The Elusive plain edged HARPY?

[JD Spydo]

If there ever was a Spyderco Folder that prompted more curiosity than most anything else in their line up it has to be the Plain Edged HARPY model. Recently I had one member of the Forum members ask me as to whether this elusive model even exists? Well it does and I know it for a fact because I've owned 2 of them myself. The 2 that I previously owned both had VG-10 blade steel. But I've heard about them in other blade steels as well.

But I do know for certain that they've made a few; and I mean very few PE Harpys even going back to the GIN-1 blade steel days.

If you own one of these estranged, elusive and highly prized PE Harpy models then please tell us your story. Tell us how long you've had it, when & where you aquired it, what blade steel it has. And please tell us how you like it. We want to know the whole story on the PE Harpy.

I am 99% sure that they never made a PE Harpy with a G-10 handle>> GOD knows I've looked for one of those with no results .>> Also I believe that they are a G-SAkAI Spyder from what I've been told. OK tell us about your PE Harpy or the one you used to have.

[Gollum]

One of my Top 10 Spyderco's and the best looking Spyderco ever IMHO.
Here's a G2 (1 piece lock-spring/backspacer) I picked up at a gunshow for a pretty good price, the last one I ordered direct from a dealer in Seki City (VG10)

[The Deacon]

I have a several of them JD. One of them is the original version, with the one piece backspacer / lock spring and no steel markings. I got it Daywalker a few years back and, IIRC, he'd owned it for quite a while. The other two are the "modern" Japanese market ones in VG-10 with conventional lock springs. Those two, along with a third that I traded off a while back, were purchased from the place in Florida that privately imports a number of Japanese market Spydercos and sells them online and on eBay. I also have a PE CF Harpy from the Sprint Run a couple years back.

As for the G-10 Harpy, IIRC, Sal once said there is only one PE in existence that left the factory that way, and that even that one was actually a reground SE done as a gift from him to someone.

[SimpleIsGood229]

Excellent taste you have there, Gollum!

Deacon, do you know the name of that Florida dealer you're referring to?

[Lord vader]

I had a discussion with a forum in the blade forums several months ago about if spyderco manufactured a harpy in PE and he said that they never made one.So i gave up the search, until i spoke with a member on the spyderco forum and i was told they do exist and now the pictures to prove it. :eek:

[The Deacon]

Excellent taste you have there, Gollum!

Deacon, do you know the name of that Florida dealer you're referring to?

Online they go by the name YOUWANTIT2 and, IIRC, their eBay persona is sunblades.

[rickacp]

How about a plain edge carbon fiber in VG-10.




Unfortunately I may have to sell this sweet one to help pay for some insurance premiums. OH well, you have to do what you have to do. That is just some grease on the lockback release.

[JD Spydo]

I did have 4 of those Carbon Fiber Harpys when they first came out. I had almost forgot about those. I had 2 PE and 2 SE Harpys with CF handles. I traded them away so well that I didn't keep them very long.

I think it would be highly appropriate for Spyderco to do some PE Harpys in peel ply carbon fiber. That would make one very high end Hawkbill :cool:

But I would settle for a G-10 handled PE Harpy. I truly would be standing in line for that one

[SimpleIsGood229]

Online they go by the name YOUWANTIT2 and, IIRC, their eBay persona is sunblades.

Thanks, Deacon.

[JD Spydo]

As highly desired and as deemed highly collectible it does seem to be somewhat strange that the PE Harpy would not be more available than what it currently is :confused:

It's making me wonder if they don't already have a replacement model planned so they can delete the Harpy from their line? With the Tasman seemingly doing well in the plain edged variation it does baffle me as to why there aren't more PE Harpy models made.

Hopefully with the success of the G-10 Police model being revamped and reintroduced I'm hoping that maybe a G-10 Harpy might be forthcoming >> and to be available in PE>> (fantasy Spyder?)

But all that aside.>>> whether it was intended or not they truly made the PE Harpy a collector's icon. It's funny in a way too because there's never been a shortage of PE Merlins or it's successor the PE Tasman. So you can say it's really not about having a plain edged Hawkbill available.. IT's a popular model that never got it's name in neon listed as available in PE. And to this day there are several collectors that don't even know there is such a blade as the PE Harpy.

