Gayle Bradley 2

[tdkfm]

The strange thing about the alterations to the GB is that everything that they have changed are the unique features that I like about the original knife .
I will do my best to get my hands on the new model ( difficult here in Australia ) but it will somehow feel like I'm being unfaithful and dishonest to the original ethos of why it was designed .
I'll never sell my original one , it has kept its end of bargain and done everything it promised it would .
Its kind of sad that a knife that was designed without compromise is now being ....... compromised .

Ken

Way too deep of thoughts. It is a knife and both look nice. I assume all changes were based on feedback. This entire commentary is beyond silly to me.

 

[whp]

The strange thing about the alterations to the GB is that everything that they have changed are the unique features that I like about the original knife .
I will do my best to get my hands on the new model ( difficult here in Australia ) but it will somehow feel like I'm being unfaithful and dishonest to the original ethos of why it was designed .
I'll never sell my original one , it has kept its end of bargain and done everything it promised it would .
Its kind of sad that a knife that was designed without compromise is now being ....... compromised .

Ken

What?

 

[Stays Sharp]

Umm... You can own BOTH, your GB1 doesnt have feelings. . You can even ignore the GB2 altogether and fill your house with GB1 paintings. If they disco the GB1, get a backup or two problem solved.

 

[rexromic]

The strange thing about the alterations to the GB is that everything that they have changed are the unique features that I like about the original knife .
I will do my best to get my hands on the new model ( difficult here in Australia ) but it will somehow feel like I'm being unfaithful and dishonest to the original ethos of why it was designed .
I'll never sell my original one , it has kept its end of bargain and done everything it promised it would .
Its kind of sad that a knife that was designed without compromise is now being ....... compromised .

Ken

I was thinking about the same thing but will wait till I get my hands on GB2 and then see which one I like better.One way or another I'am sure that, both GB and GB2 will stay with me for a long time .

 

[Popsickle]

Pre order placed for two. I stay away from pre orders but im just too dm excited for this one.

 

[hoimin]

Umm... You can own BOTH, your GB1 doesnt have feelings. . You can even ignore the GB2 altogether and fill your house with GB1 paintings. If they disco the GB1, get a backup or two problem solved.

Haha, this. So much this. I wouldn't mind a GB2 painting; I think it's beautiful.

[video=youtube;dBqhIVyfsRg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBqhIVyfsRg[/video]

 

[marcus52AR]

I like the looks of the gb2 although I did like the substance the gb1 has. Either way I will try one out.

 

[Sonnydaze]

For ME...lighter is better. I've had five or six of the GB's...great knife, great steel...too heavy and too heavy-duty for my use.
YES to the new "2."

 

[blanex1]

the only thing thats putting me off buying this knife is the lack of a finger choil,its the vary thing i have come to love about all/most of my other spyderco's,really the only one without the finger choil wood be my tenacious!and i don't use it much because that ether,yes a choil under the blade wood be grate and i wood buy now,love the blade shape to.

 

[tholiver]

Blanex1 Knives WITHOUT choils make up a very small percentage of the overall Spyderco line. Lots other models if you must have a choil. I'm the opposite, i'd buy more Spydercos is they had more models without choils,lol.
I have the original Gayle Bradley Spyderco and am looking forward to this latest incarnation!

 

[kidcongo]

I am not a regular contributor to the Spyderco forum, but am a proud owner and user of a couple spydies. In particular I carry, use, abuse, and love my Gayle Bradley. I just wanted to put my two bits in, mainly in defence of a few of the fine folk in this thread who have expressed some regret about the design changes coming with the GB2 (assuming the GB1 will be discontinued as was the PM1).

Important note: If the GB1 continues to be offered, the opinion of those folk, myself included, who lament the demise of the 1st version is really moot (there's always room for new designs). Also anyone who thinks I too am over-thinking things, needs to realize they are part of a group of people who talk endlessly about folding knives. Most of the "normal" population of earth would define every single contributor here as crazy :thumbup:.

Anyways.....I see that the essence of the knife is changing. Before anyone dismisses fellas who speak in defence of the GB1's quirky design, this video link below is a "MUST WATCH". It clearly defines the reason for all of the features that are not obvious choices at a glance with the GB1 as told by Gayle Bradley himself! It covers the shape, the blade droop (deleted on GB2), the hard-to-get at lockbar, blade-to-handle ratio, the purpose, the "organic shape", the stepped slabs, everything. Love this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk0IxU-fuW4

To quote Gayle: "It is the only knife I ever designed from a purely utilitarian viewpoint" / "I made no concession to any artistic embellishment, every surface and every feature of the knife is strictly utilitarian" / "It's not a combat knife, it is designed for a work knife, it is not one to sit and casually flip".

So without intending any disrespect to Sal, Gayle, or anyone at Spyderco, this is sorta how I see things going with the change to the GB2:

GB1 = One man's vision, right or wrong!
GB2 = Give the poeple what they want

GB1 = Surprise hit?
GB2 = Guaranteed seller

Not sure if that makes sense, but the GB1 was a not an obvious offering, but it was more that the sum of it's parts. A moment of pure genius.

Here are a few other less obvious features (not covered in the video) I wanted to point out that I appreciate:

1- The weight: When i use this knife I find the weight does give some advantage for the knife to not skip along the work (say stripping bark off wood, or taking the jacket off a cable). The mass of the knife seems to help it stay engaged with the work through inertia.

2- The lack of finger guard: I really like how when you grip the GB1, both your index finger and thumb are right on the steel of the blade. It just give such a feeling of connection to the blade. Rock Solid!! You maybe sacrifice some safety, but there is just something about having your hand right on that M4.

