CRK Mnandi or Spyderco Gayle Bradley Air?

D

darkaether

Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
1,377
I'm trying to decide on one of these to compliment my PM2 for more mundane office tasks or rare dressier occasions.

They seem pretty close in size and weight. Its hot and humid where I live and I sweat a lot.

Mnandi looks better I think, more corrosion resistant, pocket clip, and lefty version available.

GB Air, different blade shape, tougher and more wear resistant steel, no pocket clip, looks way easier to open, half as expensive.

Are the CRK wood inlays stabilized? Anybody have comparison pics? What do you guys think?
 
So far my Mnandi has not given me any corrosion issues and it is very humid. I also had a concern about the scales because of the humidity and sweat but so far the inlays seem to be stuck on there pretty good.
6f509b57.jpg
 
It sounds like you are leaning towards the Mnandi which is definitely the "dressier" knife IMO. The majority of wood inlays are stabilized. I believe cocobolo is an exception but it has natural oils and has no issues with humidity.
There is currently a left handed ebony for sale in the exchange. I also know of a dealer that has left handed ebony and cocobolo in stock. Typically the left handed versions are difficult to find.
 
Mnandi is a nice dressy knife. I would not be afraid to use it though. The first week this one showed up I got rid of the terrible factory edge with a new reprofile and use it for everything. It even cut through lamp cord when I was standing on a ladder holding a light fixture. No edge rolling or damage at all. They look nice but really can be used.

DSC_0869-1.jpg

DSC_0870.jpg
 
I might lean toward the Mnandi for office/dressier use...it clips nicely into dress pants and the clip itself kinda looks like a pen.

The Air does not have a clip, so if it's knocking around your pocket, either would be capable.
 
Last edited:
GB Air. Wharncliffe, spyderhole, and value edge out the Mnandi for me. Still need to pickup one though as it was just released.
 
They're very different. The Air will definitely perform better than the Mnandi, having a spydie-hole, M4 and all. However the F&F of the Mnandi is far above any Spydeco I've seen or owned.

One thing you need to know about M4, its corrosion resistance can be an annoyance if you live in hot areas. I live in Singapore, and the GB that I carried around in my pocket developed rust spots fairly quickly. I forced a patina on and it helped, but it still has a few rust spots over the patina. Carbon steels will also develop a patina on the edge over time, meaning even if you don't use it it'll get dull, and if you cut a fruit it's likely the edge will disappear. Consider how often you use your knife and what you cut, if you're not gonna use it often enough to require a sharpening every week or so (and M4 holds its edge a long time), you're better off with the stainless S30V.

If you're willing to put down the extra money, I'd get the Mnandi (I did). It looks way better IMO, and its build quality is just so high. When you hold one in your hands and use it a little you'll understand why CRK has so many fans despite its seemingly low performance-to-cost ratio. I've also had enough of most carbon steels in the humid environment I live, where the speed at which the edge patinas really defeats any advantage in edge retention the non-stainless super steels like M4 have.

Edited to add that the stabilisation of the inlays CRK uses depends on the type of wood. Softer ones like box-elder are stabilised whereas those like ironwood and lignum vitae aren't (as far as I know). Basically, if the inlay needs to be stabilised, it is. You don't need to worry about its durability.
 
SPNKr said:
Edited to add that the stabilisation of the inlays CRK uses depends on the type of wood. Softer ones like box-elder are stabilised whereas those like ironwood and lignum vitae aren't (as far as I know). Basically, if the inlay needs to be stabilised, it is. You don't need to worry about its durability.
Click to expand...

That's consistent with what CRK has said about their inlays. My son has a walnut Mnandi and I have a lignum vitae Mnandi. Both have done very well. The inlays are secured with 3M VHB tape. You'd crack the inlay into splinters trying to get that tape to release - no worries there.
 
i think the crk looks better and i like the fact that it has a pocket clip. i am sure that if the wood gets messed up it can be replaced?
 
By the way I never clip my Mnandi. It gets thrown in my right front pocket with my keys. This really is one tough knife.
 
I'd buy an Air to play with if it was USA (Golden) made. I've had two Mnandis. They are excellent knives & well worth their asking price. Personally I've just found that I prefer the Sm Seb for a smaller knife carry.
 
Thanks everybody. I want this one to really be a slicer. How much work would it be to thin out the factory Mnandi edge as thin as it would tolerate? At this point I'm leaning to the Air for the geometry and edge stability. I'm thinking about a few traditionals too, like an ebony GEC powderhorn or something like that.
 
I can't imagine the CRK ever getting close to the performance of the M4 on the Air--the quality of edge that it takes and the way it holds it is incredible. I'm just trying to hold out until Spyderco (or someone aftermarket) starts putting wooden scales on it.

DJK
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top