, eh?
 
IIRC all matriarchs are serrated, pretty sure about that, now civvys, they are PE and SE.
 
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