Hawkbill Grail

[gspam1]

Great video, thanks for posting the link VoodooChild.

[Blerv]

I sold a number of greats when funds were very short . The Superhawk sadly didn’t make the cut.

It was smooth, comfortable in the hand, and had a deadly cool profile. I felt it could be a little thinner (like 3mm FFG) or could have used a high hollow grind. It was also huge in the pocket…light, just bulky.

I never got another but did purchase a second hand custom hawk by Eddie J Baca. It checked a few more wish list boxes but I do miss that Superhawk.

[ZrowsN1s]

It's no wider (taller) than the Police4. But the Police4 tapers down from the spydie hole, where the Superhawk is that wide for most of it's length.

[MournfulCongregant]

Reverse-S PM2 is my "Hawkbill" grail. I know it exists, too.

[Danke]

Being a Honda guy, I had quite a few of them. The 305 was a gateway for me. My last one was VTR 1000.

"Talkin' Story";

Mr Honda was a mentor of mine. (never met him) I studied him and his story. The genius behind Honda marketing was Mr. Fugisawa. He came to the US and was talking with motorcycle dealers about handling Honda Motorcycles. I remember one story where a dealer asked him his goal for sales? Mr. Fugisawa said about 50 units. The dealer said that 50 units a year would be challenging. Mr, Fugisawa said; A year? I would like to sell 50 units per month!

He decided that he would have to set up his own dealers and do his own marketing. He set up dealers and started a marketing program based on; "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". Some of you "oldsters" might remember grandma riding on a Honda scooter. The rest is history. A lesson in "Thinking big".

sal

Late comment I know but I had a VTR 1000 also in the late 90s. Up here the model was called the Firestorm and if I rode into the USA anyone who knew motorcycles would do a triple take over the model name. Swapped it for a RC51 that's tucked away a couple feet from my desk.

If you can find this book some of the vintage photos will blow you away.

[z1r]

...
The Spyderco Hawkbill and Reverse S family (just missing the harpy, Lil Matriarch, and Civilian)
...

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

[kobold]

I need a Hawkbill so big, that it is basically a kama. :-)

[JD Spydo]

I still maintain that if they would have offered up the SUPERHAWK in full Spyderedge it would still be in production to this very day. Because there is so many more cutting jobs you can do with a full SE Hawkbill.

And please Mr. Glesser I don't mean that in any offensive way at all. Nor am I trying to be hyper-critical in any way. It's just an observation on my part and over the years I've found that I use SE Hawkbills at least 20 times more than I've ever used a PE Hawkbill. Take a look at the sales of the Harpy model in full SE versus the very few Harpy models that sold in full PE.

There are times when the sales charts tell the whole story. So if you all ever do a Sprint Run of the SUPERHAWK please start with a fully serrated model and see how fast it sells by comparison.

[ZrowsN1s]

Not to take away from the awesomeness of SE hawkbills but part of what made the Superhawk a grail knife for me was it being a flat grind PE hawkbill. A desire that was not being currently met by any other hawkbill in the catalog.

That said I completely understand people wanting a large compression lock hawkbill with the great design of the Superhawk. And I understand if they want it with their preferred SE blade.

I think the reissue of the design in FRN will be met with more accolade in the current market. And we will have the opportunity for variations in blade shape and edge type that will please everyone.

[max808]

Coutellerie-tourangelle has the OG Superhawk back in stock at a tempting price. If it had teeth I'd be all over it...

And thank you Sal for investing your valuable time and expertise in this platform/project. Can't wait to see what you come up with Sir.

[max808]

...
The Spyderco Hawkbill and Reverse S family (just missing the harpy, Lil Matriarch, and Civilian)
...

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

Happy for you z1r, love that more pronounced tip on the harpy but still holding out for that G-10 specimen on a white horse. Saw one listed last year at €180, which is exactly the same amount in $ now for the first time ever to my knowledge. Being notoriously cheap I passed on it but this Superhawk sure looks the part. Does it work well with larger hands?

[ZrowsN1s]

...
The Spyderco Hawkbill and Reverse S family (just missing the harpy, Lil Matriarch, and Civilian)
...

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

Happy for you z1r, love that more pronounced tip on the harpy but still holding out for that G-10 specimen on a white horse. Saw one listed last year at €180, which is exactly the same amount in $ now for the first time ever to my knowledge. Being notoriously cheap I passed on it but this Superhawk sure looks the part. Does it work well with larger hands?

I'm the wrong forum member to ask on that. my hands are on the small side of the spectrum.

