Spyderco Forums

I visited a local dealer yesterday, the only one that stocks more than a handful of anyone's knives. I felt compelled to buy something just for the ability to gawk at and fondle so many products. The Hawkbill jumped right out at me, immediately. I know the Byrd value from my C2FRN, and I figured that if I ended up not liking the blade or the concept, whatever, I'm not out much.

It's every bit the fit and finish of big bro, but in about 75% scale reduction. Same construction, same jimping pattern, just at a smaller thickness w/smaller choil. In fact, the handle is virtually an exact duplicate of the dimensions and feel of the Caly3 Jr, if you have one of those. Obviously, the HB's construction adds more heft in the hand, but it is very balanced. It's clear to me that the Meadowlark PE version of this knife would be the better EDC to the C2. However, once again, that C2 was a similar impulse purchase.

I've not really experimented with the blade yet. It stabs surprisingly well. The last few mm of the tip are straight edged, allowing me to clean under my nails. The plastic jugs of the water I buy are no match for the efficiency of the SE edge, LOL. However, I need to invest in a Sharpmaker before I get too far on this OEM edge.

If you've been reluctant to try a hawkbill at Spydie pricing, you may also want to give this one a look.

Trust me, its a great knife. My lil Matriarch (is the reverse S but still hawkish) goes through cardboard like butter. Don't underestimate the Bryds, I think Alfred Hitchcock made a move about them.

I wanted to do a Franken-Byrdie but it turned out my Hawkbill has an odd lock bar-so no G10 handled claw
Otherwise it is a fine knife.

congrats! show her some love

I'd love to get a G10 handle on my Hawkbill, or order a new one with it.

Congrats, yes the hawkbill is a great knife, one of my favorites to edc. Good size and shape, super handy. I think it was my last knife before grabbing my sharpmaker as well. By the way its not as hard to sharpen as you might think. Slightly different technique but basically the same as a straight edge.

And to everyone that wants a g-10 hb, it is possible. I always forget who did it, but in the picture section look for the mod thread. The handle from I think the Meadowlark 2 can be swapped with the frn from the HB, and you use the lockbar from the HB. Pretty cool mod to do and because they're byrds its rather cheap too.

Found it!
Nakahosi did the g-10 hawkbill, http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... post753853 is the picture of it.
and http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... post753919 is him describing what he did.

If you look carefully it looks like a gen 2 meadowlark, not sure if it matters if its a 1 or 2.

Hi Half Sack.

I tried with a Meadowlark2, the Meadowlark seems to have a different pivot screw (at least its head is not like the Hawkbill/Meadowlark2`s.
The lock bar on my Hawkbill shows manufactoring/assembly-marks looking like it was hammered in place and the lock spring is smaller in any dimension than the one on the G10 Meadowlark2 and keeps falling out of the metal spacer when swapped and the Hawkbill`s FRN one wouldn`t fit as it has that "nose" to stay in position when put in the steel liners.

So my attempt to have it heavier failed but I am far from being disappointed. I like the blade and FRN isn`t bad either, love the sharpness 8Cr13MoV can get to and will use it a lot. I even think about getting a backup and give that blade swap another try.

So your saying the Meadowlark2 doesn't work for a g-10 swap? The only details I know about the swap is what I posted I thought you could just swap the hardware from the frn onto the g-10 reassemble and be done.

That's really a shame, I've been waiting to buy a g-10 Meadowlark just for this. I like the Hawkbill but figured it'd be an improvement. Maybe I need to do like the crazy mod guys here and just buy some g-10 and cut my own handles. Booo, that's probably above my skill level and tool set.

I'd have no problem buying one as a backup, or even a test for the g-10 as long as I don't wreck either one. You never know maybe there's enough demand to make a g-10 version but I doubt it.

I don`t know if all the Hawkbills` lock bars are like mine and the try to swap blades didn`t harm any of the two knives.
I have some tool marks where the blade tang hits the lock bar and a rather rough notch where the spring touches it. None of that is on the Meadowlark2`s lock and the spring is wider + longer which could affect FrankenByrdie-attempts negatively.
Great knives, both, but mine didn`t accept a claw-transplantation.