Byrd Raven and Crow

[hrvstmn31]

It just caught my attention that the Byrd Raven and Crow are back in g10 with CTS-BD1 an excellent mid range steel.


Picture courtesy of araneae over at the Spyderco forums.

Click his username for his full review over at the Spyderco forum.

[jekostas]

Uh, is BD1 that much of an improvement over 8Cr13MoV that it justifies the substantial increase in the MSRP?  As far as I can tell they're both still made in China.

[hrvstmn31]

Uh, is BD1 that much of an improvement over 8Cr13MoV that it justifies the substantial increase in the MSRP?  As far as I can tell they're both still made in China.

Quite a few people compare 8Cr13MoV to AUS8 and I find this steel better than AUS8. The steel has to be imported from america and considering it's not much more then a g10 Cara Cara or a Tenacious I think it is worth the extra 10 or so bucks.

[hrvstmn31]

Since the one of the only places you can get these it looks like is Blade HQ I'll use their prices. Also I realize that these prices are in American Dollars and aren't indicative of what other countries can expect to pay.

Byrd Raven 2 47.95$
Spyderco Tenacious 42.95$
Byrd Cara Cara 2 g10 32.95$

Byrd Crow 2 44.95$
Spyderco Persistence 39.95$
Byrd Meadowlark 2 g10 29.95$

[jekostas]

My point was that the original Crow and Raven had much lower street prices than the current models.

[Corwyn]

Not convinced... I find the design less pleasing than the Tenacious (birdhole, fat and pointy pommel, really chunky pocket clip). Ergonomics feel a bit off and overall just looks less aggresive than the Tenacious... maybe it's the photos but the blade shape seems a bit... "rounded".

With the higher price I'd pass... If CTS-BD1 is really good and cheap, they'll probably make the next Tenacious generation out of it as well and I'd rather buy that...

[shark_za]

Takes the Tenacious head on.
A tenacious with a finger choil and better steel.

Not massively better but better.I want one.

[SAKnight]

It's just G2 (gin-1). Good corrosion resistance, okay edge retention. American steel, but doubtfully superior to good 8cr. And I like G2

[zoidberg]

Takes the Tenacious head on.
A tenacious with a finger choil and better steel.

Not massively better but better.I want one.

Winner. 

[hrvstmn31]

I'm excited I really want one. I know it seems expensive and that would be because things have been getting more expensive. For example when I bought my Rebar it was 35$ on Amazon it's now about 55$. The Endura/Delica are about 10-15$ more in price difference depending on where you shop. So I'd say these are priced pretty fairly. If they ever pop up on Amazon I'd say they'd be closer in price to the Tenacious.