Spyderco Hawkbills: What You Use Them For?

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
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It's been quite a while since I ran a thread on Spyderco's great Hawkbill line-up. And it seems like the landscape is constantly changing. Here recently I've even talked to a couple of people who tell me that they use a Spyderco Hawkbill for their main EDC. Personally I don't use any Hawkbill as an EDC. I use all of my Hawkbills either for specialty type jobs or as a companion blade to my main EDC that I would be carrying on a certain day.

Also I mainly use nothing anymore other than Serrated/Spyderedged Hawkbills. Personally I just don't find many cutting jobs that a plain edged Hawkbill excels at. But I'm all ears if you like a plain edged Hawkbill then tell us what you primarily use them for. Also tell us what you find a Spyderco serrated Hawkbill particularly good for? But I also want to know which Spyderco Hawkbill model you own and use. And what are some of the cutting jobs you use them for mostly?

I also want to know which model of Spyderco's Hawkbill line up do you like the best ( even discontinued units) I've used them all at one time or another from the Dragonfly Hawk all the way to the Spyderhawk>> but always serrated models. With the SE Harpy probably being my ultimate favorite with the SE Spyderhawk running a close second. OK let's talk about our Spyderco Hawkbills shall we? Do you prefer SE or PE? Also if you had a wish what would be your idea of "dream come true" Hawkbill blade ( fixed blade or folder)?
 
I have one PE. I work it into my rotation.

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My fav is the G10 Harpy. I have 3 Harpy, Spyderhawk and Civi. The Civi is the only one that doesn't get carried. Cuz I took the clip off for a neck holster that I just don't wear.
 
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5-by-5 said:
I have one PE. I work it into my rotation.

Cyn3E7N.jpg


My fav is the G10 Harpy. I have 3 Harpy, Spyderhawk and Civi. The Civi is the only one that doesn't get carried. Cuz I took the clip off for a neck holster that I just don't wear.
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I want a replacement for my lost/stolen G-10 Harpy so bad. It's one of 3 Spyders I've either lost, got stolen or traded that I really want back in a bad way. And why Spyderco doesn't at least do a Sprint Run of the G-10 Harpy just baffles me to no end. I carried mine for about 6 to 7 years before it grew legs and walked.
I can't say enough about the broad-based uses of the Spyderhawk. It's an awesome tool.

The SUPERHAWK you have pictured I believe would still be in the line-up had they offered it in SE. If I ever get my hands on another one I'll send it to Wiley Knives and have serrations put on it. Probably the best built Hawkbill up till now.
 
I've carried a serrated Tasman by itself on many occasions. It gets used for your normal folder duties. A few days ago I used it to cut my sub/hoagie in half and had to fish a handful of banana peppers out of the jar, which worked even better than I thought it would, haha.

While I like to carry mine with a fixed blade if I can help it, that's not a prerequisite. I know it has limitations, but I honestly haven't ran into anything I couldn't use it for. It may not do it well, but it works. Yesterday I used my Tasman to cut out a square on a flat piece of paper, sure it wasn't the best tool to use, and I had to keep my hand at a weird angle to use the tip to cut through it, but it surely cut out that square.

As for my dream Hawkbill.. I'd love an orange Tasman, maybe G10, maybe not, with a plain edge and LC200N used as it's steel. I really love the size of the Tasman.


Old picture, but a good one -

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I use a small serrated Ladybug Salt in the kitchen to very quickly open every conceivable package I get. Whether it's a jar of something with that tight security plastic around the lid, a box from somewhere with plastic security straps around it, or something packaged in that thick plastic that is sandwiched between the front and back that must be cut to be opened, the tip of the knife and the serrations make easy work of it all.

It is easily one of my most used knives, and based on size and what it is called upon to do, it is inch for inch the most useful knife I have.

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I'm hearing this more and more about people that have decided to use on the Spyderco Hawkbills as their main EDC. Wouldn't be my pick for an EDC but I will say for those of you who think so>> then MORE POWER TO YOU!!. My life's philosophy states "Whatever Works">> I've lived by that for the past 25 years now and it works for me. But I do love them as a companion blade especially in SE. Because the cutting jobs that they are good for>> they really do a great job in several applications.

But for a main EDC I still find a somewhat conventional blade in PE does a lot of what I need a folder for. Also I find the Harpy/Tasman size range about perfect for most of what I use Hawkbills for. But you also can't go wrong at all with a Spyderhawk IMO.
 
JD Spydo said:
I'm hearing this more and more about people that have decided to use on the Spyderco Hawkbills as their main EDC. Wouldn't be my pick for an EDC but I will say for those of you who think so>> then MORE POWER TO YOU!!. My life's philosophy states "Whatever Works">> I've lived by that for the past 25 years now and it works for me. But I do love them as a companion blade especially in SE. Because the cutting jobs that they are good for>> they really do a great job in several applications.

But for a main EDC I still find a somewhat conventional blade in PE does a lot of what I need a folder for. Also I find the Harpy/Tasman size range about perfect for most of what I use Hawkbills for. But you also can't go wrong at all with a Spyderhawk IMO.
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I agree about the plain "straight" edge having a little more use in day to day life. I just know that I don't feel under equipped when I walk out the door with my Tasman alone.

