Hey,
I recently ordered a spyderco paramilitary as they are being discontinued and I found a good price on one, what are the thoughts on the knife? it has a great blade steel (s30v) and g10 grips but it does have a compression lock which I have no familiarity with. Anyone out there been carrying one for awhile and put it through some use?
NEver owned a Para but i carry a Military daily. great kife holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen. compression lock that i have played with was a little odd to operate one handed for me. but it seemed like a great lil knife. i may have to find one since they are going by bye
The compression lock is a little different at first but you will get used to it. I think it is a better locking system then liner locks and I wish more knives came with it.
Wait for the paramilitary II.
Been reading that the para military 2 is a definite improvement and the lock is stronger than liner locks. Its already available but is definitely hard to find in stock. $95-$125 approx.
Finally a Paramilitary that allows a person to move the clip where they want it.
That’s why I went with an Endura 4; and the fact that it was almost half the price.
Freaking love mine. Its my standard for an EDC:
I bought a Military awhile back and I had to sell it. It only allows tip down carry which is a no go. It’s a great slicer and i never had a problem with the lock. I think the Manix is a better design.
The Para has been my EDC for 3 years now. I love it. I am waiting to pick up a v2 but I haven’t had any problems with the Version 1. Great blade and just the right size.
I’ve owned and carried just about every folding model Spyderco offers.
The Paramilitary (original version) is my preferred EDC. The compression lock is quite easy to use one handed if you have the correct technique.
I also have spent some time with the Para2 and prefer the original version. The Para2 has both a longer blade and a longer handle. If I wanted a bigger knife, I wouldn’t have purchased the compact Para.
I’d like to pick up another Para1 as a backup since they are being discontinued. Anyone here who might want to sell one, please PM me.
Here’s a shot of my Para opening up a freezer filler I took this year. I use this knife hard and really enjoy it.
Besides the added length, what else has changed from the original to the “2”? What makes the new version “better” for those that have said such?
I noticed that you can move the clip around, and I think its s90v not s30v steel ( not sure if thats an advantage or not)
My para should be here on Tuesday, i ended up getting the last one in stock from midwayusa, if I don’t like it i may just end up returning it to them, im gonna swap it out for my SnG
Para II has S30v steel in the standard production run. Last Sprint run was CTS-20cp which is Carpenters version of S90v and has grey G10 scales.
Blade is slightly longer, clip is 4-position, lanyard hole larger, compression lock tweaked to perform better, ergonomics are improved imho, and certain protruding bits have been rounded. The Manix 2 black clip will fit it, and the black screws will work too, BUT not for tip down carry (screws too long). If you don’t mind the shorter smaller silver screws from the original clip you can use any of the clip mount points.
I EDC the para II now and really like it.
Looks like a great knife. Seems to be one of their best options.
Thanks for the info Vic
Vic nailed it. I think clip position is largely irrelevant (other than maybe lefties). Tip up vs tip down doesn’t really matter to me, I’ve carried both ways and after a week of use, you just get used to it. I like that the Para1 sticks out of the pocket a bit as it’s easier to grab and deploy.
I’m strongly considering knocking 1/2" of blade length off my Para2 to match the original. A 3" blade is perfect for the chores I need the knife to do, and is legal in more places that I travel.
I do like the Para2’s handle, but it’s a bit longer than I like because it has to fit the new longer blade.
Both are great knives. If I couldn’t carry the 1 I would carry the 2. I just prefer the old school original better.
FWIW, I have had great luck over the years with www.newgraham.com and www.cutleryshoppe.com as far as pricing, selection and service for ordering sharp things online.
The Jackal that stole my trousers out of the shower in KAF got my Para with a Black Plain Blade. I still have a silver blade, and a black combo blade but I can’t find the black plain blade. For some reason the black blade seemed to get way sharper than the metallic blade.
The one I have coming is a black plain blade. I have a feeling this will replace my SnG, and I may buy a second if I really like it…I can have 3 for what I paid for my Strider lol.
Where did you find it?