C134CFP - Gayle Bradley Folder

[jezabel]

While this might not be the place to discuss this (perhaps a new thread might be in order.... ).
I've never really warmed to the twill CF scales or the exposed liners, I'd be much more at home with peel ply CF, rough G10 or ultimately Micarta. This is all just a matter of my personal preferences though. FWIW I'm in the process of making up some full "mycarta" slabs for mine at the moment.

In saying that, my GB has seen a huge amount of work in past couple of months and has respectively earned a full time role in my work EDC , I do enjoy using this knife tremendously.
I'm quite at home with the carry weight of the knife, but as far as the balance is concerned, having so much weight in the handle has taken time to get used to, I am only comfortable with the balance now, after having used this so much.

I honestly cant understand why the liners were never skeletonized though. Correct me if I'm wrong here but the concept had titanium liners, and the production prototype had skeletonized liners. This would still be a solid knife with skeletonized liners. What happened?
As great and popular as the GB is now, I believe a slightly lighter better balanced version of the GB would have this knife in far more pockets.

Jez

[LorenzoL]

Titanium liners would have been awesome, but the cost would be much higher. I do not know why they did not skeletonize the SS liners, it is the same with the Manix 2, some are skeletonized and some are not...

[Blerv]

It all adds to cost which is a factor of msrp and ultimately retail price.

It's easier to sell a knife on the street for $120. When people warm up you can offer a drilled-liner version with different scales for a little more.

It's one hell of a knife for the money. If you want CPM-M4 there arent many options (and only one for the price). For most competing brands you will pay more for FRN and D2 or S30v. =p

[npueppke]

I don't really like carbon fiber either (the feeling, not the look), but I don't think this knife would look very good with G10. I'm still planning on picking one of these up... eventually lol.

I think an FRN version has serious possibilites though. Keep the M4 for the ultimate work knife.

[Blerv]

I don't really like carbon fiber either (the feeling, not the look), but I don't think this knife would look very good with G10. I'm still planning on picking one of these up... eventually lol.

I think an FRN version has serious possibilites though. Keep the M4 for the ultimate work knife.

I completely hear you. I like CF but prefer other scales for hard work.

To be honest I had completely written off this knife. Grind, steel, CF scales, weight, etc....then I saw the reviews. People beating the hell out of the knife cutting nasty materials that bounced off it like the Man of Steel. "It's like a custom folder." or "It's knocked my Military out of my pocket..."

Now it's on my dang wish list. sigh.

[npueppke]

Now it's on my dang wish list. sigh.

That's always the way it goes, isn't it.

[Donut]

You all have worn me down and I have purchased a Gayle Bradley and a Michael Walker. The argument that they are not too expensive has worked. I agree that they aren't too expensive and I would hate to get one more reasonably priced with an alternate blade steel.

I will now be evaluating my purchases by if I think the Carbon Fiber is worth the increased overall cost of the knife.

[MCM]

IMO they should be priced like this in FRN.
There are some really great deals today.

Let me know how you like 'em.

Two of my favorites!

[Donut]

The Walker is really nice. It is an amazing knife for its size, or any size really. I have some slight finishing issues like cracks.

The Gayle Bradley is good, it's nice and heavy, strong. The lock is somewhat difficult to disengage. I was opening and closing it to get used to it, and my thumb was hurting after a while.

But yeah, two great knives for the price.

[flash900]

The Gayle Bradley is good, it's nice and heavy, strong. The lock is somewhat difficult to disengage. I was opening and closing it to get used to it, and my thumb was hurting after a while.

Is the lock that stiff?.....This is a linerlock, right?

[jzmtl]

The actual lock is not stiff per se, it's just hard to reach without cutout to access it.

[Donut]

Yeah, that's right. It isn't stiff, it's just well protected.

[flash900]

Do I need exceptionally long thumbs to reach it?
Not sure I want something that's a pain to operate.

[JNewell]

Do I need exceptionally long thumbs to reach it?
Not sure I want something that's a pain to operate.

No. The "issue" is that there isn't as much of a cutout for access to the lockbar as in many other designs. Personally, I have no trouble unlocking the GB with either thumb.

[LorenzoL]

No pain at all, the Bradley is my favorite Spyderco at the moment.

[JNewell]

No pain at all, the Bradley is my favorite Spyderco at the moment.

Tied with Manix 2 here

[flash900]

Tied with Manix 2 here

Really -- I've been looking at both.
If you were only buying one, which would it be?

[JNewell]

Really -- I've been looking at both.
If you were only buying one, which would it be?

Both, really. They are different knives...(duh)...both are stupendous values. For around US$200 street price, you could probably have both...what to say?

If the Manix 2 tip-up clip position doesn't work for you, choose the GB.

If you really need stainless, choose the M2.

I will way that it took a while for the M2 to grow on me, whereas the GB was an instant bonding experience. But at this point, if you told me to trim all my folders down to three, I would probably keep one of the M2 sprints, the GB and a small inlay Sebenza. Notice that all my BMs would be looking for a home...great knives, but not as great as the stuff Sal is sending us these days.

[flash900]

Both, really. They are different knives...(duh)...both are stupendous values. For around US$200 street price, you could probably have both...what to say?

If the Manix 2 tip-up clip position doesn't work for you, choose the GB.

If you really need stainless, choose the M2.

I will way that it took a while for the M2 to grow on me, whereas the GB was an instant bonding experience. But at this point, if you told me to trim all my folders down to three, I would probably keep one of the M2 sprints, the GB and a small inlay Sebenza. Notice that all my BMs would be looking for a home...great knives, but not as great as the stuff Sal is sending us these days.

I've comethisclose several times to ordering a GB. What stops me is, first, the weight, and now, these comments about the lock.

As for the Manix, the tip-up clip doesn't bother me. I'd prefer FFG, but that isn't a deal-breaker (and I don't want to pay the price of the limited editions on spec for a knife I'm on the fence about.) My larger question is about the lock.

I liked lockbacks because of their simplicity. In time, I grew to appreciate Sal's linerlocks. I've had no issues with those I've tried, actually preferring them in some ways to the lockbacks. I've never seen a ball bearing lock. Has anyone seen a decent video that shows it in action?

[JNewell]

Honestly, although this is inherently subjective, I don't think the lock "issue" should be an issue with the GB, which is an exceptional design with exceptional materials and an exceptional value.

If anything, I think (for me) the Manix 2 CBL took longer to get used to and warm up to.

There are probably a zillion videos on YT but I'll try to do a very quick one focused (literally and figuratively) on demo'ing the lock action on a Manix 2. It's very good and very strong.

I've comethisclose several times to ordering a GB. What stops me is, first, the weight, and now, these comments about the lock.

As for the Manix, the tip-up clip doesn't bother me. I'd prefer FFG, but that isn't a deal-breaker (and I don't want to pay the price of the limited editions on spec for a knife I'm on the fence about.) My larger question is about the lock.

I liked lockbacks because of their simplicity. In time, I grew to appreciate Sal's lockbacks. I've had no issues with those I've tried, actually preferring them in some ways to the lockbacks. I've never seen a ball bearing lock. Has anyone seen a decent video that shows it in action?