Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Range
Gear Talk
Choose my next pocket knife
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="ez bake" data-source="post: 1484020" data-attributes="member: 229"><p>Knives came in today (and I ordered a NIB Kershaw Tyrade and a Blem'd Kershaw Rake that should be here next week.</p><p></p><p>My first impressions are that Spyderco makes a damn good knife (both of these models are Taiwan made knives, but the QC and fit/finish is well above any other folder I've owned).</p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>The line-up of the blade when closed is perfect - no favoring either side, dead centered. No visible tooling marks or imperfections (even minor edges on the Carbon fiber or inside the liners) anywhere on either Spyderco. </p><p></p><p>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. I didn't really like the way that the Bird's Eye 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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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 with a flat-grind, but the grind doesn't go all the way up to the spine - I'd describe it as a more traditional drop-point blade shape with the Spyderco birds-eye/jimped thumb-support sort of sticking up off of the spine in an awkward attempt to Spyderco-ize the blade. </p><p></p><p>I'm digging the traditional drop-point shape / blade-grind though 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 (basically a steel tube that protects the lanyard from the blade). </p><p></p><p>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).</p><p></p><p>The Kershaw Packrat (orange). This is the best deal/value I've ever gotten on a knife. For $30 (at knifecenter.com) you get an American made assisted-open Kershaw with G10 scales (that you definitely won't loose in the woods).</p><p></p><p>As much as I hate the fact that Kershaw makes cheaper knives with lower-quality steels, this thing is a very good value. Its definitely not one of the above 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 on an assisted), and the blade favors the left scale 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).</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>All in all, I'm very happy with all of these knives, but if I had to give one up, it would be the Gayle Bradley - but only because the Rake and Tyrade I'm getting are both supposed to be larger beefier knives and I just don't need but one or two of those.</p><p></p><p>Here's some pics:</p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>[Broken External Image]</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ez bake, post: 1484020, member: 229"] Knives came in today (and I ordered a NIB Kershaw Tyrade and a Blem'd Kershaw Rake that should be here next week. My first impressions are that Spyderco makes a damn good knife (both of these models are Taiwan made knives, but the QC and fit/finish is well above any other folder I've 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 (even minor edges on the Carbon fiber or 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. I didn't really like the way that the Bird's Eye 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 with a flat-grind, but the grind doesn't go all the way up to the spine - I'd describe it as a more traditional drop-point blade shape with the Spyderco birds-eye/jimped thumb-support sort of sticking up off of the spine in an awkward attempt to Spyderco-ize the blade. I'm digging the traditional drop-point shape / blade-grind though 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 (basically a steel tube that protects the lanyard from the blade). 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). The Kershaw Packrat (orange). This is the best deal/value I've ever gotten on a knife. For $30 (at knifecenter.com) you get an American made assisted-open Kershaw with G10 scales (that you definitely won't loose in the woods). As much as I hate the fact that Kershaw makes cheaper knives with lower-quality steels, this thing is a very good value. Its definitely not one of the above 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 on an assisted), and the blade favors the left scale 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. All in all, I'm very happy with all of these knives, but if I had to give one up, it would be the Gayle Bradley - but only because the Rake and Tyrade I'm getting are both supposed to be larger beefier knives and I just don't need but one or two of those. Here's some pics: [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [b][Broken External Image][/b] [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Range
Gear Talk
Choose my next pocket knife
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom