Gayle Bradley vs Southard

I'll often blow my knives out with compressed air also. But the challenge with those with bearings is to blow debris out, not blow it into the bearing cage.
 
Well, I can see I'm late to the game here, now that you have the Southard on the way. I've had my Southard for about a year and a half, and my Bradley for about a month.

I LOVE my Southard. Yes, the handle slabs are asymmetrical, but it doesn't affect how it feels at all. I consider this a dedicated flipper as I have a difficult time using the spyderhole on mine. Since my hands are also XL, I imagine you will feel the same way. It did take a little while for it to wear in enough to be smooth in flipping. The actuation on mine is not a big THWACK like on some of my ZT folders, but it is controlled and easy, and always engages. It is more of a soft opening. When I first got my ZT 0562, I started to favor the flip on that to my Southard. After a short time, I really learned to appreciate the softer, quieter opening on the Southard. Mine is smooth as can be now, and is a lot of fun to play with while watching TV. Also, the ergos on the Southard fit my hand VERY well. It has very nice, subtle contouring. The frame lock is easy to access and the titanium is beautiful and extremely soft feeling. I hate the stock clip. After a year I finally bought a new, deep carry clip and it is a huge improvement. Do yourself a favor and order one now so that you can change it out as soon as possible. The knife feels smaller than what it is, and I mean this in a good way. Compared to others with similar dimensions, it carries and handles much better. And it is lighter feeling than what you would think. BEAUTIFUL knife. I love mine.

I've only had the Bradley for a little while now, but it carries very well in my jeans, though not as well as the Southard. It is also a gorgeous knife. The grip is more hand filling than the Southard, but that does not necessarily make it better or worse. Do know that ALL of the edges on the Bradley are SHARP! This is not a fun knife for me to play with while watching TV. The liner lock is a little difficult to get to, and the edge of the liner opposite the liner lock always bites into my thumb first adding to the difficulty. I will eventually get my dremmel out and smooth that bit out. This knife opens very smoothly, but not at all as smooth as my Southard (yet). The spyder hole is very easy to access and it can be opened in several different ways comfortably. In the first week, I almost avoided opening it too much to avoid having to try and access the liner lock. Also, while this is considered a liner lock, to me anyway, the liners are so thick that it really feels like a frame lock, so don't let that deter you. I do LOVE my Bradley a lot, I just need to spend some time with it. The clip feels great and I like the finish on it. It is very comfortable, as opposed to the stock clip on the Southard. I am considering getting a deep carry clip for it, especially now that I bent the snot out of it while getting up from a nap the other day. The handle feels good on the Bradley, but it isn't quite as natural for me as the Southard. It seems there is a large area on the handle which forces me to either choke way up, or hold it way aft of the blade. I think it has to do with the large first and second finger choils. This leads me to believe that it would feel better in hand if I were wearing gloves. Time will tell.

Between the two knives, the Bradley is a MUCH better value. I probably wouldn't have spent the money on a full price Southard, but it was a gift. I did not feel bad at all spending the full $140 that I did at Blade HQ for the Bradley. Both have GREAT steel. Both fill the same role in my EDC. I do like my Southard more than the Bradley, but given some time, that could easily change. I honestly feel that the Southard has much better fit and finish than the Bradley. I love the fact that I own both and can choose whichever I want any day of the week. For what it's worth, I haven't hard-used either of mine, and after a year and a half, I have not had to disassemble my Southard yet to clean it. It is smoother now than the day I got it.

Enjoy your new Southard! I've got some custom scales on order for mine and I can't wait for this knife to feel new again!
 
The Southard is my favorite Spyderco, and may be my favorite folding knife period. I like the flipper, especially when I've got thick gloves on it makes deployment very easy. Fits my hand very well, love the blade design and it slices like a champ. The lockup is rock solid! I've owned about three Gayle Bradleys, really wanted to like the knife but it just wasn't for me. The GB just didn't fit my hand and the lock was very difficult to disengage (but it was designed to be that way so it would not disengage during hard use). Though I know a lot of people who love the GB, I think it is a great hard use knife. It's just not my cup of tea.
 
