- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,752
Just bought my first Spyderco knives (since you really can't just buy one). I can tell already that I'm going to be purchasing a few more in the future.
Picked up a Sage and a Gayle Bradley (wanted a large rough-use and a smaller knife). I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of YouTube videos looking for a knife to replace my DPX HEST/f (won't go into detail, but I eventually bailed on my wait for the Limited Edition version) and a smaller knife to carry around when my EDC goes to more minimalistic (with the J-frame and Quark Mini-123). I've always wanted a Kershaw Tyrade, but couldn't find a new one (until immediately after buying the two Spydercos) so I've ordered a Tyrade from Kershawguy on here (and a Blem'd Rake), so I'll have to compare them together with the Gayle Bradley when they come in.
I also picked up a Kershaw PackRat in orange since they were $30 (that's why its in the pics).
My first impressions are that Spyderco makes a damn good knife. Both of these models are Taiwan made knives - which I was pretty concerned about when ordering, but the QC and fit/finish is well above any other production folder I've ever owned.
The brass-bushing is visible from the top of the knife when folded and its presence is truly felt - these things really do feel like a ball-bearing on oiled glass when opening.
The line-up of the blade when closed is perfect - no favoring either side, dead centered. No visible tooling marks or imperfections (not even minor imperfections on the Carbon fiber or in places that aren't visible to the outside like inside the liners) anywhere on either Spyderco.
Both Spydercos have perfect lockup with no play, very solid and the closing is very solid with the ball-bearing/detent holding the blades firmly in-place when closed. At first, I didn't really like the way that the thumber-hole was cut - very sharp edge, but when I realized that it was the only point at which your thumb get's hold of the blade to open it, I figured out that it needs to grab and having a very sharply cut edge on it allows for your thumb to really get hold of it.
The Sage is super-light weight (thin Carbon-fiber scales with thin liners that have been skeletonized). Its got a little 3" blade on it that actually only has a cutting edge of about 2 5/8" long (with a jimped choil making up the remaining 3/8"). It is by all accounts the perfect size - it looks/feels very similar to my ESEE Izula w/scales (only with about an inch longer handle - so probably very similar to the Izula II). S30V steel blade makes for a user/keeper for sure.
It has an ambidextrous wire-style clip very close to the bottom of the scale (but only tip-up on either left/right side) that allows for a very low carry. I'm very much digging this Sage. It is razor sharp.
The Gayle Bradley is pretty much what I expected (only even bigger in real life). A big hard-use liner-lock knife (I know that doesn't sound right, but the liner in this thing is bigger than 4 of my frame-lock folders - its ridiculous). It is noticeably heavy, but aside from the even-more-than-usually thick blade on most Spyderco knives, its got those huge liners which despite the attempts to skeletonize them, are pretty darn beefy. The blade is CPM-M4 steel - I'm pretty excited about that fact alone.
Had I not just ordered the Tyrade, I'd probably keep this one for sure just for hard-use folder needs (its got a razor sharp edge).
I'm digging the mix of Spyderco blade and traditional drop-point shape / blade-grind and pretty much everything about this knife (full tip-up/tip-down left-handed/right-handed clip-mounting holes). Its got a shielded lanyard-hole.
I just don't know if I'll end up keeping it over the Tyrade - I'll have to see if the Tyrade is just too big or not first I guess. This is definitely a knife I would trust for hard-use based on the reviews and tests I've seen online (and in person - its just a big chunk of steel man). I just really don't need too many larger knives (but then again, I don't own another knife with a CPM-M4 blade, so maybe this one is a keeper).
In contrast, I also got a Kershaw Packrat (orange) with the Spydercos. I'm a fan of Kershaw knives (especially for cheaper folders) and this is the best deal/value I've ever gotten on a knife. For $30 you get an American made assisted-open Kershaw with G10 scales (that you definitely won't loose in the woods). Its definitely not one of the Spydercos (then again, its almost $100 cheaper than the other two).
Its got some visible tooling marks in quite a few places, the lack of a brass bushing is noticeable (not that it matters as much on an assisted), and the blade favors the left liner when closed - just a hair more than the right. Big fat ugly pocket-clip, but its sturdy and it does the job well. Blade was very sharp from the factory (though not as sharp as either Spyderco - also, it wasn't polished to as fine an edge).
I like the blade shape on this PackRat as it is skinnier than the leaf and the drop-point and allows for some intricate work. It is only 3 1/4" long, but feels noticeably longer than the Sage's blade. The liners and spine of the blade are very thick though - its an impressive knife for $30 for sure (its an impressive knife for the standard price of $60). Has what looks like a G10 insert in the back of the knife, so its not an open-construction model. The thumb-studs are almost useless for opening, but the flipper is what I always default to on a Kershaw with a flipper anyways. No Jimping at all on this one.
