Spyderco byrd line

A

Armenate

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Oct 1, 2014
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Howdy, just wanted to get some input on the spyderco byrd knives. I already own 2 spyderco knives and was wondering if the byrd line is any good?
 
They're decent enough entry level knives, along the lines of the bargain Kershaws. You can get a lot more knife for not that much more money though.
 
It's my understanding that Byrds make great beater knives. Spyderco puts out a good product, and it's no different with their Byrd line. I like a lot of their designs, actually, and the price is right!

I have plenty of experience with the Chinese 8Cr13MoV steel they use, and have no problems using it and sharpening it. I also like the fact that they cover a wide range of sizes, from the smaller Finch and Robin to the larger Cara Cara 2.
 
amg137 said:
They're decent enough entry level knives, along the lines of the bargain Kershaws. You can get a lot more knife for not that much more money though.
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OOC, what do you consider "not that much more money"? I mean, an Endura or Delica is an improvement, and that's like $35-40 more than the Byrd stuff is...that's a pretty hefty amount in my book. I can't think of too much cheaper that those that I'd call "a lot more knife".
 
DShiflet said:
OOC, what do you consider "not that much more money"? I mean, an Endura or Delica is an improvement, and that's like $35-40 more than the Byrd stuff is...that's a pretty hefty amount in my book. I can't think of too much cheaper that those that I'd call "a lot more knife".
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I was specifically thinking of the Kershaw Leek (US made, Sandvik steel) at around $30, or the Utilitac 2 or RAT 2, Avispa, or Zancudo at around $35. The Ontario/ESEE knives aren't hugely different from the Byrd line in terms of materials, but I like them a lot more. There's also the Kershaw/Emerson line which are made with similar materials but have some very interesting designs and features (wave, framelocks, cool satin+stonewashed blade finish on some).

I generally think of a $30 price gap in the knife world to be peanuts, but in the context of budget knives I understand it's a significant difference. At the $50-70 range you can get (as you mentioned) an Endura or Delica, Native, or Manix 2 LW, or a Kershaw Blur. I would consider them all to be at least twice the knife of a Byrd, though granted they're also more than twice the price.
 
Be a good choice for a knife I know is gonna beat to death in short order. If you plan on taking care of it I'd spend a few dollars more.
 
Yeah. I already own a delica 4 and a tenacious. I also own a benchmade griptillian and a kershaw leek. I was just wondering if the byrd line was any good since they are so cheap.
 
amg137 said:
I was specifically thinking of the Kershaw Leek (US made, Sandvik steel) at around $30, or the Utilitac 2 or RAT 2, Avispa, or Zancudo at around $35. The Ontario/ESEE knives aren't hugely different from the Byrd line in terms of materials, but I like them a lot more. There's also the Kershaw/Emerson line which are made with similar materials but have some very interesting designs and features (wave, framelocks, cool satin+stonewashed blade finish on some).

I generally think of a $30 price gap in the knife world to be peanuts, but in the context of budget knives I understand it's a significant difference. At the $50-70 range you can get (as you mentioned) an Endura or Delica, Native, or Manix 2 LW, or a Kershaw Blur. I would consider them all to be at least twice the knife of a Byrd, though granted they're also more than twice the price.
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Like you said, the Rat, Utilitacs, Kershaw Emerson's, all good knives, but, not what I would call "a lot more knife", either...materials are comparable(same as the budget Kershaws, which are also good for that price range), and in those cases, it comes down to personal taste and preference(some people don't want the wave, some people want something lighter than a Utilitac, etc). Believe me, I'm not knockin those knives, I own 4 Utilitacs and 3 Kershaw Emersons(and want more), but they're just not what I'd consider a lot more knife than a Byrd either. Once you start getting into what I'd consider "a lot more knife", you also start getting into paying twice as much. For some people, that's not a big deal, if I like a knife enough I got no problem paying more for it, but for the people most apt to be really considering a Byrd, paying twice as much for something with the higher end materials may be a little harder for them to do.
 
I’ve got two byrds: a Meadowlark2 Rescue and a Hawkbill. The Meadowlark hasn’t been used for anything yet--I keep it stowed in one of my vehicles just in case. The Hawkbill gets regular use around the house and yard for a variety of tasks. Both are very well made, and if I had a need for another knife in the byrd lineup, I would not hesitate to buy one.
 
Picked up a Tern (slippie). Sweet little knife. I can open it one handed too. It sees quite a bit of pocket time.

I let one of my friends use it and I see him trying to close it. I could see his hand pressing in all the right places for a liner lock or a back lock. Told him it was a slippie and he had no problem closing it.

Ric
 
I've bought around 20 Spyderco's, including several Chinese Spyderco's. All fine.

I've bought one Byrd. The lockback doesn't work reliably. The pivot isn't great either. It's only one knife but it didn't make me want to explore the Byrd line further. I'd rather see them expand their Chinese lineup under the Spyderco name, I think they try a little harder with that.
 
zhyla said:
I'd rather see them expand their Chinese lineup under the Spyderco name, I think they try a little harder with that.
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There was absolutely NO difference in quality between my Byrd and any of my Chinese Spydercos. None whatsoever. Yet the Spydercos cost almost twice as much.
 
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