Para Military 2, Spyderco’s “Sweet Spot”

[MichaelScott]

It’s kind of interesting the way things happen. A number of Spyderco knives have passed through my hands over the last few years. Unconsciously I have been looking for the ones that “speak” to me. I buy one, use it for a while and eventually sell it to try another. It is kind of like fly rods. There are probably as many variations in graphite and bamboo as there are varieties of Spyderco knives. You have to try out which rods suit your style and rhythm. Mine is a 9’ slow action graphite. Anyway, having and using a knife is absolutely the way to determine which one speaks to you. I love the FRN Chaparral as a smaller knife. I tried, twice, to like the Manix 2 LW enough to keep it, but we bickered and got a divorce. Twice. I have had a Tenacious and a Polestar (really great and under appreciated knife by the way) and various flavors of Delicas, etc. but it wasn’t until I got my classic PM2 that my hand, brain and eye said, “Hey, you can stop now. This is it.”

Of course I won’t exactly stop. I plan to get a few more Spydercos eventually just because they are cool and I think some would speak to me as well in different ways. I’m following the Sliverax discussion so .... I’m not a collector but passing on a few quality knives to my kids would be a good thing too. Right?

[Diamondback]

Of course I won’t exactly stop. I plan to get a few more Spydercos eventually just because they are cool and I think some would speak to me as well in different ways. I’m following the Sliverax discussion so .... I’m not a collector but passing on a few quality knives to my kids would be a good thing too. Right?

...I do think passing something on to your children like a well-made Spyderco would be nice. Those of us who now have something that belonged a parent typically cherish that item. Imagine one of your children pulling a Spyderco out of is his pocket, and saying : "this belonged to my pop, and I use it now".

[OLd_gUY]

Speaking for all knife lovin' LEFTY's ---- THANK YOU Spyderco for including us. WE THANK YOU!

[Bloke]

.... I’m not a collector but passing on a few quality knives to my kids would be a good thing too. Right?

My daughter (31yrs) ended up with my Pink PM2 that I'd only had about a week after she commented, "That's a nice knife dad. Do they make them for men too?" :p

A couple of weeks ago my son (34yrs) ended up with my S110V Military after he commented, "That looks like that camo army knife you have (referring to my S30V Camo Millie). I like the colour." :rolleyes:

[Calicoast]

This knife is a Bull.

Golden did an excellent job on this one and my PM2 in M390. I think I am content with these beauties.
Well for now anyways. :)

Does anyone know where a Spyderco dealer is locally in Orange County, CA?
The one we had in Costa Mesa shut down.
I would like to handle a Military, see how that one feels in hand.

Thanks, C

[blueeyedogre]

I love my Para but I would have preferred the military model but I am a tip-up carry kind of guy and the lack of that option is a deal breaker for me. My hands are on the bigger size so an Endura with g-10 scales or a g-10 Police would be my perfect knife but til I get one of those two the Para will have a place in my pocket.

[lunde]

While I very much like the C199 Nirvana, I have to admit that the best overall Spyderco folding knife is the C81 PM2, which sort of explains why I own 35 of the darn things. My favorite iteration is C81CFP2, which is the version that has Carbon Fiber handles and CPM-S90V blade. I have five of those.

[Tucson Tom]

The PM2 and the Manix 2 are tied for my favorite Spyderco. It depends on the day of the week or my mood.

I would like to see either/both of these in M390 aka 20CV aka CTS-204P (all the same steel, just by different foundries as far as I know or
understand at this point). This is a question I need to post, whether there are differences between these steels.

Maybe what would be even more interesting would be either knife in K390, but I am drifting off topic.

I don't think of the PM2 as a "large knife" -- I think of it as a "normal" knife. Smaller knives are simply "small" knives of different sorts.
Which is fine of course.

The only PM2 I don't like is the one with digicam scales. To each their own I guess.

[elena86]

While I very much like the C199 Nirvana, I have to admit that the best overall Spyderco folding knife is the C81 PM2, which sort of explains why I own 35 of the darn things. My favorite iteration is C81CFP2, which is the version that has Carbon Fiber handles and CPM-S90V blade. I have five of those.

Five !!! Holy cow :eek: I could spare a kidney for one :) That variant is my all time holy grail :spyder:

[Daveho]

Have to say, the para 3 is doing it for me.

So I’ll have to look into a pm2 down the line

[RobDigi]

Its been my Favorite knife for years...I have tried to find something I like better and could not.
There are prettier knives more artistic looking jewels but none that I found that has the all around useability of a PM2...
until about a year ago, I purchased a ZT 0450 its a close second to the PM2 on my list but the PM2 is #1

[dodgie02]

Got my first pm2 in s110v, amazing blade and steel. Decided to hop on the train and get a backup. Oh wait is that a cruwear pm2? sold. m390 pm2? Why not. I'm not too hot for the m4 exclusive tbh, however I did liked the idea of an easier to sharpen and maintain spydie so I got a full black one for the lighter stuff. I carry my manix 2 mostly (s110v lw) though. today at work a colleague asked if he could borrrow a blade, and all I had on me was a 940-2, m2 lw s110v and I believe a caly 3 sprint. He proceeds to scrape the coating off a metal tube. To check if it was bronze copper or I can't even. Inspected the knife and only a few microchips after such filthy abuse. S110v is where it's at for me, gonna get another s110v pm2 in the future for sure. my blade is messed up and unlike benchmade spyderco wont replace blades I learned. or perhaps just get a secondhand one and bladeswap it. I love the cruwear one best. Goddamn, that stuff takes an edge so easily, though I find each steel likes different treatments in sharpening. I dont even go lower then diamonds > med rods with a microbevel on either the med rods or if I need it to scalpel all the way to uf and stropping. However that task is for my cruwear/hap40 blades. I wonder why I can't feel much for the m4 exclusive though. Scales can be replaced, m4 is wicked material, but I might as well hold out for the maxamet pm2. I got a delica recently in hap40 and pakkawood which sort of symbolized the end of collecting sprints unless they're really special. The Delica started this wonderful obsession and concluding it with my perfect delica seemed perfect. I'll buy more spydies for sure, but I feel I finally have a set that feels complete in the sense of shapes, materials and intended use, but I'll hop on that maxamet pm2 instantly because I need a knife that can slice through my cardoor when I forget my keys in the car.

[Calicoast]

I think I am settled for now on the PM2 M4 being the higher end edc knife that I was looking for in non salt water applications. But I will definitely be purchasing a PM2 in Maxamet for backup, if and when they are available + when the M4 "fails".
-C

[jacala]

Dodgie02
Carry whatever good Spydie and ALSO a "crappie" knife as a loaner for the knife peasants :-)