Spyderco's Byrd line: what's the point?

Harry Callahan said:
...Not only that but I'm sure that the Byrd line has improved greatly. There's no way Spyderco would have kept it in their catalog this long if it hadn't. ...
Click to expand...

That sums it up. In my experience the first batch of Byrds was hit and miss. The low price mad up for the one lemon I got (out of four) and some minor flaws in the finish. I should point out that even the Byrd with an unexceptional amount of blade play still functions as a decent working knife. I never bothered to return it, because after some rigorous testing I decided that I could use it safely.

Since then quality control has improved dramatically. I bought quite a few Byrds as presents (and a few for myself), all exceptional knives for the price with good fit and finish.
 
Since my indirect question was ignored, I'll repeat it as a direct question:

When Byrd came out the warranty was different from Spyderco at 1year. Warranty work has always been a problem for Spyderco, that the Byrd line alleviates with a time limit.

However, now the 2010 print catalog has just an indemity statement for the Byrd warranty and the website only lists the Spyderco warranty. So no warranty on the website and per the print catolog there is no warranty. What is the true warranty for Byrd knives? I'll be nice and assume that the Spyderco warranty is the same for Byrd. Correct?
 
I see the byrd line as more of a line of knives for those just getting into the world of quality knives, as well as working/semi-disposable knives that won't matter if they are lost or broken. To use on jobs where you have a higher chance of losing or destroying a knife and if you do its not as big of a deal as it would be destroying an s90v military. They're also easier to sharpen again for people just starting out and those that don't want to spend a lot of time putting the perfect hair popping edge on their knife and just need a working edge to do tough jobs that will probably destroy the edge anyway. Where as the spyderco line is more for Knife knuts like ourselves, who don't mind spending hours sharpening, want to try new steels, locks, and handle materials, and don't use our knives for scraping paint off things or removing staples, not to say they can't do this with spydercos, and I've read of many forumites using their s90v militaries for hard work jobs like cutting through fiber glass sinks, but that S90V is going to take more time to sharpen and maintain but also is gonna last longer than a byrd knife, and I'm sure even though its a working knife the person using it would be much more upset if he lost that military than if he lost a byrd knife on the work site. Aso spyderco users don't mind paying $100+ for that extra quality, fit and finish.

Edited to add:
lots of other companies do this as well, Benchmade had their red line, now their harley davidson/H&K line of more affordable many chinese/taiwanese made knives, and kershaw while not as seperated definitely have their economical knives and AFI knives, for example the kershaw skyline vs the Kershaw Volt. Also as far as warranty, the Byrd line IMO are designed for shorter harder lives compared to the spyderco line, and part of the price difference you are paying is for the extra warranty one year I think vs lifetime warranty. It doesn't make much sense to me for spyderco to sell $25 knives with a lifetime warranty that they end up spending $30 dollars on fixing blades, replacing handles and screws, and paying for shipping. Like with ESEE Knives, 1095 isn't that costly compared to say 3V, but because of their outstanding warranty I'm willing to pay the prices for their knives, without the warranty, maybe not.
 
Last edited:
brownshoe said:
Part of the byrd concept was probably a marketing scam so as to not "dilute" the brand name "Spyderco" with the concept of "chinese." Spydercos have been made all over the world, with no change in name until they started to be made in a communist country. The scam didn't work because all the dealers sold Byrds as the inexpensive Spyderco so in the end there was no real brand distinction. The scam was not even really needed since the consumer didn't care that much about whether or not the knife was made in china. That's why we have inexpensive spydercos made in China now. I'd bet in a few years there may not be a Byrd unless it exists as a product line for some family member to manage.


When Byrd came out the warranty different from Spyderco at 1year. However, now the 2010 print catalog has just an indemity statement for the Byrd warranty and the website only lists the Spyderco warranty. Makes you wonder what the true warranty is for Byrd knives. Per the print catolog there is none.
Click to expand...

The Byrd line has been affiliated with Spyderco for as far back as I can remember and the Spyderco name has been on the product since the first Byrds hit the market.

PayetteRucker said:
Byrd was a step in the right direction for Spyderco-the direction of practicality. Their blades have never struck me more than overhyped, overpriced letter openers. Why? Impractical hollow grinds, absolutely no belly and wayyy too fragile of a point for anything more than the most basic cutting tasks. Not to mention most of the steels they work with are too damn hard to sharpen on the go... So for this purpose why not use a well constructed 20 dollar folder than a well constructed 150 dollar folder? I have a Raven-it doesn't get much use other than the occasional flick of the wrist to pass the time and limber up my stiff hand joints... I do however think that the meadowlark with aluminum scales is a real piece of work. It has sex appeal, I'll give it that...
Click to expand...

