Hawkbill

C

Creaky Cactus

Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
224
I just started using my first hawkbill.

This thing is AWESOME! Why didn't anybody ever tell me how handy and useful a hawkbill is?

... and I'm only using a Spyderco Salt (H1) serrated Dragonfly hawkbill. Nothing fancy, not a super-steel, not even EDC sized. I'm LOVING it. The only downside is it is a little scary to look at, but if I cared about that... I wouldn't EDC a knife.

Any other hawkbill lovers out there?

For those of you who have never tried one... go try one.

CC
 
I really love a hawkbill knife as well, because it excels at utility cutting and draw cuts. Nothing will open an Amazon package or cut cardboard quite like a hawkbill will. IMO the one weakness it has is in food prep, specifically where you are trying to cut up something on a cutting board, or where you are trying to cut something against a flat surface. Because my edc tasks routinely involve food prep, I struggle with some of those tasks when I carry it. Maybe I need to develop a slightly different technique for these type of cuts?
It seemed like hawk bills were very popular in the 19th and early 20th century, but fell out of favor some where along the way. For certain cutting tasks it is a very efficient blade shape.
 
One of the 1st knives I ever purchased was a Spyderco Merlin hawkbill. It's a collector's item now.

iu
 
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I have a Tasman Salt that I have had probably almost 20 years. I just now retired it for a Stretch XL Salt. However, I do see the advantages of the hawkbill-ish blades as I have a Civilian, Matriarch, and Micro tech Hawk Auto that are all carried here and there depending on the needs.
 
Creaky Cactus said:
... and I'm only using a Spyderco Salt (H1) serrated Dragonfly hawkbill. Nothing fancy, not a super-steel
Click to expand...
Interestingly, I recently heard an interview with Eric Glesser at Blade Show and he said that in internal testing at Spyderco, serrated H1 steel actually outperforms ALL OTHER STEELS in edge retention.

He hypothesized that cutting in the serrations at the factory must have a work-hardening effect…

So you just might have a super steel after all. ;)
 
scdub said:
Interestingly, I recently heard an interview with Eric Glesser at Blade Show and he said that in internal testing at Spyderco, serrated H1 steel actually outperforms ALL OTHER STEELS in edge retention.

He hypothesized that cutting in the serrations at the factory must have a work-hardening effect…

So you just might have a super steel after all. ;)
Click to expand...
Yeah... a dull saw will outperform a sharp knife on cutting through a 2x4. It just depends on what you call "performance"
 
I still regret selling my ZT0750 😞 they never show up for sale and mine was minty!
 
Good value buy is the Spyderco Byrd Hawkbill, BY22BK, fully serrated. About the same size as the Delica, albeit a more pedestrian but perfectly adequate steel. Should Be $50 or less. Good utility knife. I like it as an emergency seat belt cutter/ clothing cutter for emergency work. Can be easily thrust into heavily taped corrugated cardboard boxes to cut them open or up.
 
The only thing I forgot to add in my post on the Spyderco Byrd Hawkbill is to ditch the ugly , cheap-looking , bright SS pocket clip and buy a black deep carry Spyderco clip. Not expensive and infinitely more pleasing esthetically and carries better ,as well.
 
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