Spyderco Forums

Is there any detailed comparison threads or videos out there?

Thanks

Here are some pics. I don't have any detailed comparison, though! I like the lock and size of the Southard better. It seems sufficiently tough too! The blade is too thick for my purposes, though.

Thanks for the pics shaky!

Any users out there with any thoughts between the two? The GB is one of my favorite knives between both custom and productions.

The Gayle Bradley is nice. It's certainly cheaper (60% of a Southard Flipper). Of course it is 34% heavier, has a liner lock vs a ti frame lock, and CPM M4 is nice but it's no CTS-204P. So, considering price, dunno. Price independent, there's no comparison.

Spook410 wrote:The Gayle Bradley is nice. It's certainly cheaper (60% of a Southard Flipper). Of course it is 34% heavier, has a liner lock vs a ti frame lock, and CPM M4 is nice but it's no CTS-204P. So, considering price, dunno. Price independent, there's no comparison.

Some would argue that M4 is vastly superior minus the corrosion thing.

Agreed though, it's hard to compare the two. One is a flipper and the other is probably the opposite of one. Classy knives though, both of em. :D

What I like about both knives is the amount of blade you get. Both are very stylish in their own right and are heavy duty gentlemens folders/flippers.

I like my Gayle Bradley, but I love my Southard flipper

those pictures make me want a gb more then a southard tbh. i love non stainless steel, and thick blades are not my thing

Personally, I love the spyderhole and have proven that love by purchasing 40+ knives all while loving the hole. The Southard however has the hold, but without creating a bump in the blade spine. This characteristic makes the southard unique among knives of similar dimension and construction. I say bring on more and let the innovation continue to evolve!

I already own a Southard and the GB is on my want list. The GB is just one of the "cleanest" looking Spydercos i have ever seen. You know how folks will say that some race cars are so nice looking that they look like they are moving fast even when they are standing still? That is the GB.

JD

Blerv wrote:Some would argue that M4 is vastly superior minus the corrosion thing.

Agreed though, it's hard to compare the two. One is a flipper and the other is probably the opposite of one. Classy knives though, both of em. :D

Certainly true that there are lots of people very happy with CPM M4. Still, I've gotten the impression reading the good works of others that, in general, performance M390 (or CTS-204P) was about the same as CPM M4 which is very good indeed. And you get the additional corrosion resistance with the M390. I suppose I forget that stainless doesn't matter to everyone as much as it does to me. That and maybe the performance of the M390 mule has raised my expectations for the Southard to arrive this week.

rororo64 wrote:I like my Gayle Bradley, but I love my Southard flipper

Agreed.

Both nice knives, but I'm a huge fan of the Southard. Fantastic looking knife.
Thanks for pics.

It's like apples and oranges , the GB murders big screen TV cardboard boxes. The Southard is my absolute favorite EDC along with my Caly 3.5 laminate.

I've been fondling my new Southard for a few days and have some impressions.

As it did with the Gayle Bradley, Taichung has done it again with the Southard. Fit and finish are flawless. Well, on my particular Southard at least, almost flawless. When pressing an admiring finger along the titanium liners at the tip-end of my closed knife, I almost sliced the protruding fat of my finger on the submerged tip. I have taken a stone to the tip and may have to dull it more. Whether actually a problem of fit or of design is an open question.

Whither the Spyderhole? The hole is there, of course, but the blade's detent, unlike my Gayle Bradley's, almost defeats an easygoing thumb-only opening. Only if I press the nail of my right index finger into the hole's backside and pinch my arthritic right thumb through the front side do I get leverage enough to lift the blade sufficiently for my thumb to send it slowly to the locked position (if you're lefthanded, forget about this method). So, no gentle opening here, except by (ambidextrous) Spyder drop and, of course, by (ambidextrous) flipper, which is as smooth as can be. And the flipper is just as fast (and less painful to my basal joint arthritis) as the thumb-flick opening that can still be achieved with the Spyderhole (if you're lefthanded, forget about this method). But if the flipper is now easier, why bother with the Spyderhole? Therein lies a philosophical question for Spyderco, I should think...

What I especially like about the artful Southard is that its cutting edge (longer than a Manix2's) is not reduced by a choil (Gayle Bradley's jimpless choil does not offer the protection I desire from the cutting edge) but that the flipper, when the blade is locked open, serves to keep fingers away from the cutting edge as does a jimped choil.

Probably because of its greater weight, the Gayle Bradley seems beefier to me than the Southard. But the Southard's blade is actually thicker than the Bradley's (indeed, as thick as the Superleaf), as is its somewhat less comfortable handle.

But as much as I like the Southard and the Bradley, a recently acquired Native5 (my first Native) has pushed other much loved Spydies out of my pocket.

Love both but prefer the Bradley

Southard doesn't interest me. Love the Bradley. My favorite Spyderco.

I haven't been this giddy about a knife since my CPMD2 Para years a go, but the Southard is flat-out amazing. It's got a lot going for it and I have been very impressed by 204P. I don't find the blade too thick at all and it makes haste of anything I have cut with it. I am really enjoying the blade shape also as it has a ton of belly without being a big 'ol fat leaf blade. I am not babying this knife nor do I ever intend to as I feel it is the best hard use Spyderco to date.

Nice pictures. I do have the GB and love EDC-ing it. I don't own the Southard (BS sounds a little akward :p ) yet. In fact I owned two GB's so far, but since I can 'handle' only one I got rid of the other.
I handled the Southard In Amsterdam last year and was impressed by its appearance. I liked the 204P, the RIL and the Ti-side with that little G10 inlay. Handling it was good, forms struck me emotionally :D
Despite the fact that I don't collect anymore I will get a Southard, for the simple fact that I will be a great EDC-knife.

One thing I don't think I would like the Southard is you can't put your index finger close enough to the blade (no choil). One disadvantage of any flipper I suppose. Can't have everything. Of course you don't always want to use a choil but this may be a deal-breaker for the knife for me. That's just me and also not having actually used it I may be developing an opinion and speaking too soon. Not always a good thing to do. :) I do have one flipper and it is very comfortable but I haven't used it enough to judge it as a constant EDC for me.

Just a comment on the BF (GB :) ). I recently attempted to make a set of scales for mine. I messed up one scale but while I had it un-put-together I modified the liner/scale to allow a little easier access to the lock bar. Don't know exactly how much I cut away. I'd say maybe 1/16" max. I don't know if you would notice by looking but you can tell a bit when releasing the lock. It's a little easier but I never really had trouble with it before. About the only "complaint" I've heard about the BF other than it just not being someone's cup of tea is the lock being difficult to release. This is intentional for safety according to Mr. Bradley himself. My tiny mod makes a little bit of difference but doesn't make any difference in making accidental unlocking possible. This is a pretty easy mod with the right tools and being slow and careful. I used a Dremel. About the quality of work, it looks pretty good but if you actually inspect the work you can tell it wasn't done by a professional. About my only claim is you need to "look" to notice the work.