Flatbyrd reviewed

thefirefox

thefirefox

Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
291
I received a CE Flatbyrd in the mail yesterday and thought I'd give an initial review. First off I was impressed by its out of the package hair popping sharpness. I am generally not a fan of chisel grinds, but this one is very well done. While slicing open a case of water with light pressure I slit through a bottle. It took so little effort that I did not even realize I had done it until I picked up the bottle and it gushed.

The Flatbyrd is very thin and carried comfortably in my back pocket with my wallet. The construction seems sturdy enough for occasional medium duty use. The bead blast finish does show some scratches after a couple days of use. It is an interesting design and was well worth the $20 (including shipping) that I paid for it.

My one complaint is that the Byrd seemed to come from the factory with no trace of lubrication. It opened with a faint metallic creak. This was eliminated after some lube, and the action is now smooth.
 
congrats on the Flatbyrd firefox, i concur with your review! :thumbup:
one of my favorite Byrds to date.... ;)
 
Still haven't gotten mine, but when I place my an order with Newgraham sometime soon it'll be on the shipping list. It'll be interesting to see if I end up liking it better than my Wharcom or not.
 
Thanks for the review. I think the flatbyrd is a cool design. I have a PE Flatbyrd that was easy to sharpen (I like that byrd steel) and cuts great via the wharncliffe blade. This is one of the knives that made me more interested in wharncliffes.

To me the flatbyrd definitely has the feel of a lighter-duty knife, but it seems strong enough. It is very easy to carry - nice addition to other EDCs. The 'credit card' shape lends itself nicely to comfortable carry loose-in-pocket.

Vivi - I am going the opposite route and planning to get a wharcom after having the flatbyrd for awhile. I have a feeling I am going to like the wharcom a lot.
 
Well nphelps, if you get your Wharcom before I get my flatbyrd I'd love some comparison pictures and thoughts on how the two stack up. I'll do the same if I get my knife first.
 
Well nphelps, if you get your Wharcom before I get my flatbyrd I'd love some comparison pictures and thoughts on how the two stack up. I'll do the same if I get my knife first.
 
Sharpy_swe said:
Please, pictures, please ;)
Click to expand...

ask and ye shall receive.... :p
here's pics with a Ladybug3 and Subcom Folder pimped with carbon fiber scales by Potterma....

flatbyrd014gb2.jpg


flatbyrd016hk1.jpg


flatbyrd006bm6.jpg


And compared with the thickness of a credit card....

flatbyrd020ev9.jpg


flatbyrd020pr2.jpg
 
I really like my original spyder card knife I got back in 2000ish. It lives in my desk and is on permaneant box opening, forgot to bring a pocketknife to work duty. I might want to pick up one of these inexpensive byrd versions...
 
eight_88888888 said:
what do "CE" and "PE" mean?

how do you guys carry the flatbyrd around?
Click to expand...

Since it has no clip, the Flatbyrd goes loose in pocket. It fits nicely behind a wallet (I carry my wallet in left-front pocket). It may fit in some watch pockets if they are wide enough. I am carrying mine right now in a weird third pocket that is behind my right front pocket.

I think paired with the wallet works pretty well - it's a nice flat knife.
 
I keep meaning to pick one of these up. I've got a Spydercard (factory second) and it's pretty nice except for the corner on the handle. The Flatbyrd seems to have fixed everything about the Spydercard.

My only suggestion for improvement would be a slim pocket clip and some way to attach it to my work ID badge. :D
 
I have had mine for several month and have been pleased with it. I convexed the edge and it cuts well. I leave mine on my desk at work as my go-to box knife.
 
As this thread has come back to the top I'll give an update to the review. At around seven weeks the Flatbyrd is finding itself in my pocket pretty frequently. It really does disappear in your pocket. At first I thought it might bother me not having a clip, but no problems. Its a great box opener. The 8Cr13MoV is performing admirably. One drawback so far is that the bead blast finish is showing a fair bit of wear and seems to be a magnet for scuff marks and dirt. All in all its a nice little knife.
 
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