PayetteRucker said:
I guess that post came off pretty rough, but here's my deal with knives. I'm a firm believer that folders have one role, and it's very limited-simple slicing tasks. I know there are some folders that will take light outdoor use, but as a guy that spends 80% of his freetime partaking in outdoor recreation, there isn't a folder in existence I'd trust to handle anything more than that. Do I use folders? Yes. I haven't spent more than 20 bucks on one in a VERY long time, but those I currently own have very simple, practical design (and materials) for outdoor use. I know the Military and Paramilitary (and other Spydercos) are both of strong design and quality and are favorites among the outdoor use community, but the way I see these higher end folders is money spent on materials and design to try to mimick the strength of a fixed blade when concealability and carry volume are of no real importance to me. This is why I believe the Byrd line is more practical than the Spydercos. They know their role-cheap, efficient well made slicers that I can maintain with a piece of sandpaper or an Arkansas stone. Hard high end steels and fancy locks and materials is just shifting the balance of cost/effectiveness in the wrong direction when a 12 dollar Buck Paklite skinner does the same job better.
Click to expand...

I would have to disagree that folders are slicers and nothing more. I've trusted my life to a folding knife for over 15 years in the commercial fishing and maritime industries. I have carried a Byrd knife for the last year, almost exclusively. If I could afford a high end Spyderco I would have on clipped to me every minute on the water.

Because a folding knife does not fit YOUR knife needs does not relegate them to "simple slicing tasks." It does not render them "impractical." Spyderco markets to several nitches from the collector market to the non-knife person knife user. Joe Construction Worker is not going to buy a $250 folder. Jane Knife collector isn't going to buy a $20 folding knife.

Every Byrd folder I have had and used had the fit and finish of a Spyderco knife. I have carried and used a lot of folding knives in my day and have experienced several different brands. Buck, Benchmade, Kershaw, Spyderco, CRKT, and so on. With all but Spyderco, there is a noticeable difference in the lower end product and the higher end knives.
 
Just in case anyone was wondering what the new Byrd Cara Cara 2 and Meadowlark 2 are going to look like. I absolutely love the new flat grind.


spyderco_amsterdammeet2010_prototype_caracarameadowlark2g10.jpg
 
Last edited:
Pete1977 said:
I would have to disagree that folders are slicers and nothing more. I've trusted my life to a folding knife for over 15 years in the commercial fishing and maritime industries. I have carried a Byrd knife for the last year, almost exclusively. If I could afford a high end Spyderco I would have on clipped to me every minute on the water.

Because a folding knife does not fit YOUR knife needs does not relegate them to "simple slicing tasks." It does not render them "impractical." Spyderco markets to several nitches from the collector market to the non-knife person knife user. Joe Construction Worker is not going to buy a $250 folder. Jane Knife collector isn't going to buy a $20 folding knife.
Click to expand...

I'm a knife person and my Byrd is a user... And out of practicality and cost effectiveness, anything more than simple slicing tasks puts a fixed blade way ahead of a folder-as I explained-excess money spent on materials and lock design in attempt to mimick a fixed blade's functionality. So why spend hundreds of dollars on a titanium lock when I can spend 20 dollars on a fixed blade knife and get the same effectiveness cheaper? I'm not saying this applies to everyone, but it definitely makes more sense to me. Is anyone else wrong who doesn't share my opinions? No, but for practicality and budget's sake, a folder is a convenient cutting tool and limited to that role.
 
Boozoo Chavis said:
Just in case anyone was wondering what the new Byrd Cara Cara and Robin are going to look like. I absolutely love the new flat grind.


spyderco_amsterdammeet2010_prototype_caracarameadowlark2g10.jpg
Click to expand...

I wasn't too fond of the old Cara Cara blade shape. Just personal preference though. It was a very good knife. These on the other hand are a must have for me. They more resemble the Endura and Delica, which I have enough of already, but what's wrong with adding another knife to the box ;) I'll be watching for these at future gun and knife shows. Spyderco reminds me of Buck Knives overseas quality control, which is great and affordable. My Tenacious is beat the hell out of at work and keeps going for $30 + shipping. Couldn't ask for more for a quality work knife.
 
I've got a Raven and it's in my pocket right now. :) Great little knife.

Every time I see pictures of Byrds, I think to myself, "That should would mod easily into a waved knife." Any chance of seeing something like that??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top