Myerco Blackie Collins

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For an inexpensive folder I'm partial to the spyderco byrd line which has a few different sizes. I carried a full stainless meadowlark for years. http://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Meadowla...1389997426&sr=8-10&keywords=byrd+meadowlark+2

You can get them in FRN or G10 as well. They come with a full face grind now, but the originals can still be found. You can get two for $60 and still have some change left. My wife still carries a spyderco byrd robin.

John
 
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Thanks John...I appreciate the direction. :)

Sam,
Don't you think that a liner lock knife should be able to withstand a light tap on the spine without folding? To me, this signifies a failure in function considering the knife SHOULD be designed to not fold under such minimal back pressure on the spine. I mean...come on Sam...I barely tapped the damn thing. Would you want a knife like that in you possession?

Geoffry
 
9mmforMe said:
Sam,
Don't you think that a liner lock knife should be able to withstand a light tap on the spine without folding?
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It depends.

On a lightly constructed linerlock a smack on the spine might introduce failure inducing flexing of the liners and scales that might not occur if the knife was held firmly in the hand.
A better measure of the strength of a lock would be to whip up a fixture and force the lock to fail against a torque wrench

I think it is good SOP when using any folder to assume that the lock will eventually,unpredictably, fail and handle the knife in accordance with that threat.
 
I agree with you that a "tap/whack test" is testing a function that is usually not going to be employed. Additionally, you are correct about the compression of the scales and liners. I like the torque test you spoke of. I must add though that one of the knives was locked open and I was able to close it with minimal pressure from my fingers...I can't accept that. Also true that being prepared for failure is akin to the drills one would prepare for with a handgun or long arm...good preparedness.
 
I don't really trust ANY liner lock, except frame locks. Cheap liner locks? Hell, no. A back lock is harder to screw up.
 
You know what, JS? I was thinking the same thing and will be moving from carrying a liner lock to a back lock as I did 20 years ago. I'll keep some of my liners, but they will be relegated to the bottom of the tool box, range bag or car console for light duty.
 
Detachment from the material is essential as is divorcing one from their sense of self...self/ego is just a fleeting illusion.

Does that Buddha come in stainless? :)
 
9mmforMe said:
You know what, JS? I was thinking the same thing and will be moving from carrying a liner lock to a back lock as I did 20 years ago. I'll keep some of my liners, but they will be relegated to the bottom of the tool box, range bag or car console for light duty.
Click to expand...

Lots of nice Spyderco backlocks out there, and the Spyderco byrds are good for the money as well. The G10 Cara Cara 2 I had was a nice knife.

Not to sound like a broken record. :D

EDIT: To be more fair, Boker, Cold Steel, and Ka-Bar all make reasonably priced modern one handed lockbacks.

EDIT: And IIRC some of the Lone Wold knives are lockbacks too.
 
9mm, I like Buck's value priced US made folders, but the Spyderco Byrds are much more robust. Hence, I really like the Byrd lockbacks when looking for a knife for $30 or less.
 
Thanks Ug,

I appreciate the info. I bought a Buck Bantam in 420HC and think it is a pretty solid little knife for 20 dollars. I still want to get a pair of Spydercos though...I have $100 to spend...and hope to find something good. Any suggestions for a couple 50 buck Spydercos? Thanks in advance.
 
9mm, here's a quick price breakdown on Spyderco:

$20-$30:

Byrd brand lockbacks. FRN handles on the low end, G10 handles on the high end. Made in China, 8Cr13MoV blades.

$35-$50:

Spyderco brand value line (Tenacious, Persistence, Ambitious, Resilience) Chinese made liner locks. All have G10 handles and 8Cr13MoV blades. Some are available with black coated blades. Nicer fit & finish than the Byrds, but the steel is the same, and (again) these are liner locks.

Spyderco Dragonfly FRN. This one is a bit of an oddball in a good way. It's one of the smallest Spydercos with a pocket clip, and it's much more substantial than a keyring knife. It's a three finger grip knife that feels and cuts bigger than it is. At $43 on Amazon it's the entry to the Japanese made, VG-10 blade Spydercos (excluding the tiny little Ladybug keyring knife).

