harpy v. merlin v. tasman

[Pete1977]

I have a merlin in SE and just won a SE harpy used on ebay. finally got one of these.


aside from the handle material, is there a difference in the harpy and merlin? or is one simply FRN handled and one SS. and how close in size is the tasman to either of these?

thanks

pete

[smcfalls13]

The blade on the Merlin is 2.5mm, whereas the Harpy is 3mm.

Blade shape is as close to identical as I can see, whereas the Tasman has a slight change to the blade shape(the blade is wider from the edge to the spine)

Don't have mine with me right now, but I believe it's also 2.5mm thick.

Other than those differences, there isn't much to distinguish the three, apart from handle materials. They all cut like crazy

***editted to say the Tasman is also slightly longer, which was pointed out in the posts below***

[dedguy]

i believe the Tasman also has a different handle shape and a larger blade hole.

[Django]

I thought the Tasman had a larger blade than the Harpy. I thought blade-length-wise it went Harpy>Tasman>Spyderhawk?

[dedguy]

according to Spyderco's catalouge:
Harpy - 2 3/4" (70 mm)
Tasman - 2 15/16" (75 mm)

so looks like you are correct sir.

[The Deacon]

Perhaps this will help. Left tp right:

G-10 Harpy - CF Harpy - SS Harpy - Merlin - Tasman Salt

[dedguy]

does the Tasman have a flat grind or is that just the picture?

[The Deacon]

Just the photo, the hollow grind on the Tasman is not as pronounced as that on the others, but it is there.

[smcfalls13]

Thanks Deacon, I wasn't sure about the length, that clears it up.

[Pete1977]

thanks! the pics really helped get an idea. when the harpy gets here i'll see what kind of condition it is in, and maybe modify it a little. it was from the kentucky surplus auctions on ebay, so we'll see.

pete

[JD Spydo]

The Merlin for all intent & purposes is just a Harpy with an FRN handle. They even have the same model number C-08. Now at one time the Merlin had the model number of C-21 back when the blade was GIN-1 or G-2. I can see that the curve on the Tasman is not nearly as pronounced as it is on the Merlin/Harpy.

Other than blade steels and handle materials there really isn't .15 cents worth of difference in them. Now I personally hold the G-10 Harpy at the top of the heap because I am a real fan of G-10. I also have a Carbon Fiber Harpy but it is way too pretty to use. The Tasman is the SALT version of the Harpy>> case closed

[hawkbill]

The only way to be sure is to acquire 1 of each...THEN you'll be better-able to pick your fav!

[smcfalls13]

Now I personally hold the G-10 Harpy at the top of the heap because I am a real fan of G-10.

I'm inclined to agree with you JD. My only complaints about the G-10 Harpy are that it's only lined on one side, which means I can't drill it for left handed carry(well...I can, but it won't last very long) and that it's tip down(if I recall correctly).

It was my quest for a left handed tip up hawkbill that produced the knife STR just finished for me.

[dedguy]

i'd really like to see a G-10 Tasman.

[Plowboy]

dedguy...

You are just like many of us...always wanting something different. However, I got to agree with you.

I really like G10 and I like my Tasman...a G10 Tasman would be real nice!

[dedguy]

for some reason the extra width and slightly less extreme curve on the Tasman really had me liking it quiet a bit more than my trusty Harpy.

[JD Spydo]

for some reason the extra width and slightly less extreme curve on the Tasman really had me liking it quiet a bit more than my trusty Harpy.

But? But??? have you ever tried a G-10 handled Harpy? Great little super dependable Hawkbill. OH how I long for a G-10 Spyderhawk. Now there's a man's Hawkbill if there ever was one But you just can't hardly go wrong with any good Spyderco Hawkbill