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Just Ordered the Cara Cara
- Thread starter LastDefender
- Start date
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
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- 46
<---would like to search their basement! 
I personally wasn't to impressed w/ my cara cara. It doesn't grip right in my hand and the action to deploy the blade is very tight. There are plenty of "grind marks" all over the blade, and other blemishes.
It's a $23 knife and feels like a $23 knife. Nothing special really, someone could have gone down to the local smoke shop and bought it there for all I know.
I'm looking to trade it w/ some other stuff for a spydie if anyone is hot for this knife still.
It's a $23 knife and feels like a $23 knife. Nothing special really, someone could have gone down to the local smoke shop and bought it there for all I know.
I'm looking to trade it w/ some other stuff for a spydie if anyone is hot for this knife still.
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
- Messages
- 46
hvydrop,
This was one of my concerns in the line of you get what you pay for... I should have the knife next week and will post my experiances right here in this thread.
Gary
This was one of my concerns in the line of you get what you pay for... I should have the knife next week and will post my experiances right here in this thread.
Gary
Shoot, on that note, I bought a $80 Benchmade Activator+ and wasn't too impressed w/ it either. Kinda like the cara cara, something 'bout it gives me mixed feelings.
Mainly, I need to stop buying online w/out handling 'em first.
But... The cara cara has got me in the mood to buy another spyderco knife.
I got one online for about $20 shipped and I couldn't be happier. For $20-25, there is nothing I am aware of that is better. The lock-up is better than 90% of the lockback on the regular Spyderco line. My, Caly 3, Para, and Manix all have blade play but my $20 Cara Cara doesn't.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2006
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- 9,673
I can garuntee that you will not be dissapointed. I've done everything from slicing cardboard to battoning kindling and it handled it all like a champ. :thumbup:
Like I said, its a $23 knife and feels like a $23 knife. There's alot of hype about Byrd and their knives [mainly because of the price] and it lead me to believe that I would spend $23 and recieve a product superior quality, comparable to knives 3 times the cost.
Now I know that the price tag doesn't always reflect the quality of the product, but this was clearly a case were it does. My $23 Byrd cara cara feels exactly like a $23 knife, in fact, I feel the price is a tad high.
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- Nov 17, 2002
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You're certainly entitled to your opinion....as we all are. But your assessment is in the minority. Very few folks who have purchased a Spyderco Byrd feel the way you do about the line......so the feedback regarding their excellence isn't really "hype", as you call it. Sorry you are disappointed with the Cara Cara....you can always send it back for a refund if it displeases you so much. However, most of us think the Cara Cara, and the rest of the Byrd line, offer exceptional value, and it is our opinion is that they are well made. But you are certainly entitled to your opinion too.
Perhaps you just got a "bad specimen", and if that is the case, I urge you to contact Spyderco customer service, and the they will make you "happy". They have a reputation for excellence !
-Regards
Well thank god we live in the USofA where we're free to disagree... But personally I find it funny how some of you are taking this to the heart, like you must defend the honor of this almighty china knife. To be honest, the design of the cara cara is so gosh darn fugly, that all I want to do is tuck it away in its little dragon box and never lay eye's on it again. And thats not even basing it upon the poor performance of the blade steel or the many factory blemishes.
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- Dec 9, 2005
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Send it back for warantee & repair if the blade isn't performing. I have found my G-10 Cara Cara to hold an edge better than AUS 8, and the lock up is rock solid with no play. There are a couple minor cosmetic flaws, but I'm not too picky about minor non-performance related issues. What specifically is the problem with the steel, is it not getting sharp, burring, or having terrible edge holding (or all of the above)? I would be concerned about the blade steel not performing, as I have found it to get very sharp while holding it's edge well. Also, if there are major blemishes from the factory I'm sure W&R would take care of you.
Mike
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2002
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- 1,369
Trolling?
Serious, the Byrd knife aren't lookers, but for 20bux, you're getting g-10 handle, liners and solid lockup (like someone elses said my manix is worse).
