Isn't It About Time: For a Fixed Blade Hawkbill?

[Blerv]

JD,

I don't see how my preference speaks to my disdain of the hawkbill :confused: . I also never said it was a "bad idea" or that it would be a "failure". Sal asked our opinions and I gave mine, while different than yours it was one his provided options (#2).

The Mule project is for Spyderco to access steels by users in a reliable platform. Having a DIY hawkbill would give empirical data for the blade shape and a nice user but little for the Mule team. I also makes for a more complicated over the shelf product for those working class citizens you mention. Fishermen, etc. The ELU has to fashion scales and a sheath instead of buying a well conceived product by a top maker.

Sorry if I sound annoyed. It's late and perhaps I'm reading too much into the assumptions. I'll carry my Superhawk tomorrow in support :) .

Edit: ironically I started this thread earlier:
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... 189-Sprint

[JD Spydo]

JD,

I don't see how my preference speaks to my disdain of the hawkbill :confused: . I also never said it was a "bad idea" or that it would be a "failure". Sal asked our opinions and I gave mine, while different than yours it was one his provided options (#2).

The Mule project is for Spyderco to access steels by users in a reliable platform. Having a DIY hawkbill would give empirical data for the blade shape and a nice user but little for the Mule team. I also makes for a more complicated over the shelf product for those working class citizens you mention. Fishermen, etc. The ELU has to fashion scales and a sheath instead of buying a well conceived product by a top maker.

Sorry if I sound annoyed. It's late and perhaps I'm reading too much into the assumptions. I'll carry my Superhawk tomorrow in support :) .

Edit: ironically I started this thread earlier:
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... 189-Sprint

Well I guess maybe I got my wires crossed :o I was thinking that if they did it in a similar format as the Mule Team project that it would make it easier for Spyderco to do the project as well as provide more than one variation of the fixed blade Hawkbill.

Also I like the idea of them finally maybe doing a Hawkbill blade at Golden Colorado USA Earth.

AS far as what the other brother said about having them in PE and SE I'm 100% for that idea. I've pretty much given up on the idea of a Hawkbill with a combo edge. I don't think it would be a good idea. When I need to use a Hawkbill I need a full Spyderedge about 85% of the time. The times I use my Blue Spyderhawk with the PE blade I really need a full PE blade for the jobs I use it on.

One of the main reasons I love Hawkbills so much is that they make fully serrated blade operate so well with that blade design. I can usually cut with a serrated Hawkbill at twice the efficiency than I can with a conventional blade. But most of the Brothers/sisters here on this Forum highly prefer the plain edge variant so I say do both of them.

Also it would be great to see how Hawkbills would perform with other blade steels. So far we've been pretty much restricted to GIN-1, ATS-55, VG-10 and H-1 over the past 25 to 30 years.

As well as my Military performs with XHP steel I would love to see how a Hawkbill would do with XHP or D-2. And as many Hawkbill folders that Spyderco has made with great success I think it's high time we get to see just how great one would work in the fixed blade format.

No Blerv I just didn't understand you that's all and I was wanting some clearity. But I do think you'll like a fixed blade Hawkbill if it does come to fruition.

[JLS]

Sal,

I'd take either option of the two you listed, but as others have said, option 2 might be a better test-bed for the market. I don't know how much you'd have to compromise blade shape to fit it in the sheath you have conceived already, but it would at least come with a sheath and handles.

If you do decide to do a MuleHawk, I'd also be in. I have at least one of all the Mules thus far and I'd look forward to a hawkbill one. I wouldn't mind seeing something like Cruwear on a MuleHawk. PE or SE would be fine by me, though I must admit that I'd prefer SE with perhaps the last 1/2" PE, rather like on the Harpy.

I sincerely hope this is successful, assuming it happens at all. A proper hawkbill is a joy to use for outdoor/farm work.

[JLS]

As an alternative to the MuleHawk, what about a SwickHawk? Do a release much like the Swick 2 where it was just the blade - no handles or sheath provided? That

I'd love to play with the "whitewater rescue Swick concept" that was done a few years ago as well, but wonder about acceptance in the market.

[JD Spydo]

As an alternative to the MuleHawk, what about a SwickHawk? Do a release much like the Swick 2 where it was just the blade - no handles or sheath provided? That

I'd love to play with the "whitewater rescue Swick concept" that was done a few years ago as well, but wonder about acceptance in the market.

The only problem I would personally have with a "SwickHawk" would be size>> Because if a Hawkbill is smaller than a Harpy or Tasman that really limits my everyday use for it. I want one to actually use and I would plan on using it a lot and might even only use it until they do another run of the G-10 Harpy.

Now if they could do the SwickHawk the size of the Harpy or slightly bigger I would be all for that one. I think even a coated or even stonewashed blade would be super cool as well. If they did the project in Golden CO USA Earth then we would likely have Crucible or Carpenter blade steels which would hugely make my day.

