Bradford Guardian in M390 or CPM-3v?

Cryptyc said:
with my guardian 3 i went with 3d scales, ffg and m390 steel. I wanted it to be comfortable in hand and very corrosion resistant for EDC needs. I also don't plan on using it for super hard duty, although it does seem very tough. For me m390 was the better choice.

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Well I would at least be getting a 4 and to get the ffg option 3v is my only choice.
 
evilgreg said:
M390 or 3V? IMO, neither. I paid just over $100 for the N690 + "3D" micarta handles version and it's a fine steel for a small blade like the Guardian 3. The cost difference is huge, the performance difference is small for small fixed blade use.
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I dunno, 3v shows some good performance vs n690 https://youtu.be/q23lFwULSEo

n690 is not bad at all tho.
 
Mo2 said:
I dunno, 3v shows some good performance vs n690 https://youtu.be/q23lFwULSEo

n690 is not bad at all tho.
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I'm not arguing that N690 performs better than 3V, just that the performance difference wouldn't make much difference for a small carry knife like a Guardian 3. I used the heck out of mine when I carried it for a week straight while I was off work, and it was still reasonably sharp at the end of it, and N690 is ridiculously easy to touch up. Plus I paid ~$112 for it, IIRC. If 3V went three times as long between sharpenings it would make no difference for my happiness, and I'd probably have to pay more than double the price for the privilege.
 
I figured hijacking this thread was better than starting a new one for one simple question. How is the leather/plastic sheath? Does it firmly retain the knife as kydex would? I assume it must if it's horizontal carry.
 
How is the leather/plastic sheath?

To answer your question...the leather sheath is not the most secure, in that it tends to get loose...
I've carried this knife all day every day for perhaps five months. It got so loose that I was afraid that the knife would fall out. So, I sewed it...put in a few stitches at the bottom of the knife at the sheath opening. Of course, the blade cut those stitches within a short time. Next, I used a "E6000" glue that didn't work at all.
Then, I went to Gorilla Super Glue in the Gel form...maybe a month ago...and it still is holding just fine. Pretty impressive.

I have talked with "Brad" at Bradford Knives, and he is an excellent fellow. He immediately sent me a free replacement sheath.
I have purchased five of his knives at this point... some in 3v and some in M390. I've gifted a couple of these.

I would prefer that the sheath would be tilted (mouth up) about ten degrees or so...rather than completely horizontal.
All in all, I'm very happy with the G3 knives, and the sheath is "now" holding just fine.

 
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Agreed Don. Brad is a pleasure to deal with. He went far above and beyond for me and got me exactly what I was looking for! On a weekend!
Joe
Joe
 
For me its been a pleasure purchasing direct from Bradford. They made sure I got the grind, finish, scales, and sheath I wanted.
 
palonej said:
Agreed Don. Brad is a pleasure to deal with. He went far above and beyond for me and got me exactly what I was looking for! On a weekend!
Joe
Joe
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Troutzill said:
For me its been a pleasure purchasing direct from Bradford. They made sure I got the grind, finish, scales, and sheath I wanted.
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I have also had the pleasure of dealing with Brad on several occasions. He is always helpful and pleasant to talk to and will bend over backwards to make sure you get what you want.
 
I lost my leather sheath on orders and all it took was a phone call and he sent me one out for free to replace it. He's a super guy. I highly recommend the company and these knives. My leather sheath holds my knife in very secure, however I have the 3d scales which may be part of it.
 
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Just went to their website. They now have G 3's with Wharncliff style blades in stock. So many choices!
 
I have a Guardian 3 in 3V & it's been a great, all around edc.

The leather horozontal sheath is nice & is the most concealable way to carry it, but I was always worried about retention. I prefer leather, so did a little research & found that the leather sheath for the Bark River Mini Fox River fit the G3 perfectly. It can be worn strong side vertically, or cross draw at an angle, which is how I wear it. Plus, it still conceals easily with an un-tucked t shirt.

Recently I picked up a taco style kydex sheath from Brad & when used with a clip, it has plenty of retention, so I'm not afraid of losing my knife, when I carry it horozontally.

When I was looking for a G3, I couldn't find exactly what I wanted from the online dealers, so I called Brad & told him what I wanted. He put one together & had it in the mail before days end. Great customer service!
 
Skycool said:
I would go with 3v. It's about as tough as it gets.
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I have yet to find a task for a knife as small as this that N690 doesn't handle just fine. Everyone seems to want to pay hundreds more for the 3V, I must be missing something. Maybe I should try chopping with my little Guardian 3 . . .
 
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I recently purchased a Guardian 4 in 3V, and - even having looked at the specs - I was surprised at how much bigger it is than the G3.
prTSJsV.jpg

The G4 is new, direct from Bradford Knives; but the etching is pretty light. Not a big deal to me...I was just a little surprised
 
hhmoore said:
I recently purchased a Guardian 4 in 3V, and - even having looked at the specs - I was surprised at how much bigger it is than the G3.
prTSJsV.jpg

The G4 is new, direct from Bradford Knives; but the etching is pretty light. Not a big deal to me...I was just a little surprised
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What are your toughts on the FFG on the 4? Versus the sabre.
 
evilgreg said:
I have yet to find a task for a knife as small as this that N690 doesn't handle just fine. Everyone seems to want to pay hundreds more for the 3V, I must be missing something. Maybe I should try chopping with my little Guardian 3 . . .
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The OP is deciding between a guardian 4 or 5 in either m390 or 3v. Just giving my opinion.
 
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Troutzill said:
For me its been a pleasure purchasing direct from Bradford. They made sure I got the grind, finish, scales, and sheath I wanted.
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Does this mean you can switch in a kydex Bradford sheath for the leather one and not pay for it separately?
 
To answer my own post, when ordering from the Bradford site you have the option to remove the leather sheath from your order if you are ordering a kydex one along with the knife. The takes $10 off of your order–at least for the G3.
 
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