Harpy blues....

Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
27,291
Sal,

I have the new style Harpy with G10 handles and it cuts rope and such great, but the other day I was trapped working in my attic installing some ceiling fans and tried to cut through 2 layers of plastic that was tacked across the rafters and the knife hung up and didn't want to slice through cleanly? Is this normal? I didn't have another knife handy as I was in a cramped area and barely fit and didn't want to carry anything else that I didn't need, hammer, nails, board and stuff. So I hacked and hacked till I got through, after that episode I'm thinking about retiring the Harpy and carrying something else.

G2

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It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me,
it is the parts that I do understand.
Mark Twain

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html

 
Been there, done that. Lucky it was cooler yesterday, if it was last week, the heat in the attice would have made you pass out. I generally use a cheap Stanley Utility knife with a few extra razor blades in the handle for things like that. I just picked up an old Harpy with SS handle and was going to use it as my 'ultimate' garden/yard knife. I guess if I were to try to slice thru the 2 layers of heavy plastic like that I would have just tried using the just tip section before the serrations. It is hard to describe, but when you put the blade into the material, you pull the knife smoothly and moving the blade at various angles until you get that baby to slice nice and you keep that angle until you run out of arm stroke. It sounds weird and is hard to describe. It is all feed and speed, just like when you machine materials. A regular sawing like motion should have worked - try using a strait serrated, plain blade, and not the curved serrated. Hope it helps, give it a shot, and let us know what happened. Keep cool.
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Beautiful leatherwork on those sheaths on your web page, too!
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Thanks Maddog, I'll give that a try, cause I do like the blade shape of the Harpy!
And it was during the terribly hot days! The fellow that mounted the boxes for the lights in each room used a hanging bracket! Which was ok for a light but not for both light and fan, so up I went crawling around and putting a board/cat to mount the box secure, didn't want a fan waking up my daughters in the night!

I hadn't planned on having to cut through stuff up there, but should have brought a different knife up on the second go round, guess the heat was too much on the brain pan?

I was wondering also if the Harpy was ground too thick on the edge profile?

Thanks for the words on the sheaths, I make them on a part time/hobby basis and the Blade Forums has been a very good provider of interest for my work.

G2

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It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me,
it is the parts that I do understand.
Mark Twain

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html

 
I too, have experienced this phenomena. It seems that maddog & I arrived at the same solution to the "soft material gathering in the serrations" problem. Those aggressive teeth are wonderful on fibrous media, but seem to "gum-up" with stuff like plastic sheeting unless the angle is adjusted as he describes.

Don't give up on your Harpy just yet...it is a great cutter of most things!
 
G2 - The shape of a hawbill doesn't permit the variation of angle that other shapes permit. Cutting thick plastic (not rope)might work better with a plain edge. I found that the serration worked well as long as it was VERY sharp. More argument for a plain edge Harpy & Merlin.
sal
 
Sal,

If you intend on making plain edge Harpies or Merlins, I'll buy some. Great blade shape.

Mike
 
Hey G2 - sounds like you need a C36GSE
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Dexter Ewing
Knife Reviews Moderator
AKTI Member # A000005

"They say I'm in need of some radical discipline"

 
Sal, thanks and I'll chime in that I'd buy a plain edge Harpy in a heart beat!

OK Dexter, I found the C36, a Military right?
Looking for a Hawkbill style, maybe the Moki small folder? Like a florist knife?

Thanks all!
G2

[This message has been edited by Gary W. Graley (edited 12 July 1999).]
 
Well, I bought a Kershaw Talon, with the hawkbill plainedge blade, but the grind at the edge is way too thick, like a cold chisel. They are discontinuing them and Smokey Mtn had a sale for $35, so I tried. Also they had the Harpy on sale for around $42, not quite half of what I paid, which made me even happier than I already am...Now my resale or trade value for the Harpy plummeted to a bad value...

I've decided to try and sell or trade it, the knife looks brandy new, but in light of Smokey Mtn. I don't know what to do on the value.

I'd trade for a plain edge Rookie if I can find one.

Oh well, it really is the Harpy Blues.


G2

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It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me,
it is the parts that I do understand.
Mark Twain

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html

 
On a brighter note, I just recently got via a trade, a Calypso Jr. micarta handle, plain edge, needed a stoning, but man did it ever sharpen up!
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I see why it's called a scalpel!

Sal, is this model being discontinued?

Thanks
G2

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It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me,
it is the parts that I do understand.
Mark Twain

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html

 
G2 - I believe Michelle said we'd hang on to that one for a while (mostly because of the Forumites). We also have a lite weight - tip down - left / right clip capability - VG-10 blade version. Should be out in 'bout a month or so.
sal
 
FWIW,
I saw a straight edge stainless Harpy just the other day. How many of these were made? I passed it up because I perfer the serrated blade myself. If anyone wants it I can go back for it, just e-mail me..I think its $50 NIB.



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~Keith~

 
Sal, I saw you mention something about a plain edge Harpy. I'll add to the arguement for one. A plain edge Melrin would be nice as well.
 
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