Military 2. What exactly is going on?

[ferider]

The current Military is just fine. You want a backlock, use a Police or Chinook :)

Would rather Spyderco release a CQI'ed CW Manix XL. I know, you've heard it before :)

[FK]

I agree, the current CQI C36 Military is perfect,,,, why redesign a classic model that is selling very well.

Regards,
FK

[wrdwrght]

I came late to Spyderco, and to the Millie later still.

Having used my 204P and Rex45 versions for a while now, I find my original tip-down complaint more and more like the storied Princess and the Pea. The knife is simply superb and I would not now change a thing about it.

However, if Sal and now Eric (for whom Sal designed the knife originally) want to change it with a Military2, who am I to express doubt? If I don’t like what I see or hear, I don’t need to buy it. The Military2 won’t make my Millies any less compelling.

I do, however, expect to buy a Military2. Why? Because I can’t think of any in-house design whose iterations were not actual improvements.

If the Military2 is to come with the stop lock and the 4-way clip option, I’d sure like to see it soon.

[steelcity16]

I'm just hoping for some new CQI Millies in CRUWEAR, 4V and 3V.

A Neon Yellow G10 Military Salt with a DLC H1 SE blade is one of my grails though. That would be a beast of a knife. Like a Pacific Salt on steroids.

[Pelagic]

Every time these threads come up a lot of people think those who'd like to see a military 2 want the original military replaced. I think people just want to see a different version, not kill off one of the greatest knives ever. I think different versions would sell out.

[Wartstein]

Every time these threads come up a lot of people think those who'd like to see a military 2 want the original military replaced. I think people just want to see a different version, not kill off one of the greatest knives ever. I think different versions would sell out.

Exactly.

I may repeat what I said earlier in this thread already, cause it fits well to your post :

"I am neither really a Millie- (great ergos, but a bit large when closed, plus very thin tip), nor a linerlock guy.

Still I think a Military 2 with different (and if it's a power lock: For me better -) lock should not actually REPLACE the iconic Military (1). It should rather be, like in the Sage line, another option."

[5-by-5]

[vivi]

To those talking about designing a new knife, I'm under the impression the Military is has already been designed.

No one asiing for the C36 to be replaced. I'm merely curious about the status of a design I've seen mentioned by Sal for nearly 20 years.

When folks asked about the Native Chief, it was the same thing. No one wanted the Native discontinued, they were curious about a design Sal had been talking about for years.

[Doc Dan]

A year or two ago Sal asked about how I feel and how we would all feel about a stop lock military. That clued me in that he was thinking about it. So I would not be surprised if we see one coming out. This was in a thread about a backlock military possibility.

[Wartstein]

A year or two ago Sal asked about how I feel and how we would all feel about a stop lock military. That clued me in that he was thinking about it. So I would not be surprised if we see one coming out. This was in a thread about a backlock military possibility.

As we probably all have read in the new "byte", the stop lock has made his "production debut" in the Parata... so maybe if the lock does well in a long term real life test, we'll indeed see it in a more "mass" model (compared to the quite unique Parata) like the Millie??

[Evil D]

You have to really slow down and role play a bit to understand why this knife hasn't happened yet.

First let's put aside production, there are already so many models in the line and Sal has said that at any given time there are around 100 models being developed. You have to ask yourself how high in priority is this knife, again considering how successful the original still is. Maybe it is one of those being produced, that brings us to the next issue..

Consider the shoes it must fill. This issue is seen everywhere in business from cars to music. How do you create the new version of something that was so good? There is an unmeasurable amount of risk here. What if it fails? Like it or not I really don't see this knife being anything less than a replacement for the original. It feels good to tell ourselves that the two will coexist because it feels safer that way, but you just don't see that happening much in any business. Car companies don't keep producing the older model. It may overlap for a time but it'll be a replacement in the long run and so it absolutely must be a grand slam design. We saw this with the Para 2 but it only lasted until the old stock Para 1s sold out and that was the end of the Para 1 because the Para 2 was so much of an improvement and runaway seller. That's what the Military 2 has to do. There WERE people who didn't like the Para 2 in the beginning...I was one of them. That potential resistance is very dangerous when money is involved.

