Stretch II CF or Gayle Bradley?

michaelm466

michaelm466

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These seem pretty similar, carbon fiber handles, blade shape, super steel, both highly praised and well liked in general, etc. Found them both for around $120 I plan on getting both eventually, but just have enough for one right now. I just wanted to hear owner/user opinions on them and which you prefer if you have experience with both. Which do you like better and why?
 
The GB is a big folder, the Stretch is smaller and more refined. I would get the Bradley if you plan on using it hard. The Stretch is a slicing machine.
 
Buffalohump said:
The GB is a big folder, the Stretch is smaller and more refined. I would get the Bradley if you plan on using it hard. The Stretch is a slicing machine.
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:thumbup::thumbup:

Those are my 2 favorite Spydies!!
 
My Stretch II has carbon fiber scales to go along with its ZDP blade. It is a slicing machine! It is also very ergonomic...extremely well-built. She's a beauty! Cannot recommend the Stretch II highly enough.

AJ
 
Only have the Stretch, but unless you feel the need for a heavy duty/hard use knife, I'd say go for it. It's over an ounce lighter and has a better textured and more structured handle, a larger Spyderhole, and an easily operated full ambi lock.

Paul
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I don't see any benefit of the carbon fiber in the CF Stretch as compared to the FRN Stretch. CF is not more grippy or more durable than FRN. More "up scale"? Thats in the eye of the beholder. But functionally I don't see any benefit. What am I missing here?
 
powernoodle said:
I don't see any benefit of the carbon fiber in the CF Stretch as compared to the FRN Stretch. CF is not more grippy or more durable than FRN. More "up scale"? Thats in the eye of the beholder. But functionally I don't see any benefit. What am I missing here?
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CF version is noticeably thinner, some would see that as a benefit, others as a downside. Aside from that, you're not missing anything. Some folks will pay extra for a gold watch, some will buy the stainless version with the same movement.

Paul
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My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Kiwimania ---- Spydiewiki
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twisted up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
The Deacon said:
CF version is noticeably thinner
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Really? The FRN Stretch is pretty dang thin to begin with. I would have thunk that the CF Stretch would be thicker, but the only CF I have is on the Gayle Bradley.

Micheal, I like my both my BG and FRN Stretch. I have always found the GB someone incongruent, because it has the "up scale" CF (which seems to serve no purpose to me) on a knife that is billed as "hard use". What I'm saying is that the "up scale" and the "hard use" are incongruent. But both knives are good stuff.
 
powernoodle said:
Really? The FRN Stretch is pretty dang thin to begin with. I would have thunk that the CF Stretch would be thicker, but the only CF I have is on the Gayle Bradley.

Micheal, I like my both my BG and FRN Stretch. I have always found the GB someone incongruent, because it has the "up scale" CF (which seems to serve no purpose to me) on a knife that is billed as "hard use". What I'm saying is that the "up scale" and the "hard use" are incongruent. But both knives are good stuff.
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Yes, really. At least to me, although both are totally anorexic compared to a Buck 110. ;) But judge for yourself...

comp_stretch_thickness.JPG

Paul
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My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Kiwimania ---- Spydiewiki
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twisted up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
The GB does have a bit of a split personality. I wouldn't call it purely utilitarian thanks to the carbon fiber and proud liners. But it has the best out-of-the-box cutting geometry I've seen and a high performance steel to take advantage of that thinness. It has a very thick liner lock that's thicker than many framelocks (at the cutout). I like the ergonomics. It's less comfortable for me to carry (IWB) than the Stretch because of the greater thickness. My Stretch was thicker behind the edge so I reprofiled it and now it's a slicing beast.
 
Mr. Deacon, you are making me want a CF Stretch. But that seems to happen regularly when I get engaged in a Spydie thread.
 
The Deacon said:
CF version is noticeably thinner, some would see that as a benefit, others as a downside. Aside from that, you're not missing anything. Some folks will pay extra for a gold watch, some will buy the stainless version with the same movement.

Paul
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My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Kiwimania ---- Spydiewiki
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twisted up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
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I don't care for blue knives. :p

Andy
 
My son has the Stretch (CF) and I have the GB. Both are very nice knives. I do like the FFG blade on the Stretch better than the grind of the GB, though.

Andy
 
CF may be thinner, but for the most part doesn't it weigh more in relation to FRN all things equal? I see that as a bit of a trade off myself... I'd rather have something that is lighter and just possibly a wee bit thicker over heavier/thinner.
 
Those are my favorite Spydies, for sure.
Stretch carries easier but the GB is the best work knife I've ever had.
If you can get a CPM M4 blade with that heat treat and grind for that price you're getting a great deal, IMHO.
 
SMI said:
CF may be thinner, but for the most part doesn't it weigh more in relation to FRN all things equal? I see that as a bit of a trade off myself... I'd rather have something that is lighter and just possibly a wee bit thicker over heavier/thinner.
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Hard to say for sure. Don't believe there has ever been a model which used the exact same construction on CF and FRN versions.

CF version of the Stretch has full liners with slabs of CF on top, plus a steel backspacer. FRN version has nested liners and an FRN backspacer. FRN version is 14 grams lighter. But how much of that is from the scale material, how much from the smaller liners and FRN backspacer is impossible to judge.

Weighing 1" cubes of both would give the most accurate answer, but would still be somewhat misleading since, in reality, "all things are NEVER equal". A 1" X 5" X 1/8" slab of CF, for example will be a lot more rigid than an FRN slab of those dimensions, but there will be a point where the FRN will flex and survive while the CF will break. Which is why Spyderco optimizes different versions of their designs for the materials being used.

Andrew Colglazier said:
I don't care for blue knives. :p

Andy
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Sal has said that the FRN/ZDP-189 version will be changed from blue to British Racing Green shortly. :p

Paul
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My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Kiwimania ---- Spydiewiki
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twisted up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
I have what I would call big hands. Its important for me to have a knife

with a handle long enough to fit my hand. I have both the frn Stretch and

the GB. The handle on the Stretch would be perfect if the rear "notch"

or whatever you want to call it didnt extend downward.

The GB handle is just right. I like the blade on the GB better for all around

use. To me its a great slicer too.
 
I can honestly say the Gayle Bradley is the one Spyderco I'll never sell. I already have plans to cart my PPT off even though it's a great knife.

The Bradley has a wicked hollow grind and is super sharp. Even though the spine is thick, this knife easily slices as well as my Caly 3 CF I used to have. I haven't and can't measure it, but I'd reckon the Bradley is one of the thinnest behind-the-edge knives out there. Add that with wicked sharp M4 and you have a winner, AND something a bit 'different'.
 
I have both knives in CF, in fact, two of the GB's and both the Stretch and GB are my EDC knives.

The Stretch slips into the front pocket with ease, it's thin and super sharp.

The GB has more heft to it, is thicker and more robust.

These attributes have been mentioned a lot in various threads.

If I had to keep one knife, it would be the GB. However, the Stretch is not going anywhere soon as it's a great knife that disappears in EDC and is a pleasure to carry. ;)

BTW, the GB's that I paid $125.00 delivered each IMHO, are the BEST values and knives in general for that price! Or a lot higher in price too.

Tell me where you can get a CF, liner lock, M4 steel with excellent workmanship knife for that price?

The GB is a knife that screams QUALITY!
 
Of the two I only have the Bradley and it's an amazing knife. As mentioned above the quality is punching well above it's price point and always puts a smile on my face when I'm using it.

The thing to be aware of is that the M4 steel will react and discolor vs the stainless of the Stretch.

Why fight it, get them both, you know you will and they are different enough that they'll compliment each other in your EDC lineup.
 
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