Hawkbill blades

I

iBlade

Joined
Jul 24, 2008
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446
Now that I have solved my Fixed blade, Self defence and multi tool dillema's I am working on a folder.

I have always been intrigued, but have never used a hawkbill and was wondering about one, probably a spydie, but other ones are options if I find a nice one.

Anyone use these, have used one in the past and have anything good or bad to say about them or aniother brands ones?

just curious and do not have the option of trying one out so opinions are valued.

Cheers!
 
I've got a Byrd Crossbill. I've found it to be a great all around utility knife. It doesn't make the best stabber, but you can still stab sufficient enough with it. I spent a few hours with a some diamond lansky stones and reprofiled mine to a much thinner edge. It cuts like crazy now.
 
I have a bit of a weakness for hawkbills myself. They make supreme cutting/ripping blades, the reverse curve helps keep edge contact for cutting. Handy for certain chores, not good for others.

Take a look at the Spyderco Tasman Salt if you want a great hawkbill that'll last as a chore knife. Don't know if you spend time near the ocean in Auckland, but the H-1 steel won't rust, ever. I got the plain edge so I can touch-up the blade easier. It has been my main chore knife for the past 1.5 years.

Of course the Spydie Civilian is the ultimate SD hawkbill, but it is only good for SD.

I bought the SuperHawk and was disappointed in the blade geometry, not enough "hook" to the blade for me. If you want something like this, consider buying a Yojimbo -more of a wharncliffe, but a better designed blade IMO.
 
My newest, favourite blade is a Hawkbill, at first I wasnt entirely sure about the shape, nor the way I was meant to sharpen it.

20 gentle mins on the Sharpmaker last night on both brown and white stones had it shaving hair, slicing suspended paper.

Obviously the blade shape directs the object being cut down the blade edge, and you really need to concentrate on your technique to get the blade sharp and consistent.

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I recently purchased two hawkbills after becoming a convert from using a Dodo for a few weeks. I purchased a spyderco Tasman Salt and Cricket.

The cricket I plan to pair with my usual larger EDC's like the Military and Police 3. Not that I ever have them with where I go and what I do, but I figure the Cricket would make a good "sheeple knife," as well as being more practical for cutting tasks that don't require the blade length of my Military.

I used to carry a Spin for the same reasons but I've come to prefer the reverse S curve. The point works great for small knife tasks like cutting articles out of magazines and newspapers, opening mail, opening packages, picking splinters and so forth. I've tried a Kershaw chive in the past and I have to say that for me, their recurve doesn't work as good as Spydercos reverse recurve. The Kershaw style makes you have to really point the knife down to utilize the tip, while the Cricket has the tip ready to go in the normal grip position.

The Tasman Salt is going to be my beater / 24/7 IWB folder. Anything I don't want to use my nice carbon fiber Military on, or dull the hair whittling edge on, the Tasman will cut. Again, the hawkbill places the tip in th emost comfortable using position, so that any work the utilizes the tip will be performed with much more comfort using the hawkbill shape than a traditional clip point for example. The knife works great for tearing open any sort of package for example.

I used to not pay any attention to hawkbills, I thought they looked funny and doubted how well they'd work for utility. Now I see why they have their dedicated fans. From here on out I pretty much plan to always have at least one hawkbill on my person.
 
Flashpoint said:
I've got a Byrd Crossbill. I've found it to be a great all around utility knife. It doesn't make the best stabber, but you can still stab sufficient enough with it. I spent a few hours with a some diamond lansky stones and reprofiled mine to a much thinner edge. It cuts like crazy now.
Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to buy a Crossbill from Vivi here in the exchange for a bargain.I bought it just as a curiosity,but it's been in my pocket ever since and has been well used.I had to thin the edge down considerably,but now it's o-so-sharp and im really liking the weird geometry of the blade.Even at new prices,these things are an incredible bargain.I may well spring for a more expensive hawkbill style in the future.
 
Go to Smokey Mountain and get these two S&W knives for seven bucks each. I bought a bunch and they're so good I can't get over it. I, too, love the blade shape.

SWHawkbills.jpg


Don't let the fact that they're S&W stop you. These are very good
knives, plain and serrated.
 
I also suggest a Byrd Crossbill. their so damn cheap that im still amazed about the quality and amount of knife you get for the price!

20 bucks for a knife that can nearly match a spyderco civilian!

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Flashpoint said:
I've got a Byrd Crossbill. I've found it to be a great all around utility knife. It doesn't make the best stabber, but you can still stab sufficient enough with it. I spent a few hours with a some diamond lansky stones and reprofiled mine to a much thinner edge. It cuts like crazy now.
Click to expand...

how much more did you sharpen it? Mines came razor sharp out of the box. You must use yours quite a bit perhaps; I tend to just buy new knifes when I use mines once... :cool:
 
iBlade said:
Now that I have solved my Fixed blade, Self defence and multi tool dillema's I am working on a folder.