[Lord vader]

As highly desired and as deemed highly collectible it does seem to be somewhat strange that the PE Harpy would not be more available than what it currently is :confused:

It's making me wonder if they don't already have a replacement model planned so they can delete the Harpy from their line? With the Tasman seemingly doing well in the plain edged variation it does baffle me as to why there aren't more PE Harpy models made.

Hopefully with the success of the G-10 Police model being revamped and reintroduced I'm hoping that maybe a G-10 Harpy might be forthcoming >> and to be available in PE>> (fantasy Spyder?)

But all that aside.>>> whether it was intended or not they truly made the PE Harpy a collector's icon. It's funny in a way too because there's never been a shortage of PE Merlins or it's successor the PE Tasman. So you can say it's really not about having a plain edged Hawkbill available.. IT's a popular model that never got it's name in neon listed as available in PE. And to this day there are several collectors that don't even know there is such a blade as the PE Harpy.

I`t might not have been popular when they first came out with them. Thats probably why there are not that many around.

[The Deacon]

The only PE hawkbill that ever sold well and quickly was the CF Harpy. I suspect almost all of those got snapped up by collectors. They were gone within days and started to command a premium almost instantly, while the SE version could still be found at normal discount prices a year later. But that was the exception. Hawkbill users seem to overwhelmingly prefer SE, and hawkbill collectors, who like other collectors heavily favor PE, don't buy enough to sustain long term production.

I think it's safe to say the PE SS Harpy was never popular, at least outside of Japan. Anyone who wants one can still get one, if they're willing to import it themself or buy it from an importer. Thus, there's no real incentive for Spyderco to market them here. Aside from the one "special" piece I mentioned, no PE G-10 Harpies were ever made. I suspect Spyderco's experience with the PE SS version entered heavily into that decision. The PE Merlin did not sell well, it was discontinued several years before the SE version. The PE Spyderhawk bombed. I believe Sal had to close them out at a loss. From what I hear, PE Tasman has not done well. Based on all that, I was rather surprised to see the Superhawk available in PE only, although perhaps the sales of the CF Harpy had something to do with that decision.

As for the G-10 version, could be one (or more) of an number of things. Timing may have been a factor, but perhaps the Harpy user community considers the shackle key a feature they'd rather not do without. That could also explain why the CF SE version moved slowly.

[Lord vader]

The only PE hawkbill that ever sold well and quickly was the CF Harpy. I suspect almost all of those got snapped up by collectors. They were gone within days and started to command a premium almost instantly, while the SE version could still be found at normal discount prices a year later. But that was the exception. Hawkbill users seem to overwhelmingly prefer SE, and hawkbill collectors, who like other collectors heavily favor PE, don't buy enough to sustain long term production.

I think it's safe to say the PE SS Harpy was never popular, at least outside of Japan. Anyone who wants one can still get one, if they're willing to import it themself or buy it from an importer. Thus, there's no real incentive for Spyderco to market them here. Aside from the one "special" piece I mentioned, no PE G-10 Harpies were ever made. I suspect Spyderco's experience with the PE SS version entered heavily into that decision. The PE Merlin did not sell well, it was discontinued several years before the SE version. The PE Spyderhawk bombed. I believe Sal had to close them out at a loss. From what I hear, PE Tasman has not done well. Based on all that, I was rather surprised to see the Superhawk available in PE only, although perhaps the sales of the CF Harpy had something to do with that decision.

As for the G-10 version, could be one (or more) of an number of things. Timing may have been a factor, but perhaps the Harpy user community considers the shackle key a feature they'd rather not do without. That could also explain why the CF SE version moved slowly.

It seems like the SS PE Harpy would be popular and in high demand it`s a nice knife.

[Tom v S]

We got this one after my dad saw the Hannibal movie and came highly excited to me he saw a Spydie in it. After he made a drawing I recognized the Harpy, and got my local knife shop to order this for me. Great looking piece, very mean.

Paired together with one of my favorite rockbands:








Tom

[Lord vader]

JD spydo See if you remember this thread- http://spyderco.com/forums/archive/inde ... 14006.html

[JD Spydo]

JD spydo See if you remember this thread- http://spyderco.com/forums/archive/inde ... 14006.html

YEah I remember that post quite well. I still have the PE Spyderhawk and the PE Merlin I got off that Ebay deal. If you will note the date on that post which is 03-10-05. That was 3 years and nine months ago. I got my CF PE Harpys about 2 years ago just exactly when Deacon said he got his. We all got those CF Harpys about the same time. It was probably about a couple of months before that when I got the VG-10, PE, STainless handled Harpys.

