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Hawkbill style knife more useable for most situations?

N

northslope

Joined
Dec 6, 2024
Messages
2
I've carried knives forever. I have many knives. I have a couple Karambits for fun and defense. But I came across the Kershaw Dawnstar today and thought maybe this hawkbill style knife will be more useful than my typical drop points, etc. If I'm hunting I will opt for something with a curved blade with a belly. For fishing I use something else. But around the house, office etc I most often cut boxes, zip ties, strings, etc. I also have a large garden and an orchard and many grape vines. A hawkbill is great for cutting off some suckers, extra vines, etc when I'm out and about and notice something needs attention. If I'm doing serious work I will grab a dedicated tool but often I just see a need and i use what I have on me. It seems something like the Dawnstar may be more useful than my traditional blade shapes. I will obviously opt for something else when I head to the mountains. What are your thoughts?
 
northslope said:
I've carried knives forever. I have many knives. I have a couple Karambits for fun and defense. But I came across the Kershaw Dawnstar today and thought maybe this hawkbill style knife will be more useful than my typical drop points, etc. If I'm hunting I will opt for something with a curved blade with a belly. For fishing I use something else. But around the house, office etc I most often cut boxes, zip ties, strings, etc. I also have a large garden and an orchard and many grape vines. A hawkbill is great for cutting off some suckers, extra vines, etc when I'm out and about and notice something needs attention. If I'm doing serious work I will grab a dedicated tool but often I just see a need and i use what I have on me. It seems something like the Dawnstar may be more useful than my traditional blade shapes. I will obviously opt for something else when I head to the mountains. What are your thoughts?
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I EDC'ed a spyderco byrd crossbill as my only knife outside of a kitchen for 2 years or so when I was poor after college. It was fantastic at far more than hawkbills are given credit for, especially in an EDC roll. The main downside, IMO, as an EDC blade is that the bill requires more real estate in a folder to accommodate the curve vs a straighter blade style. Sharpening is a little more challenging depending on the tools but he sharpening sticks or rods to well with most hawkbills with milder curves.
 
I tried a hawkbill, disguised as a karambit, buncha years ago. I was cutting a lot of rope, plastic drain hose, and suchlike.

What sent me looking for something else was that it took a lot of space in my pocket, and the sharpening mechanics that have already been mentioned.

I feel like the blade shape is a little too specialized for me, and that a modified wharncliffe, or even a Shilin pattern blade, is a better compromise. If you can get the blade "around" whatever you're cutting, recurves are wonderful effective!
 
My perception of the karambit/hawkbill style blade's shortcomings led me to a recurve tanto. It's not as effective a compromise as you might think.

I'm wondering now if a two-blade traditional with a hawkbill and some other blade shape might be The Answer.
 
I think I heard someone in the back yelling "two blades".

20160506_170849_1024x1024.jpg
 
I love hawkbills with a good amount of negative blade angle for general everyday cutting. Everytime I carry my Byrd Meadowlark I'm reminded how great hawkbills are for general utility cutting. Where they suffer is cutting on a flat surface.

I've been drawing up a design with a partial double edge -- main portion being a big bellied/sweeping blade, and the front half of the "spine" being a hawkbill that terminates into a thumb ramp near the middle of the blade. Has 2.5" cutting edge and the handle modeled off of the Spyderco ARK. Seems like a useful design to me on paper. I made a cardboard cutout of it and like it so far. If/when I make it, I suspect the hawkbill portion would see a ton of use.
 
PeaceInOurTime said:
I love hawkbills with a good amount of negative blade angle for general everyday cutting. Everytime I carry my Byrd Meadowlark I'm reminded how great hawkbills are for general utility cutting. Where they suffer is cutting on a flat surface.

I've been drawing up a design with a partial double edge -- main portion being a big bellied/sweeping blade, and the front half of the "spine" being a hawkbill that terminates into a thumb ramp near the middle of the blade. Has 2.5" cutting edge and the handle modeled off of the Spyderco ARK. Seems like a useful design to me on paper. I made a cardboard cutout of it and like it so far. If/when I make it, I suspect the hawkbill portion would see a ton of use.
Click to expand...
Well now I have to ask you to share a picture of the design. Sounds interesting.
 
I carry a Spyderco Harpy a fair amount. It’s surprisingly good at 90% of most household tasks. Not great for food prep, but AMZ boxes don’t stand a chance! I like them for the angles they allow for digging into stuff like opening water softener pellet bags, and for lopping off suckers from trees too.

1753067657006.jpeg
 
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Both are useful for utility . Top one has a sturdier blade , for harder use . But I've used a PE version of the bottom one a lot , just more careful of the tip .

Work well for cutting open boxes . Easy pull cuts, at a controlled depth .
 
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