Hard Use Spyderco Folders

Jim malone said:
I don't even consider the Gayle Bradley as hard use. Never understood why some would mention them. Maybe because it's M4 steel?
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No, it is surely not due to the steel, it is due to the design geared to hard cutting chores.

kniferbro said:
Because Mr. Bradley himself says so? ;)
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nope....unless I am deaf, Mr. Bradley states ruff use. Hard use has no real definition, but I like to distinguish between hard use, hard cutting chores and abuse. I tend to do a lot of hard cutting chores with my knives as can be seen in the link below.

nuckingfuts said:
The reason people think of the Gayle Bradley as being a hard user is because the thing is built like a tank not just the steel. Its got some beefy liners.
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Liners IMO also have nothing to do with it. It comes from personal experience that the knife is geared towards hard cutting chores, the design lends itself to gloves and with not a big cutout to the liner lock accidental disengagement is limited. This has also been documented by Sal as design choice in different models.

'Design preferences make the industry interesting. Both Gayle and Ed are of the opinion that the relief is not as safe as no relief. Both are highly skilled at designing knives, making knives and cutting with them. Both are champion cutters in competition. My linerlock designs include a relief. I'm often wearing gloves and I prefer them in general. I've heard many complain about my Military and Sage linerlock designs because they feel the relief is unsafe.

Both approaches are valid. That's why we make both. For those that want a relief, it's easier to create one.

sal"

Here is one of my favorite threads labelled with hard use, but as one will see, it is mainly hard cutting chores performed.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/714931-Gayle-Bradley-Hard-Use

That's my opinion at least.
 
I definitely think my Endura can handle most tasks thrown it's way. Right now it's mostly cardboard, but I plan on getting into the woods after school is out and testing it out, as well as a couple others
 
I am surprised that no one mentioned the Khukuri. I don't own one, but I would love to try one out and own it. It has got to be a heavy duty "hard use" kind of knife. The style just begs for it IMHO.
 
simplespeed said:
I feel the same way. A knife designed with some possible abuse or emergency situation in mind wouod be "hard use". Everythng else that cuts is just a knife. Very few knives will fall apart from long term use. I could sharpen a butter knife and use it forever. I would never consider it hard use though. And thats a fixed blade lol. I dont consider making tent stakes hard use. Pretty much any knife with a decent edge will do that. Some will hold the edge longer but then we are talking about blade steel and edge geometry.
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A lot depends on how you define "hard use". Because of the kind of work I do, I don't need the kind of knives most folks would categorize as "hard use". So I define the term "hard use" very narrowly as containing only those knives I'd be willing to stake my life on. I, for one, would never voluntarily stake my life on a folder . . . ANY folder. So for me, a "hard use folder" is an oxymoron. That doesn't mean I don't love folders. I do. I've got a bunch of them including several Spydercos. I'd just never depend on any of them to cut me out of an overturned Jeep, if you know what I mean. ;)
 
bld522 said:
A lot depends on how you define "hard use". Because of the kind of work I do, I don't need the kind of knives most folks would categorize as "hard use". So I define the term "hard use" very narrowly as containing only those knives I'd be willing to stake my life on. I, for one, would never voluntarily stake my life on a folder . . . ANY folder. So for me, a "hard use folder" is an oxymoron. That doesn't mean I don't love folders. I do. I've got a bunch of them including several Spydercos. I'd just never depend on any of them to cut me out of an overturned Jeep, if you know what I mean. ;)
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I agree. Thats why I mentioned the butter knife lol. Even all fixed blades are not created equal or with the same use/abuse in mind. Some can take it, skme cant.
 
So true. When I first got here on Feb of '04, I rode in to Bussetown on the recommendation of a guy by the name of Cliff Stamp and a story about someone who had used a Busse-made knife to cut their way out of an overturned Jeep. :eek: I was looking for a knife I could stake my life on and I dropped right into the middle of . . . as Mike Stewart put it . . . some of the toughest knives on Planet Earth. From that day to this, my "hard use" knife requirement has been met. So now I buy knives . . . principally lightweight folders . . . for the convenience, discrete carry and marvelous engineering they provide.

For me, folders I'm willing to carry fall into two categories . . . light duty (under 3 ounces) and medium duty (3 to 5 ounces). By the time I enter the area some would consider heavy-duty (greater than 5 ounces), folders are off my radar. That's sad in a way. Lord knows there are some fantastic folders in what I refer to as the "pocket brick" category. But why bother buying them if I'm not going to carry them? Fortunately, there are lots of light- to medium-duty folders available to keep me entertained including my Sage 2, my Southard and my Centofante Memory. So I won't run out of options anytime soon. :)
 
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marthinus said:
nope....unless I am deaf, Mr. Bradley states ruff use. Hard use has no real definition, but I like to distinguish between hard use, hard cutting chores and abuse. I tend to do a lot of hard cutting chores with my knives as can be seen in the link below.
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Lol... semantics shemantics :rolleyes:
 
marthinus said:
No, it is surely not due to the steel, it is due to the design geared to hard cutting chores.



nope....unless I am deaf, Mr. Bradley states ruff use. Hard use has no real definition, but I like to distinguish between hard use, hard cutting chores and abuse. I tend to do a lot of hard cutting chores with my knives as can be seen in the link below.



