Spyderco Hawkbills: Serrated Vs Plain edged

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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I've been a big fan of Spyderco's great Hawkbill models for years and I've used a lot of different Hawkbill models as companion blades over the years. And what I mean by "Companion Blade" is that I don't use Hawkbills as my primary EDC folder but I do use them as a companion blade for specific jobs that I don't want to use my primary EDC blade for.

My current primary EDC folder is my Spyderco M390 Military model. But about 45% to 55% of my cutting jobs seem to require the use of a serrated blade for more efficient results. And I find serrated/Spyderedge Hawkbills to work much better than plain edged Hawkbills. Here lately I've been talking to more and more guys who say they prefer plain edged Hawkbills over serrated versions.

So I want to know which type of Hawkbill blade you guys prefer and why? Also for you guys who use plain edged Hawkbills I wish you would tell us what you find them particulary good for. Myself I find serrated/Spyderedged Hawkbill blades to be far more advantageous. Also which Spyderco Hawkbill model do you all like the best and why? Also list the pull cutting jobs you use your Hawkbill for?

I truly believe that Hawkbill blades are overlooked as a viable cutting tool and I also believe they work better on some jobs. So let's talk about Spyderco Hawkbills>> PE & Spyderedge both.
 
I have a serrated ladybug hawkbill on my keys that I use a lot.

I really like the super fine/sharp tip and since it's serrrated it packs the power of a longer blade into a much smaller package.
 
Serrated Tasman here and I carry as a secondary blade as well. Slips in the pocket at under 2oz with ease.

#serratedknivesdontsuck
 
What do you all use your serrated Hawkbills for mainly? Also have either one of you ever used a plain edged Hawkbill?

Also why do you all prefer using Hawkbills as a companion blade over a standard folder?

I've heard so many people tell me that they prefer plain edged Hawkbills but when I ask why they are more advantageous than serrated Hawkbill blades I don't even seem to get good answers>> or at least answers that make any sense to me.

Thanks for chiming in with your responses
 
For me personally i prefer pe for the same reason i prefer any pe knife. And i guess that reason is simply a cleaner cut. Most of the time it doesn't matter really, but just what i like.

Some examples of liking 'a cleaner cut' more would be opening mail/packages, deburing pipe, anything really where serrations might make a mess when you need clean lines.
But to be honest, most of my everyday chores, serrated works fine. Which is mostly breaking down cardboard, cutting straps and opening packages that will be discarded.

I do agree with a serrated hawkbill being a perfect secondary knife to a pe knife. I prefer pe hawkbills when its my primary carry. I've only owned a Harpy(PE) and ladybug salt(SE) for the record.
And excited about the upcoming dragonfly hawkbill!
 
And i like hawkbills mostly for the tip. I feel like it gives much more control of the cut over clip, drop points, etc.. Wharnies would be a tie with tip cutting imo. And lets say for cutting tight straps, i find it so much easier to hook a hawkbill blade behind them and just push or pull.
Although clip points are my favorite blades, i think wharnecliffs and hawkbills are better performers.
 
Sigsog226 said:
For me personally i prefer pe for the same reason i prefer any pe knife. And i guess that reason is simply a cleaner cut. Most of the time it doesn't matter really, but just what i like

I do agree with a serrated hawkbill being a perfect secondary knife to a pe knife. I prefer pe hawkbills when its my primary carry. I've only owned a Harpy(PE) and ladybug salt(SE) for the record.
And excited about the upcoming dragonfly hawkbill!
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Hey I appreciate your answer and your overall input. Actually when it comes to Hawkbill blades I never really ever regarded them as being precision cutters per se. Because what I like about Spyderedged ( serrated) Spyderco Hawkbill blades is their super aggressive cutting through fibrous materials and extremely rugged materials as well. I can't cut stuff like that nearly as well with a plain edged Hawkbill. However I've found PE Hawkbills good for a lot of food prep jobs and some meat cutting jobs as well.

But for a companion blade and most all of my primary EDC carries are plain edged I mainly like Spyderedged blades of some type but most of the time I like Spyderedged Hawkbills. But I can sure see why some people with different cutting needs would go for a PE Hawkbill over a Spyderedged Hawkbill. I just encourage you to at least get a Spyderedged Harpy in either VG-10 or ATS-55 ( two of my favorite steels for Spyderedges) and let us know how that works for you
 
Im a big fan of the tasman salt with serrated edge. Sometimes it is as a second, but it is often as my only blade. I owned and operated a landscape company for 10 years and it was very useful in pull cutting fibrous plant matter. Now I work as a nurse I use it daily in much different tasks. The only tasks I have found the design ill suited for is push cutting against a surface. I havent tried a plain edge hawkbill.
 
Recently got an older Harpy and the Merlin, both in SE. So far i'm digging them both!
 
My only issue with SE knives is that they are virtually impossible for me to resharpen. Even with the sharpmaker which is supposed to be able to sort of work; I find often I amnsharpening each serration.

Too time consuming. So far I have not needed serrated blades for much more than cutting bread and particularly tough montreal bagels.
 
I have found no use for serrations as of 8/29/17. Sorry, I just haven't. I tried a SE Tasman and Salt out for a few weeks and it just was more of a problem than my PE knives. My brother ended up with both. He liked them because he said they looked "dangerous". Maybe as a martial weapon they work? I don't use them in the kitchen either, I have bread knives and most folders are a little too small for that.

