Original Gayle Bradley Use

tr4022 · #1

Okay, so 30 years ago or so when I was a young man, I worked for a while on a survey crew, laying out new roads, sewers, houses, etc.

Now, reading about how great a heavy duty worker the original GB was, I used to think to myself, Wow, I wish I'd had one of those back in the day. Sounds like it would have made my life a little bit easier.

Then, in a discussion about the process of closing the GB, someone on the forum wrote that the GB was a knife to be opened and used, not opened and closed, opened and closed absent-mindedly... from which I inferred the the GB was, in fact, kinda difficult to close.

So then I thought to myself, I thought, Well, maybe it wouldn't have been go good out on a job site. See, on a survey crew, you gotta open your knife, cut a point on a lathe to pound into the ground, cut string, whatever, close the knife, and get on with your job. You don't need a knife you gotta wrestle with to close.

So how about it, GB owners? Would it be a good job-site knife, or would it be too difficult to open and close easily?

Mind you, this from a person who has never held a GB, let alone actually use one before.

Look forward to your input.

Tod

DeathBySnooSnoo · #2

I can open and close the GB a hundred times in a row, not even looking at the knife. It is a breeze to open and close....and I'm a lefty, so I'm closing in a more awkward way than a righty would. Speaking of...I can use the GB right handed nearly as easily.

jackknifeh · #3

The Bradley Folder (formerly known as the Gayle Bradley

) is PLENTY easy to close for an on-site working man's knife. That is unless you wear gloves. If you need to wear gloves and want to use the Bradley Folder (formerly known as the Gayle Bradley

) I suggest you get a sheath and use it as a fixed blade. :)

Maybe if your fingers are a little cold it may be uncomfortable. Personally I don't have any trouble releasing the lock on my GB (whew, that's easier to type). :) I have gotten my thumb sore from playing with it though while watching tv, walking dog, etc. But, if I just opened it, used it and closed it,,, no problems. :D

Jack

INFRNL · #4

I think the GB would make a great work knife. I use the manix 2 and para2 mostly for work. The GB opens and closes just fine, if this is the knife you want to use, then don't hesitate to get one. You will not have any issues

gbelleh · #5

I've never understood how anyone can find the GB hard to close. Mine is an early model, so maybe it's different than many others out there?? But, mine is almost too easy to close.

jackknifeh · #6

I like the GB enough that I will recommend it to anyone and if the only problem is the access to the liner lock, have the modification done where the scale and liner is cut down some so it is more like other liner lock knives. Sage1 for example. In fact I did some grinding on the spine of a knife blade recently. I was happy enough with the results that I would attempt the mod to the GB myself using a Dremel and wet/dry sandpaper. I haven't cut on any CF before but maybe I could to that as well. But, I still think most don't have a problem.

ABX2011 · #7

gbelleh wrote:I've never understood how anyone can find the GB hard to close. Mine is an early model, so maybe it's different than many others out there?? But, mine is almost too easy to close.

I have an earlier one and a current one. There is less lockbar tension on the earlier one. So yes it is easier to close.

tr4022 · #8

Hunh, maybe I was misremembering. Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. If I ever go back to the future circa 1985, I'll be sure and take a GB with me. Or maybe I'll just get one to work in the yard.

Tod

Spydie-50 · #9

The Gayle Bradley is a tough knife with looks too. When I first started using it the liner lock was very stiff. Although with constant opening and closing it became much easier over time. The only problem I encountered while using it at work was on hot days, sweat would build up on my blade while in my pocket then develop little rust spots later. Still I wouldn't hesitate recommending this knife to anyone, the Gayle Bradley is an awesome knife. I think it's one of the smoothest opening and closing knife I own.

jackknifeh · #10

Spydie-50 wrote:The Gayle Bradley is a tough knife with looks too. When I first started using it the liner lock was very stiff. Although with constant opening and closing it became much easier over time. The only problem I encountered while using it at work was on hot days, sweat would build up on my blade while in my pocket then develop little rust spots later. Still I wouldn't hesitate recommending this knife to anyone, the Gayle Bradley is an awesome knife. I think it's one of the smoothest opening and closing knife I own.

