Who uses Hawkbills and Reverse S blades for EDC? And Why?

[JD Spydo]

I've personally been using some model of Spyderco Hawkbill for a companion blade for a few years now myself. But I'm running into a few guys who either use a Hawkbill blade or one of Spyderco's "Reverse S" blades for their EDC (every day carry) blade.

Myself I find that a medium to large sized Hawkbill makes a great companion to a conventional design blade folder. I find that Hawkbill blades (especially fully serrated ones) do many jobs that a conventional blade has a hard time with. But again I'm running into and talking to more and more guys who actually prefer a Hawkbill or Reverse S blade for their primary EDC.

As close as I ever came to doing that was one brief period of time I used a Spyderco DODO for my only pocket knife and I admit I was pleasantly surprised at the good performance I got from it. But in the long run I've found that a conventional design does have a lot of advantages in many cutting jobs. But I do want to hear why some of you all do indeed depend on either a Hawkbill or Reverse S blade for their only EDC?

[BAL]

I know that you love your hawkbills JD, and I probably should pick up a another one or two.
I prefer a staight blade for an EDC, but carry a Spyderhawk as well. I like the H-1 Spyderdge
for certain tasks, opening boxes, trimming limbs, etc. The blade angle can make it easier to
dig into and reach better.

I wouldn't mind getting a non H-1 hawkbill, but I am not a stainless steel fan as with the Harpy,
to each his own as they say. I do agree that the hawkbill is an under rated knife though and
more people would find out that they liked it, if they had one to use.

[xceptnl]

I love to have a hawkbill close by most days, but many of my EDC knife needs center around food prep. This doesn't lend well to the reverse S either (IMO). The Tasman or Spyderhawk typically trade out spots in my carry bag. They do happen to be my favorite models to flick and enjoy for their marvelous shape.

[Tim_McD]

I am by no means a long term expert, but I have been using a Tasman with a spyderedge as my EDC since Dec'12.

I found it to be useful for regular tasks, like breaking down cardboard (esp during Christmas), less useful for opening envelopes. But over the past couple of weekends it has really shined. The serrated hawkbill is the single best style of knife I have ever used in the yard. Vines, branches, digging out dandelions, cutting netting and twine/rope - it just excels at these tasks.

Given that my day-to-day office work doesnt require a knife (the Ladybug on the keychain handles what little is req'd), the bulk of my folding knife needs are centered around home/yard tasks. The H-1 blade held up like a champ with no burring of the edge, something that going through a ton of cardboard and zipties seemed to inflict on the blade when it was out-of-the-box new.

A quick run through the Sharpmaker was all that was needed to clear that and over the past two weeks it hasnt been req'd. I found that the curve of the blade is just the right tool for EDC around the house

[PanChango]

I've been carrying a PE cricket as a secondary blade, but it really handles most of what I need to do on a daily basis. I find that I reach for it far more often than my larger blade. It zips open letters and packages, zip ties, tape, and breaks down cardboard etc with ease and isn't normally scary to the general public. I think what really turned the corner on the cricket from a neat little knife to one I use regularly is figuring out how to sharpen it. Once I was able to put a good edge on it, I started carrying and using it more. I had a dodo in the past that I let go because I was intimidated by trying to sharpen it.

[phillipsted]

My day-to-day EDC requires something with at least a little belly on the blade - opening envelopes, cutting flat materials on a cutting board, trimming small components to be fit into larger assemblies, opening packages where a penetrating tip would not be safe...

Of all the Spydies I've owned over the years, I have never owned a Spyderco hawkbill - although I do have an orange Dodo. One of the pet peeves I've always had with Hawkbills is that the curved blade makes an awkward fit inside the handle - to the point that a bit of the edge is sometimes exposed. It just looks funky to me...

But for the sake of completeness, I guess I should add one to the collection, eh, JD? Maybe a Tasman Salt... although it would have to be yellow to match the rest of my Salts...
TedP

[bt148]

I have carried my Harpy quite a bit. Never had any problems with the cutting performance for MY EDC tasks. The tip is VERY sharp and quite handy. I have received a few comments and sideways looks from my friends about how menacing the blade looks.

