Spyderco: Gayle Bradley vs Para Military 2

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KennyB

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Jan 19, 2010
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So I think I'm going to make one of these two knives my first Spyderco.

Here are the things I like about the two..

Gayle Bradley
CPM-M4 -- I want a steel that's going to be hard and resistant to edge deformation and this has been reccomended
Carbon Fiber -- I've got some G10, and I just like the look of carbon fiber
Will work in my jig because the spine is 90* at the top ( by the "spydie hole")

Para Military
S30V -- Harder than my BM 930's S30V, but still what I'm use to.
Full Flat Grind -- This is a pro in the sense that I like full flat grind, but I'm not sure if it will work in my jig... Which is not a really big deal sense I can free hand
3 ounces versus 5. Not many of my knives are 5 ounces, so the Gayle Bradley is a little heavy.

I'll just be using it for EDC, so most of what it will encounter is packaging material, food prep from time to time. I'm just fine with S30V, but I have been interested in M4.
 
i got a para 2 and im happy with it. the ffg might be a better slicer so +1 for food prep. but you cant really go wrong with either imo. it really depends on aesthetics.
 
I have both knives and am very pleased with both.

For me, the difference between 3 ounce and 5.something ounces is not very noticeable, and I wear "dressier" jeans more than "work" jeans.

The Gayle Bradley is top notch in terms of fit and finish. No blade play in any direction and feels comfortable for slicing. The linerlock was DESIGNED to be harder to disengage until hard work conditions. I don't have a problem disengaging it. Really classy design with the carbon fiber, also capable of tough tasks. I consider it in a class of "gentlemen-hard use" knives. You might have to keep the blade from moisture or force a patina on it, since it is M4.

The Para 2 is also very comfortable in the hand. Solid lock up and no blade play in any direction. Excellent slicer with the full flat grind blade. Easy to carry and easy to use. The blade is like 1/2 inch shorter than the Gayle Bradley, but I find it almost perfect. S30V is a proven steel, no problems for me.

For EDC, I recommend the Para 2 out of the two choices.
 
Owned a GB and have handled a Para 2.

GB is a beautiful knife with awesome features, but in the end it was a bit too heavy for my preferences. Also the M4 is not entirely stainless. Spotting can and probably will occur. Just the sweat from my hands would create tiny dots of rust around the opening hole. M4 is awesome and SHARP.

Para 2 seems as light as a feather in comparison and the ergos are more comfortable imo. Also a slightly thinner/smaller package. S30v with a FFG has always been a dream to cut with for me.

GB is a looker and a work horse, but for edc, I too, will recommend the Para 2 with all the reasons you've already stated.
 
I was a huge fan of the para 1, and the para 2 seems better in every way although I haven't touched it. I think the lock is superior to the GB and I love the finger choil. I definitely recommend it.
 
Both knives are actually excellent slicers. The real question would be weight and hard or light use. Corrosion resistance could also be an issue depending on what you're cutting and humidity.

I love the supreme edge retention of M4, but I find it stains easily. I wouldn't let it anywhere near any food prep use unless you wipe the blade and pivot area with a Marine Tuf Cloth first.

Unless you need the knife right this instant, I'd try to get in on a pre-order for a Para2 in CTS-20CP, which should be very similar to S90V in terms of wear resistance.
 
I don't have a para military but I have the GB. I agree that i would rather carry less weight, but I think they are really 2 completely different knives. I think the GB was really built to just show off some of the high end materials and show off some of what Gayle Bradley does.


I think the GB is a great knife and the para military is probably right up there with it.
 
Noctis3880 said:
Both knives are actually excellent slicers. The real question would be weight and hard or light use. Corrosion resistance could also be an issue depending on what you're cutting and humidity.

I love the supreme edge retention of M4, but I find it stains easily. I wouldn't let it anywhere near any food prep use unless you wipe the blade and pivot area with a Marine Tuf Cloth first.

Unless you need the knife right this instant, I'd try to get in on a pre-order for a Para2 in CTS-20CP, which should be very similar to S90V in terms of wear resistance.
Click to expand...

How much are those going to run? I liked both because they were roughly the same price.

One thing I should probably also consider is that Benchmade's S30V is a little slow on my waterstone, so I'm not sure if CPM-M4 or other steels with high wear resistance would be the right way to go.

As attractive as the Gayle Bradley I think I'm leaning toward the Para2. The GB would still have the benefit of fitting nicely in my jig though.

What are the relative blade thicknesses?
 
KennyB said:
How much are those going to run? I liked both because they were roughly the same price.

One thing I should probably also consider is that Benchmade's S30V is a little slow on my waterstone, so I'm not sure if CPM-M4 or other steels with high wear resistance would be the right way to go.

As attractive as the Gayle Bradley I think I'm leaning toward the Para2. The GB would still have the benefit of fitting nicely in my jig though.

What are the relative blade thicknesses?
Click to expand...
The Para 2 is about $110. The Gayle Bradley is about $140. The Para2 CTS-20CP version is about $140 as well.

