C08BK PE Merlin/Harpy FRN/VG-10: Does it actually exist?

[catamount]

Spydiewiki lists a PE version of the Merlin/Harpy in black FRN/VG-10 as being produced in 2002.

http://www.spydiewiki.com/index.php?title=C08_Harpy

Can anyone confirm the existence of this specific variation?

[Jay_Ev]

This is not my picture but by any chance is this the knife to which you refer:



Jay

[brandonreed2008]

This is not my picture but by any chance is this the knife to which you refer:



Jay

looks like a tasman salt with a sand blasted clip

[kraziekurtis]

I owned one plain edge, black FRN Merlin in ATS-55, not VG-10. I sold/traded it on knifebst last year.

[A.M.]

I had the ATS-55 version and the VG-10 Superhawk. They definitely exist.

[Marcel]

catamount, thanks for critically looking at the Spydiewiki article.

That variation is listed in the 2002 Spyderco catalog.
If I remember right, that was the only reason so far, why it ended up in the Spydiewiki article. Marked it with a "?" till there is some real evidence of it's physical existence.

[Lord vader]

The Harpy came out in three handle variations,G-10,CF,And Stainless.

[Lord vader]

I found a Vintage merlin up for bid,Here is the link.http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Spyderco-Me ... 1|294%3A50

[Marcel]

I found a Vintage merlin up for bid,Here is the link.http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Spyderco-Me ... 1|294%3A50

Thanks for finding that one (SE).

The PE (Plain Edge) part of the variation is important.

[Lord vader]

Thanks for finding that one (SE).

The PE (Plain Edge) part of the variation is important.

You welcome,I have not been able to find a PE Version,Are you looking for one?

[Lord vader]

Check this out,this is the info your looking for.http://www.spydiewiki.com/index.php?title=C21_Merlin

[catamount]

I'd love to get my hands on one, but only the PE, VG-10 version (assuming it was actually produced).

[The Deacon]

Tom, all I can say for certain is, that in going on six years of perusing online dealer offerings and following eBay auction listings for Spyderco knives, and specifically for PE Harpies and Merlins, I have never seen a PE VG-10 Merlin offered for sale. PE Merlin yes, VG-10 Merlin yes, PE VG-10 SS Harpies yes, but not one single solitary PE VG-10 Merlin. But of course that really doesn't really prove anything, the nonexistence of evidence is not the same as evidence of nonexistennce. This one's definitely going to need either Sal's input to confirm it never made it to production, or a "proof of life" photo of one "in the wild" to prove it did.

[catamount]

Well, there must at least have been a production prototype to photograph for the catalog.



catalog image courtesy of Ted:

http://www.spydie.nl/catalogs/

[JBE]

I'm with Paul. I have yet to come across a picture of a PE VG-10 Merlin on ebay, Bladeforums or the Spyderco forums. Think I've seen it mentioned once or twice but only on forumite "wish/dream" knife threads but that was prior to the H1 PE Tasman release. I've actually only seen the ATS-55 variation.

[The Deacon]

Well, there must at least have been a production prototype to photograph for the catalog.



catalog image courtesy of Ted:

http://www.spydie.nl/catalogs/

Either that, or a "factory authorized photoshop job". Either way, the existence of the catalog illustration is the reason my comment specified "in the wild".

[JBE]

Like Paul, I cannot recall ever seeing an actual "in-hand" photo of a PE VG-10 Merlin on any of my "usual" Spyderco-spotting sites. That includes this forum, Bladeforums and ebay. The only PE I can ever remember seeing is the ATS-55 version.

[JD Spydo]

Tom, all I can say for certain is, that in going on six years of perusing online dealer offerings and following eBay auction listings for Spyderco knives, and specifically for PE Harpies and Merlins, I have never seen a PE VG-10 Merlin offered for sale. PE Merlin yes, VG-10 Merlin yes, PE VG-10 SS Harpies yes, but not one single solitary PE VG-10 Merlin. But of course that really doesn't really prove anything, the nonexistence of evidence is not the same as evidence of nonexistennce. This one's definitely going to need either Sal's input to confirm it never made it to production, or a "proof of life" photo of one "in the wild" to prove it did.

Until last fall I truly didn't think that a VG-10 Merlin even existed. But a collector friend of mine who collects Spyderco as well as other stuff told me that she had one that she bought off of Ebay. I asked her while I was on the phone with her to tell me what steel was marked on the Merlin that she had and she told me that it was indeed marked with VG-10. And she knows the difference between the Merlin, Harpy and Tasman just as well as any of us do.

Now I will personally admit that I've owned 5 Merlins all together. I've had 3 plain edged versions and 2 serrated and one other one that I aquired in a trade that I gave to brother Manixguy2. And every one of those were ATS-55. I will admit that I have not personally held one of these VG-10 Merlins in my hand but I have 100% confidence that my friend didn't lie to me about it.

But in the same vein of conversation the 2000 Spyderco catalog has the C-50 Centofante model listed with 440V blade steel. I've searched for that knife for the last 5 years and I've looked hard for one. I have to believe that if there are any at all that were ever made it's got to be just a few prototypes because I've talked to scores of people who had C-50 Centofante models and they all had ATS-34 blade steel versions.

[buglerbilly]

G Sakai have a Merlin PE in VG10 listed right now.............you'd need to email to see IF available..........price is Yen 6,930.00 equivalent to approx. USD$71.00 (or approx AUD$111.00 for my fellow Aussies)............

See here.........

http://www.ohyasuya.co.jp/factorybrands ... ronin.html

.............approx 3/4's of the way down the page.

Regards,

BRIAN

[Manix Guy 2]

I carry a FRN Merlin almost daily in FRN ATS - 55 , I treasure this knife as it came from the grand poo paw of hawkbills ! MG2