Here's some pics:
Picked up a Sage and a Gayle Bradley (wanted a large rough-use and a smaller knife). I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of YouTube videos looking for a knife to replace my DPX HEST/f (won't go into detail, but I eventually bailed on my wait for the Limited Edition version) and a smaller knife to carry around when my EDC goes to more minimalistic (with the J-frame and Quark Mini-123). I've always wanted a Kershaw Tyrade, but couldn't find a new one (until immediately after buying the two Spydercos) so I've ordered a Tyrade from Kershawguy on here (and a Blem'd Rake), so I'll have to compare them together with the Gayle Bradley when they come in.
I also picked up a Kershaw PackRat in orange since they were $30 (that's why its in the pics).
My first impressions are that Spyderco makes a damn good knife. Both of these models are Taiwan made knives - which I was pretty concerned about when ordering, but the QC and fit/finish is well above any other production folder I've ever owned.
The brass-bushing is visible from the top of the knife when folded and its presence is truly felt - these things really do feel like a ball-bearing on oiled glass when opening.
The line-up of the blade when closed is perfect - no favoring either side, dead centered. No visible tooling marks or imperfections (not even minor imperfections on the Carbon fiber or in places that aren't visible to the outside like inside the liners) anywhere on either Spyderco.
Both Spydercos have perfect lockup with no play, very solid and the closing is very solid with the ball-bearing/detent holding the blades firmly in-place when closed. At first, I didn't really like the way that the thumber-hole was cut - very sharp edge, but when I realized that it was the only point at which your thumb get's hold of the blade to open it, I figured out that it needs to grab and having a very sharply cut edge on it allows for your thumb to really get hold of it.
The Sage is super-light weight (thin Carbon-fiber scales with thin liners that have been skeletonized). Its got a little 3" blade on it that actually only has a cutting edge of about 2 5/8" long (with a jimped choil making up the remaining 3/8"). It is by all accounts the perfect size - it looks/feels very similar to my ESEE Izula w/scales (only with about an inch longer handle - so probably very similar to the Izula II). S30V steel blade makes for a user/keeper for sure.
It has an ambidextrous wire-style clip very close to the bottom of the scale (but only tip-up on either left/right side) that allows for a very low carry. I'm very much digging this Sage. It is razor sharp.
The Gayle Bradley is pretty much what I expected (only even bigger in real life). A big hard-use liner-lock knife (I know that doesn't sound right, but the liner in this thing is bigger than 4 of my frame-lock folders - its ridiculous). It is noticeably heavy, but aside from the even-more-than-usually thick blade on most Spyderco knives, its got those huge liners which despite the attempts to skeletonize them, are pretty darn beefy. The blade is CPM-M4 steel - I'm pretty excited about that fact alone.
Had I not just ordered the Tyrade, I'd probably keep this one for sure just for hard-use folder needs (its got a razor sharp edge).
I'm digging the mix of Spyderco blade and traditional drop-point shape / blade-grind and pretty much everything about this knife (full tip-up/tip-down left-handed/right-handed clip-mounting holes). Its got a shielded lanyard-hole.
I just don't know if I'll end up keeping it over the Tyrade - I'll have to see if the Tyrade is just too big or not first I guess. This is definitely a knife I would trust for hard-use based on the reviews and tests I've seen online (and in person - its just a big chunk of steel man). I just really don't need too many larger knives (but then again, I don't own another knife with a CPM-M4 blade, so maybe this one is a keeper).
In contrast, I also got a Kershaw Packrat (orange) with the Spydercos. I'm a fan of Kershaw knives (especially for cheaper folders) and this is the best deal/value I've ever gotten on a knife. For $30 you get an American made assisted-open Kershaw with G10 scales (that you definitely won't loose in the woods). Its definitely not one of the Spydercos (then again, its almost $100 cheaper than the other two).
Its got some visible tooling marks in quite a few places, the lack of a brass bushing is noticeable (not that it matters as much on an assisted), and the blade favors the left liner when closed - just a hair more than the right. Big fat ugly pocket-clip, but its sturdy and it does the job well. Blade was very sharp from the factory (though not as sharp as either Spyderco - also, it wasn't polished to as fine an edge).
I like the blade shape on this PackRat as it is skinnier than the leaf and the drop-point and allows for some intricate work. It is only 3 1/4" long, but feels noticeably longer than the Sage's blade. The liners and spine of the blade are very thick though - its an impressive knife for $30 for sure (its an impressive knife for the standard price of $60). Has what looks like a G10 insert in the back of the knife, so its not an open-construction model. The thumb-studs are almost useless for opening, but the flipper is what I always default to on a Kershaw with a flipper anyways. No Jimping at all on this one.
Here's some pics:
Last edited:
