Spyderco Forums

Elshauno wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:25 pm

One of these would be cool, just add a Spydie hole lol

Thanks. but no thanks. The absence of negative blade-angle here defeats a hawkbill's purpose, IMHO.

JacksonKnives wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:35 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:02 pm

The Superhawk is possibly the widest folded knife I've ever seen.

I forgot about that part. It really did seem like they were designing the blade nominally to spec (Give us a compression lock knife with a pruning hook blade!) but with the restriction that it had to fit in the SuperLeaf handle.

Except that the SuperHawk came first. I'm pretty sure the SuperLeaf was an attempt to recoup some of the tooling costs after the Hawk flopped.

Stuart Ackerman wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 5:58 pm

I am working on three Boomerangs at the moment. ( fixed blade )
Not folders, I know, but bendy edges just the same... :)

I'm really glad to hear that Stuart :) You don't know how much I've petitioned the Great Spyder FActory for a fixed blade Hawkbill>> and how many years I've asked them for one. I look forward with anticipation to see what these bad boys might look like and how they perform.

I would love a fixed blade Hawkbill in the same size range of the Spyderhawk or slightly bigger. I sure hope these units you're working are available in SE.

JD
PE as designed, but serrated can be done by filing with two sizes of chainsaw files before HT, if required.

Stuart Ackerman wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:23 am

JD
PE as designed, but serrated can be done by filing with two sizes of chainsaw files before HT, if required.

That's interesting. I have four sizes of chain Saw files because I used to be in the tree business a few years back. As serrations become more and more popular overall in knife making and in the commercial knife business both I'm surprised that there isn't a bigger selection of serration patterns out there as of yet. And Hawkbill blades would be a great place to test new serration patterns in my opinion.

Joe
please PM me an email that I can send a PIC to?

Another new Hawkbill idea that's been floating around in my head would be to make an extra large sized G-10 Harpy with a blade and handle about 1.5 inches longer. Also with a good lanyard hole as well.

And speaking of the ultra-classic Harpy it's high time for more of that model with G -10, CF and Micarta handles. Seriously if you all jazz up those Hawkbills they will sell much better. Even the thought of titanium handled units would be intriguing.

Joe
Have you seen the pic yet?

Stuart Ackerman wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 14, 2019 4:14 pm

Joe
Have you seen the pic yet?

Yeah I have. I sent you a reply. I really liked the design. But I do think it will be far more effective in SE.

I'm also torn between which type of handle will be best. Right now I'm thinking G-10 or CF would be appropriate.

Joe
It would be Micarta as it is grippy when wet, unlike G10.
The profile is just that, a profile...
One will be PE and the other...SE, hand-filed. :)

Stuart Ackerman wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:27 am

Joe
It would be Micarta as it is grippy when wet, unlike G10.
The profile is just that, a profile...
One will be PE and the other...SE, hand-filed. :)

Now I've had a couple of G-10 handles over the years seem to still be grippy when wet. The G-10 they used on the Sprint Run C-60 Ayoob for instance was different. I've discovered that not all G-10 is created equal by any means. Hey I won't gripe about a Micarta handle and it may just be at the top of the line. I'm assuming that Carbon Fiber might just be cost prohibitive?

Sworn to keep my lip zipped I still love the ergonomics and based on that I'm still wondering what would be the "perfect" handle material for such a creation? But a fixed blade Hawkbill and especially one with superb ergonomics is highly overdue.

CF would be a cost thing.
Micarta is tough, and hard to work with by hand when finishing it off, but it is my favourite scale material.

Stuart Ackerman wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:34 pm

CF would be a cost thing.
Micarta is tough, and hard to work with by hand when finishing it off, but it is my favourite scale material.

OK then I'll rally around "Micarta" as the handle of choice

It's sort of puzzled me at times as to why Spyderco more or less abandoned their Micarta models over the years. Some of Spyderco's Micarta handled models are some of my all time favorites.

Sal found out that Micarta is affected by environmental changes much more than G-10. Have a knife made with Micarta handle in humid coastal Japan and ship it to dry, mile-high Golden and it may very well warp or shrink, especially if the Micarta isn't backed with steel. When you are doing business globally, that isn't a problem you want.

yablanowitz wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 16, 2019 6:54 am

Sal found out that Micarta is affected by environmental changes much more than G-10. Have a knife made with Micarta handle in humid coastal Japan and ship it to dry, mile-high Golden and it may very well warp or shrink, especially if the Micarta isn't backed with steel. When you are doing business globally, that isn't a problem you want.

Now that you mention it I do think I remember even reading something along those lines either in BLADE or Knives Illustrated a few years back. I think that they also said something along those lines about certain types of wood handles too. But heck that's been about 8 to 10 years ago when I read that. I think I also heard some mention of it at one of the seminars at one of the BLADE Shows around 2005-2006. But it would seem like you could remedy that by putting some type of sealer or waterproof coating on it maybe????

If the phenolithic resin isn't waterproof enough, what would you coat it with? And for that matter, if you did find something that would seal it to prevent warpage and shrinkage, what would it do to the desirable properties of the material? G-10 is more practical when your product may be going anywhere in the world.

yablanowitz wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:24 am

If the phenolithic resin isn't waterproof enough, what would you coat it with? And for that matter, if you did find something that would seal it to prevent warpage and shrinkage, what would it do to the desirable properties of the material? G-10 is more practical when your product may be going anywhere in the world.

Good points! Maybe that's why over the past 3 to 4 years I've gravitated toward G-10 handles for most of my "users". But there was still some mystique about those older Micarta Spyders from back in the GOLDEN ERA (1998-2004). It never hurts to dream or do wishful thinking sometimes :)

I'm hoping with that being said that they will look into other variants of the G-10 materials. I'm sure they'll get better over time.

I would most definitely be in for some sort of new Superhawk....one done in LC200N would be amazing. I’d be all over that. The Superhawk has always been a bit of a Spydie grail for me.

BDNX wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:53 pm

I would most definitely be in for some sort of new Superhawk....one done in LC200N would be amazing. I’d be all over that. The Superhawk has always been a bit of a Spydie grail for me.

I think that the Superhawk would still be in the main line up to this very day had they offered it in Spyderedge. Why they didn't baffles me to no end :confused: . There just isn't nearly as many uses for a plain edged Hawkbill as there is for a really good serrated unit. I'm still trying to understand why they never did the C-111 Captain model in SE either :confused: That model would also still be in demand if it were available in SE. But I guess you could also say that about the Jason Breeden RESCUE as well.