Also consider that this new lock is not proven yet, and they have no idea how popular it'll be. They could very easily bring out the Military 2 with safe updates like a 4 way clip and leave it with a liner lock and it would be at least as popular as the original while also pleasing those who want more clip options. They could easily phone it in with a compression lock and let's be honest here it would sell like bottled water in ****, but apparently they're taking the more challenging option and that's something that simple can't be rushed. Choosing to bring out a new version not just with a different lock but an all new lock is very bold. It can either be the flagship model or a big disappointment.

Then I think there might be an issue with time itself. Who here listens (or just are aware of) the band Tool? Super duper popular band, haven't put out an album in 13 years. The more time passes, the higher the expectation gets. If their new album doesn't blow away everyone, it'll put the band to rest forever. It may not be that severe for a knife company but hype can be good and bad and there is a lot of hype here and it's at least 10 years in the making.

[Pelagic]

Maybe it shouldn't be called the "military 2"?

What if spyderco did a a sprint of a backlock military that offered a 4 way clip. Where is the risk? It would sell out faster than you can spydie flick a pm2.

[Evil D]

Maybe it shouldn't be called the "military 2"?

What if spyderco did a a sprint of a backlock military that offered a 4 way clip. Where is the risk? It would sell out faster than you can spydie flick a pm2.

The risk in still in cost. You're talking about a completely new model with the lock change. There is still the same amount of R&D. It isn't as simple as choosing a different steel type. All of the machining changes with a lock change, literally every part of the knife changes. Well, maybe they could use the same lanyard tube lol.

[TomAiello]

The current Military is just fine. You want a backlock, use a Police or Chinook :)

Would rather Spyderco release a CQI'ed CW Manix XL. I know, you've heard it before :)

This.

I'm not a liner lock guy at all, and the Military is almost the only liner lock I ever carry. It's fantastic in it's niche, and I don't really think it needs to have a lock change. Especially not with the Police lightweight and K390 police already in the line up.

[bearfacedkiller]

The market is shifting towards smaller folders and the sales of larger folders seems to be declining. Many of the larger knives Spyderco has released have seen short lives. All of the Military exclusives have been very slow sellers and most of the sprints have been too. I don’t think that the Military is as popular as we think it is.

With the wild popularity of the Para3 I would be considering a Para4. Basically a 4 inch Para2. Stoplock sounds great but the complock has proven to be popular. Anything with “Para” in the name will ride the hype train to success.

I doubt that we will be seeing a backlock Military with the Chief and Police4 in the lineup.

[TomAiello]

What are the currently available (still in stock) Military sprints? Are there any still hanging around?

I think that because they don't have instant sell outs like Para 2 and Para 3 sprints, people think the military is a flop, and I don't think that's true. A sprint that sells out in 3 months instead of 3 minutes is still pretty far in the black.

[bearfacedkiller]

The Rex45 Militaries did actually sell out quickly. The Cruwear and 52100 Militaries sold slower. BHQ and KnifeWorks has to run specials to move their exclusives. All the other BHQ jade/m4 exclusives sold lighting fast but not the Military. It took KWs way longer than a year (maybe two years?) to move the 204P Militaries and they dropped the price a few times. DLT sounds hesitant to do the red M390 Militaries even though they have had lighting sellouts with the Para2 in that configuration on multiple runs.

It is my favorite model so it is painful to admit it but I don’t think it is extremely popular. It is priced s tad higher than the Para2 and Para3 and I assumed that was due to lower volume/higher margin. Who knows though?

[Doc Dan]

I’m absolutely positive but the military is not as popular as the para military. I think it was enough that it’s hanging on but not ever going to be as wildly popular. A lot of this has to do with the price and much of it has to do with the sheer size. I hear people all the time talking about how they don’t really like the size. The para military has a more friendly size for day to day carry and a lock people like much better.

[SAF-1]

Tip Up Plz !!!

[Tucson Tom]

Would rather Spyderco release a CQI'ed CW Manix XL. I know, you've heard it before :)

Change the Manix XL to a compression lock and I would be totally on board with that.

I suppose this would be a Para 4, but with a different blade shape.

I am now in the camp of "leave the Military alone, it ain't broke, don't fix it". I used to itch for tip up carry, but that itch seems to have gone away.