Chicago and Cat. These are the small G10 handle, 440C blade, liner locks that are made in Taiwan. The Cat is excellent when you can find it on sale for under $40. The Chicago is a scaled down Cat, and the proportions are a little off as result.

$55-$70:

FRN handle Delica and Endura. These are the knives that Spyderco is most known for. Made in Japan with VG-10 blades and back locks.

Centofante III. This is another Japanese made, VG-10 blade lockback. It also has a dressed up FRN handle. These are currently going for $55 on Amazon.

$70+ :

Everything else. This is also the entry level for the US made Spydercos like the Native lightweight and the Manix 2 lightweight. High end US, Japanese, and Taiwanese made folders are here too.
 
Thank you, Sir!

I'm in the process of deciding as I write this.

Btw...I like your video reviews. Very informative.
 
Alternatives to Spyderco

As you can see from my post above $50 is somewhat of a no man's land for Spyderco. $55 gets you the Centofante III and, depending on color, $58-$65 gets you a Delica or Endura there. Unlike our friend Noah, I don't flick open thumb stud folders. I keep my thumb on the stud the whole time until locked open, so I can maintain positive blade control throughout opening. So, I'm going to throw a couple thumb stud folders at you.

Competing with Spyderco's Chinese made value line liner locks, $40 will get you a Buck Vantage Force Select that's a US Made liner lock. You do downgrade to plastic handles with full length metal liners, but you also get Buck's excellent 420 HC steel on the blade on a US made knife. The Vantage knives also feature an oval shaped thumb hole and a flipper for opening.

$40-$45 gives you another option in the Taiwanese made Cold Steel medium or large Voyager with FRN scales over heat treated aluminum liners and an AUS-8 blade. The Voyager line was originally brought out to compete directly with the Delica and Endura, and the medium and large models still do. Even though the blade steel is a slight step down from the VG-10 on the Japanese Spydercos, CS knives have Andrew Demko's Tri-Ad, which is even stronger than a conventional lock back.
 
It's not that I always flick open thumb stud folders for the sake of flicking them, it's just that every time I am opening a thumb stud via constant manual pressure I wish that it was a thumbhole and within the week one of my Spydies is in my pocket again. And most thumb stud knives I have owned have been Cold Steels, which are always begging to be flicked and stuff with their awesome locks and heavy blades.


Of all the blades mentioned...

I'm currently EDCing a Spyderco Manix 2 Lightweight. Made in USA, caged ball lock that functions a lot like an Axis lock. It's light enough you could wear it in dress pants, but is still ergonomic, full sized, and strong. Runs about $75 though.
I really like it so far, it was a thoughtful Christmas gift.

Since I got into knives about a year and a half ago, the last 5 months, and 3 months some time prior to that, I've carried a Spyderco Endura, either plain edged FFG or combo edge. I really, really like these. Thin, comfortable, excellent cutting blades with a really good steel. I really like the lockback too.

I've owned a byrd Cara Cara 2 in both G10 and FRN. The FRN model is a little cheaper, but I would very very highly recommend the G10 model. It was a pretty classy knife, and it gives you something different from the Endura, whereas the FRN model is pretty much a cheaper Endura FFG. If money is tight and you are cool with touching up the 8cr13mov, they are good knives.

I carried a Cold Steel Voyager for all of 3 days- felt awesome in hand, and that 4" stonewashed clip point was beautiful, but way, way too thick for my pockets, and the texture on the handles destroyed my pants. Literally ripped open the pocket of a pair of Wranglers in 3 days. It didn't have s smooth portion of the handle for the clip like a Spyderco... The knife was impossible to get out of my pocket quickly due to the thickness and size. YMMV. I traded it for a Spyderco. :cool: I've also carried a Mackinac Hunter, Recon 1, American Lawman, and AK-47. They are all a little thinner than the Voyager, and I really liked each of them for their own little perks. However, the thumbstuds and pants shredding G10 (and especially the Wave on the AK) soon led to more Spydercos. One Cold Steel I haven't tried that really appeals to me is the new Code 4. Super thin aluminum handles. Thin and pocket friendly, but still has a 3.5" blade and Triad lock. The Triad lock alone is a good reason to try a Cold Steel.