3 - Big ramp: The large purchase you can get on the huge "swedge/ramp/thingy" in front of the spydey hole when twisting sideways is great. If you are drilling or twisting this blade, you get a lot of leverage (with the blunt shape of the GB1, you deserve a medal of you can actually drill a hole in wood with this thing, but just sayin... )

Well.....I am sure the GB2 will be totally awesome and a runaway hit, and I will likely buy one, but if the GB1 does go extinct I predict it will be considered a Spyderco all-time classic, and hopefully we can look forward to some awesome limited edition sprint-runs of the GB1 in the distant future .

Happy Batoning!

 

[FriarPhenn]

snip

Thanks for this, Cody. As an avid supporter of the original GB, you've said and captured here everything I would have tried to.

The GB2, though looking to be an excellent knife, does seem to be a concession to the EDC world. Not a bad thing at all, but it does make me sad that the original is going out of production. In my opinion, there's room for both.

 

[kidcongo]

Jed. You are most welcome. Long live the GB1!

 

[tdkfm]

So is the GB1 going out of production for sure?

 

[hoimin]

Thank you for that ode to the GB1, kidcongo.

Based on that designer insight video, the GB2 still fits the original vision apart from the finger choil change.

It's still the same materials. The design intent is still the same:
[x] the shape (same blade shape)
[x] the blade droop (see image)
[x] the hard-to-get at lockbar
[x] blade-to-handle ratio | GB1: 0.73; GB2: 0.75;
[x] the purpose
[x] the "organic shape" (glove-friendly handle)
[x] the stepped slabs

Adding to all of that, the GB2 offers a ricasso, is both longer and lighter (by virtue of being slightly thinner), and safer to use.

 

[pcguy23]

I am not a regular contributor to the Spyderco forum, but am a proud owner and user of a couple spydies. In particular I carry, use, abuse, and love my Gayle Bradley. I just wanted to put my two bits in, mainly in defence of a few of the fine folk in this thread who have expressed some regret about the design changes coming with the GB2 (assuming the GB1 will be discontinued as was the PM1).

Important note: If the GB1 continues to be offered, the opinion of those folk, myself included, who lament the demise of the 1st version is really moot (there's always room for new designs). Also anyone who thinks I too am over-thinking things, needs to realize they are part of a group of people who talk endlessly about folding knives. Most of the "normal" population of earth would define every single contributor here as crazy :thumbup:.

Anyways.....I see that the essence of the knife is changing. Before anyone dismisses fellas who speak in defence of the GB1's quirky design, this video link below is a "MUST WATCH". It clearly defines the reason for all of the features that are not obvious choices at a glance with the GB1 as told by Gayle Bradley himself! It covers the shape, the blade droop (deleted on GB2), the hard-to-get at lockbar, blade-to-handle ratio, the purpose, the "organic shape", the stepped slabs, everything. Love this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk0IxU-fuW4

To quote Gayle: "It is the only knife I ever designed from a purely utilitarian viewpoint" / "I made no concession to any artistic embellishment, every surface and every feature of the knife is strictly utilitarian" / "It's not a combat knife, it is designed for a work knife, it is not one to sit and casually flip".

So without intending any disrespect to Sal, Gayle, or anyone at Spyderco, this is sorta how I see things going with the change to the GB2:

GB1 = One man's vision, right or wrong!
GB2 = Give the poeple what they want

GB1 = Surprise hit?
GB2 = Guaranteed seller

Not sure if that makes sense, but the GB1 was a not an obvious offering, but it was more that the sum of it's parts. A moment of pure genius.

Here are a few other less obvious features (not covered in the video) I wanted to point out that I appreciate:

1- The weight: When i use this knife I find the weight does give some advantage for the knife to not skip along the work (say stripping bark off wood, or taking the jacket off a cable). The mass of the knife seems to help it stay engaged with the work through inertia.

2- The lack of finger guard: I really like how when you grip the GB1, both your index finger and thumb are right on the steel of the blade. It just give such a feeling of connection to the blade. Rock Solid!! You maybe sacrifice some safety, but there is just something about having your hand right on that M4.

3 - Big ramp: The large purchase you can get on the huge "swedge/ramp/thingy" in front of the spydey hole when twisting sideways is great. If you are drilling or twisting this blade, you get a lot of leverage (with the blunt shape of the GB1, you deserve a medal of you can actually drill a hole in wood with this thing, but just sayin... )

Well.....I am sure the GB2 will be totally awesome and a runaway hit, and I will likely buy one, but if the GB1 does go extinct I predict it will be considered a Spyderco all-time classic, and hopefully we can look forward to some awesome limited edition sprint-runs of the GB1 in the distant future .

Happy Batoning!

Great post and video
I love Mr. Bradley's design objectives that he accomplished without any apologies!

Thanks for sharing

 

[Lee48]

Total agreement with kidcongo here. The quirkiness of the design of the original Bradley is definitely an acquired taste but it's a really good taste.

 

[FriarPhenn]

So is the GB1 going out of production for sure?

It's been discussed and confirmed on the Spyderco forums. However, I believe nothing over till it's over, so who knows. Maybe they'll read thread like these and keep both. :thumbup:

 

[grownstar]

Things I've learned from this thread:

1. GB is a bada$$ Texan
2. I need to get a friggin' GB 1

Thanks for all the discussion, duders.

 

[pcguy23]

Things I've learned from this thread:

1. GB is a bada$$ Texan
2. I need to get a friggin' GB 1

Thanks for all the discussion, duders.

+1
keep looking at them, almost pulled the trigger several times, it's calling my name