Paramilitary 1 - First Edition

[Murdoc]

Hi folks,

recently and for the most part due to all the chatting about the upcoming Para 2, I got myself a used Para (1). At first, I was a little surprised about some of the characteristics of that particular knife, but after some research, I learned that what I have here is one of the first runs of the Para. CQI later changed the jimping to fine and added it to the choil, the colors of the clip screws changed to silver, this strange cut-out on the tang of the knife (which apparently made room for the "lockbar") was lost and - most importantly - the shape of the left nested liner changed: it was made bigger and is visible now at the top of the handle. Not so on this early specimen. Oh, and recently the pivot screw shape changed... but I saw a few camo Paras with these old ones, so that is a more recent change.

Anyway, here are the pics. Enjoy:

Torn apart as soon as I found 2 T10 torx:



So THAT'S how the compression lock works :


This model is so easy to dis- and reassemble, it is ridiculous. No problem at all, no spring being a PITA to put in, nothing. Really cool.

Back together:


Compare this view to the more recent Paras... quite a serious change here: Coarse jimping and invisible left liner.


The screws were black, but worn, they look like this now:




Dennis

[nevermind35]

Nice, I don't remember ever seeing one with the lockbar cutout that large. Pretty cool, I always had a soft spot for old school knives!

[Bushbadger]

I've never seen that cutout either. Looks in perfect condition too. Hold on to it, probably pretty collectable.

[araneae]

Nice photos. I have one from the same time period. Do you have a very slight amount of vertical movement when the blade is open? (I hate to see the word "play" used for such a minor amount of movement.)

[demtek9]

I had one with that cutout. I never even noticed that it was dropped later on.

[The Deacon]

Nice photos Dennis. Especially the third from the top, which should become a standard for showing how the compression lock works.

Was the cutout been eliminated or has it just been made less prominent on the later ones? If the former, how do they keep them closed now, since that was its function?

[Bushbadger]

Was the cutout been eliminated or has it just been made less prominent on the later ones? If the former, how do they keep them closed now, since that was its function?

The cutout looks like this now,

[VashHash]

Also the liner on the side opposite the lock isn't skeletonized anymore

[Murdoc]

Nice photos. I have one from the same time period. Do you have a very slight amount of vertical movement when the blade is open? (I hate to see the word "play" used for such a minor amount of movement.)

Well, when I try really hard, I can maybe wiggle it a little bit, but by far not as much as some lockbacks. I think this is partly due to the self-adjusting properties of the locking mechanism that works with a ramp on the tang like a liner lock and pushes the lockbar in as far as possible, eleminating 99% of any vertical play.

Dennis

[rangefinder]

FWIW, my PM is an amalgam of the old and new -- it has the visible left (locking) liner, solid right (hidden) liner, and has no blade cutout (new), but the blade has the course uppper jimping and no lower jimping (old).

I assume Spyderco did rolling updates to the model over the years.

[Zenith]

Thanks for the pictures!

[markg]

I miss the tractor tread jimping...

[Murdoc]

Although I know 99% of the Para2 owners won't even think about disassembling their new knife, it would be interesting to compare the inside view of these two generations of this model...

I always had the DigiCamouflage on my "buying radar" (it still is), and after the initial hype has settled, I wouldn't mind getting a Para2, too. The clip is not what I would have chosen fot this particular model, but after all there's more to the knife than just the clip...oh well :rolleyes:

It may turn out to be a really cool and unusal and at the same time entertaining photo shooting comparing these three Para generations, especially regarding Compression lock technology.

Maybe now that the new one is out, we will see some good deals for the Gen1 models....?

I actually don't remember if the Para 1 will still stay in the lineup... I think I remember Sal, Eric or Kristi stating that the Gen2 will eventually replace the Gen1. Does anybody have some info about this?

Dennis

[SteelDragon]

Maybe now that the new one is out, we will see some good deals for the Gen1 models....?

I actually don't remember if the Para 1 will still stay in the lineup... I think I remember Sal, Eric or Kristi stating that the Gen2 will eventually replace the Gen1. Does anybody have some info about this?

Dennis

Here is what Kristi said that you may be referring to.
"The two models will not be offered at the same time. The Para-Military2 will replace the current Para-Military."

Kristi

[Murdoc]

Thanks SteelDragon,

that's exactly the post I had in mind. Well, chances are then that perhaps I can soon pick up the Digicamo version for a good price. The D2 versions went for $100 IIRC... I wouldn't mind spending that much for this "old" model :)

I guess the new one will stick around for quite a while, so I will have the opportunity to get that one a little later.

Dennis

[mikekovax]

Hi everyone, I know its an old thread, but its might be interesting for collectors. I also have an old PM, whitch is the same series like rangefinder mentioned.
It has the visible locking liner, solid right liner, and has only the small blade cutout, while the blade has the old style "tractor" jimping on top, and no jimping on the choil. The clip screws are black, and pivot screw is the old shape.The knife itself is in perfect condition, almost like new, never been sharpened.
I bought this knife second hand, and when I opened up the box, I was a little bit confused, since I have never seen a PM with this jimping, and the pivot screw was strange, so believed I had just received a fake. Now Im more than happy to know, that I own a rare, old one.
However, Im a soldier, and I bought this knife to use on the field, but now, after I have found out, that this knife is quite rare, I dont have the heart to use it, so Im thinking about to sell it to a collector.
Any suggestion, how much should I ask for this knife?

[phillipsted]

Sounds like you got an authentic, but early example, of the Para 1. I, too, am a fan of the "Dino Jimping" (I prefer that term to "Tractor Tread"!). I also really really really like the fact that there is no jimping in the choil. It makes the knife so much more comfortable to use. I wish Sal would consider going back to this style for the Para2...

Thanks for the pics, Mike!

TedP

[xceptnl]

I miss the tractor tread jimping...

This for sure. Also the old "gear" jimping from the Military.

[VashHash]

I wouldn't say it's that rare i have an se para with the old jimping and i like it. I would personally use it but everyone has different views. I've already used my forum native to cut some nylon straps and it'll see more than that. If you start using it you surely won't regret it. Those old paras are a work horse of a knife.