Military with compression lock

[Evil D]

Apparently it's super easy to replace and even upgrade detent balls if you can find the right size. I've seen a bunch replaced with ceramic balls.

[James Y]

Apparently it's super easy to replace and even upgrade detent balls if you can find the right size. I've seen a bunch replaced with ceramic balls.

Being honest here…I doubt I’d have the equipment or the wherewithal to replace a worn-out detent ball myself.

Jim

[Evil D]

Apparently it's super easy to replace and even upgrade detent balls if you can find the right size. I've seen a bunch replaced with ceramic balls.

Being honest here…I doubt I’d have the equipment or the wherewithal to replace a worn-out detent ball myself.

Jim

That's what I thought too but they're just pressed in, supposedly you just punch them out from the opposite side and press a new one in place. I'm sure Golden can do it too.

[bearfacedkiller]

I think it makes business sense.

I think I will prefer the original but I will 100% try the new one.

This horse is definitely dead and beaten. Try the search function.

[JD Spydo]

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I even find that extra funny because for years I've sort of been a fan of the liner lock. I've never ever had a liner lock folder of Spyderco's ever fail on me. Oh for sure there are locking systems I like better than others. But I find the liner locks in Spyderco's folders to be getting a bad rap most of the time and just don't deserve the bad comments they get at all.

The liner lock isn't the only feature that gets a bad rap on this forum>> and it is a highly un-deserved bad rap I might add. My 2 favorite Spyderco locking sytems are the Ball Bearing Lock ( especially on the Dodo model) and the compression locks ( especially the ones on the Gunting and Para2 models especially.

The only thing negative that comes to my mind immediately is that most folders with compression locks tend to have a large price tag on them and the ball bearing locks are not a bargain either. But some times you get what you pay for. But I don't mind that if the quality is top notch.

[kodai78]

I think it makes business sense.

I think I will prefer the original but I will 100% try the new one.

This horse is definitely dead and beaten. Try the search function.

This!

[Wartstein]

I think it makes business sense.

I think I will prefer the original but I will 100% try the new one.

This horse is definitely dead and beaten. Try the search function.

Still... not necessarily related to the Millie, it remains an interesting question how much or little change is necessary until a new version of a model "is not the same model anymore" for most or many..

Let´s say the Millie 2 gets a comp.lock, a PM-2ish choil and a four way clip (not unlikely!) - such a knife probably would really be closer to a PM2 than to a Millie indeed, except size, right? And by that perhaps really rather a PM4 or PM2 XL?!

SHOULD the Millie 2 look like described above: Has there ever been a new iteration of a Spyderco model (like in Delica 4, Manix 2, Native 5 and so on) with that much rather substantial changes and furthermore reminding very much of a sized up version of another model (the PM2 in this case)?

As an analogy: Imagine they´d make an "Endura XL", so size it up a bit, give it a choil and comp.lock instead of a backlock (as a rough analogy to giving the Millie 2 a comp.lock, four way clip and PM2 style choil)... this would be much more a MILLIE than actually an Endura XL, right?

[Wartstein]

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I even find that extra funny because for years I've sort of been a fan of the liner lock. I've never ever had a liner lock folder of Spyderco's ever fail on me. Oh for sure there are locking systems I like better than others. But I find the liner locks in Spyderco's folders to be getting a bad rap most of the time and just don't deserve the bad comments they get at all.

......

This.

And while many who prefer the comp.lock over the linerlock certainly honestly do this out of personal experience and preference and for very good reasons (just like I and others prefer the linerlock), I dare to say: There are probably also some in the knife community who just heard many times (and often by youtube "fidgeters") that the comp. lock is "better" and an "evolution", without really extensively having tried and compared the two lock types. And to some extend just repeat what they have heard.

I could imagine that if people tested linerlock- vs comp.lock operation with lets say mittens or heavy gloves, a majority (not all of course!) would find the linerlock more convenient.
Just like I think if using a folder REALLY hard (in a way folders almost never are used admittedly) like in gripping the handle very tight over a long time: Again, a majority imho would probably find a linerlock more comfortable and that a comp.lock cutout just can turn into a hotspot in such a scenario.
And: If the "fingers all the time out of the blade path" is really SUCH an issue for SO many in reality (especially if a knife has a choil) is also something I am not entirely sure of.

Just a guess of course!! And of course there are valid reasons to prefer the comp.lock over the linerlock (like it is vice versa)!
But it sometimes seems to me that "the comp.lock is a step up over the linerlock - period."-thing has turned a bit into a stereotype, repeated also by folks who never really extensively tried both lock types in various conditions.

[anycal]

...
Though as the only change I´d really like to see a tip up option on the linerlock Millie.
When it comes to the choil: This is another thing (the more minimal choil) I clearly prefer on the Millie over the PM2 choil. But I guess I am in the minority here.