I seriously didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It's kind of my beater/anything goes knife. And it excels at that job. Cardboard? Check. Zip ties? Check. Hoagie? Sure I guess, haha. The curve actually helped with that one, but I wouldn't want to use one for a steak. I don't use my daily carry knives for food much at all, that was a weirdly perfect circumstance. Especially to snag the banana peppers out of the jar. The curve kept them on the blade.
 
I carry a G10 Harpy for protection, use in the yard and occasionally as an EDC, especially when I carry it for protection and don't want to carry two knives. To me it's best for protction with its less than 3" blade, not a dagger due to the curved blade and it's intended purpose is for work, not as a weapon. Most restrictive laws ban knives >3", capable of stabbing and designed as a weapon, the Harpy is not any of those.
 
brownshoe said:
I carry a G10 Harpy for protection, use in the yard and occasionally as an EDC, especially when I carry it for protection and don't want to carry two knives. To me it's best for protction with its less than 3" blade, not a dagger due to the curved blade and it's intended purpose is for work, not as a weapon. Most restrictive laws ban knives >3", capable of stabbing and designed as a weapon, the Harpy is not any of those.
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I want another G-10 Harpy so bad I could literally scream. I've had other knives stolen or lost but this one really gored my ox so to speak. I found out that the d*#C^@ B@# that stole that G-10 Harpy from me sold it for the price of a pack of cheap cigarettes :mad:>> normally I'm a pretty upbeat and easy going guy but that truly put my anger level up in the Stratosphere :mad:
But Sal Said on this Forum about a year or so ago that they would look into a possible Sprint Run of the G-10 Harpy. If they do I'm going to buy 3 of them so I'll have enough back up units to keep me going for a few years GOD willing. I had it for a companion blade for 6 to 7 years before it got stolen from me:( But with the Harpy being the stalwart model of the Spyderco Hawkbills you would think that the G-10 Harpy would be a permanent fixture especially with the awesome popularity it has on these forums alone. I would also love to see a G-10 SPYDERHAWK too :cool:
 
The G10 Harpy sold very poorly, I bought mine on closeout from SMKW for $50 or less. You should post a want-to-buy thread, you might get lucky.
 
brownshoe said:
The G10 Harpy sold very poorly, I bought mine on closeout from SMKW for $50 or less. You should post a want-to-buy thread, you might get lucky.
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Yeah I've thought about >> however just at this very time I'm being bombarded with medical copays that I've just been hit with from foot surgery. So it's going to be a couple of months before I can buy anything unfortunately. But I do have the Gold membership so I might try to put something up for trade and see how that goes.

I agree with what you're saying but do consider that was back in the late 90s when the ATS-55, G-10 Harpy didn't go over so well. After all these years and considering how popular G-10 handles have become I would think the market for a G-10 Harpy are probably a lot better now than they were then. Also with the landscape changing and Hawkbills now being a bit more popular than they were 20 years ago I still think that a G-10 Spyderhawk would go over good even if they just did a Sprint Run.

But I do thank you for the info and the input.
 
I use my ladybug hawkbill quite often for opening and breaking down boxes at work. I have a ladybug collection but feel like the hawk bills cut significantly better than the regular ladybug blade design, but I believe it's because its adding a little bit more cutting edge.
 
I think the reason I reach for a serrated hawkbill without hesitation. Is that I carry so many other knives that are not specifically a Spyderco. Every one of my multi tools have blades on them my wallet has a credit card knife.

When I choose a SE hawkbill I'm not shorted a PE.


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To me a Hawkbill blade in plain edge is just like handicapping yourself. There are just so many more advantages to serrated Hawkbill blades>> there are other blade styles and designs that you can say that about as well>> Sheepsfoot blades are probably 80% more useful in SE than they are in PE. The Reverse S blades are so much more useful in SE than in PE.
This is a fact in tool use and I'm kind of surprised that Spyderco doesn't capitalize on it even more than they are. But you almost have to use them yourselves to believe how much better some blade styles and designs are with a really good serrated edge pattern.
 
I've never really used SE knives, except the SE ladybug hawkbill. I guess maybe I'll have to pick up a SE rescue soon! I think spyderco understands the difficulty in convincing people their spyder edge is worth using. That's why I think they still make 2 versions of their knives, SE and PE, bc they know pellets do want SE but more people want PE
 
maugust09 said:
I've never really used SE knives, except the SE ladybug hawkbill. I guess maybe I'll have to pick up a SE rescue soon! I think spyderco understands the difficulty in convincing people their spyder edge is worth using. That's why I think they still make 2 versions of their knives, SE and PE, bc they know pellets do want SE but more people want PE
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Actually really using one for hard use all the way back to the 90s is what convinced me that SE is truly a great tool for the right jobs. I just long for the days when you could get just about any Spyderco model in SE and PE both.
The cutting jobs that Spyderco's serrated models are good for in most cases you wouldn't dare use a PE blade to try to do it. Just how good SE blades are in cutting rope and cordage alone makes them great for my uses. But I could list dozens of uses for SE blades>> and especially the pull cutting you can do with SE hawkbills. I'll never look back.
 
I have one hawkbill (Civilian), the only Spydie I never carry. It's on my nightstand.
 
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