Tasman Salt and Harpy

J

James Y

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Feb 18, 1999
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For the first time, I'm considering buying a Tasman Salt. I have had 2 Harpy knives for several years, and I've come to find the hawksbill blade facilitates many everyday uses, beyond the original idea of cutting netting, rope, etc.

I find recently, due to the type of cargo pants I wear at work and elsewhere, clipping a knife really wears on the material, so I've been carrying in-pocket (Delica4, Endura4, or mini-Grip, etc.). IMO, the Tasman would obviously be much lighter for in-pocket carry, not to mention, the blade and opening hole are a bit larger, I think.

Does anybody have both, and what are your comparisons between the two? Though it's FRN, does the Tasman feel solid enough at the pivot to handle work like the SS Harpy?
Jim
 
I have both and think you will really appreciate a tasman. I purchased the yellow handle with plain edge and I love it. I bought the knife because I too found the harpy to be an exceptional EDC knife. What I found is the Tasman is every bit as functional but much lighter in the pocket. As a bonus the H1 steel sharpens up to an amazing edge with very little effort. I will warn you that the steel ( tip ) seems softer, I managed to bend the very edge of the tip. Overall though its a great knife! I carried it last summer inside the waistband of my swim trunks everytime I took my daughter to the pool; and the knife is like new still. I was so impressed with the H1 performance that last week I bought a mariner salt... Loving that knife too. Buy a Tasman, you will not regret it. I have fallen for the salt series spydies like a blind roofer!
 
Thanx, Streicher!

So far the only Salt I have is a Salt 1 PE bought several years ago. I think it was one of the very first, because the lazer-etched H1 logo isn't on the blade.

I've heard that H1 in SE for some reason is harder at the edge than PE. Could it be because of possible extra intensity of friction/heat when a SE is applied to the steel?

I've also been looking at the Mariner Salt and Pacific Salt. It's kinda hard to decide, but I'm still leaning to a Tasman before the others.
Jim
 
J.Mattson said:
Its kinda off topic but do you think you could explain this more?
Click to expand...

It works great for cutting cardboard, the tape from cardboard boxes, blister (clamshell) packaging, envelopes, etc. The hawksbill is the king of the draw cut. You have far more positive control over your cut than knives with a traditional curved belly. The trade off, obviously, is that there's no belly, so slicing is difficult.

IMO, you're more likely to find someone carrying a hawksbill in addition to a regular knife, rather than only a hawksbill.

I've used a PE Tasman salt as secondary carry for a couple years now. Originally, I carried a SE Pacific Salt, then went SE Atlantic Salt, then a SE Tasman Salt. The SE worked great for my uses with the Pacific and Atlantic Salt, but when I went to the SE Tasman Salt, I found the serrations tended to bind and tear rather than dig and slice. I went to a PE Tasman Salt, and have never looked back.

I've found the FRN handles of the Salts to be plenty tough and have never shied from working it hard.
 
What Planterz said.
I find certain uses, such as the plastic strapping holding massage sheets (without piercing the sheets), opening boxes and bags, and the hawksbill is way safer for me opening clamshell/blister packs; saving the odd newspaper article; etc. I feel I have a lot of control and safety with it. But it's true, I also carry at least another knife on me when carrying a hawksbill knife.

However, I tend to like Spyderco's SE hawksbill. Though I don't use it to break down boxes with.
Jim
 
Thank you, I have a SE harpy that I got as a line cuter for a job I had a few years back. I always liked the knife and was interested to know ways in which it could be used as an EDC.
 
I carry a Tasman Salt for work - I'm a deck hand on a towboat. Best knife I've ever owned. Cuts lines like a maniac and the hawkbill blade can still do everything my old knives could, some things better.
 
I recently bought a harpy but i have not had a chance to use it.But from what i have read here it sounds like a wonderful knife.I do have a tasman and use it and the tasman functions just fine.:thumbup:
 
First of all I'm somewhat of a Hawkbill Fanatic :D But yes I do have both models i.e. the Harpy and the Tasman Salt.

I love both of them but for very hard work I tend to always use my G-10, ATS-55, SE Harpy. My PE Tasman is a real jewell where a plain edged blade is needed but the bulk and solidity of the Harpy along with the thicker spined blade make it a hands down favorite for hard work.

I truly wish that they would bring back the G-10 handled Harpy.

Now the Tasman with H-1 steel and the FRN handle is a great blade when working in a very corrosive environment. The H-1 steel really surprised me with it's relatively good edge holding ability.

All of Spyderco's Hawkbills are great workers. So I guess it just depends on what you need the knife for the most.
 
I appreciate all the replies!
Today I bought a Tasman Salt SE. I had hoped to find the yellow-handled model but they only had the black. Of course, the blade has less thickness than the Harpy's, but it is a bit longer. I love the Harpy, but the Tasman feels very comfortable to open/close due to the larger hole and FRN handles. I also like the SS scales, but the drying vent on the Harpy sometimes feels a tad bit uncomfortable to me. It's also deja vu since the Tasman's handle is the same as my Salt 1 and my several Delica 3's.

Out of the box, this knife *might* be the sharpest I've ever had, and that's saying a lot.

This will be an easier general carry for me then the Harpy, because I prefer to drop the knife in-pocket, and the Tasman's as light as a feather. A good
hawkbill to complement another, more conventionally-shaped bladed folder.

Oh, and yes, a return of the G-10 handled Harpy sounds very cool indeed. :)
Jim
 
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