Byrd?

T

THG

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May 18, 2008
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What can you guys tell me about the Byrd line of Spyderco knives? Are they any good? Would you recommend? I understand that they are supposed to be "entry level" Spyderco knives, but I don't know much else about them.
 
I own 1 Byrd knife.
A Cara cara model with a stainless steel body.

The Carcara came in a tamper proof plastic oyster type packaging.It came very very sharp right out of the box .

It has very similar dimensions to the Spyderco Endura , but with a nicer 'curvy' bit for your pointer finger to rest , and control fine cutting.

Search google image for Spyderco Endura & Byrd Cara Cara , and you will see what I mean.

The byrd has a comet shaped thumbhole as opposed to the circle.

It is an awesome knife for the price , and I think it holds its own against its cousin.

For someone who intended giving their knife some honest use , the Cara cara was a better deal than the endura especially in myneck of the woods where the endura is more than twice the price.( At $140 au).

Hope that helps . I'm sure there are others that will have more to add
 
bigbadboom said:
I'm sure there are others that will have more to add
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Well, sure, I'm one of them. :D
I own a Cara Cara (G10) and Robin (SS) and I love these knives. I can get both really sharp on the sharpmaker in an blink of an eye, for the price the 8Cr13MoV is pretty good steel. The quality of these knives is just outstanding. That's why I just purchased the Byrd Wings and Crossbill and there will be more Byrds in my collection.
Regarding the Endura, you have to keep in mind that a Cara Cara, though equivalent in size, is a lot heavier than a standard Endura with FRN-handle (100 g vs 160 g). Thus being said: Buy a Byrd, you won't regret it!
 
I have a few Byrds, and I will say they are way too cheap. ;) They give you a better knife than you deserve for the amount of money you paid.

Seriously, the knives are made with the best steel available in China, and the fit and finish is improving steadily. They are engineered by Spyderco and made to Spyderco standards. Frankly, they are more than good enough for the average person's needs, and they make a great introduction to Spyderco for latent knife knuts.
 
I have most of the Byrd 'flock' and I agree with yablanowitz. The Byrds represent a quality and value that is not seen by any other knife lines. Their fit and finish is excellent and the blades come as sharp as most Spydies. In every case, the Byrds are comfortable and well designed. The Byrds may be represented as 'entry level', but I think that they are in a class of their own.
 
A.P.F. said:
I have most of the Byrd 'flock' and I agree with yablanowitz. The Byrds represent a quality and value that is not seen by any other knife lines. Their fit and finish is excellent and the blades come as sharp as most Spydies. In every case, the Byrds are comfortable and well designed. The Byrds may be represented as 'entry level', but I think that they are in a class of their own.
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+1 well said Al :thumbup:
 
Would you use them for daily tasks such as extended box cutting, cutting that plastic string for weed whackers, etc.?

I was going to get a Benchmade 710 D2, but if a Byrd will do me just fine... Then I wouldn't mind saving $100 or so.
 
For the price of a BM 710, you can get a lifetime supply of Byrds. My personal favorite is the G-10 Flight. You can use them for anything you would normally use a knife for. The edge won't last as long as it will on a D2 blade, but for the price difference you can carry four Byrds. I don't think the D2 will stay sharp four times as long, and the 8Cr13MoV is a lot easier to sharpen.
 
I've got a Byrd Robin in the stainless handle--sort of a "gentleman's" knife, but with the clip and thumb hole. Doesn't freak the sheeple out if you use it in a civilized setting! Or if someone asks to borrow a knife . . . .
 
I just started to edc a Byrd "wings". It isn't like carrying four Byrds but hey it's half way there;) So far I like it. It is bigger than I thought but is managable and comes with a tough nylon pouch in case I don't want to pocket it. I figure a few passes here and there on a stone or strop every now and then and it should be fine for the plain edge and a rod for the other blade even less often. Not sure about how long the edge lasts but I'll let you know. Looking into the Byrdrench too but I might just get another Leatherman..... We'll see.
 
I'm participating in a Wings & ByrdRench passaround right now. my review of them is up in the Knife reviews and testing sub-forum if you are interested.
 
They are the cheaper range of spyderco's knives, they're made in china, but still have excellent quality, enduras and delicas here in Australia go past the $100 range, i have a byrd cara cara in stainless steel, the quality is superb, good edge retention, and it comes extremely sharp out of the box.
 
yablanowitz said:
I'm participating in a Wings & ByrdRench passaround right now. my review of them is up in the Knife reviews and testing sub-forum if you are interested.
Click to expand...

Read the review and so far I have to agree with everything in it. That's what made me curious about the Byrdrench.
 
I think I'll just get one of these then and save the money for a more expensive knife later on. I'm thinking about either the Cara Cara or the Flight. I want one above 3". The Meadowlark is 2 and 15/16th inches; that might be good enough.

Also, what do you recommend: stainless or G10 grip?
 
I like the cara cara and almost got one. Others that are more familiar might have different suggestions. I'd get the G-10 for more grip.
 
The G-10 Flight is a lot lighter than the SS model, and the G-10 gives much better grip. But then, I don't care much for SS handles in general either. The G-10 doesn't get scratched up like the SS (if scratches bother you).

The Flight is a bit shorter than the Cara Cara, but it is a solid, beefy knife. It lacks the humped nose on the spine, with a more pointed tip that I like. The swedged tip may make it look more menacing to some, but I like the looks of it.
 
I have a G-10 Cara Cara and a G-10 Robin. Amazing fit and finish for the price. The steel performs like AUS-8, which is fine. I'd like to get the Wings, a Tenacious, and a Flight.
 
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