Byrd Cara Cara 2 VS Spyderco Tenacious

Which do you prefer?

  • Spyderco Tenacious

    Votes: 15 71.4%

  • Byrd Cara Cara 2 G10

    Votes: 6 28.6%
  • Total voters
    21
cbrstar

cbrstar

Joined
Sep 7, 2015
Messages
965
I just bought my first Spyderco, a PM2. Despite not really cutting anything with it yet. I'm so happy and chuffed with this knife, that I now have a disease and the cure is more Spyderco lol :D

Not being aware what's all out there I recently discovered the Byrd line of Spyderco. And it seems like a fantastic deal for a well proven design. Especially since you can buy one for close to a 1/3 of the price of the original.

Here's the conundrum for me. Here in Canada I can buy the regular FRN from one site for $35 CDN. ($26.64 US). But I found the G10 version on another site for $40(CDN) ($30 US).
So for $5 which is less then a starbucks coffee I can upgrade to G10 and a nicer stainless steel back spacer.
Sounds like a no brainer but the shipping puts this knife at exactly $55 (CDN). The local knife store doesn't sell Byrd, but they sell the Tenacious at exactly $55 (CDN).

Both knives have pro's and con's for me.

Cara Cara 2.
It's a lockback
Nice finger choil
Something different
Stainless steel back spacer.
And it's a copy of the endura which is on my want list

Tenacious.
I prefer the Spyder hole
Could be the pics but the jimping looks nicer
If I decided to gift it people know what it is.

Buying both doesn't make too much sense to me as $100 would buy me the next up inline of Spyderco.
 
No experience with the Cara Cara, but my Tenacious exceeds my quality expectations for the price. I seriously think my PM2 and Tenacious are at very least equal in terms of fit and finish. I carried mine exclusively for a year or so and it’s just as tight as when it came out of the box.
 
Good points, I'd probably end up buying a Endura in the end anyway so I'd be saving money in the long run. I'm a bit of a impulse buyer when I think I'm getting a deal.
 
SharpieB said:
This.

I have a Tenacious and a couple of Cara Caras. Haven’t touched them since I bought my Endura. Both good knives, but the Endura is better IMO.
Click to expand...
Do you feel the fit and finish is better on the tenatious then the byrd knives?
 
cbrstar said:
Do you feel the fit and finish is better on the tenatious then the byrd knives?
Click to expand...
I like the standard G10 on the Tenacious better than the FRN on the Byrds. The Tenacious is built a bit better in my case... less blade play, better centering, etc.
 
Sounds like the tenacious is a better choice then the Cara Cara, but I'm probably going to pick up the endura 4. I don't have too many Japanese made knives and it's a classic.
I'm going to wait till I hold each in my hand at the local store and decide which one feels better in the hand.

Thanks everyone for the input it really helped me make up my mind.
 
You just got your PM2. It's pretty high-end. What do either of those knives do that the PM2 doesn't do? Nothing.

You're in a fever, bro. Stand by.

If anything, get something smaller, like a Dragonfly or one of their small slip joints. Or even a Swiss army knife to compliment it.
 
Smaug said:
You just got your PM2. It's pretty high-end. What do either of those knives do that the PM2 doesn't do? Nothing.

You're in a fever, bro. Stand by.

If anything, get something smaller, like a Dragonfly or one of their small slip joints. Or even a Swiss army knife to compliment it.
Click to expand...

Your right the PM2 is probably more knife then I need. I just really like Spyderco and want to start collecting them.

It might sound a bit silly. But since I got into knives a couple of years ago, I've been wanting to get some of better brands like Spyderco and Benchmade. I feel like being a Canadian that might get harder and more tricky to do in the future with the BS border police. If I don't get knives like the Endura soon well I might never know the joy of owning one. But who knows maybe in a year the border police will be forced to let knives through again.
 
I’m late to the party (as always), but I agree with the “save your money and buy an Endura” thoughts above. The first “name brand” knife I bought was a Tenacious and it proved to just be a starter knife for me. I can’t argue with a ~$45 (USD) knife with G-10 scales, but the Tenacious (and the Byrd line) are low end budget knives. IMO, they won’t satisfy for long if you have the financial capability of buying into better quality knives. I’ve since moved into other more costly knives and I’m glad I made the transition before I ended up with a drawer full of ~$50 knives. I recently got a 20CV PM2 that’s a joy to have and use...while my Tenacious stays in one of my backpacks just in case I ever go on a hike without remembering to pack a knife. Just my own personal opinion, but I’d rather have one $150 knife than five $50 knives. Happy shopping and good luck with whatever you do.
 
Stumpy72 said:
I’m late to the party (as always), but I agree with the “save your money and buy an Endura” thoughts above. The first “name brand” knife I bought was a Tenacious and it proved to just be a starter knife for me. I can’t argue with a ~$45 (USD) knife with G-10 scales, but the Tenacious (and the Byrd line) are low end budget knives. IMO, they won’t satisfy for long if you have the financial capability of buying into better quality knives. I’ve since moved into other more costly knives and I’m glad I made the transition before I ended up with a drawer full of ~$50 knives. I recently got a 20CV PM2 that’s a joy to have and use...while my Tenacious stays in one of my backpacks just in case I ever go on a hike without remembering to pack a knife. Just my own personal opinion, but I’d rather have one $150 knife than five $50 knives. Happy shopping and good luck with whatever you do.
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Good points. I also just ran across the Manix 2 with FRCP handle for $100. Or maybe for a little more the Native 5 in FRN. I've been looking but I can't find a side by side pic of the spyderco models. I have a hard time judging how big or small they are from the pics.
 
Had a Manix 2, PM2 & the Tenacious. Got rid of the Manix 2 cuz the locking thumb grips don't pass mustard with gloves & the Tenacious felt just as put together as the Manix 2. Got rid of the Tenacious cuz it's just not a PM2.
 
Pardon the poor lighting.



From top to bottom:
Pacific Salt (similar to Endura)
PM2
Manix 2 LW
Delica 4
Native 5 LW
Rhino

ETA: I believe the Tenacious is bit smaller than the PM2/Manix 2, and a bit larger than the Delica/Native
 
Last edited:
4mer_FMF said:
Pardon the poor lighting.



From top to bottom:
Pacific Salt (similar to Endura)
PM2
Manix 2 LW
Delica 4
Native 5 LW
Rhino
Click to expand...
Thanks man! That clears up alot. I'm surprised how simular in size the manix 2 is compared to the PM2. The pics made it look smaller.
 
cbrstar said:
Thanks man! That clears up alot. I'm surprised how simular in size the manix 2 is compared to the PM2. The pics made it look smaller.
Click to expand...

The Manix2 has long been considered internal competition to the PM2. Some seem to prefer the more neutral sort of canoe shapes handle lf the pm2 and others prefer the more purposefully ergonomic handle design of the Manix family. However despite it not looking like it I find the Manix handle quite comfortable in all 4 gripping directions. (Forward grip/reverse grip - edge facing out/edge facing in)

Both knives have strong modern locks that keep the fingers out of the cutting path of the closing blade.

Personally I like the tip strength abit better on the Manix2 family. However the manix2 is quite a tall knife when closed and IMHO the para2 pockets better.

The Endura is a remarkably slim and comfortable knife to carry in pocket. I can’t believe its got that huge 3.75 inch blade when I put it in my pocket. Of the three (endura manix para) the Endura is my favourite to carry and you get a ton of blade. However Endura typically comes with vg10 steel wheras manix and para2 have s30v standard.
 
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