EssKayR22 said:
Well, I can see I'm late to the game here, now that you have the Southard on the way. I've had my Southard for about a year and a half, and my Bradley for about a month.

I LOVE my Southard. Yes, the handle slabs are asymmetrical, but it doesn't affect how it feels at all. I consider this a dedicated flipper as I have a difficult time using the spyderhole on mine. Since my hands are also XL, I imagine you will feel the same way. It did take a little while for it to wear in enough to be smooth in flipping. The actuation on mine is not a big THWACK like on some of my ZT folders, but it is controlled and easy, and always engages. It is more of a soft opening. When I first got my ZT 0562, I started to favor the flip on that to my Southard. After a short time, I really learned to appreciate the softer, quieter opening on the Southard. Mine is smooth as can be now, and is a lot of fun to play with while watching TV. Also, the ergos on the Southard fit my hand VERY well. It has very nice, subtle contouring. The frame lock is easy to access and the titanium is beautiful and extremely soft feeling. I hate the stock clip. After a year I finally bought a new, deep carry clip and it is a huge improvement. Do yourself a favor and order one now so that you can change it out as soon as possible. The knife feels smaller than what it is, and I mean this in a good way. Compared to others with similar dimensions, it carries and handles much better. And it is lighter feeling than what you would think. BEAUTIFUL knife. I love mine.

I've only had the Bradley for a little while now, but it carries very well in my jeans, though not as well as the Southard. It is also a gorgeous knife. The grip is more hand filling than the Southard, but that does not necessarily make it better or worse. Do know that ALL of the edges on the Bradley are SHARP! This is not a fun knife for me to play with while watching TV. The liner lock is a little difficult to get to, and the edge of the liner opposite the liner lock always bites into my thumb first adding to the difficulty. I will eventually get my dremmel out and smooth that bit out. This knife opens very smoothly, but not at all as smooth as my Southard (yet). The spyder hole is very easy to access and it can be opened in several different ways comfortably. In the first week, I almost avoided opening it too much to avoid having to try and access the liner lock. Also, while this is considered a liner lock, to me anyway, the liners are so thick that it really feels like a frame lock, so don't let that deter you. I do LOVE my Bradley a lot, I just need to spend some time with it. The clip feels great and I like the finish on it. It is very comfortable, as opposed to the stock clip on the Southard. I am considering getting a deep carry clip for it, especially now that I bent the snot out of it while getting up from a nap the other day. The handle feels good on the Bradley, but it isn't quite as natural for me as the Southard. It seems there is a large area on the handle which forces me to either choke way up, or hold it way aft of the blade. I think it has to do with the large first and second finger choils. This leads me to believe that it would feel better in hand if I were wearing gloves. Time will tell.

Between the two knives, the Bradley is a MUCH better value. I probably wouldn't have spent the money on a full price Southard, but it was a gift. I did not feel bad at all spending the full $140 that I did at Blade HQ for the Bradley. Both have GREAT steel. Both fill the same role in my EDC. I do like my Southard more than the Bradley, but given some time, that could easily change. I honestly feel that the Southard has much better fit and finish than the Bradley. I love the fact that I own both and can choose whichever I want any day of the week. For what it's worth, I haven't hard-used either of mine, and after a year and a half, I have not had to disassemble my Southard yet to clean it. It is smoother now than the day I got it.

Enjoy your new Southard! I've got some custom scales on order for mine and I can't wait for this knife to feel new again!
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Thanks for the detailed response! I think I will like size of the knife. It will be smaller than my Manix but a longer blade.

What clip did you get?
 
I got a deep carry clip for my Southard from Gnoleb. I don't put deep carry clips on as many of my knives as I used to (many of them kill the ergos too much), but this one fits the lines of the Southard very nicely. Search him out on the forum here.
 
SpeedHoles said:
I got a deep carry clip for my Southard from Gnoleb. I don't put deep carry clips on as many of my knives as I used to (many of them kill the ergos too much), but this one fits the lines of the Southard very nicely. Search him out on the forum here.
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Mind sharing a picture?!
 
firefighterguy said:
Mind sharing a picture?!
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20151102_205418_zpsorgqpdxt.jpg

20151102_205433_zpsqiazoql9.jpg
 
I love both of those clips!!