But that's enough rambling about knives at 1 am... :rolleyes:
 
I'll read ramblings at 1am as you can see by the timestamp. Thanks for the information guys...I really appreciate it. I am looking hard at the Buck 721Slim Line...30 bucks and I'd get two at a steel (ha!, hey its almost three oclock I needed that pun) This knife has the 420HC and also a 4 position clip which is great for me since I'm a lefty. The Spydercos are still quite impressive and I think may just save up for a top of the line offering a little down the road. Ok my eyes are closing involuntarily...night guys.
 
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9mm, when you get back on, be careful about the Buck 721. I have one, and it's not as refined as the Vantage series. It has a steel micro sub-frame / bearing surface recessed into the interior of each side of the handle. This micro frame covers runs from the blade pivot to the lock pivot. Because the blade pivot screw recesses in the handles are slightly over sized the entire blade, blade pivot screw, lock bar, lock pivot, and micro frame move up and down within the handles. It's completely safe and passes the whack on the back of the blade test. Just be aware that it's not as refined as some of the other Bucks.

Noah, I have an Endura 3 around here somewhere. I actually prefer the Cara Cara 2 and Meadowlark 2 to the Endura and Delica because the Byrds have the finger choils, and the Delica and Endura don't. I still find that rather odd since the finger choil is now a feature on almost every other Spyderco. That's actually the only thing preventing me from buying a Delica 4 or Endura 4 with the bright blue handle.

As far as the aggressive texture on some of the Cold Steel knives a little sanding or clear nail polish under the clip solves the problem.

I actually reassembled a Byrd Meadowlark 2 earlier tonight after I finished polishing the G10 scales. With some elbow grease one can make a G10 Byrd into a really slick knife.
 
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I did sand the texturing and loosen the clip on the Cold Steels, haha! I think it was that particular pair of jeans. For closing (an Endura/Delica), the flat spot where the choil *should* be works like a choil. I agree there is no good reason not to just have a choil there. I don't normally use a choil when cutting, so I don't really miss it.


I took apart and polished up the insides of the G10 Cara Cara 2. The blade needed a little profiling help, but easy to fix on 8cr13mov.
 
Mole, Thanks for the advice. I will have to look into that SA series. I cut my teeth on the SAKs (who didn't?) and love them greatly.

Ug, Thank you as well for the heads up on the 721 Slim Line. I satisfied my curiosity with some research and they had them at my local WM so I picked up one, tested it moderately, noticed the slight movement you indicated and was so impressed with the safety of the lock and the way it feels in my hand that I bought a second one. I have the Gray and the Orange colored ones and really like them a good deal. I have been a Buck fan for almost as long as a SAK fan. My first Buck 110 was like a treasure I had as a teenager. I like the fact they are made in the USA and the steel in the Buck seems right in line with my needs. I'm still going to get a high end Spyderco, as I have always wanted one, as well as some other in the Byrd line as they are quite impressive too.

Sam, hso, JS and Noah, thanks for your insight as well.

Gloob, your input has been indispensable in contributing some good info and a curious controversy ladened with mild conflict...thanks.
 
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Sam Cade said:
Quality is a function of what the contracting entity is willing to accept. Meyerco seems to have held their Chinese contractors to a reasonably good standard and they warranty the product.

You could do much worse.
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with Meyerco, but I agree with this sentiment. I have a Chinese-made (red box) Benchmade and a Chinese made Spyderco (Byrd). The Byrd is an excellent knife. I'd buy more of them in a heartbeat if the wife let me.
 
Just speaking to the Meyerco thing...

I recently purchased a Meyerco 18-Xray automatic.

$89.95 and free shipping. Really nice knife. Razor sharp and tight lock-up. 154CM steel with flat dark earth handles.

Meyerco or not, this is a very nice knife.
 
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