Bradley folder 2

[Liquid Cobra]

I'm finally in the club. I have to say, I was shocked how light it is!

[Larry_Mott]

Finally got mine... Totally different feel than the GB1. The combination of the choil and how the blade leans forward from the handle gives the GB1 a feeling of supreme utility and cutting power in hand, which defined the Bradley Folder for me. It's been my favorite friend for many large projects, and I don't think that will change anytime soon.

The GB2 looks and feels awesome, but is a more traditional and comparatively straight forward design. Its weight and width feels more proportional to the size of the knife than the GB1 (which is arguably a pocket brick), and the reduced price for such a premium fit and finish is outstanding. This will find a place into my rotation, just not where the GB1 goes. If it was a brother instead a replacement I'd probably like it even more. The GB2 is a great addition to the family, but not a "refined" GB1 IMHO.


There is something about the bump in the handle right where the Spyderhole is on the GB2 that my thumb finds awkward.

The more i look at the new model, the more happy i am about buying the first iteration. I will probably get the 2 as well but i fear it will be a catch and release..

[Donut]

I'm on pre-order with Knifeworks. I have high hopes. The weight is one of the biggest reasons I don't carry the original.

[SpyderNut]

I'm on pre-order with Knifeworks. I have high hopes. The weight is one of the biggest reasons I don't carry the original.

Do you feel that the GB1 is too heavy, Brian? I just received the GB1 for Christmas and was surprised at how light it is for its size. However, the GB1 IS a bit bulky when I clip it to my FRP. Definitely a IWB carry for me for this bad boy. :)

[Donut]

I'm on pre-order with Knifeworks. I have high hopes. The weight is one of the biggest reasons I don't carry the original.

Do you feel that the GB1 is too heavy, Brian? I just received the GB1 for Christmas and was surprised at how light it is for its size. However, the GB1 IS a bit bulky when I clip it to my FRP. Definitely a IWB carry for me for this bad boy. :)

Yeah, I think I'm spoiled. 5 oz is too heavy to me.

I think back when I got my first Manix 2 sprint and it (was only an ounce or so lighter, but it) felt like it was half as light just from the flat grind and cutouts in the scales.

There are so many options that are light weight and I pick light weight as my preference. =\

[SpyderNut]

I'm on pre-order with Knifeworks. I have high hopes. The weight is one of the biggest reasons I don't carry the original.

Do you feel that the GB1 is too heavy, Brian? I just received the GB1 for Christmas and was surprised at how light it is for its size. However, the GB1 IS a bit bulky when I clip it to my FRP. Definitely a IWB carry for me for this bad boy. :)

Yeah, I think I'm spoiled. 5 oz is too heavy to me.

I think back when I got my first Manix 2 sprint and it (was only an ounce or so lighter, but it) felt like it was half as light just from the flat grind and cutouts in the scales.

There are so many options that are light weight and I pick light weight as my preference. =\

I hear you. I'm pretty much the same way. Even the PM2 is amazingly light for its size... I guess I'm spoiled too.

[RedCollie]

I've had my GB2 for a week now, and I can't seem to walk past it without picking it up, opening it, fondling it, closing it, and setting it back down... Is this normal? It just makes me feel a little dirty...

I love the way it opens, and am getting used to the way it closes. I have small fingers, but have trouble with the liner lock because
1) In locked position, the distance between the lock release and opposite liner is very small
2) the liner lock is nearly flush with the scales next to it

I find it to be a very useful kitchen knife because it slices straight, and I've used it on everything from oranges to burritos. I am loving the hollow grind blade, which I did not expect, because most of my knives are FFG or Scandi grinds. I rinse and dry the bade after use, and do not see any patina developing. I do not want patina on a blade I use for food, and so far I find the M4 steel easy to care for.

For me, this knife is a winner despite its finicky lock. I love it so much, I just picked up a GB1 because I want to hold them both in my dirty little paws...

I can't help picturing this knife with a compression lock like the Paramilitary 2... now that would be something!

[Liquid Cobra]

So is anyone else having problems with a weak detent? I'm sad to say that my Bradley 2 doesn't hold the blade in the closed position very well. It's on par with my Starmate.

Any recommendations on how I can fix it? Take it apart and bend the lock bar? Send it in?

[Shockwave]

So is anyone else having problems with a weak detent? I'm sad to say that my Bradley 2 doesn't hold the blade in the closed position very well. It's on par with my Starmate.

Any recommendations on how I can fix it? Take it apart and bend the lock bar? Send it in?

I had the same problem. I'm just such a noob I didn't want to come on here bitchin'. It worried me that it would open in my pocket though. I could shake it a little upside down and it would open. After I put my Sketchen scales on, I tightened the pivot a bit more than how it came. It seemed to really help and it's not a problem anymore.

[swigert]

My detention is all good.

[hoimin]

So is anyone else having problems with a weak detent? I'm sad to say that my Bradley 2 doesn't hold the blade in the closed position very well. It's on par with my Starmate.

Any recommendations on how I can fix it? Take it apart and bend the lock bar? Send it in?

I had the same problem. I'm just such a noob I didn't want to come on here bitchin'. It worried me that it would open in my pocket though. I could shake it a little upside down and it would open. After I put my Sketchen scales on, I tightened the pivot a bit more than how it came. It seemed to really help and it's not a problem anymore.

Mine just came in a couple days ago. The detent is pretty weak, but my pivot/washers feels sticky (stutters without grinding), so the detent hasn't really been noticeable. I'm thinking of taking mine apart to clean up. Is there loctite to get around?

[SG89]

Maybe just send it back to spyderco before you disassemble it. I wonder if it has washers similar to the Mantra and Mantra2. There was a thread a few days ago and someone had a problem with their Mantra washers and it was manufacturing error.

[hoimin]

Maybe just send it back to spyderco before you disassemble it. I wonder if it has washers similar to the Mantra and Mantra2. There was a thread a few days ago and someone had a problem with their Mantra washers and it was manufacturing error.

That's a possibility (just more difficult from Canada ), but probably a pretty drastic move.

The GB2 has phosphor bronze washers, vs the stainless steel that are used as bearing races on the flippers. I think mine just has gunk on the washers as the blade was pretty oily out of the box and could've congealed some dust (CF/G10/whatever) on the pivot.

It's quite smooth in most of its arc (after I wiggled it back and forth a lot to simulate multiple opening/closings), except right towards the lockup point where it has 'flat' stuttering.

[Liquid Cobra]

Thanks for the tips. Yeah sending it in to Spyderco from Canada can be a difficult and risky process. You never know when the border guards might decide they need a new knife :eek:

I tightened the pivot a bit more which is helping. I'm no longer worried about it opening in my pocket. It's doesn't fling out or close as easily now though. No biggie.

[Shockwave]

So is anyone else having problems with a weak detent? I'm sad to say that my Bradley 2 doesn't hold the blade in the closed position very well. It's on par with my Starmate.

Any recommendations on how I can fix it? Take it apart and bend the lock bar? Send it in?

I had the same problem. I'm just such a noob I didn't want to come on here bitchin'. It worried me that it would open in my pocket though. I could shake it a little upside down and it would open. After I put my Sketchen scales on, I tightened the pivot a bit more than how it came. It seemed to really help and it's not a problem anymore.

Mine just came in a couple days ago. The detent is pretty weak, but my pivot/washers feels sticky (stutters without grinding), so the detent hasn't really been noticeable. I'm thinking of taking mine apart to clean up. Is there loctite to get around?

All I did was take the scales off. I'm new to all this but from what Sketchen told me the knife didn't have to come apart at all. The scales came off but I did not go any further than that. The screws I took out did not seem to have Loctite on them. They were very tight in there though. I used blue Loctite when putting them back in.

[hoimin]

I haven't been able to open my GB2 up by hand strength alone. I tried the hairdryer on the pivot screw to see if that would make any Loctite more pliable but to no avail. I wasn't willing to try dunking the knife into boiling water to heat up the screws either because if it didn't work, I'd have an M4 blade with water in every nook and cranny to try to dry without being able to disassemble.

So on a lark, I took some floss and fed it around the pivot a couple of separate times (hoping to get on each side of the bronze phosphor washers). To do so, I half deployed the blade, fed one end through between the tang and stop pin and with some additional slack, blew the end through to the other side. Then it's a simple matter of pulling the floss against the scale or against the blade on the desired side. The floss pulled out what appeared to be some black dust captured in grease. Opening is now about 2-3 times smoother with no stuttering.

Detent is still 'weak' but I think that's a function of how much blade mass there is and how close to the pivot the detent ball sits. There is enough moment of inertia to overcome the detent with a hard downward fling of the closed knife. No problems with it riding in the pocket though (tip up).

[Liquid Cobra]

Detent is still 'weak' but I think that's a function of how much blade mass there is and how close to the pivot the detent ball sits. There is enough moment of inertia to overcome the detent with a hard downward fling of the closed knife. No problems with it riding in the pocket though (tip up).

Where I live (Canada) this very thing makes the knife illegal, being able to open the knife purely through inertia. It's one of the reasons I worried about carrying my Starmate, it had the same problem only much worse.

[gunmike1]

For those with both a GB1 and GB2, is the GB2 as smooth as the GB1 when opening and closing slowly or at a moderate pace? My GB1 may be the smoothest folder I own, and it would be nice to have the new model be just as smooth.

[swigert]

Both mine are exceptionally smooth.

[hoimin]

I only have the GB2, but mine now feels like the tang is gliding on buttered glass under full control.

I haven't added any lubricant; just lots of opening and closing to work out some of the out of box 'stickiness', trying to clean out any gunk in the pivot.