CF stretch or Gayle Bradley

M

mdc5162

Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
611
I have a Alias 2 and Para 2. Love them both. The para 2 is only a couple days old so the blade travel is a bit stiff but hopefully that dissipates.

My next knife I am trying to get materials I havent had before, like a super steal and a CF handle. Both the stretch and Gayle Bradley have those attributes. I have heard a bunch of people rave about the Bradley and its F&F and a decent number about the stretch FRN handle. But little talk of the stretch CF. Since both these Spydies seem to have a strong following and similar qualities it is a little unclear to me if one is above the other... Your thoughts???

In lesser words, CF Stretch or Gayle Bradley and why?
 
mdc5162 said:
I have a Alias 2 and Para 2. Love them both. The para 2 is only a couple days old so the blade travel is a bit stiff but hopefully that dissipates.

My next knife I am trying to get materials I havent had before, like a super steal and a CF handle. Both the stretch and Gayle Bradley have those attributes. I have heard a bunch of people rave about the Bradley and its F&F and a decent number about the stretch FRN handle. But little talk of the stretch CF. Since both these Spydies seem to have a strong following and similar qualities it is a little unclear to me if one is above the other... Your thoughts???

In lesser words, CF Stretch or Gayle Bradley and why?
Click to expand...

If you're going to work it hard, go with the GB. So far the GB is the best work knife I've tried.
The blade (CPM M4) can pit and rust. Mine has done both, but not too bad. CPM M4 is freaky good steel. I actually bought three of these specifically for working on boats. They like to work hard.
The Stretch is plenty strong, carries more comfortably and the blade (ZDP 189) is much more stain resistant, in my experience.
I almost feel like I have a harmonica in my pocket with the GB... don't even notice the Stretch.
They both are functional, look and feel great for carbon fiber, IMHO.
If I was going to put on tight pants and go to a singles bar I'd definitely go with the GB minus the clip.:thumbup:
 
hahaha I love this forum.

I am surprised there are not more comparisons between these two knives.
 
I've got both knives and I like them each for different reasons. The GB is a really stout knife that's a little bit on the heavy side. The CF Stretch is much thinner and lighter. Out of the box the Stretch was much sharper than the GB. They both offer super steel blade materials but at this point I think I like the ZDP-189 more. Depending where you can get each knife I think the CF Stretch will cost a bit more. One last thing to consider though..... liner lock vs. lock back? Good luck making a decision!
 
there is no side by side comparison because they are very different knives. other than the lock and blade steel, they are the very opposites.

i have both.

the stretch is my second favorite spydie after the milies. very good ergos, very solid feeling handle, looks very refined with the steel liners and thin CF scales. the blade is VERY thin, tapering to a thin tip. excellent slicer, not hard use in any way. a very refined EDC that carries very well.


the GB in the other hand is beefier, very well made too but les classy, more bulky. it has an excellent compromise between slicing ablity and blade strenght.the blade steel is perhaps a better all rounder than zdp too. except corrosion resistance.

it's a pretty easy choice depending on your uses and preferences imho.
 
Well I just got a para 2 to use as a slicer for food prep and kitchen uses mostly but I dont doubt it will see EDC time. I guess either of these knives would fit the same roll... I have an Alias 2 for my main EDC uses. Maybe I should trade the para 2 for one of those... they might be better slicers?
 
mdc5162 said:
In lesser words, CF Stretch or Gayle Bradley and why?
Click to expand...

The CF Stretch is an awesome knife. Nice and thin, carries invisibly, feels just about perfect in the hand.

The GB is much beefier and chunkier, opens smooth as butter, and in my view could use a modification to give better access to the Spydie hole and liner lock. Most folks it seems do not agree with me. I sent my GB off to have the mod done, and it makes a world of difference.

If you plan on cutting through a fiberglass bathtub (there are pics here on BF of someone doing that with a GB), then the GB is for you. If you are wanting more of an all-around EDC knife, consider the Stretch.
 
mdc5162 said:
I have a Alias 2 and Para 2. Love them both. The para 2 is only a couple days old so the blade travel is a bit stiff but hopefully that dissipates.