M4 is not a stainless steel so will be prone to rusting more than stainless steels. It is easy to prevent this with products for corrosion protection. I like Tuf-Glide and is all I've tried other than other lubricating oils but I haven't had any trouble with my M4. I don't work any more so can't say from experience how it works in different situations but I've never heard anyone say it didn't work. I do have a Case pocket knive with non-stainless steel blades. The blades did form a little patina along the spine when I carried it in my pocket. I wouldn't call it rust but it did surprise me. No problems in the pivot or anything though.

Jack

kbuzbee · #11

jackknifeh wrote:The Bradley Folder (formerly known as the Gayle Bradley ) is PLENTY easy to close for an on-site working man's knife. That is unless you wear gloves. If you need to wear gloves and want to use the Bradley Folder (formerly known as the Gayle Bradley ) I suggest you get a sheath and use it as a fixed blade. :)

I agree with you, Jack, the GB (I'll leave it at that

) is fine for every day work tasks, but you raise a great point. I used to be a surveyor (in a former life) and generally carried a small fixed blade in an easy to deploy sheath for that kind of work. Something like a Bushcrafter would work well.

Ken

Jazz · #12

That GB is one knife I think I want, but am scared I'm not gonna like... anyway, I use a Salt 1 at work. It gets opened and closed constantly at times. Try one out. Large hole, bright yellow, easy to open (large hole), holds a decent edge, very tough, and is slicker'n snot on a doorknob to close. Or a Pacific Salt if you want bigger.

- best wishes, Jazz.

Donut · #13

The Para 2 might be a better fit for your requirements. IMO, the Gayle Bradley is more suited for when you need to do a high volume of cutting.

tr4022 · #14

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Tod

Zenith · #15

If you search for 'GB and work gloves' in youtube you will get a video I posted. Can also search my channel for videos of it in work as a demo. I would post the links but am on the phone.

In short. From my experience. No issues. Just a small learning curve as with most knives.

Evil D · #16

Everything you just said is why i don't own a GB yet. At my job, the draw/open/cut/close/pocket happens so fast that it's almost like one fluid motion. I don't have the time or desire to deal with a lock that i have to fumble around with to close. I honestly think the mentality of "the GB is a knife meant to use not open/close/repeat" is just a cop out to justify the lock being a pain to access. It doesn't make the lock any more strong or safe, just more tedious to use. The Vallotton's lock tab extends completely out of the handle, and i would bet that lock isn't any less safe or strong than the GB lock, and it's so much easier to use. I guess if you have small thin thumbs then it may not be an issue, but i have rather large fingers so getting one between the liner to get at that lock tab is a PITA.

DeathBySnooSnoo · #17

I don't see the fumbling...I really really don't. To me, there is more work to close a Compression lock, BBL, CBBL than the GB.

Evil D · #18

DeathBySnooSnoo wrote:I don't see the fumbling...I really really don't. To me, there is more work to close a Compression lock, BBL, CBBL than the GB.

It's not about "work" or "fumbling" per say, more about just how easy you can get at the lock tab. The compression lock has a convenient cutout allowing access to the tab. The Military does too. In fact most liner locks do and they work just fine. I don't really see the point of cutting off easy access to the tab like the GB has been done. Like i said maybe it's just me and my thick fingers, but 5 minutes of handling the GB at the local knife shop was enough to turn me off on the lock well enough that i passed on the whole knife.

If i were to own one, i would have to mod the scales to allow easier access, like shown in this pic:

If i wanted a knife that is meant to be opened and used for long periods of time without closing, i'd use a fixed blade.

gbelleh · #19

In my experience, the GB doesn't take any fine control to close. You certainly don't need to get your thumb between the liners. You just mash your thumb down on top of the liners/lockbar, and slide the lock bar aside. It's fast, smooth and easy.

Minibear453 · #20

Just an idea, but would the vallotton be better? I don't have one, but I think the lock tab sticks out a bit. Might be easier to release.