Bradley Alias or CRKT S-2?

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I have seen several posts where someone suggest getting a Bradley Alias instead of a Sebenza. The reasoning seems to be that you don't get much more knife in the Sebenza even though it costs about twice as much as the Alias.
So, I want to use that reasoning to compare the Alias with the CRKT S-2. They both have titanium handles. The Alias has an S30V blade and the S-2 has an ATS34 blade. Both good but the advantage there goes to the Alias in my opinion. I prefer the blade shape of the Alias also though that doesn't affect the price. But... the street price for the Alias is anywhere from 2 to 4 times that of an S-2. Is the Alias that much better?
 
From all i have read and heard the S-2 is a top notch knife. However it hasnt been made in several years so it is at time hard to find.
 
I had an S-2, did not like the arced shape of it, sold it,
I have an Alias that I have had awhile and intend to keep

:rolleyes:
 
If you can find an S-2 in decent condition, it's probably a good idea to get it. They haven't been made for awhile & seem to have quite a bit going for it. However, when you try to reason in whether something is twice as good as something else, & on & on...somewhere down the line, you're going to sacrifice what feels great to you for $.

I've never had a S-2, but would probably buy one if I come across one for a reasonable price. However, I've had an Alias II & 2 Sebs. I still have a Seb., but no Alias. To me, the Seb. was worth it, you or anyone else, could be different.

Although I've never handled one, I believe the S-2 doesn't have the same qualtiy knife steel or washers as the Alias & Seb. That might not matter for you. It depends on how hard you're going to be on your knife & how long you're going to use it.

Good luck with your choice.
 
I carry an Alias II and I'm not saying that it is 100% equal to a Sebenza. But, for the price it's tough to beat the Alias I and II. You can find them on ebay for $140-$180 or so which is not a bad price at all for what you get.
 
Never owned a alias, But i did have a few S-2 knives back in the day. Great value for under 50 dollars. But they are not comparable to a sebenza or alias. the materials are good, but the lock is not nearly as good...
 
AG RUSSELL Italian Tactical, titanium framelock, very stylish, maybe too stylish for some, I don't own one, but it has to be a great knife, check it out.

99$ for the basic model
agrussell.com
 
The S-2 is a great knife, but its blade steel is ATS-34, opposed to the Sebbie's S30V. The washers are teflon, which can be changed easily enough; the teflon frame top notch, but the frame lock arguably may not quite up to the honed lockup of the Sebbie. Blade configuration is a matter of taste, and the S-2 is no slouch in cutting or comfort. In fact, I like the counterbored fastening holes and flush screws of the S-2 quite a bit more than the standard holes and fasteners of the Sebbie.

In short, the S-2 is a great knife, but it's not a Sebenza. Saying that, I hasten to add that it will certainly do until one comes along. Its blade isn't quite as good, but it still cuts very well. Its lockup may not be quite as good, but it's solid enough.

In short, the S-2 is a fine knife. It's a bit larger than the Large Sebenza and it's much more modest in cost.
 
Never owned a Sebenza or Bradley but I own a large and small S2.

Right , the lock on mine were not to my satisfaction ( edit - this does not mean the locks were cheesy , I mod most of my frame and liner locks to my liking ) so I modded them a bit so that lockup on both have that nice vault click , both of mine got PB washers and 'tiger striped'.
The blade shape takes a bit of getting used to but once you realize it , it is a useful blade.
Perhaps more self defense oriented ? I use my small one daily though for office and service chores , the blades take a nice edge and the big S2 is pretty lightwieght considering how big it is.

I think if you got an S2 and did not care for it you could sell it pretty easily and then check out the others you mentioned.
 
Thank you for all of your replies. I have a small Sebenza and like it very much. I have bought several S-2s and I like the small ones but don't care much for the large ones. I have ordered a midsize one and it should be here Friday. I will probably buy an Alias in the future. I really like titanium framelock knives!

Now, back to my original question. Is an Alias enough better than an S-2 to justify paying twice as much or much more for it than the cost of an S-2. Why or why not?
 
I've got a small half & half Alias (G-10) and a medium S-2 (model 7502). The S-2 is a good knife, for an early production CRKT. The Bradley is just dead freaking smooth.

I can't tell you if that's worth your money. But it is a MUCH nicer knife than the S-2. The edge is ground much more finely. The Bradley's Ti scales are roughly half again thicker. PB washers vs nylon.

And one of them has the Benchmade warranty, and one doesn't.

I got my small Alias for about $150, and the S-2 for about a third of that.

I consider the $150 well spent. But while a lot of that is a difference in quality, some of it is a matter of taste, and that's purely individual.
 
Well, maybe I don't really have a need for an Alias. If I want quality, I already have a Sebenza. If I want value, I have S-2s
 
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The biggest problem I had with the S2 was with the lock. It's width goes down as it nears the end and by the time the lock face meets up with the blade tang, the lock is at it's shortest. What happened with me was that a firm squeeze on the handle would cause the lockbar to move up, there being a good sized space between the lockbar part of the handle and the rest of the handle, and this would then cause the lock to slip off the blade tang.
 
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