- Joined
- Sep 29, 2003
- Messages
- 519
On my last order from New Graham, I decided WTH, and added on a Cara Cara from Byrd (Spyderco subsidiary, just in case someone didn't know) for around $18. I showed up in short order, as all NG orders do, and I jumped right into playing around with the Byrd (Which sounds kinda dirty, if read out of context). My first impression was one of weight, or heft. With a just under 4" blade, the thing is a chunk. It's also flat, and has a nice wide clip, so the weight isn't a pocket dragger despite being a solid chunk of steel in the hand. It came shaving sharp with a nice even hollow ground blade. As a friend and I messed around with it, we kept saying , "This is a heck of a knife for $20!". Later, he looked over and said, "That's not fair, this is just a heck of a knife!". Attention to detail is all over it, a recent add on to most Spydeco designs is a cut out near the base of most of their blades that matches up with the handle scales, allowing an extra finger cut out that lets you choke up on the knife for finer work. Also present in the Cara Cara. The clip is reversible, if you're one of those poor souls that favors tip up carry (You can ID them by all the scar tissue built up on their forefingers
). Clip isn't reversible for ambi carry, but you can't have everything (where would you put it?). The Byrd hole is an elongated coma shape rather than the trademarked hole of the parent company. I don't notice any difference in fuctionality between the Cara Cara and other Spydies I have. The hole is good sized, with a nice positive index when you grab it. As much as I love my Calypso, thanks again G2, I think the Cara Cara is actually a more positive opener, better sizing on the hole, and the weight of the SS handles helps to really snap it open. BTW, the blade will 'pop' open quite nicely if that's your prefered opening method. The blade also has regular perpendicular grooves right behid the hole making for a nice grippy thumb ramp , the grooves (and the Byrd hole) are lightly chamfered (sp?) or smoothed down so they aren't sharp, as are the egdes of the scales. It a very comfortable knife in the hand. The lock back has a boye dent, another nice detail throw in along with the host of others already mentioned. The scales have not only a small lanayrd hole, but 4 little coma shaped cut outs on either side close to were the blade folds in to meet the handle. These cut just a little weight, but also serve to give you a bit of purchase when thumbing the blade open if for any reason your hands or the handle is wet or slippery. Top notch knife for a bargain basement price. I have no problem with 440c stainless in a folder, one of the first things I did with it was stab about a dozen holes into the bottom of a heavy plastic kiddie pool filled with sand and water that had lived out its usefullness. It was too heavy to dump out,so I got one side up and and went to town. Left a coupel light scratches the length of the blade, but it was still sharp afterwards, it'd shave hair with a little effort. A few passes on the sharpmaker and it was scary sharp again. Forget qualifications based on price, this is a heck of a knife!
). Clip isn't reversible for ambi carry, but you can't have everything (where would you put it?). The Byrd hole is an elongated coma shape rather than the trademarked hole of the parent company. I don't notice any difference in fuctionality between the Cara Cara and other Spydies I have. The hole is good sized, with a nice positive index when you grab it. As much as I love my Calypso, thanks again G2, I think the Cara Cara is actually a more positive opener, better sizing on the hole, and the weight of the SS handles helps to really snap it open. BTW, the blade will 'pop' open quite nicely if that's your prefered opening method. The blade also has regular perpendicular grooves right behid the hole making for a nice grippy thumb ramp , the grooves (and the Byrd hole) are lightly chamfered (sp?) or smoothed down so they aren't sharp, as are the egdes of the scales. It a very comfortable knife in the hand. The lock back has a boye dent, another nice detail throw in along with the host of others already mentioned. The scales have not only a small lanayrd hole, but 4 little coma shaped cut outs on either side close to were the blade folds in to meet the handle. These cut just a little weight, but also serve to give you a bit of purchase when thumbing the blade open if for any reason your hands or the handle is wet or slippery. Top notch knife for a bargain basement price. I have no problem with 440c stainless in a folder, one of the first things I did with it was stab about a dozen holes into the bottom of a heavy plastic kiddie pool filled with sand and water that had lived out its usefullness. It was too heavy to dump out,so I got one side up and and went to town. Left a coupel light scratches the length of the blade, but it was still sharp afterwards, it'd shave hair with a little effort. A few passes on the sharpmaker and it was scary sharp again. Forget qualifications based on price, this is a heck of a knife!
) He didnt' say too much about weight after I handed him my Buck 