So tell me what is your question or what is your point?

[Lord vader]

YEah I remember that post quite well. I still have the PE Spyderhawk and the PE Merlin I got off that Ebay deal. If you will note the date on that post which is 03-10-05. That was 3 years and nine months ago. I got my CF PE Harpys about 2 years ago just exactly when Deacon said he got his. We all got those CF Harpys about the same time. It was probably about a couple of months before that when I got the VG-10 STainless handled Harpys.

So tell me what is your question or what is your point?

I wasn`t trying to make a point, Just thought you might like to have a piece of forum archive just give you some fuel for your thread here. I just thought it would be helpful. :)

[Agent Starling]

As highly desired and as deemed highly collectible it does seem to be somewhat strange that the PE Harpy would not be more available than what it currently is :confused:

I never could figure that one out myself...PE Tasmans were being made anyway, why not make a few Harpys, too...? :confused:


But all that aside.>>> whether it was intended or not they truly made the PE Harpy a collector's icon. It's funny in a way too because there's never been a shortage of PE Merlins or it's successor the PE Tasman. So you can say it's really not about having a plain edged Hawkbill available.. IT's a popular model that never got it's name in neon listed as available in PE. And to this day there are several collectors that don't even know there is such a blade as the PE Harpy.[/QUOTE]

My one and only PE Harpy is a VG10 SS PE one...shortly after I bought it my source dried up, and I haven't yet found another...

Agent Starling

[JD Spydo]

I wasn`t trying to make a point, Just thought you might like to have a piece of forum archive just give you some fuel for your thread here. I just thought it would be helpful. :)

The very first time I was aware that there was a stainless handled, PE Harpy was very shortly after I joined the Forum. My first friend I made was our in-house Hawkbill specialist Dr. Hannibal Lecter MD. He contacted me one evening because he was very excited that he landed a very old PE Harpy. It was even a GIN-1 Harpy and since then I've only been aware of 2 others and one of them is on this tread with the picture the brother presented in the older red box.

I didn't even know that there was a PE Superhawk until I won my first one along with a PE Merlin in the same auction. I still have both blades.

What's really cool about Hawkbills and the Harpy in particular is that no one really likes them until they try them. The first time I ever had a Spyderco hawkbill I thought it looked neat but I didn't imagine what I would use it for. Until one day I forgot to take my SE Endura to work with me. I grabbed the Spyderhawk by mistake and I was just elated at how well that blade worked. I've been a Hawkbill fanatic ever since. Now I am a picky and discriminating Hawkbill fanatic. And Now I want my PE Harpy back :D

[The Deacon]

As highly desired and as deemed highly collectible it does seem to be somewhat strange that the PE Harpy would not be more available than what it currently is :confused:

Short simple answer, they sold poorly. The truly collectible ones are the older ones, and the VG-10 version is still readily available to anyone wanting one badly enough.

I never could figure that one out myself...PE Tasmans were being made anyway, why not make a few Harpys, too...? :confused:

My one and only PE Harpy is a VG10 SS PE one...shortly after I bought it my source dried up, and I haven't yet found another...

Agent Starling

See above answer.

Also, a run of VG-10 PE SS Harpies would not count as a new variant. PE SS has been done before in the Harpy and Spyderco does not consider steel changes as variations. That would mean they could not even count on the guaranteed sales to "all variant" Collectors Club members. Unless, of course, the etched them. :D

I'd also note that if the place you got yours from is the one I mentioned earlier, I have a hunch they'll get more eventually. The demand, while too small to interest Spyderco, appears to be fairly steady. Or, if you're averse to waiting, you can check out G Sakaifor more immediate gratification. :D

As for the Tasman, different price points, so perhaps different audiences. Although I'm guessing they were done primarily for the collector market. As a new model Spyderco may have felt there would be enough collector interest in a PE Tasman to justify making them. Am also not sure whether the PE versions stayed in the lineup due to popularity, or just to help reduce existing inventory.