My next knife I am trying to get materials I havent had before, like a super steal and a CF handle. Both the stretch and Gayle Bradley have those attributes. I have heard a bunch of people rave about the Bradley and its F&F and a decent number about the stretch FRN handle. But little talk of the stretch CF. Since both these Spydies seem to have a strong following and similar qualities it is a little unclear to me if one is above the other... Your thoughts???

In lesser words, CF Stretch or Gayle Bradley and why?
Click to expand...
I owned a Stretch in CF and sold it. This is just personal, but the knife was too light and 'fragile' for my taste. I recently received my GB and love it. It's the better knife of the two IMHO.
 
powernoodle said:
in my view could use a modification to give better access to the Spydie hole and liner lock. Most folks it seems do not agree with me. I sent my GB off to have the mod done, and it makes a world of difference.
Click to expand...

I'm with you Powernoodle. :thumbup:
 
Personally, I have never warmed to the look of the GB. I'm confident that it's every bit the quality tool that users are reporting, but the CF Stretch wins "hands down" for me. I had and sold my Para2 and I think once I find a nice ZDP/CF Stretch, I'll be satisfied...for a while.
 
Keep in mind the CF stretch appears to be discontinued as it is not in the 2011 catalog. The GB should be available for a few more years as it is very popular.

I personally like the CF Stretch better. The GB has polished liners and it suddenly has custom level fit and finish it would seem by the reviews. It is a nice knife but its just like most other Spyderco knives, it just has polished liners you can see your reflection in. I'm also not a fan of liner locks and the M4 gets rough and discolored a lot easier. I say Stretch while you can get one.
 
Yep -- if you happen to see a ZDP/CF Stretch available anywhere, please feel free to drop me a line. I have a "WTB" thread here in the exchange, but it doesn't appear that that sub-forum gets much traffic.
 
Warriorsociologist said:
Yep -- if you happen to see a ZDP/CF Stretch available anywhere, please feel free to drop me a line. I have a "WTB" thread here in the exchange, but it doesn't appear that that sub-forum gets much traffic.
Click to expand...

It's a good knife, for sure. I bought a second one against the day it was discontinued and so I could play around with edge geometry.
 
Powernoodle, Who did you send your GB to for the mod you mentioned. Please PM with info and cost THX
 
powernoodle said:
If you plan on cutting through a fiberglass bathtub (there are pics here on BF of someone doing that with a GB), then the GB is for you. If you are wanting more of an all-around EDC knife, consider the Stretch.
Click to expand...

I doubt that chore would be too much for a stretch, to be honest.

many people seem to think knives that aren't labeled "hard use" will self destruct if used to cut things that aren't tape or cardboard. They both use the same thickness of steel, and the stretch touts spyderco's lockbacks, which are no slouches in toughness. the steel in the stretch might not be as bomb proof, but it's not glass. I'd think the only real difference would be if you made contact with some hidden steel behind the fiberglass with the edge. M4 would hold up much better to that. Or if you did a bunch of twisting...

I'll agree that I like a "beefy" knife in hand for hard use, but that's mostly for a positive grip, and small piece of mind. I purposefully have done some digging and tough wood cutting, and tougher piercing with my Centofante 4, just to get the notion that it was made of glass out of my mind. And that blade is the thinnest spyderco makes to my knowledge.
 
+1.

When I think back to all the "hard use" cutting & scraping I grew up doing (ahem, it was called "just daily chores," back then) with plain-jane 400c/420/420HC/1095 Buck, Boker, and Schrade slip-joints and the occasional "hoss" of a Buck 110 (considered overkill to many at the time), I am reminded just how "good" we have it with all these "super steels." My eyes still prefer the lines of a well-worn slip-joint, but I have become a fan of many newer steels (though, I'm still using many "golden oldies" in regular rotation).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top