Gayle Bradley AIR

lbwheat · #1

I just recently purchased the Gayle Bradley Air for my Spydie collection and I really love this little knife. I would like to have a larger version also. I was wondering about the little pin that rides in a channel near the pivot point of the blade it looks like it has a purpose but,I wasn't sure what it was. It looks neat and the blade opens and closes smoother and more positive than most of my other folders. I really like the scales and the blade shape along with the overall design.The quality of construction and finish far exceeds most of all my knives,even what few customs that I have. Great Job Sal and crew for another super fine Spyderco creation.
Larry Wheat

kbrouwer · #2

I'm thinking of buying one that Gavko customized it's really cool.

kbuzbee · #3

It's a travel stop pin. Fits into the slots in the liners.

It is an excellent little knife. Beautiful and nicely functional. So light! And my favorite steel.

Ken

tomoto · #4

kbuzbee wrote:It's a travel stop pin. Fits into the slots in the liners.

It is an excellent little knife. Beautiful and nicely functional. So light! And my favorite steel.

Ken

How did you get that beautiful clip on?! Your picture made my jaw drop. :eek: The only thing holding me back from the Air was the lack of a clip... (didn't mean to thread jack lbwheat, just too excited :) )

Blerv · #5

Sick mod Ken!! :D

Spyderco...did you see that?

Holland · #6

ya that clip is awesome! would love to know how you went about doing that

kbuzbee · #7

tomoto wrote:How did you get that beautiful clip on?! Your picture made my jaw drop. :eek: The only thing holding me back from the Air was the lack of a clip... (don't mean to thread jack lbwheat :) )

Thanks!

Clips were much discussed before the Air was released. I agree, it was a problem (not having one) for me too. An early video had Gayle discussing a low rider. My understanding is there was too little real estate to do one (well) in a timely manner. Having put one on, I can appreciate that!

It's a UKPK clip. I dremmeled channels into the TI and the scales both. The channel in the TI was extremely tight (and nerve wrecking. I was worried about lowering the integrity of the knife, so I wound up putting a dab of epoxy on it before reassembly. All in all, I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Ken

dbcad · #8

Good Job Ken :) Looks tricky :eek:

lbwheat, enjoy the Air, the CPM M4 holds a fine edge for a good while :D As you've realized the Air is a very special model

tomoto · #9

kbuzbee wrote:Thanks!

Clips were much discussed before the Air was released. I agree, it was a problem (not having one) for me too. An early video had Gayle discussing a low rider. My understanding is there was too little real estate to do one (well) in a timely manner. Having put one on, I can appreciate that!

It's a UKPK clip. I dremmeled channels into the TI and the scales both. The channel in the TI was extremely tight (and nerve wrecking. I was worried about lowering the integrity of the knife, so I wound up putting a dab of epoxy on it before reassembly. All in all, I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Ken

Thanks for the description Ken. Sounds like a tricky process! I've been looking for someone to be able to do them on the side. Curious if STR is willing to do so, although I have always been a bit iffy shipping my knives across borders, since they don't always come back

Then again, could always try to DIY it :D

DeathBySnooSnoo · #10

I love my Air...in my pocket every single day, regardless of what else I carry.

Though unlike you guys. I am super glad that it doesn't have a clip.

kbuzbee · #11

dbcad wrote:Good Job Ken :) Looks tricky :eek:

Thanks Charlie, yeah, it was a bit tense in there. Not hard, just, as you say, tricky.

tomoto wrote:Then again, could always try to DIY it :D

Steve might, I don't really know. But it's not difficult. Take it apart. See what you think. Get a couple pieces of thin scrap metal and practice. The diamond bit on the Dremmel rockets through the Titanium so it's definitely finesse, not power.

Ken

xceptnl · #12

My Air will be here in a few days and I can't wait to see how the wire looks. I already have the clip waiting.

J D Wijbenga · #13

Here you can find my review of the Air. My first outing as guest blogger on Nemo's blog.

PatCatMan · #14

Cool clip mod.
Love mine -
Air is a good name - it vanishes in the pocket

toomzz · #15

Hey Ken, you are fully responsible for convincing me to get one. :p I purchased one last week and it's got to be somewhere between CONUS and mainland Europe now over the Atlantic. I have hold this little cutter already several time in my local gunstore, but this time I decided to support my wallet instead of the gunstore and ordered it in the US. (They still profit on the money I spend on the Southard there, couple of weeks ago... :D ) Just to let you know. All jokes aside; I have HIGH expectations for this always-in-your-pocket-never-in-the-way-knife

xceptnl · #16

It comfortably fits right beside the Southard for my EDC needs!

BAL · #17

Nice job Ken, I have a feeling that somewhere in the middle of the
process you were thinking, should I really have started this. It looks
great though.

kbuzbee · #18

BAL wrote:Nice job Ken, I have a feeling that somewhere in the middle of the
process you were thinking, should I really have started this.

Thanks. You are SO right, brother! I thought that right up until reassembly!

Ken

kbuzbee · #19

toomzz wrote:Hey Ken, you are fully responsible for convincing me to get one. :p

Congratulation! Happy to help, brother!

Be sure to tell us what you think after a bit.

Ken

linuxology · #20

Thought I realized why they named it the Bradley Air due to it disappearing into thin air. I flipped out and finally pulled the pants off the hanger to check one last time and it was sitting in a fold of a pocket. You could not feel it from the outside. Have yet to lose it, but am always paranoid due to the price of this small little folder. Any advice of not losing the knife when wearing slacks?