Tenacious vs. Byrd Cara Cara

mnblade

mnblade

Joined
Feb 7, 2000
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My nephew just became an Eagle Scout and I want to buy him a knife as a gift. After picking his brain a bit, I think either the Tenacious or Byrd Cara Cara would fit the bill. Any thoughts of advantages of one to the other? Many thanks in advance, guys.
 
This probably won't be a popular opinion but I'd get him a Cara Cara 2 with g-10 handles. The FRN handles are a bit cheaper but g-10 to celebrate being an Eagle Scout and then the knives would have same handles. Both knives have the same blade steel and both feature flat ground blades. The Tenacious is a popular knife but I greatly prefer backlocks (like Cara Cara) to liner locks. The other thing I dislike about the Tenacious is it lacks the choil usually found on Spyderco blades. If properly held the choil can help keep from cutting yourself if a knife has a larger choil if the lock were to somehow disengage. Also due to the way a Cara Cara is blade/handle come together it is possible to choke up on the blade for fine cutting.
 
Of these two knives, I'd also go with the Cara Cara for exactly the reasons stated above.
 
i love the tenacious i have but i don't mind liner locks for most purposes. i agree that the lock back is stronger and the choil on the cara cara is nice to have but the tenacious is not an unwieldy blade and i have no problem using it as it is. not only that but the tenacious caries the spyderco name which is cool. Now we know they're made by the same parent company and probably in the same factory but a name is something cool. their both great blades and he'll be happy with eather
 
I haven't experienced the Byrd G-10, but I would imagine it is of similar quality to that offered with the Tenacious family line (which is 'okay' as far as G-10 goes.) I've had a couple of Byrd Cara Cara 2's in FRN though, and I think that the FRN is 'great'--I kinda like it better than the bi-directional pattern on the Delica/Endura, to be honest... :eek:
 
I have both knives, and I'd say I would have to go with a Tenacious. If you get a Cara Cara, you should get it engraved or something too! That'd be neat. (I'm an eagle scout as well. :cool: ) Good luck deciding!
 
As an Eagle Scout myself I would suggest splurging for a little better steel and go with a Delica 4 ffg, or go Made in the USA and get him a Native. Both will keep their edges longer and you will save him some money because he will get the Spyderco fever and want to get one of those knives anyway. Earning your Eagle is a tough and fun experience, Congratulations to your nephew!
 
Spyderedge Tenacious! If he likes knives as much as you do, he will probably get the Plain Edge Delica/Endura later which is similar to the Cara Cara.
 
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