Spyderco Gayle Bradley: What's the big deal?

Well, you all finally convinced me to give the GB a try after all the discussion here. Picked up one from the exchange for a really good price. So I've been sitting around the house fondling it and I am able to say that I now see what everyone was talking about. The fit and finish of the knife is just phenomenal for what the thing costs new. I am truly impressed and while I am hesitant to say its build quality is par with CRK and the like, It's damn near close. Good job Spyderco and thanks to all you buttheads that made me buy another great knife. :D

First pics... (yes, I know it's missing a clip screw but that's easily fixed.)

EFMandGB011_edited-1.jpg
 
i love my GB.

i have a sebenza large 21, XM-18, and m390 military, and the gb can hang in there with the best of them.

while the XM-18 has ergos that match my hand like a glove, the gb is no slouch. while just holding it, it feels a tad bit too small for my medium sized hands, but while using it, it feels great. i do get worried about the shallow choil at times too, but nothing negative has resulted. other than that, it is an awesome knife. and for less than $130 in most occasions, why the heck would you NOT buy one?! the M4 alone is worth it.

i have never regretted getting it and it cuts like a laser with the hollow grind and super sharp M4. I LOVE IT!
 
Reeek said:
As for releasing the liner lock - I put the pad of my thumb on the hump of the release portion and it releases as easy as any liner lock I have or have used without biting me. I don't use the part that has the slight cut away, just the hump. I don't know why the liner lock release keeps coming up but that's just me . . .
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I will have to try that. I used to use the cut away portion of the lock to unlock, and it hurts if you play with your knife too often, especially when the knife is newly bought.

The biggest flaw, IMO, of the GB is that the choil is nearly at the same horizontal line as the blade, making it easy to get yourself hurt if your fingers are wet and you can accidentally slip your fingers forward into the blade.
 
ElectrikHellfire said:
Well, you all finally convinced me to give the GB a try after all the discussion here. Picked up one from the exchange for a really good price. So I've been sitting around the house fondling it and I am able to say that I now see what everyone was talking about. The fit and finish of the knife is just phenomenal for what the thing costs new. I am truly impressed and while I am hesitant to say its build quality is par with CRK and the like, It's damn near close. Good job Spyderco and thanks to all you buttheads that made me buy another great knife. :D

First pics... (yes, I know it's missing a clip screw but that's easily fixed.)

EFMandGB011_edited-1.jpg
Click to expand...

Congrats on your purchase. You will not be disappointed. The GB has been my gentleman knife when I'm getting a little dressed up. But I have shaved off drywall in a pinch when I was too lazy to get my razor knife. It is truly a multi purpose knife. And I just took it to the beach and have never had rust issues. Too many people got hung up on that. Its a non issue with basic maintenance.
 
JNewell said:
Well, where do we start...

Premium materials.
Exceptional design.
Extremely high build quality.
Extraordinary value.

Hard not to like that one... :thumbup:

CPM-M4 doesn't rust when you look at it.
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This. ^^

I carry mine quite a bit, use it too. I keep it clean though. The blade still looks like new. And it takes an insane edge, whittles free hanging hair with little sharpening effort.
 
philwar said:
This. ^^

I carry mine quite a bit, use it too. I keep it clean though. The blade still looks like new. And it takes an insane edge, whittles free hanging hair with little sharpening effort.
Click to expand...

And ^^^ this. :thumbup:
 
goodeyesniper said:
I stopped using mine, because I usually use my knives to clean up small spills (using billet steel's ability to soak up liquid). However, water has a hard time soaking into the GB which makes it a crappy ShamWow...
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This is true, cpm tight steel arent good for that, I was trying to use my junglass as a do it all tool but, in the canoe when I was paddling with it the blade got soaked and real heavy. I need a cpm blade for that, the junglass will only be used to go to the mall from now on.
 
SCREEM said:
This is true, cpm tight steel arent good for that, I was trying to use my junglass as a do it all tool but, in the canoe when I was paddling with it the blade got soaked and real heavy. I need a cpm blade for that, the junglass will only be used to go to the mall from now on.
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That is sig worthy. :D

What's 'cpm tight steel' btw? Enquiring minds want to know!
 
Does anyone have other Taiwanese Spydies with f&f as good as the GB?

My Chaparral and Sages are terrific, but not quite up to the GB, IMO.
 
flash900 said:
Does anyone have other Taiwanese Spydies with f&f as good as the GB?

My Chaparral and Sages are terrific, but not quite up to the GB, IMO.
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Agree, close but not quite.
Many Spydies are very good, but all they are likely to be able to do is equal the f&f of the GB, it would be very hard to surpass.
 
The Chokwe is darned close to perfect. I consider the Taiwanese Spydies to be at the top of the F&F category and the Chokwe is one of the best. My Valloton has the tiniest little scratch on the handle and I still haven't gotten around to polishing that out. When I do, it will be perfect. :)

re: CPM-M4 is my 2nd favorite steel. CPM-S90v/CTS-20CP takes first place.
 
I have a Sage 1 and a Chokwe. Both have f&f on par with my GB. The only other knife I have that is even close is my cf m390 Millie, which was also close to flawless. It has an edge grind that is a touch uneven. But I gotta say those Taiwan made Spydies I have are just excellent on fit and finish. Their actions are all smooth as butter also. Blades centered, lockup solid each direction with zero play. High grade materials. Just excellent knives.
 
I guess I am old school... I normally only keep one edc at a time... I like the Gb very much... not only was I thoroughly impressed that my dumb-ass brother managed to get me a good gift, but once I opened it, I fell in love. I put this knife through hell and I enjoy doing it. Can't find a much a better bang for the buck.
 
Flectric said:
Put it this way, the knife has only one flaw, and to some it's not a flaw. The liner lock bits your thumb and hurts if your one to play with the knife even when your not using it. M4 does not rust like people claim it to because it not stainless, It's CPM built which means water has a hard time soaking into the metal, because such a tight structure. Overall knife is extremely well buit, beautiful and has a extremely tough blade, making it more that enough of a blade to choose when you only carry one.
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This was some great joke right there! LOL
 
i have a question guys....... so between the Gayle Bradley and the Paramilitary2, which one would you consider as Spyderco's flag bearer?
 
Neither. I think the Endura is the flag bearer of the Spyderco line.

I have yet to buy a GB. I personally have a hard time justifying the cost. But I am a traditional kind of person.
 
TTpower said:
i have a question guys....... so between the Gayle Bradley and the Paramilitary2, which one would you consider as Spyderco's flag bearer?
Click to expand...

I would say the Military is the flagship model.
 
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