Hawk bills!

[FarmKid]

I've noticed that not too many have been posted on here. What's yalls input on these knives?

 

[bladeblabber]

I like em' they are great for cutting rope, boxes and many other utilitarian tasks. I don't carry one though, I find a good old fashioned clip blade is the best for general use. Here's my case hawkbill pruner with brown synthetic scales. A+ fit and finish!

 

[Nixelplix]

Are there any traditional knives besides pruners that have a hawk bill blade?

 

[strick284]

I like hawkbills. They look pretty cool especially on modern style knives. But they have one special caveat. Hawkbill folders take up a lot of room in your pocket because of the way the blade fits (or maybe I should say doesn't fit) inside the handle. An upswept blade tends to follow the curvature of a knife handle, and a hawkbill tends to do the exact opposite. They usually fold into a wide oval shape. I used to have a Byrd Crossbill but it never saw much pocket time because it was so bulky. I do have a couple hawkbill fixed blades that I carry frequently though. The blade shape might not be as versatile as a drop or clip point, but I stll get some use out of them.

 

[Vanguard41xx]

Are there any traditional knives besides pruners that have a hawk bill blade?

The GEC weaver jack has a similar blade shape (not as dramatic)

 

[knarfeng]

Hawkbills excel at cutting INTO things, such as starting a cut in the middle of a piece of cardboard. However, I don't normally carry one because a Wharncliffe or sheepsfoot blade will work as well and are easier to sharpen.

 

[FarmKid]

I'd see a one bladed sheep foot blade more useful as a hawksbill. I had a case electricians knife and that was the handiest knife I've ever owned. It pruner blade wasn't as bad. I wish case still made em. Does Klein still make knives?

 

[yablanowitz]

Are there any traditional knives besides pruners that have a hawk bill blade?

Yes, there are, but you have to look really hard.

 

[Curtis_Lowe]

I'd see a one bladed sheep foot blade more useful as a hawksbill. I had a case electricians knife and that was the handiest knife I've ever owned. It pruner blade wasn't as bad. I wish case still made em. Does Klein still make knives?

Yes, they do. Utica Kutmaster makes the knives for Klein.

 

[FarmKid]

Didn't case make a single blade Sherpa foot blade with walnut handles

 

[FarmKid]

Meant to say sheep foot blade. I phones don't know knife vocabulary

 

[Vanguard41xx]

Meant to say sheep foot blade. I phones don't know knife vocabulary

Yes they did.

 

[thatotherguy]

Does Klein still make knives?

Yup, still in the US out of carbon steel (or stainless- your choice) too. Nice knives. The edges need to be thinned out a bit to cut better before use though.
I think that hawkbills are great at what they were designed to do- hook materials and cut, no questions asked. That said, I don't carry one because my knives mostly get used for food prep, cutting small cordage, and opening mail, and a clip blade is easier enough to use on food that it's really not worth it to carry a hawkbill. I just don't need the learning curve (no pun intended) that seems to come with them or the extra bulk and weight in my pocket.

 

[cnas122]

I'll post this farmer's jack 100 times if I have too....it's my favorite hawkbill!!!

 

[cj65]

I have a couple of pruner hawkbills. One is a Tina which is a german horticultural knife, and the other one is a Case. I dig the hawkbill, but they are big in the back pocket. I use them to prune though. I am a pruning fool in my yard, just ask my wife.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Campbells knife is as good as a knife gets^^^^ I consider myself lucky just looking at it!
I also think Jacks Old Cutler is a real interesting knife..can you tell me a bit more about that knife?
I love Hawkbills..

This one I hope come into the category...a little worn, but snap that will take your fingers off! Stamped XL ALL

Ebony Handled early Sheffield...

 

[smiling-knife]

Nice hawkbills everyone. Campbell, that is a real beauty. Thanks for sharing it.

Here are a couple of hawkbill jack knives. The Thomas Turner appears very similar to the far left knife in their 1902 catalog.

I think Schrade made knives similar to this Saynor.

 

[comoha]

They are a very task specific knife. My wife loves hers as she uses it for harvesting vegetables at her supersized garden.

 

[yablanowitz]

I also think Jacks Old Cutler is a real interesting knife..can you tell me a bit more about that knife?

I wish I could. All I really know is it is a large stockman with a hawkbill blade on a third spring in the middle. I've had it for enough years that I don't even recall where I got it. Decent carbon steel blades, made by Colonial, and inexpensive.

 

[Will Power]

They are a very task specific knife. My wife loves hers as she uses it for harvesting vegetables at her supersized garden.

That's exactly what I use my Tidioute single blade 56 for. It's smaller in the pocket and less dramatic than conentional Bills but A1 for harvesting veg - especially cabbages or courgettes.

I think the CASE Loomfixer was a kind of Hawkbill?