[zhyla]

Yeah, I have a Harpy. Never really put it in the rotation. It's an odd combination of useless for stabbing (in the extremely unlikely self defense event) yet looks very scary to most people. The SS construction is really nice, one of these days I need to get something with a more normal blade shape in a SS body.

[KardinalSyn]

I am mulling over whether to buy the Civilian or the forum knife. I am very worried that the Native will be too small for me. Darn it.

[Invective]

I've been EDCing a SE MeerKat Reverse S for the past few weeks, and complementing it with an LBK (Jester, Ladybug, CoPilot, Burgundy MeerKat) and haven't come across anything that I couldn't handle. Granted, I haven't gone off the beaten path too much and most of my use is either at work or at home, I'm sure if I lived out of the city I would need something bigger but for my uses it works. And I love how well the MeerKat seems to cut, if you are doing anything that needs a pull cut, the MeerKat can go toe to toe with anything else, I swear that thing could cut for miles. Absolutely amazing. Breaking down cardboard boxes is not even a challenge, except when you get to the ends where it is twice as thick. Then it can torque up on you something fierce, but if you're just cutting one or two layers, it's an absolute machine.

Also, I gave my girlfriend a SuperHawk this past year for her birthday and was pretty surprised when she told me she had been using it! Mostly for mail and opening packages but it made me smile when she told me.

[mikerestivo]

I carry a SE Spyderhawk in H-1 every time I ride my bike, as a last-ditch self-defense option, mostly against pursuing dogs. I carried a Matriarch for a few months last year and got tired of chasing away rust spots and battling pitting due to the constant contact with sweat.

The only practical motion that I feel might be feasible on a bike with a knife is a hacking-type movement in an overhand fashion, so the hawkbill seems better suited to me than something I would have to jab with.

I thought about mace or pepper spray but with the wind and other riders around much of the time, it seems like it could do as much harm as good. So my Spyderhawk is what I carry - again with emphasis on "last ditch" self defense tool. I have never had to draw it nor do I ever hope to. Thus far I have managed to avoid dogs and conflict with quick and rational thinking.

[Donut]

I use a Cricket as a money clip. :p It really works well at cutting off wrist bands. I think the Cricket has a different shape than most reverse S's with the contour of the spine.

Back when I was helping a friend work on his house, I carried my Lil Matriarch. It worked great for cutting cardboard. I have also used it for opening a bag of concrete, it worked very well. I mainly use the Lil Matriarch as a small hawkbill and avoid using the belly. I need to do some experimenting with the belly.

I do carry a Dodo while I work out, as I don't have many cutting requirements. I mainly look for low weight. An option for self defense is also a consideration as I walk through a not so well lit parking lot at night.

[JD Spydo]

I carry a SE Spyderhawk in H-1 every time I ride my bike, as a last-ditch self-defense option, mostly against pursuing dogs. I carried a Matriarch for a few months last year and got tired of chasing away rust spots and battling pitting due to the constant contact with sweat.

The only practical motion that I feel might be feasible on a bike with a knife is a hacking-type movement in an overhand fashion, so the hawkbill seems better suited to me than something I would have to jab with.

I used to think much like you do at one time until I discovered the really good utilitarian uses for Hawkbills. But if they work for self defense then by all means use them for that. I would probably go with the Matriarch over any of the Hawkbills for SD purposes.

As far as corrosion prevention under sweaty conditions I would recommend the "TUF CLOTH" put out by "Sentry Solutions". The "TUF CLOTH" gives the metal a rust proof coating when rubbing it down after using. Personally I've never had either one of my VG-10 Matriarchs ever rust or corrode on me at all. But I do use either TUF CLOTH or I coat the blades with "Break Free" which is a great product for lubrication and rust prevention.

I use to view Hawkbills as ideal SD blades but anymore I have several types of blade designs I prefer for SD purposes. I view Hawkbills as utility knives for rough and hard usage. The Reverse S blades do indeed have some great self defense potential but they can also do much of what Hawkbills are good for as well.

I still want to hear more from you guys who do indeed use your Hawkbills and Reverse S blades for primary EDC uses. Again I think the Dodo was the best ever design for a Reverse S blade to be used as an every day pocket knife. I really liked the Dodo in Spyderedge.

