The Golden Matrix: PM2 vs Para 3

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Hi guys,

In a bit of an OCD episode I just had, I decided to put together an Excel table of various PM2 and Para 3 offerings based on handle color/material, plain or DLC coated blades (or "other" in two cases of the upcoming 2018 Forum PM2 and that crazy REC PVD Para 3 that I’m still in disbelief how much it’s appreciated in value!), and steel type, along with the various model numbers. I of course could not have done this so quickly without Spydiewiki! :D

I hope it’s useful to track what combos have been done so far and what is still available. What’s interesting is that certain dealers don’t necessarily lay claim to their own color G10 for both the plain and DLC versions of both models - like the situation with red and orange handles (DLT and St. Nicks vs Jeff at the Cutlery Shoppe). I’ll try to keep this thing updated and pretty it up a bit, but I figured someone out there might appreciate it! Cheers, Radioactive :)

PM2:


Para 3:


Dealer/distributor legend:
BHQ: BladeHQ
BS: BayouShooter.com
CS: Cutlery Shoppe
DLT: DLT Trading
HLD: HL Dalis Inc.
JBO: JB Outman Distributing
KW: KnifeWorks
MOT: Moteng
REC: Rivers Edge Cutlery
StN: St. Nick’s Knives

[husq2100]

very cool.... now just put it in cronoligical order :D :D :D

[RadioactiveSpyder]

It’s fairly close to reverse chronological order at least! :o

[Brackish]

Very bummed I missed out on the natural G10 stuff from BHQ. I have been eyeing Wilkin's grips for my Mini-Griptilian, but it's hard justifying spending more than I spent for the knife on replacement scales. Love the color though.

[Spydersense]

I certainly appreciate it. Thanks for putting the list together RS! :)

[Tucson Tom]

Nice piece of work, thanks!

[abbazaba]

Amazing how fast they've pushed Para3 variations out to catch up with the PM2

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Amazing how fast they've pushed Para3 variations out to catch up with the PM2

It definitely is! As far as upcoming Para 3 variants coming up next, I’m wondering if a foliage green Elmax BBS and forest green 204P KW Para 3 will ever appear. (I definitely hope another run of dark green 204P PM2s are released too!!).

Seems almost a lock that DLT will follow up with a red M390 and tan 20CV Para 3 in short order.

Now where’s those LC200N Salt ones?! :D

[bearfacedkiller]

So little love for the Military.

Why do we get so much variety to the Para3 so fast yet all we got was S90V after S90V Native?

Thanks for putting this together RS! Great reference. :)

[Crux]

Get your Maxamet Para 3 here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075X ... UTF8&psc=1

[koenigsegg]

So little love for the Military.

Why do we get so much variety to the Para3 so fast yet all we got was S90V after S90V Native?

Thanks for putting this together RS! Great reference. :)

I feel like Spyderco has a stack of S90V they're trying to go through haha Since it was on all the CS exclusives and the forum knife

[Sjucaveman]

It does seem like they favor s90v for some reason. Not that it's a bad steel but variety is the spice of life.

[steelcity16]

So little love for the Military.

Why do we get so much variety to the Para3 so fast yet all we got was S90V after S90V Native?

Thanks for putting this together RS! Great reference. :)

I feel like Spyderco has a stack of S90V they're trying to go through haha Since it was on all the CS exclusives and the forum knife

Yeah, that is probably the case. Volume pricing? Maybe they can buy a truckload of Cruwear and start pumping that into some more models! :D I do agreed about the Native not getting any love. The Military needs more love too, but at least we get a Rex45 version. But as a dealer doing an exclusive, especially a smaller dealer, it probably makes more sense to do an easy sale like a Para 3 or PM2 where you aren't going to have to sit on 10s of thousands of dollars of inventory in one specific model. So I get it from that standpoint. At least we have dealers like Knifeworks who took a chance on the DLC 52100 and CTS-204P Military which are taking awhile to sell. Maybe they are big enough that having that much money tied up isn't as big of a deal. BHQ did a great job of their Jade/M4 models as well and getting that into the Manix, Native, and Military. They used the power of social media and hype to really sell those puppies! I really hope they revisit the Military and Native and do a DLC version the way the did with the PM2.

[Crux]

Get your Maxamet Para 3 here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075X ... UTF8&psc=1

There were 14 of 20 left and now they are all gone. I hope someone here got one. I did and it's not a fake. :)

[RadioactiveSpyder]

KnifeCenter exclusive smooth black G-10 CPM-CRUWEAR Para 3 (C223GPCW) added to the matrix (on my computer at least not yet in the table in the first post above). CC versions of this knife and the partially-serrated (PS) 52100 Para 3 with CF scales (C223CF52100PS) have just dropped.

[ZrowsN1s]

I think the reason we get so many para 3 varieties is... they sell. Military and native are popular, but not as popular as the para 2 or 3.