Spyderco's Hawkbills: SE versus PE

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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Just the other day I was checking out some threads and one post that just floored me was a guy who was a big fan of the original VG-10 Spyderhawk model wanted it to come back so bad because he said that the PE, VG-10 Spyderhawk was the best performing Hawkbill he ever used. That blew me away because I've personally done some extremely rugged, brutal work with my Spyderedged Hawkbill blades>> and the serrated Spyderhawk in VG-10 and H-1 both have performed very well for me in many jobs.

But he did raise my curiosity because I've heard a couple of other guys say that they preferred plain edged Hawkbill blades over the serrated models. Personally I just don't get it but I am curious to know what you all think on this forum. Which Spyderco Hawkbill or any other premium made Hawkbill do you like the best the PE or are you like me and find that the Spyderedged Hawkbills are king?

Please tell me which one you prefer and why?
 
While not having one yet I believe a PE will lend itself better to the work I plan for it(electrician)
 
Hannibal Lecter prefers the SE spydie hawkbills if I recall correctly. :D

Personally I have an SE H1 Tasman salt on my PFD as a rope knife. Its eaten tons of rope and pruned some <1" tree scrub without ever having an issue. Love that knife but its nearly useless while I'm riding this desk.
 
All my Spydie hawkbills are SE, and that's the way I like them. The only non-serrated hawkbill knife I own is a DKD CA-legal Sharktooth auto knife. It's a great knife too, but for me, hawkbill and SE are more ideal for my uses.

Jim
 
The P'kal is plain edged and not offered in spyderedge. The reason given was that a plain edge does not hold up in clothing and for the P'kal stabbing methodology, the plain edge is better.
 
The PE Tasman salt is on the short list for my favorite spyderco ever, in >20 years of buying them. There is no doubt that a SE hawkbill is a mean cutting machine, but for my personal use I like the cutting control of a PE married with the extra leverage and ability to "grab" that the hawkbill gives.
 
SE for me. It may not cut as cleanly as a fresh razor blade, but it will cut over and over and over.....
 
Hard to sharpen SE.I own the PE H1 version and love it.Now if the Aqua Salt would just ship already.
 
The Ladybug hawkbill SE is my only hawkbill, so I cannot actually comment on the difference between SE and PE hawks. I have experienced in the past that even very sharp PE edges are not always effective when cutting fibrous plant materials. I once had a tough time to cut through a branch with a screaming sharp Para2. My vote is SE for those jobs.

This morning I grabbed this little guy instead of my normally PE EDC to prune the wayward vines of a granadilla. Not the toughest job around, I know, but it excelled. PE might have worked well too, especially if you cut at an angle, but with SE you do not need to think too much about technique, just hook and pull.

 
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EricV said:
Hannibal Lecter prefers the SE spydie hawkbills if I recall correctly. :D

Personally I have an SE H1 Tasman salt on my PFD as a rope knife. Its eaten tons of rope and pruned some <1" tree scrub without ever having an issue. Love that knife but its nearly useless while I'm riding this desk.
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Yeah Eric most of what I use Spyderco Hawkbills for I do with the Spyderedged versions. The Spyderedged versions seem to go through rope, cordage, heavy vegetation like vines and other woody plants seem to go with much less resistance than the Plain Edged versions do.

I actually use a Spyderco Hawkbill ( mostly my SE Harpy) as a companion blade but I still will use it at least 3 times a day or so. I find you can do much more pull cutting with a serrated Hawkbill than you can with a plain edged version.
 
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