Liners IMO also have nothing to do with it. It comes from personal experience that the knife is geared towards hard cutting chores, the design lends itself to gloves and with not a big cutout to the liner lock accidental disengagement is limited. This has also been documented by Sal as design choice in different models.

'Design preferences make the industry interesting. Both Gayle and Ed are of the opinion that the relief is not as safe as no relief. Both are highly skilled at designing knives, making knives and cutting with them. Both are champion cutters in competition. My linerlock designs include a relief. I'm often wearing gloves and I prefer them in general. I've heard many complain about my Military and Sage linerlock designs because they feel the relief is unsafe.

Both approaches are valid. That's why we make both. For those that want a relief, it's easier to create one.

sal"

Here is one of my favorite threads labelled with hard use, but as one will see, it is mainly hard cutting chores performed.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/714931-Gayle-Bradley-Hard-Use

That's my opinion at least.
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I just looked through that thread...pretty awesome! I really want a Gayle Bradley!
 
Bradley1_zpsbcdfaa39.jpg
 
The SuperLeaf is my beefiest-feeling Spyderco. Thick liners, wide handles, thick blade, compression lock... I read nothing but good things about the Gayle Bradley too, but I've yet to handle one.
 
bld522 said:
I guess I don't make that much of a distinction between a "hard use" knife and an "emergency/survival" knife. To me, any knife I can't depend on to perform in an "emergency/survival" situation doesn't belong in the "hard use" category.
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Are you being for real? The only distinction you can see between "hard use" and regular use is survival and emergency use? Really? So you would see no difference between say...A handy man for the municipality who spends 5 days a week cutting hoses and wires, scraping grass off bottom of mower, opening paint cans and rusted hinges, etc, etc....and a lawyer who uses his to clean fingernails and open letters? Really?

So lets play this one out, cuz now I'm having fun...hehehe.

So now after 20 years, joe the maintenance mans blade is worn, nicked, scratched, the tip is broken off and it's a quarter inch thinner from being sharpened a thousand times.

Barry the lawyers blade is beautiful. Pristine! Looks like the day he bought it! Only been sharpened a few times (Barry always sends it back to the factory for a professional sharpening).

Now one day there is a fire in the office and Barry pries a window open with his knife so he can escape...

So, you're saying Barry had the "hard use" knife right? Just want to make sure I'm clear on that. ;-).

Edit: I just re-read this, and wanted to make clear that I'm not trying to be rude, but I do respectfully disagree with you. Completely! :-).
 
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I pocket my Manix XL if there's hard use on the cards. I can see how some may consider it too big, but honestly I have no problem carrying it comfortably. Its the knife I wear to work (industrial site) most often by far.
 
the gayle Bradley is by far a knife that can handle anything you throw at it. M4 sharpens like a dream and does not rust like other steels do(this comment is for you guys afraid of rust). For the money its the best production folder out in my opinion. my GB has taken everything I have thrown at it
 
Surfingringo said:
Are you being for real? The only distinction you can see between "hard use" and regular use is survival and emergency use? Really? So you would see no difference between say...A handy man for the municipality who spends 5 days a week cutting hoses and wires, scraping grass off bottom of mower, opening paint cans and rusted hinges, etc, etc....and a lawyer who uses his to clean fingernails and open letters? Really?
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Gotta agree with you here. I find it kind of entertaining that knives which are used ridiculously hard day in and out for real tasks aren't considered hard use. But knives which only see use in your daydreams of being stuck in an overturned vehicle and heroically chopping your way out make the cut as hard use... the key word is "use" in hard use.

that's why I would lump those into some other imaginary genre of knife like survival, disaster, etc.... if I was really scared of ever having to chop through sheet metal to escape a car, I'd bet my life to a tool that wasn't a knife, BUSSE or not.

as to the original question, I think the handle is the most important feature for hard use. if you aren't wearing gloves that super tactically jimped zt 560 will destroy your hands after a dozen hard push cuts, and it has crappy ergonomics to boot. though some "brick knives", which I generally dislike, do actually have decent ergonomics which were made better by being thick and/or contoured. its just a trade off for ease of carry in pocket versus feel in hand.

IMO the Millie and pm2 split this difference for my tastes better than any other knives I've handled. the Millie obviously being the better in a variety of grips and cutting chores. They would be perfect in hand with a hair more thickness letting the handle be more rounded, but the carry would be significantly worsened. If I have a day of real, hard use planned you can bet I have my military in my pocket.

If I have a day of super heroic, save the day, chop through a burning building to save orphans planned, then it doesn't matter what knife I have on me, since it's all in my head anyways.
 
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