[twinboysdad]

Ladybug hawkbill H1. Keychain companion and used for anything rougher than I want to subject my Caly 3.5 to. I would add that it swam at the city pool every Saturday last summer and in the Gulf of Mexico 2 days of family vacation. Nary a speck of corrosion. Mostly just cuts plastic off of stuff, but in the car I find it easier to take the LBHB off of the keychain than to get the C3.5 out of my backpocket. Let's leave it at this, if I lost it I would replace it immediately. It has also been my only weapon at a recent NPE with security wanding the patrons. Don't ask, but I got it in and did not need it for anything but was willing to roll the dice.

[Evil D]

Always a debate over hawkbills vs. standard curved blades. Why not just meet in the middle with the best of both worlds? :D




For a second there I had a vision of a SE Yojimbo 2...then I blacked out.

[mikerestivo]

As far as corrosion prevention under sweaty conditions I would recommend the "TUF CLOTH" put out by "Sentry Solutions". The "TUF CLOTH" gives the metal a rust proof coating when rubbing it down after using. Personally I've never had either one of my VG-10 Matriarchs ever rust or corrode on me at all. But I do use either TUF CLOTH or I coat the blades with "Break Free" which is a great product for lubrication and rust prevention.

I am fully familiar with these products and I used both Tuf Cloth and Tufglide on the blade and bought it for that purpose. I still had rust issues and didn't want something I had to keep re-applying. H-1 is the best for me on this - I can put the knife away wet with no worries. I have enough to maintain with the cycling equipment alone. I gifted my Matriarch to a friend as a result.

My SD needs are unusual because I want something that is corrosion-proof and easy to use and handle while mounted on (or off if need be) a bike. I don't see that the hawkbill of the Spyderhawk is significantly different from the Matriarch to make it that much worse at self-defense, in this case. An H-1 Matriarch or Civilian would be great, however, if it comes along.

I use my Dodo almost every day for something - opening packages and boxes mostly. Very handy little knife.

[Invective]

Always a debate over hawkbills vs. standard curved blades. Why not just meet in the middle with the best of both worlds? :D





For a second there I had a vision of a SE Yojimbo 2...then I blacked out.

I wish I lived further from LA county that I would feel comfortable carrying my Yojimbo2. As it stands now, I just use it in the house, where it excels. It is one of the best slicers I have used, it just eats up cardboard like you wouldn't believe. If it were an SE, oh my god, I can't even begin to think about how much better it would be at that. I think this is due to the high hollow grind, giving it a low thickness behind the edge, but being high enough that it doesn't bind up before you're done cutting.

It also makes a great salami slicer as well :D

[vaisforlovers]

My only hawkbill is my H1 Ladybug. It is a fairly recent acquisition, but like many comments so far, it has done well with most of my everyday tasks except food prep. But then all ladybugs are generally too small to reach into a jar of peanut butter or slice a tomato. I got mine for fishing, planning on using it to trim line. I still think fingernail clippers are probably better suited for that task though.

Mostly I've been pocketing it for something new. I really like the tip's 1/4" of plain edge. It does well for detail work, but the serrations do well with the large rough cuts. I'm not sure its my favorite blade, but I like the fact that it is something different. So far I like it just fine.

I blame JD. I don't think I ever would have tried it without reading his lauding.

[JudasD]

I wish I lived further from LA county that I would feel comfortable carrying my Yojimbo2. As it stands now, I just use it in the house, where it excels. It is one of the best slicers I have used, it just eats up cardboard like you wouldn't believe. If it were an SE, oh my god, I can't even begin to think about how much better it would be at that. I think this is due to the high hollow grind, giving it a low thickness behind the edge, but being high enough that it doesn't bind up before you're done cutting.

It also makes a great salami slicer as well :D

Is LA County 3"? I really wish they had made the Yojimbo 2.98" rather than 3.11".

JD

[Evil D]

Is LA County 3"? I really wish they had made the Yojimbo 2.98" rather than 3.11".

JD

Not hard at all to change it. You could take that much off and still keep it factory looking.