For an inexpensive test, try the Byrd Hawkbill. I find that to be a great knife!
Agreed, that was the second Spyderco I got and it is still a really useful knife and a great value!
Still looking for a DF2 Hawkbill, I just wish I could find one that wasn't Yellow! Maybe it is time to learn to Rit Dye?
It's super easy. This was just under a minute in Racing Red RIT Dye MORE. 1 part dye, 7 parts water, bring to a boil (stir often with chopstick, or plastic spoon) and then turn down to simmer. Dunk handle. Since this is a Salt knife I didnt even take it apart. Just took the clip off. Opened the blade halfway and used it as a handle. I try to move the handle around in the dye, as opposed to holding it still. I wear latex gloves and Im careful not to drip, dry on paper plate and paper towels. and dump the dye in the utility sink in the garage when Im done. Rinse knife with soap and cold water. Let dry.
-Matta.k.a. Lo_Que, loadedquestions135I ❤ The P'KAL
"The world of edges has a small doorway in, but opens into a cavern that is both wide and deep." -sal
I kind of got off to a head start with the June part of the challenge but I got inspired so here we are. I hadn't carried the Hawkbill for a little while and since I usually have a PE blade and a SE blade on me it was a small change and not much adjustment.
One observation I've made is that a hawkbill blade needs to be kept even sharper than say a leaf shaped blade to avoid the dreaded SE snag-fest. Since the hawkbill locks you into the material you're cutting way more than a blade with a belly, the serrations doesn't slide over the material as easy. If you cut something with a dull scallop on a leaf shaped blade it slides over to the next scallop easier than a hawkbill blade, thus "changing" to the next scallop until you have a sharp one to cut with. I think that could be part of why the SE Endela has stayed in my pocket for so long.
Opening packages is very easy. The delicate tip easily pierces the material and you stay in the cut effortlessly.
The pruning grip that I use. Hawkbills are great for gardening.
A hollow ground blade isn't always the nicest for cardboard but since it is 2,5 mm thick it works fine. A thicker FFG blade is still a little bit more pleasant.
I kind of got off to a head start with the June part of the challenge but I got inspired so here we are. I hadn't carried the Hawkbill for a little while and since I usually have a PE blade and a SE blade on me it was a small change and not much adjustment.
One observation I've made is that a hawkbill blade needs to be kept even sharper than say a leaf shaped blade to avoid the dreaded SE snag-fest. Since the hawkbill locks you into the material you're cutting way more than a blade with a belly, the serrations doesn't slide over the material as easy. If you cut something with a dull scallop on a leaf shaped blade it slides over to the next scallop easier than a hawkbill blade, thus "changing" to the next scallop until you have a sharp one to cut with. I think that could be part of why the SE Endela has stayed in my pocket for so long.
Opening packages is very easy. The delicate tip easily pierces the material and you stay in the cut effortlessly.
The pruning grip that I use. Hawkbills are great for gardening.
A hollow ground blade isn't always the nicest for cardboard but since it is 2,5 mm thick it works fine. A thicker FFG blade is still a little bit more pleasant.
Nice mini review, I agree with needing to keep them extra sharp so they dont snag
-Spencer
Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
Broke down some cardboard for recycling (totally necessary :o ).
Found the start of the cut was smooth and easy, but the longer the cut lasted, the more it would snag and catch.
I found the same thing that Sonorum mentioned above, the blade will slowly move toward the tip and then catch there for the rest of the cut, which would lead to snagging.
Maybe it's just my technique, but for cardboard, definitely prefer a tradition blade shape.
The only other use I've had so far is opening packages and the hawkbill blade has worked awesome for that.
-Spencer
Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
Mine snags towards the tip when it does snag as well. Using my jewelers loupe I can see that my serrations towards the tip are less refined than the ones closer to the handle. Might be the way the teeth hit the sharpmaker. Maybe I need to spend a little more time refining the front teeth, or change the sharpening angle (realtive to the z axis)
-Matta.k.a. Lo_Que, loadedquestions135I ❤ The P'KAL
"The world of edges has a small doorway in, but opens into a cavern that is both wide and deep." -sal
Mine snags towards the tip when it does snag as well. Using my jewelers loupe I can see that my serrations towards the tip are less refined than the ones closer to the handle. Might be the way the teeth hit the sharpmaker. Maybe I need to spend a little more time refining the front teeth, or change the sharpening angle (realtive to the z axis)
Let us know how that goes! I am going to try and knock the teeth down a bit more on mine
-Spencer
Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
After spending a lot of time with the shapmaker, my jewelers loupe, and the fine/ultrafine stones. I was able to polish the bevel and hit all the spots along the edge that I had missed.
I found that as Vivi suggests in his sharpening thread, alternating heel tip, tip heel strokes helped. But also, even though the serrations are all parallel, holding the knife at a 45 degree angle along the z axis helped get some of those stubborn spots along the edge that wernt making contact with the stones.
Much less snagging now. I may go back to the diamond stones again and make the scallops even shallower. But I spent so much time polishing this edge, I'm going to use it a bit first.
Broke down an absolute beast of a box. Quadruple thick glued cardboard box. Plain edge would not have cut this, couldn't push cut it. This was a lot of sawing. The refined teeth didn't hurt the sawing ability much, what slowed me down the most was the saber grind. Kept binding up on the top of the blade, thought I was going to have to get a second knife to cut the first knife free a few times. A full flat grind would have made things a lot easier.
Took me about 10 minutes to saw it into 20 little pieces and stuff it in the recycling bin.
-Matta.k.a. Lo_Que, loadedquestions135I ❤ The P'KAL
"The world of edges has a small doorway in, but opens into a cavern that is both wide and deep." -sal
thanks! i just got back from a workout, so i actually traded this pair out for my pac salt for a bit. it seems funny to trade out a ladybug for something as big as a pac salt for a workout, but i don't want to carry a ladybug in my pocket while i'm doing burpees. the pac salt is my perfect workout and ocean knife, even though i love the caribbean. don't worry, i didn't cut anything. :D
If I'm in my pajamas I have a Ladybug Salt Hawkbill in my pocket
I Pray Heaven to Bestow The Best of Blessing on THIS HOUSE, and on ALL that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof! (John Adams regarding the White House)
Follow the Christ, the King,
Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King--
Else, wherefore born?" (Tennyson)