Serious, the Byrd knife aren't lookers, but for 20bux, you're getting g-10 handle, liners and solid lockup (like someone elses said my manix is worse).
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- Nov 17, 2002
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...just send it back if you don't like the looks of it or it is defective, Spyderco will take care of you. But regarding it's performance, and ability to take an edge.......it's as good or better than many $50 folding knives. If you were to use the Cara Cara for a bit, rather than hide it away like a crazy aunt in the attic, you might see some merit in the knife.
Here's a thought.....for the small amount you paid for it, I'm sure there are plenty of our men and women in harms way over in Iraq that would appreciate the performance of the Cara Cara. You could simply donate it to "the cause" if it offends your sensibilities so much. Just be certain to enclose this message with the knife......"WARNING, THIS KNIFE IS SO UGLY that directly starring at it may cause temporary blindness".
- regards
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Here's a thought.....for the small amount you paid for it, I'm sure there are plenty of our men and women in harms way over in Iraq that would appreciate the performance of the Cara Cara. You could simply donate it to "the cause" if it offends your sensibilities so much. Just be certain to enclose this message with the knife......"WARNING, THIS KNIFE IS SO UGLY that directly starring at it may cause temporary blindness".
That sounds like a good idea to me. If you don't like the thing so much, give it to someone who will appreciate a good folder with solid lock-up.
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the Cara Cara is well worth the money IMHO......for that matter, so are other Chinese made knives like the Kabar Dozier folder series or Taiwan-made knives like the Bladetech MouseLite or the Bokerplus Subcom Folder series / Trance..... None of these knives are "lookers" but they function and cut as well as some of my $50+ folders including Spyderco and Kershaw.... :thumbup:
"Here's a thought.....for the small amount you paid for it, I'm sure there are plenty of our men and women in harms way over in Iraq that would appreciate the performance of the Cara Cara."
Hmmm, here's a thought, accept the fact that people will not always agree w/ you. I'm a former Combat Infantryman [OEF], who is a disabled veteran and served in the US Army. I personally would not send a knife that I know is crap to any of my bubbas in the box.
The freedom of speech means the freedom to disagree, and the few that are harping on me because I've rightfully come to a different conculsion than you about this knife are nothing more then blowholes for this cheap product. Now I love Spyderco, so if they'll give me refund or exchange, that would be cool.
P.S. Let us not forget the men and women in harms way over in Afghanistan
Hmmm, here's a thought, accept the fact that people will not always agree w/ you. I'm a former Combat Infantryman [OEF], who is a disabled veteran and served in the US Army. I personally would not send a knife that I know is crap to any of my bubbas in the box.
The freedom of speech means the freedom to disagree, and the few that are harping on me because I've rightfully come to a different conculsion than you about this knife are nothing more then blowholes for this cheap product. Now I love Spyderco, so if they'll give me refund or exchange, that would be cool.
P.S. Let us not forget the men and women in harms way over in Afghanistan
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
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Thank you for your service.
Regards,
Gary
Regards,
Gary
I think people were questioning your post because you made a claim such as the Byrd having poor performance in its blade steel, when many users, including myself, have noted the opposite. For instance, like I stated I reprofiled my Byrd flat to the stone with no microbevel or anything, so it's an extremely acute edge. With this I've done light batoning and chopping when using it in conjunction with the saw on my SAK Farmer to build shelters. I haven't had any rolling or chipping doing this. I've noted very good edge retention compared to most steels in its class and when sharpening there's almost no burring, which is rather nice. The only negative thing I have to say about the steel is it is more prone to rust than AUS8 or 420c in my experience.
I don't know about others, but I personally would not be bothered by you not liking this knife. People have their own tastes. But when you claim something about the same knife I own that contradicts my own experience, I'd at least like to hear what made you feel that way. I'm not asking you to change how you feel about this knife, just explain why our experiences differ so much. It's just a knife, if no one else likes it I won't care, it'll still work fine for me. And if you really don't like it, I'd be happy to offer you something in trade for it because I'd like a back-up and I have friends that I know would like one.
Regards
Mike