What is a HAWKBILL BLade?

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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Yes I truly want a finite definition on what a Hawkbill blade is. I have my own definition and I want to see what some of you guys/gals seem to think that a "true Hawkbill" blade is.

I do know that there are variations of Hawkbill blades. For instance the Spyderco Dodo is a Hawkbill by my own definition because it curves out to a point just like a Hawk's bill would.

There are so many knife blades out there now with some sort of a curvature in them. But I don't think that just because there is a curve in the blade that it automatically falls into the Hawkbill category.

So what do you all think?
 
A hawk's bill isn't shaped like an "S", so I think a Spyderco Dodo is not a Hawkbill. It is a reverse S curve. It has a Hawkbill-like portion to it, but it isn't a Hawkbill.

A blade is not a Hawkbill just because it has a curve. A Hawkbill has to have one curve and be roughly "C" shaped. Like a Karambit. There are also recurves (S shaped) and reverse S curves.


The Harpy is a Hawkbill.
 
Hair said:
A hawk's bill isn't shaped like an "S", so I think a Spyderco Dodo is not a Hawkbill. It is a reverse S curve. It has a Hawkbill-like portion to it, but it isn't a Hawkbill.

A blade is not a Hawkbill just because it has a curve. A Hawkbill has to have one curve and be roughly "C" shaped. Like a Karambit. There are also recurves (S shaped) and reverse S curves.


The Harpy is a Hawkbill.
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Well I will kindly and respectfully take issue with a couple of things you've presented. A hawk's bill ( I'm talking about a real hawk that you would see in the woods) is curved and it does come to somewhat of a point. I have seen some species of hawk's bills actually come to an apparently sharp point on the end of their bill.

True the Dodo is configurated as a "reverse S" but I submit that I can do most any job with one of my Dodo blades that I can also do with one of my Harpy Hawkbill blades. So I think it's at least fair to say that the 2 knives are in the same league with each other.

Now you do make a valid point with the true Hawkbill being configurated like the letter "C". But then again even in nature there are variances between species of hawks, owls and other birds of prey. But then again all the bills on birds of prey are pretty much capable of doing the same jobs.

I think it is fair to say that you could classify a knife as being a Hawkbill if they have a point at the end of a curve and that they are capable of jobs that only the Hawkbill class of blades can execute.

But please expound more on this because I am here to learn and I have no intention of coming across like a smart-alec. But we are seeing more and more of these most Non-Conventional of blades and I think it's high time we give them a consise definition. :)
 
A Hawkbill has to have one curve and be roughly "C" shaped
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I agree with that part, but would like to expand on it.

IMO, a Hawkbill has one curve, which goes toward the cutting edge, and should taper to a point.

A Kris has lots of curves, but nobody would call that a hawkbill.
A blade which curves to a point, but the curve is away from the cutting edge is also not a hawkbill. A Kukhri curves toward the edge, but is not a hawkbill IMO, because it does not taper enough.
 
Chipperman said:
I agree with that part, but would like to expand on it.

IMO, a Hawkbill has one curve, which goes toward the cutting edge, and should taper to a point.

A Kris has lots of curves, but nobody would call that a hawkbill.
A blade which curves to a point, but the curve is away from the cutting edge is also not a hawkbill. A Kukhri curves toward the edge, but is not a hawkbill IMO, because it does not taper enough.
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Good points Chipperman: I totally agree that the Spyderco Kris, Gurkha Kukri are not Hawkbill blades. I am almost convinced that the Dodo may not fall into the classic definition of a Hawkbill.

Although with the curved point and a significant percentage of the blade being capable of what Hawkbills are capable of traditionally I still think you could split hairs and let the Dodo be called a Hawkbill. I use my Dodo in the same group of cutting chores that I would also use my G-10 Harpy for.

But I will agree that "CURVES" on a blade are not at all indictitive of a Hawkbill design per se. Other than linoleum knives and a few Karambits that made it over to the USA the Hawkbill blades are kind of a "new kid on the block". I would almost bet that Eric Glesser when he designed the Dodo he had it in mind as being a knife capable of Hawkbill chores with a much shorter bler.
 
JD Spydo said:
Other than linoleum knives and a few Karambits that made it over to the USA the Hawkbill blades are kind of a "new kid on the block".
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Hawksbill knives are among the oldest cutting designs in the world. They derive from sickles.

The purpose of definitions is to distinguish among similar items, so although reverse S curves seem like a kind of hawksbill, it is to our advantage to have separate terms for them. Maybe we could call a reverse S curve a "parrotbill". :D
 
This is what I would consider a Hawkbill
CT105.jpg
 
LIke I said before guys>> just look at a Hawk's bill. That will tell you what a Hawkbill blade ought to look like.

Now I can go along with the concept of a modified Hawkbill blade and I do think that the Dodo can fall into that slot with no problem.

I would also say that the traditional Karambit blades are true Hawkbills :cool:
 
I think pruning knives have the classic hawkbill blade. Most of the knives that I have seen called hawkbills actually have blades that more resemble a talon.
 
Hi JD. I really didn't expect this from you, you know? A hawkbill blade is a blade in the shape of a hawk's bill ;)
How do they bill the hawk, anyway? :confused:
 
Keith Montgomery said:
I think pruning knives have the classic hawkbill blade. Most of the knives that I have seen called hawkbills actually have blades that more resemble a talon.
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Spyderco agrees with you, Keith. From their website:

Hawkbill Blade
Blade shaped in a sharply curved hook like the talon of a raptor.

Jack
 
We have a thread going over at the Spyderco.com Forum as to whether or not the new Captain model is a Hawkbill or not. I SAY NO!!! I say it is a blade all it's own with a style all it's own.

Again I started this thread to fully determine a consensus of what you all would narrow down as being a Hawkbill blade or not being one.

First of all it doesn't even come to a point. Second it has more than one dominant cutting surface where the 2 grinds meet.

What do you BF guys/gals think?
 
There is a whole range of blade shapes out there where the inner portion, by the ricasso, curves down. Recurves and nightmare grinds do this, and they are not hawksbills, either. They are a way of getting the sickle/hawksbill effect on a blade with a more upturned point, a dual purpose blade.
 
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