Recommendation? Gayle Bradley 1 vs. Southard... (last knife purchase of the year :) )

AF said:
No, it's not. I think the Sage 5 is a peel ply laminate. I'd be fine with that. I just don't like the texture of the cf weave used on the GB1 and the Sage 1.
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Oh, from my understanding alot of the textured CFs and even many textured g10s are peel ply.

Like this. When they peel the sheet it leaves the texture on top.
Peel-Ply-Coarse-Texture-G10-Material.jpg


Edit: not that I am saying you are wrong, the GB1 could very well not be peel ply. Now that I feel its scale again it feels likenthe texture is the weave itself.
 
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Aye about the close tolerances of GB1. Keep GB1 as liner lock with no cutout. No frame lock please, it makes the knife asymmetrical.

The CF laminate is grippy enough without shredding pants and show very little wear. Change with anything better in these aspects are welcome. :thumbsup:

Cruwear might be good to try comparing it with M4.

Lastly, better detent ball (ceramic?).
 
Sorry for derailing your thread OP! But I think you see the GB1 love at least, and this is a good discussion even if it has veered OT a bit. ;)

I don't know all the what's and how's on the peel-ply, but I thought peel-ply was all CF (?) vs the CF/G-10 laminate.

I think the main point on the peel-ply CF preference is the texture. I don't have any on hand to compare, but I understand it to have some of the best grip. I'm not even sure how many total finishes or types Spyderco offers in CF, but there are at least 3. I like the GB1 texture fine for a balance of grip vs not ripping your pockets up. I like the glass smooth Caly 3.5 CF the least.

It's a shame so many of the historical threads have broken picture links now. There was an old thread on the Spyderco forum that detailed their CF offerings really well.
 
I think Lapedog Lapedog has the idea essentially.

Yablanowitz peel-ply quote from an old thread:
"Carbon fiber is a laminate of woven fibers and resin. Instead of finishing with a smooth layer of resin impregnated fiber, a textured plastic film is used. Instead of being left there, that layer is peeled off, leaving behind the surface texture."

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/what-is-peel-ply-carbon-fiber.621213/
 
Haha, no worries. The GB1 love letter was a good indication of which way I should go :D

Any of you try custom scales? Does seem og scales are pretty well loved for their looks and function.
 
I love the idea of a GB1 sprint and my suggestion earlier in this thread was to get the GB1 over the Southard or the GB2. That said, I do not see the GB1 sprint idea as feasible. It has been discontinued for years now and they are still readily available. When they pop up on the exchange they go for fairly low prices, much less than they cost new.

I would be eager to buy a sprint and Cruwear and G10 sounds great. G10 is more durable than carbon fiber so I never understood the choice to use CF on a knife designed as a hard use work knife.
 
bearfacedkiller said:
I love the idea of a GB1 sprint and my suggestion earlier in this thread was to get the GB1 over the Southard or the GB2. That said, I do not see the GB1 sprint idea as feasible. It has been discontinued for years now and they are still readily available. When they pop up on the exchange they go for fairly low prices, much less than they cost new.

I would be eager to buy a sprint and Cruwear and G10 sounds great. G10 is more durable than carbon fiber so I never understood the choice to use CF on a knife designed as a hard use work knife.
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I agree the Bradley's in general probably don't have the sales to motivate the team to run a sprint or exlusive. Or...a GB3? ;)

How many discontinued models have ever been run as a sprint or flash batch? Just the Caly Jr or others?
 
mb> said:
I agree the Bradley's in general probably don't have the sales to motivate the team to run a sprint or exlusive. Or...a GB3? ;)

How many discontinued models have ever been run as a sprint or flash batch? Just the Caly Jr or others?
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It's common. From the 2018 catalog there's the Shabaria, PPT, Kopa, Spyderhawk and Caly Jr. All discontinued models.
 
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@Sal Glesser any chance on a gb sprint (or a cqi with some of these suggestions) ? Or is this something one of the vendors would have to bring up?
 
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I'm still thinking the weight reduction of a titanium framed GB1 with micarta scales would be too awesome for words. And a blackout model with PVD or DLC coating too. Maybe even make it a bolster lock with micarta scales. Be still my beating heart.
 
Well I am going to start a Crap storm.

I am holding a GB1 and the GB2 is a better blade over all.

OP I hope you have a chance to hold both to compare.
For me the GB2 is the winner.
 
uxo2 said:
Well I am going to start a Crap storm.

I am holding a GB1 and the GB2 is a better blade over all.

OP I hope you have a chance to hold both to compare.
For me the GB2 is the winner.
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I never got to check them out side by side but the GB 2 does have a lot of fans. I have the GB1 and am really happy with it but curious about the 2. Not to hijack this thread but what do you guys like better about the 2?
 
willywall said:
I never got to check them out side by side but the GB 2 does have a lot of fans. I have the GB1 and am really happy with it but curious about the 2. Not to hijack this thread but what do you guys like better about the 2?
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Generally the advantage of the GB2 over the 1 is that it is thinner and has a better handle shape when it comes to protecting fingers from the blade. Also I have hearvd many express that though the 2 is thinner, it is still very strong.
 
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Lapedog said:
Generally the advantage of the GB2 over the 1 is that it is thinner and has a better handle shape when it comes to protecting fingers from the blade. Also I have hearvd many express that though the 2 is thinner, it is still very strong.

Themski
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Ok that makes sense. The GB1 is pretty burly and heavy. Thanks for the info
 
I had the 2 first and while I liked its blade shape and some of the handle of the 2 it was too long, skinny and felt clumsy to me. I ordered the GB 1 and and it felt perfect and the thick liners make an excellent thwack sound. Shorter overall and good handle/blade ratio. I sold it because of the weight, as I thought what could this do that all my other lighter folder couldn’t.

Still wish I had it though, I sold it at a significant loss and would buy another if the price was right in good condition.
 
I had the Southard and recently traded it for some really nice knives. I got the Southard quite a while ago. I originally didn't really like it but so many people had said that it was a great knife. After getting it I liked it even less than I did before I bought it. I sent it in for a spa treatment and had not carried it since. My thoughts on the Southard are not favorable. I have had the GB1 and I still have the GB2. Of all three I like the GB2 the best.
The only thing I did not like was the fact that it was hard to access the lockbar, If I can't play with it I don't own it. I sent it out to be modded, I had the thumb choil was enlarged and it turned into a fantastic knife.
Of the 3 choices I highly recommend the GB2 with the mod I discussed and you will not be disappointed. I promise.
 
emjay4248 said:
I highly recommend the GB2 with the mod I discussed and you will not be disappointed. I promise.
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Pics...
As I stated before.
Had a Southard. Sold it.
Weird feeling flipper that you can't Spydie flick.
Currently have both GB1 and GB2.
2 very distinct feeling knives.
Both suck for unlocking and both need the mod.
 
uxo2 said:
Pics...
As I stated before.
Had a Southard. Sold it.
Weird feeling flipper that you can't Spydie flick.
Currently have both GB1 and GB2.
2 very distinct feeling knives.
Both suck for unlocking and both need the mod.
Click to expand...
I think this is the mod emjay's referring to.....

nTBBIDk.jpg

jVHo12Z.jpg

FzrO4bp.jpg
 
@sharpguy Yes that is the mod emjay is talking about. Not the shortening of the knife; he’s talking about the relief cut that was added to make accessing the lockbar easier.

uxo2 uxo2 That is strange, I have no issue at all Spydie flicking my Southard. I got lucky in that mine has an amazing action.
 
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