I would say that the handle is the same width as a Manix2. 1/2 inch thick on the spine of the handle, 1.25 inches wide/tall at it's widest point 1 inch at it's slimmest point. And the length of the grip area from the tail to the choil is 3.75 inches, if you use the choil the total grip space is 4.75 inches.

[cabfrank]

I remember the Superleaf having a plenty roomy handle, for whatever it's worth.

[max808]

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

Happy for you z1r, love that more pronounced tip on the harpy but still holding out for that G-10 specimen on a white horse. Saw one listed last year at €180, which is exactly the same amount in $ now for the first time ever to my knowledge. Being notoriously cheap I passed on it but this Superhawk sure looks the part. Does it work well with larger hands?

I'm the wrong forum member to ask on that. my hands are on the small side of the spectrum.

I would say that the handle is the same width as a Manix2. 1/2 inch thick on the spine of the handle, 1.25 inches wide/tall at it's widest point 1 inch at it's slimmest point. And the length of the grip area from the tail to the choil is 3.75 inches, if you use the choil the total grip space is 4.75 inches.

Thank you for those specs z1r, it's happened before where I finally got my hands on that Tasman and it was way smaller than what the pictures said.

Lots of good stuff coming from Sal & Co for us underprivileged hawkbill/reverse S afficionados. A reverse S Superhawk with teeth would be an instant buy for me, in any steel and will gladly pay a bit more for that CF handle. The grade on the YoJumbo sprint is perfect in my opinion, so much grip on that yet so light it simply disappears on the hip.

Light but the weight on that YoJumbo blade was enough to rip my entire delt when deployed too violently a couple weeks ago. It actually caused my tricep to drop by a couple inches. Lesson learned for sure!

[JD Spydo]

The Matriarch tip is stronger than the Civilian. If I make a Reverse S, I will make sure the tip is strong enough for general use. there are some real advantages to the Reverse S. It's a synthesis of a Hawkbill and an edge with a belly.

sal

Just reading over this thread again and stumbled across this observation of the Matriarch. All I can say is that I do agree that "reverse S" blades do have a few distinct advantages to them. They certainly have their place in the Hawkbill sector. I've always liked the Matriarch a bit better than the Civilian mainly because the Matriarch fits my individual hand so much better. And to be honest I like the overall size of the Matriarch as well. Oh I'm sure the Civi works better for a lot of folks for a wide variety of reasons.

But I'll take a utility version of the Matriarch any day of the week. And a slightly thicker blade I do believe would make for a great utility blade. BRING IT ON!!!

[JD Spydo]

...
The Spyderco Hawkbill and Reverse S family (just missing the harpy, Lil Matriarch, and Civilian)
...

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

Happy for you z1r, love that more pronounced tip on the harpy but still holding out for that G-10 specimen on a white horse. Saw one listed last year at €180, which is exactly the same amount in $ now for the first time ever to my knowledge. Being notoriously cheap I passed on it but this Superhawk sure looks the part. Does it work well with larger hands?

I couldn't agree with you more about the possibility of a newer G-10 handled HARPY model. I'm still depressed over losing my G-10 Harpy. I think a newer G-10 Harpy would sell out fast. So many people have waited for a new G-10 Harpy for so long that dealers would have a problem keeping them in stock.

[max808]

In case you're looking for one, the Harpy SS is back in stock in some places. Quite torn between it and the G-10 Harpy, which seems as elusive as ever.

Got one around the time you posted this. A G-10 would be nice, less heavy and not as slippery.

Happy for you z1r, love that more pronounced tip on the harpy but still holding out for that G-10 specimen on a white horse. Saw one listed last year at €180, which is exactly the same amount in $ now for the first time ever to my knowledge. Being notoriously cheap I passed on it but this Superhawk sure looks the part. Does it work well with larger hands?

I couldn't agree with you more about the possibility of a newer G-10 handled HARPY model. I'm still depressed over losing my G-10 Harpy. I think a newer G-10 Harpy would sell out fast. So many people have waited for a new G-10 Harpy for so long that dealers would have a problem keeping them in stock.

Still nowhere to be found, I'm starting to shift focus to a pair of donor dragonfly to at least complete that part of my very humble collection to date. My local guy hasn't had the hawkbill in stock for a while but something tells me the stars are aligned so on the prowl we go...

[T-1000]

I'd love a fixed blade version of a tasman myself, maybe with a little thicker stock and spyderedge.

[ZrowsN1s]

This has been in my pocket all week
It's been making short work of amazon boxes.

[petz462]

This has been in my pocket all week
It's been making short work of amazon boxes.

Nice blade and good to know info on Keith Richards.