If I didn't keep my knives super sharp then maybe but I do a touch up about once a week on my PE folders. The SEs got caught on the threads when I was trying to section an old blanket to use as a buffer for a friends wood cabinet when he was moving. It doesn't make clean cuts on many materials. I've had to do strange things with folders sometimes, like drilling out a piece of wood, plastic, or hard rubber. SE wouldn't make a smooth hole for that either. Gasket removal is another problem.

I can see some people having a use but for what I couldn't tell you. I'm utterly mystified by half PE half SE knives. I tried that a while ago too. I found it was a good way to make a knife harder to sharpen and that's about all I came away with. That was why I tried full SE, I thought more SE might be better.

I've never been hindered by a sharp PE knife and if I buy another Tasman it will be PE with LC200N as I've heard PE H1 holds an edge about as well as regular old iron. Why are there no HB VG-10 Delicas? Or even better, Enduras? I love hawkbills as that was my first pocketknife, but I'll take mine PE everyday of the week and twice on Sunday;)
 
Krazy Cash said:
Recently got an older Harpy and the Merlin, both in SE. So far i'm digging them both!
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The Harpy was the first Hawkbill I ever worked with back around 2003 and I immediately fell in love with it. It wasn't long until I got about 6 more Hawkbill models. I got about 4 Merlins ( 2 SE & 2 PE) shortly thereafter and it wasn't long after that the Spyderhawk came available>>> the older, original VG-10 model. I've been hooked on Hawkbills as companion blades since then. And Spyderco's really have little or no competition IMO.
 
Sigsog226 said:
And i like hawkbills mostly for the tip. I feel like it gives much more control of the cut over clip, drop points, etc.. Wharnies would be a tie with tip cutting imo. And lets say for cutting tight straps, i find it so much easier to hook a hawkbill blade behind them and just push or pull.
Although clip points are my favorite blades, i think wharnecliffs and hawkbills are better performers.
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We had an old thread over at the other Spyderco forum and I believe that the title was "Insert The Tip And Let It Rip"!!. I will admit that I do prefer a Hawkbill with a very pointed tip. The one on my H-1 Spyderhawk is extremely wicked when really sharpened correctly. It's almost like inserting a hypodermic needle.[/QUOTE]
 
JD Spydo said:
We had an old thread over at the other Spyderco forum and I believe that the title was "Insert The Tip And Let It Rip"!!. I will admit that I do prefer a Hawkbill with a very pointed tip. The one on my H-1 Spyderhawk is extremely wicked when really sharpened correctly. It's almost like inserting a hypodermic needle.
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[/QUOTE]

I can tell

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those tips give nasty bites

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Peacent you and I are definitely on the same page when it comes to the Spyderhawk :D Dude!!! you got more battle scars that I do :p>> But if you do any demanding work with a super sharp Spyderhawk or Harpy you're going to get bit sooner or later as your photos prove without any doubt. Just have a lot of Neosporin, Hydrogen Peroxide, 91% Rubbing Alcohol and maybe some Betadyne handy as well :rolleyes: Not to mention gauze, Telfa Pads, and just a big box of assorted band-aids :D

Peacent I just couldn't have a Hawkbill thread without your valuable input Sir ;)
 
When I was in the navy i worked with signal flags and maintaining the hoists, I used a plain edge riggers knife, not a spydie, but if I were to go back, a serrated hawkbill spyderco would find a way into my pocket. most of the cutting there was 3/8 nylon braided line.
 
As long as they are sharp, I've found SE works best on gardening, foliage type of things. Absolutely perfect for that type of job. The serrations keep the plant material from sliding off. I'm sold. I used to like PE more for hawkbills, but no more. You're part of the reason, JD.
 
ahoward2k said:
When I was in the navy i worked with signal flags and maintaining the hoists, I used a plain edge riggers knife, not a spydie, but if I were to go back, a serrated hawkbill spyderco would find a way into my pocket. most of the cutting there was 3/8 nylon braided line.
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Thanks for sharing that with us Brother because in the Navy you would encounter cutting jobs that would have to be done in a hurry in a lot of cases. The cutting jobs I encounter that need to be done fast I find that Serrated/Spyderedges are the only way to go. Especially if you have a Hawkbill with H-1 blade steel because as much as I like H-1 it just doesn't hold up well in plain edge unfortunately.

I'm still confused and even dumbfounded that Spyderco doesn't as of yet offer their TUSK model in SE. I think any knife dealing with marine, fishing or any jobs in harsh environments should be offered in SE.

You mentioned braided rope and nylon especially doesn't cut that well even with a razor sharp plain edge. When it comes to tough, fibrous materials you can't beat the Spyderedge IMO.
 
the hawkbill design is what was most important because it kept the rope from just sliding off of the tip when cutting
 
ahoward2k said:
the hawkbill design is what was most important because it kept the rope from just sliding off of the tip when cutting
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I couldn't agree more!! The Hawkbill with it's great leverage and pull cutting abilities make a near perfect companion blade for your main EDC. And for rope, cordage and other tough, fibrous materials you just can't beat a Spyderhawk or Harpy in full Spyderedge.

Put all the martial arts hype aside because those Hawkbills truly have a lot of practical uses to them. I so much want to see both those models with G-10 handles and newer/better blade steels.
 
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