I really have high expectations for this knife. It's by far the most money I've spent on one. As my knife collection expands, I wonder where it will rank in the $200 knife category.
 
I think you're going to be very happy with the Southard, it is a fantastic knife. Did I mention it's fantastic?! I've got a Slysz bowie on the way, really excited to try it out.
 
jamal_spelling91 said:
I think you're going to be very happy with the Southard, it is a fantastic knife. Did I mention it's fantastic?! I've got a Slysz bowie on the way, really excited to try it out.
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The Slysz is a very nice design and carries and uses better than the Southward IMHO. You are going to enjoy that one.
 
Surfingringo said:
The Slysz is a very nice design and carries and uses better than the Southward IMHO. You are going to enjoy that one.
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That's good to hear! I've read a lot of reviews on it and watched several video reviews online since there aren't any brick and mortar businesses around me that would have them for me to handle in person. I love a good slicer!
 
I own all three. The Gayle Bradley is the best choice for true hard use. The Southard will do very well for the occasional hard use you've described though. The Sage 2 is a lighter and thinner knife that is not as well suited to hard use as the other 2. The M4 blade of the GB is very tough and holds an edge very well, but the CTS204P on the Southard is almost as tough and probably holds an edge a little longer. M4 is a carbon steel while CTS204P is a stainless. Both are FANTASTIC blade steels....a couple of the very best for folders in fact.
You can't really go wrong with either choice and because the two feel very different in the hand I hope you can hold them before you buy. The one that feels best in your hand is probably the best choice.
 
Well everyone....

I received my Southard today. I'm far from a knife expert and until this knife I have never spent more than $100 on a knife so take this for what it's worth.

First off, it's beautiful. I love the black on black and the ergonomics are great. I fell in love with the looks from the moment I saw it on amazon.

It's lighter than I expected, which is good. I wasn't blown away by the knife but I certainly am not disappointed! I believe as time goes by And I put it to use I will really appreciate it.

The blade redefines "sharp". This thing is ridiculous. It feels good in the hand.

I am a little disappointed in the flipper. It may take some time to loosen up but you really have to push hard to ensure it opens fully. I'll take the advice of others and try to fix that.

I'll check back in in a few days after I have carried it and done a few cutting tasks with it.

Thanks everyone for the advice!
 
Congrats and enjoy!

Used mine for the first time last night...peeling and cutting a bunch of apples for apple crisp. I was amazed it did so well. The blade is probably as thick as my Strider, but it cut up the apples great and peeled them like a champ. The GB did cut a bit better, but not a ton. I'm glad I made the buy! :thumbup:
 
rpn said:
Congrats and enjoy!

Used mine for the first time last night...peeling and cutting a bunch of apples for apple crisp. I was amazed it did so well. The blade is probably as thick as my Strider, but it cut up the apples great and peeled them like a champ. The GB did cut a bit better, but not a ton. I'm glad I made the buy! :thumbup:
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Do you just wash the blade with soap and water before/after?
 
firefighterguy said:
Well everyone....

I received my Southard today. I'm far from a knife expert and until this knife I have never spent more than $100 on a knife so take this for what it's worth.

First off, it's beautiful. I love the black on black and the ergonomics are great. I fell in love with the looks from the moment I saw it on amazon.

It's lighter than I expected, which is good. I wasn't blown away by the knife but I certainly am not disappointed! I believe as time goes by And I put it to use I will really appreciate it.

The blade redefines "sharp". This thing is ridiculous. It feels good in the hand.

I am a little disappointed in the flipper. It may take some time to loosen up but you really have to push hard to ensure it opens fully. I'll take the advice of others and try to fix that.

I'll check back in in a few days after I have carried it and done a few cutting tasks with it.

Thanks everyone for the advice!
Click to expand...

I think you will get to be very happy with your new knife. As regards to "fix that" flipper action - not a good idea to open up a new Spyderco - that will void the warranty. Not saying that you intend to do that but some guys (including me) have done that by way of looking to make it flip easier. Here is a thread that might give you some insights on how to flip a flipper. You should not need to "push hard" - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1333569-Am-I-expecting-too-much-a-about-flippers
 
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