spyderco harpy

R

richardallen

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Oct 15, 2002
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i'm considering getting a harpy, does anyone have any reviews ? how does it work as an edc ? anyone carrying one on a daily basis ?

thanks, cheez
 
The blade is one of acquired taste and use, but I find it has both. Very utilitarian - but the sheeple tend to quiver on sight; but I quit caring about them and their opinions long ago - when in comes to the sheeple 'lead, follow, or get out of the way' is old news - you have to lead or become one.
 
If I'm going to be breaking down a lot of cardboard boxes It's the one I reach for every time. Nice thin point for picking at things, and the blade is a regular buzz saw on cardboard, rope and plastic hoses.
 
Do to the hawkbill, you use the point for a lot and need to keep it sharp. It's not a good knife for the kitchen or whittling, but other than this, it'll handle just about everything. It's one of the best urban carry knives, because it's under 3 inches, is not a dagger or dirk, and is purpose built for rescue and workman activities. You can legally slip through a lot of stringent laws with this blade.
 
I used to carry a Harpy as my fav EDC, until I acquired a SpyderHawk. This has the same features (as the Merlin), only bigger!

The Harpy makes a great EDC as mentioned, due to it's blade length being under 3". Kept sharp, there's not much you can't do with it. Some form of grip-improvement can make the stainless scales more non-skid. I used a spring-punch to put divots in the surface which rough up the steel nicely.
 
I have a Harpy, though I don't use it that much. I don't normally need a hawkbill in my day to day knife chores. When I do use it, though, it works great. That thing goes through cardboard, pressed hardboard, plastic, rubber and other tough materials like nobody's business.
 
I had a Harpy and sold it. Worked fine, but the tip was a pain to keep sharp, IMO. I prefer a knife with a belly and swedged point for detail now. The Harpy is great for cutting rope, though.
 
thanks guys. at first i thought that i wouldn't do well as an edc due to the hawkbill blade shape, but i guess i got that wrong. thanks for your advice,

regards, cheez
 
I have Stripey's Harpy and it is a great knife. The tip kept dulling due to a slight error in manufacture. When closing, the tip was snapping into the spacer on the inside of the handle. The right attachment and a some careful dremmeling is all it took to keep that from happening. Now it will stay sharp until cutting dulls it.

The Harpy is a great cutting tool.

Jon
 
Yes to EDC, get one. I found my second one for $15 (read 'em and weep :D) at a yard sale--like new. The Spyderhawk is next.
 
I don't care for the shape of the Harpy's recurve blade, because it seems to me that such a knife must hook through anything it is used to cut (such as slicing a cardboard box) but how would you, say, slice some food on a cutting board?

On the other hand, read "Hannibal." I don't think they made a big deal of it in the movie, but in the book, Hannibal Lecter goes to a gun show and purchases a Harpy from "Buck's Knives." The knife, uh, ended up serving him well, as I recall.
And I asked a guy who runs a table at the gun shows here in south Florida called "Buck's Knives" and he said that yes, he was contacted by Thomas Harris about knives, so if he's telling the truth, the real-life Buck of the gun shows is the make-believe Buck in "Hannibal."

If it were cheap enough somewhere, I'd get one just to have, but I certainly am not interested in making a Harpy an everyday carry.

---Jeffrey
 
Kimberholic is right, I never examined the blade in enough detail to see the problem. :(
I still think it depends on the point too much, and is a limited design- Excellent for cutting rope, and fine detail work. I just prefer a slicer. If I bought a hawkbill Spydie again, I'd go for a plain edge.
 
I've had a Harpy for years. It never worked well for me. It was my first "premium" knife other than a SAK, and I really though I would like it for EDC and doing yard chores and working around the house and on my rental unit, but it didn't work out. I still like the idea of a hawkbill, but IMO the Spyder serrated edge is the big drawback. It is too course on the serrations and rips things or is hard to start cutting. I don't even think it cuts rope that well for me, again, it's because of the serrations being too course, it tends to hang up when trying to draw the blade across a surface. It's a well made and nice looking knife, but it doesn't work well IMO. It's been in a drawer for years now. I don't recommend it if you want a working knife. I sharpened it once. :rolleyes: It was not fun. Get something without a serrated blade.
 
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