If you plan to expanding on high carbide steels like S30V, VG-10, M4, D2, Elmax and others, you'll need something better like DMT Benchstones, an Edge Pro, or power tools. IIRC, Spyderco's S30V blades are heat treated a bit harder than Benchmade's. So it might be harder to sharpen than what you're used to.

Spyderco's site sets the GB at 3mm thick while the Para2 is 3.5mm. The Para2 is a bit thinner near the tip, so it could probably pierce better. The hollow grind on the GB makes it an excellent slicer however.

Again, I think the final choice should really depend on what you intend to do with it. The GB is excellent at eating up cardboard, but cut an apple with it and you'll have a stain on the blade even if you wash it off in no more than 10 seconds. The Para2 would be better for food prep and other mundane tasks, though I'd expect cardboard to eat up the edge real fast.
 
I have had both, and only own the GB.. The GB is IMO the best spydie every made.. That M4 steel is incredbile, I paid 116.00 on line from a dealer plus 7.00 shipping..

Everyone should own a GB once in their life..
 
i agree with harley, the bradley is i.m.o. the finest piece in the entire spydie folder line. i have the police, millie enduras, & the stretch zdp. in terms of smoothness, strong construction. & edge retension the bradley is king.--dennis
 
i dont know where all this comes from about the cpm m4 on the bradley staining quickley. i have found in almost four months of edc use it has been outstanding in edge holding and resistance to staining. ive cut all kinds of food including oranges and apples. and left the blade unwashed for days at a time. i cannot get it to stain in any way. granted i havnt set it in vinegar over nite or whats the other one? mustard? rediculous. ive used it to dig out pickles from a jar and wiped it off on my pant leg and no stains. while it may not be a true stainless steel, i think reports of its aquiring a fast patina are from users who dont know what the heck there talking about. i like the para, just wouldnt trade my bradley for one. should be asking how many people find the compression lock a total pain in the ass and not how fast u can get a patina on m4 imo.

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My Gayle Bradley had the blade polished up on a buffing wheel to a near mirror finish when I had it, which helps a lot with rust. My usual use would be trimming about 15 cases of corn, which could take 2-3 hours. Whenever I stopped for break or whatnot, I would wash the blade with soap and water and wipe it dry. The pristine mirror finish would typically end with a somewhat "foggy" look and a slightly blue hue smack dab in the middle of the blade at the end of the day.

Believe me when I say that the steel is as vulnerable to corrosion as 1095 carbon steel.

Perhaps yours was wiped down with a Marine Tuf Cloth and you forgot that you put it on;)?
 
Does anyone here use the Para2 in a DMT Aligner clamp? I use one bench-stone style as my jig, so if someone could weigh in on how well it fits in the clamp ( is there any side-to-side wiggle ) on the FFG...
 
I am edcing a bradley now. sharpest knife out of box EVVVEEERRR. I was over my dads house and I was showing off the sharpness by cutting a stack of newspaper mabe 3/8 thick on the table. It went through all of it and put a nick in the table, moms was pissed. I had no idea that any blade could do that, my para has never had the ability to do that. however m4 does rust it is not stainless. I live a dirty life being a construcion worker and all my hobbies pretty much involve getting sweaty as well. I have to oil mine often to prevent rust from spotting. sweat is very acidic and will rust m4, hell Ive had cpms30v have rust spotting on it after a very long summer day hike, my para was pretty much emersed in sweat for like 10 hours. the rust spots rubbed right off. that would have stained m4 for sure
 
the only thing i put on my bradley is after i clean it i put a few drops of break free on the pivot and wipe the blade with it.. but this isnt often and its been weeks since i last oiled it and i edc it every day. the pic is less than a week old. not that i care so much if it gets some patina, im not anxious for it to happen. as far as 1095 goes, i used my esse4 to do a little whittling one evening. i think i ran it on my sharpmaker a few passes, wiped it off and put it away, the next day i noticed rust on the blade edge. this might not be definative proof that 1095 will rust allot faster than m4, but in my mind its proof enough. ive seen some patina in my zdp blades. but in neither case and i have let both the m4 and zdp go for quite some time dirty with juice and food stain on the blades, only to clean up and look like new, and yet the esse showed some rust after a day. after being cleaned and wiped off.
 
I accidentally knocked over a glass of water one night in bed and thought that I had cleaned it all up. one drop sat on the blade on my bradley and in the morning there was a dark rust spot the size of a drop of water.
 
I would like a para 2 but it will be a cold day in May when I trade it for my GB.
 
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I'd get the GB. It's better finished and built, slices much better, and will hold an edge better. The only downsides are the weight and the fact that it isn't stainless, but that shouldn't hold you back much.
 
I've been reading this since your first post. I'm still not sure what to tell you because it's not really clear what your priorities are. :) I have both...both are great knives, but they are fairly significantly different in various ways. Size, weight, lock, pocket-friendliness, stainless/carbon steel.
 
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