I have always been intrigued, but have never used a hawkbill and was wondering about one, probably a spydie, but other ones are options if I find a nice one.

Anyone use these, have used one in the past and have anything good or bad to say about them or aniother brands ones?

just curious and do not have the option of trying one out so opinions are valued.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

About 30 years ago I spent some time as an electrician. I carried a hawkbill in my tool pouch. I used it for cutting insulation off Romex (you make a cut in the insulation down the middle of the romex.) At that time we still ran into a lot of the old style romex that had fibers running throught the outer insulation layer. The hawkbill was the best tool I had for cutting that. I also used that blade for cutting into the center of a cardboard box.

I found that a Hawkbill bites into things well, but is not an optimal design for say, peeling an apple. I still carry that original hawkbill in my electrician's pouch. (I've had to make the belt a tad longer to wear it though) But to this day it's the only hawkbill I've ever used.

It's a good working blade design, but I don't really care for it for most EDC chores.
 
knarfeng said:
About 30 years ago I spent some time as an electrician. I carried a hawkbill in my tool pouch. I used it for cutting insulation off Romex (you make a cut in the insulation down the middle of the romex.) At that time we still ran into a lot of the old style romex that had fibers running throught the outer insulation layer. The hawkbill was the best tool I had for cutting that. I also used that blade for cutting into the center of a cardboard box.

I found that a Hawkbill bites into things well, but is not an optimal design for say, peeling an apple. I still carry that original hawkbill in my electrician's pouch. (I've had to make the belt a tad longer to wear it though) But to this day it's the only hawkbill I've ever used.

It's a good working blade design, but I don't really care for it for most EDC chores.
Click to expand...

LOL

Saved me a post!!

The Hawkbill is a great work knife.
Use with pull cuts

The ultimate prunning knife for yard work or gardening
Electricians skinning knife
Also as a marking knife in carpentry for cutting a straight line against a rule
More accurate than a pencil
Sharpening marking stakes for stringing out an area

Alas mine has gone without asking, the way of someone elses tool box.
Hopefully they are using it well.......
 
If you haven't done so yet, check out www.agrussell.com for the hawkbill he is having made for his line of knives, it's called the Eagles Beak. It is made in China, but meets AG's standards so I suspect it is a nice knife. From the picture it sure looks that way!
 
By all means, check out A G Russell's new Eagles Beak folder $59.95. Yes it's made in China, but the quality and materials are "unbelievable". I kid you not. Bought 3 for myself. Pocket , kit, and tool box. Comes with a great nylon belt pouch too! Carry one in my back pocket everyday. No camera at the moment, so no photos. Check out AG's web site. You won't believe how nice these are. Fit, Finish, grinds are perfect, and the whole package is centered and tight as drum. The lock is like Fort Knox. Do I like these? Best value in a knife I've seen in years. Order one. Or two. You will love it.

The cutterman
 
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I like my SuperHawks, the build quality and grippy carbon fiber handles, the way they fit in hand and the best lock (IMO) Spyderco makes, they are slanted towards self defence, but to me that's great.
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I have carried a Spyderhawk (or rather, a Endurahawk) in my left front pocket for many years. The first years, I carried it clipped, but after the "clip well" was worn out on both sides, it has been on the bottom. I has mostly been used for pruning purposes, as a folding sickle. It has seen a lot of "hard", but sensible use.
For the future, many years from now, when it is worn out, I got one spare:).

And I have a few Harpy`s laying around, too. And a Crossbill. Just in case...

A hawkbill is never the only knife I carry, but I like to have on close by.
timann
 
eccvets said:
how much more did you sharpen it? Mines came razor sharp out of the box. You must use yours quite a bit perhaps; I tend to just buy new knifes when I use mines once... :cool:
Click to expand...

I used mine for while on all kinds of stuff before it got dull. It came razor sharped. When it got dull I reprofiled mine down to about 18 degrees each side. Cuts a lot better now.
 
The Tasman Salt is really an impressive knife---I love the cutting power of the hawkbill blade with the rustproof design that the Salt series offers. It's an incredible knife to take on your morning workout inside the waistband, and is a great addition to your PFD. I switch out between the Tasman Salt, Atlantic Salt, and Caspian2 for my Great Lake Silver Cup Series (APBA) boat racing stints.

:thumbup:
 
Only hawkbills I have are CRKT bear claw and spyderco cricket. Both of which performed impressively compared to their small blades. Hawkbills really let you get the most out of those little blades.
 
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