Byrd Meadowlark or Benchmade Mini Pika 2?

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beta464

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Jun 23, 2009
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Guys I'm looking for a good inexpensive knife so I was wondering which is better the Byrd Meadowlark or Benchmade Mini Pika 2?

If you have one or both knives please tell me which one you think is better.
 
Byrd Meadowlark (easier to open for me and i think it comes sharper from the factory).
 
Although I don't have a Pika I have a few Meadowlarks and I don't think you'd be
unhappy with one. Fit and finish is great, they open and close well, are lite and
the edge's hold up pretty well. I have a couple in FRN and one in Stainless. My
biggest problem with pocket knives with clips is I'm always catching them on
stacked bun trays at work which bends them out but it's nothing a pliers won't
take care of.
 
I don't have a Pika, but I do have a G-10 Meadowlark and am a big fan of it. It's very well made and has great ergos, and the blade shape is excellent for a variety of tasks. I don't think you'd be disappointed by it.
 
I have a Benchmade Mini-Pika II
I have a Byrd Flight.

First off, both are good knives.
Both are made in mainland China.
Both lock up solid with no blade wobble.
I think the Mini-Pika is finished a bit better.
My Mini-Pika is in 9Cr13MoVCo and holds an edge a better than the Byrd 8Cr13MoV in side-by-side manila rope cutting comparisons.
(note: I see Benchmade now says the alloy is 440C. That would be similar to or better than the 9Cr13MoVCo in edge retention.)
I measured the hardness of each of my blades. The Byrd was 59. The Mini-Pika was 58.

The mini-Pika II will carry very deep in the pocket if you set the clip for tip-down carry. (I like deep pocket carry.)
I found the action to be very stiff when I first got the Mini-Pika. It is good now. They did a good job on the finishing of the hole, not too sharp, but easy to catch with your thumb. I found the FRN to be suitably grippy. With dual liners the knife is very solid.

The Byrd has always worked well. The ergos on the Flight are good. Some sharp spots on the handle. I can't say too much more because it is not a meadowlark.

IMO, choosing one or the other more a matter of preference than that one knife is really better than the other.
 
Hope he goes back and looks. We posted at the same time.
 
knarfeng said:
I have a Benchmade Mini-Pika II
I have a Byrd Flight.

First off, both are good knives.
Both are made in mainland China.
Both lock up solid with no blade wobble.
I think the Mini-Pika is finished a bit better.
My Mini-Pika is in 9Cr13MoVCo and holds an edge a better than the Byrd 8Cr13MoV in side-by-side manila rope cutting comparisons.
(note: I see Benchmade now says the alloy is 440C. That would be similar to or better than the 9Cr13MoVCo in edge retention.)
I measured the hardness of each of my blades. The Byrd was 59. The Mini-Pika was 58.

The mini-Pika II will carry very deep in the pocket if you set the clip for tip-down carry. (I like deep pocket carry.)
I found the action to be very stiff when I first got the Mini-Pika. It is good now. They did a good job on the finishing of the hole, not too sharp, but easy to catch with your thumb. I found the FRN to be suitably grippy. With dual liners the knife is very solid.

The Byrd has always worked well. The ergos on the Flight are good. Some sharp spots on the handle. I can't say too much more because it is not a meadowlark.

IMO, choosing one or the other more a matter of preference than that one knife is really better than the other.
Click to expand...



Excellent answer bro I changed my mind I'm getting both knives excellent job bro it really helps and I really do appreciate it.
 
For the money the Meadowlark Byrd is a great little knife; I touch it up regularly and it really gets used out in the yard and other places; just a damned handy little knife.
 
beta464 said:
Guys I'm looking for a good inexpensive knife so I was wondering which is better the Byrd Meadowlark or Benchmade Mini Pika 2?

If you have one or both knives please tell me which one you think is better.
Click to expand...

is blade length an issue? If not I'd shell out the $31 and get a Spyderco Tenacious, I think it defines value for a modern folder

i made a list of excellent value knives and their APPROX. cost in case i want to give them as gifts or something...check it

Folding (Traditional)
$10 – Opinel (any)
$10 – Victorinox Classic
$10-$15 – Rough Rider (Any)
$15 – Kershaw DWO
$20 – Case Sodbuster Jr.

Folding (Modern)
$10 – Sanrenmu 710
$15 – Kershaw Chill
$20 – Kershaw OD-1
$20 – Spyderco Byrd Meadowlark
$20 – Spyderco Byrd Raven
$20 – Spyderco Byrd Cara Cara
$20 – Ka-Bar Dozier
$20 – Kershaw Scamp
$30 – Spyderco Tenacious
$30 – Spyderco Persistence
$30 – Kershaw Leek
$30 – Kerhsaw Skyline
$30 – Kershaw Ener-G
$30 – Boker Hyper
$30 – Boker M-Type
$30 – Boker Trance
$30 – Ontario Rat-1
$45 – Buck Vantage Pro
$50 – Spyderco Delica 4
$50 – Spyderco Native

Fixed
$5 – 18” Tramontina Machete
$15 – Mora Clipper
$30 – Ka-Bar Becker Necker
 
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I have a few knives in 9cr13, and I like it. I find it tricky to get sharp, but it stays that way for quite some time. It has cobalt added which is kind of special for a chinese steel:)
 
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