But on the other hand I would never turn away a VG-10 Hawkbill at any time.

[JLS]

Now if they could do the SwickHawk the size of the Harpy or slightly bigger I would be all for that one. I think even a coated or even stonewashed blade would be super cool as well. If they did the project in Golden CO USA Earth then we would likely have Crucible or Carpenter blade steels which would hugely make my day.

All the Swicks so far have been S30V and made in Golden, so there could be lots of steel options if they decide to go forward with this. As long as Sal and company are ok with it, the blade could be bigger than it has been for the past runs. Keeping the handle shape and size the same would reduce programming and tooling for that part, but the blade could theoretically change much like it did for the Wharncliffe Swick 1 and the leaf blade Swick 2.

FWIW regarding size, the Harpy is listed as a 2 9/16" cutting edge and the Swick 2 as 2 3/8" edge. 3/16" isn't much difference, but I'll agree that the Harpy blade/edge length is a good one. The Harpy isn't a huge knife, but it's very efficient with the size it has.

[JD Spydo]

All the Swicks so far have been S30V and made in Golden, so there could be lots of steel options if they decide to go forward with this.

FWIW regarding size, the Harpy is listed as a 2 9/16" cutting edge and the Swick 2 as 2 3/8" edge. 3/16" isn't much difference, but I'll agree that the Harpy blade/edge length is a good one. The Harpy isn't a huge knife, but it's very efficient with the size it has.

Like I've said anything smaller than the Harpy or Tasman would just be too small for my everyday needs. Since I got my G-10 Harpy lost or stolen I've been pretty much using one of my H-1 Spyderhawks in it's place and it has worked out very well>.> but I would prefer something with a blade the size of the Harpy or Tasman. I don't think I'm alone with that one either.

I would be all for using USA blade steels i.e. Carpenter or Crucible>> both would be to my liking. To me this would be a dream come true to have a premium fixed blade Hawkbill made in Golden CO USA Earth. I do hope that it is offered in full Spyderedge and PE both. I can justify getting both for various uses. Whatever Mr. Glesser finds economically feasible and whatever is most advantageous to work with as far as production goes. I know that Spyderco would have limited options on something like this. But I am banking that with a very unique blade style like this the collector community would buy them up.

I would think this would be a fisherman's dream blade and if they were to later also get one done in the H-1 Salt Series that would really be a shot in the arm for the Salt Series.

The one reason I would rather it be a MuleHawk rather than a SwickHawk is that there are already some aftermarket handles available like the one's that Halpern Titanium sells. Which would help the End Line User. I like the handles that Halpern sells. But as popular as the Mule project is I think getting a handle for a Mule Hawk would be much easier.

[Blerv]

The Whale Rescue blade is literally a fishermen's dream. At least a commercial fishermen. There are times where a full seine net will take a boat on it's side.

Little problems: Efficient heading/gutting of fish.
Big problems: $800,000 business turned upside down in the sea.

What steel do you propose JD if a Mulehawk?

[angusW]

It's good to see Sal respond in this thread. That's very exciting.

Personally I like option 1 since the blade would be a bit longer. Also I don't see it as a huge problem making a sheath or getting one made. Once a workable sheath design is established the people who make their own wouldn't have too much of an issue. I've never made a Kydex sheath for a hawkbill before but I've been thinking that even with an extreme curve on the blade a sheath with a wrap around and a snap would be in order. It could snap around the handle so that the sheath is not formed around the curve of the blade. The other option would have the sheath formed around the blade and a snap that allows the main body of the sheath to open and close to allow the blade to go in or out of the sheath.

Either way I'm in for a se and a pe version. Possibly two of each.

[JD Spydo]

It's good to see Sal respond in this thread. That's very exciting.

Personally I like option 1 since the blade would be a bit longer. Also I don't see it as a huge problem making a sheath or getting one made. Once a workable sheath design is established the people who make their own wouldn't have too much of an issue. I've never made a Kydex sheath for a hawkbill before but I've been thinking that even with an extreme curve on the blade a sheath with a wrap around and a snap would be in order. It could snap around the handle so that the sheath is not formed around the curve of the blade. The other option would have the sheath formed around the blade and a snap that allows the main body of the sheath to open and close to allow the blade to go in or out of the sheath.

Either way I'm in for a se and a pe version. Possibly two of each.

Yeah I also am really encouraged that Mr. Glesser is at least thinking about it>> but in a way I'm sort of surprised that we haven't seen a fixed blade Hawkbill as of yet. But it's never too late and maybe it's a good thing because this way we can talk it over and find out what everyone really wants in a fixed blade Hawkbill and hopefully come to some sort of consensus.

Oh most definitely it must be available in SE & PE>> I truly think that was a big drawback of the Superhawk is that it wasn't available in SE>> Because serrated edges really do their best work in Hawkbills IMO.