I see. So don't change anything except the change that you want? And would this tip up be only for righties? Or four way clip option? Tip down for lefties (unless a dedicated lefty Military) would interfere with the big cutout. And, unless there is a clip redesign, you would have to include two curved clips to accommodate this configuration. I guess for these reasons, I am OK with leaving the original Military the way it is.

Anyways. If the Military 2 is to retain its handle shape, then it doesn't make sense to call it Paramilitary 4. Just like if we are talking about a 4 inch Paramilitary, then why call it Military 2.

I am looking forward to a compression lock Military 2. They did a great job on the heavy bladed Shaman in regards to detent strength, so I am confident that Military 2 will be solid. I would be OK with the standard pocket clip for the 4-way setup on this new knife. Sal said there is a prototype. But if it doesn't happen at all for some reason, I am OK with that too. I have enough regular Military knives.

[Wartstein]

...
Though as the only change I´d really like to see a tip up option on the linerlock Millie.
When it comes to the choil: This is another thing (the more minimal choil) I clearly prefer on the Millie over the PM2 choil. But I guess I am in the minority here.

I see. So don't change anything except the change that you want? :eye-roll And would this tip up be only for righties? Or four way clip option? Tip down for lefties (unless a dedicated lefty Military) would interfere with the big cutout. And, unless there is a clip redesign, you would have to include two curved clips to accommodate this configuration. I guess for these reasons, I am OK with leaving the original Military the way it is.

Anyways. If the Military 2 is to retain its handle shape, then it doesn't make sense to call it Paramilitary 4. Just like if we are talking about a 4 inch Paramilitary, then why call it Military 2.

I am looking forward to a compression lock Military 2. They did a great job on the heavy bladed Shaman in regards to detent strength, so I am confident that Military 2 will be solid. I would be OK with the standard pocket clip for the 4-way setup on this new knife. Sal said there is a prototype. But if it doesn't happen at all for some reason, I am OK with that too. I have enough regular Military knives.

Not sure if I really have to explain this to you (the yellow highlighted part I mean), but anyway:

- I don´t want the Military to substantially change by getting another lock type and probably a pm2-ish deeper/wider choil. (That´s IF the current linerlock Millie would not remain in the lineup. If it DOES (as Sal said it would), I am perfectly glad for all who want a comp.lock Millie!)
- Adding a tip up and of course if technically possible 4 way option would be just that:
+ Adding an OPTION, that would not change the knife at all or just very subtle (even less than lets say the Endura 4 changed compared to the predecessor)
+ The Millie would remain the same great model, practically 100% for those who want that (they´d mount the clip tip down),and those who´d like to try it tip UP would get that - again - OPTION.
+ NOT an "option" though to give it "two kinds of choil" or (as I proposed as a joke in another thread) "two lock types on the same folder" to choose from.

/ in my opinion a Millie with a comp.lock and probably PM2-ish choil design certainly is definitely more a "PM4" / "PM" XL" than a "Military 2". I mean, the Millie and PM2 handle shapes are not EXACTLY the same, but pretty close, and if you make the choils identical and change the lock to a comp.lock on a Millie you´ll really end up with pretty much a PM4, right?

As I´ve said in a precvious post: Has there ever been such substantial changes when bringing out a new version of a model?
Again: Imagine for example an Endura 5 got a linerlock, a choil and by that a shorter actual handle grip area: Would this still be an Endura? Or something new? Or a rather a "Lil Millie"?

What I am trying to say is: What features are somewhat defining for a knife? And make it what it is? Do make a "Millie" what a "Millie" is? Of course very subjective! But for me the linerlock and the minimal choil are pretty defining and make a Millie feel and work as a Millie. I can always really feel the difference in real use, especially in the outdoors: The linerlock is a lot better to operate in harsh conditions and feels better in hand over time in harder use than the comp.lock (different cutouts in different places) - and the minimal choil gives me more control when choking up and lets my hand be closer to the edge when not.

What makes this thing more "serious": There ARE already very few choices of linerlock models in the mid to high end Spyderco in house models, but a lot of comp locks. For those who like a linerlock (for me not the best, but the most convenient to use locktype) of course it is not a good thing if one of the last options potentially will disappear too. In outdoor/harder use for me a comp.lock is just no match for a linerlock, in comfort, operation and safety.

[Bill1170]

One reason that many love the compression lock and distrust the liner lock is execution. Only Spyderco make compression lock folders, and they are very well made. Spyderco also make excellent liner lock folders. However, there are hundreds of folders made badly by other makers, using liner locks. I think that Spyderco’s liner locks suffer guilt by association with poorly executed liner locks from other manufacturers, while their compression locks don’t have this problem. We’ve all handled untrustworthy liner locks on cheap knives, whereas the only compression locks I’ve ever seen were by Spyderco, and they are solidly made. Guilt by association may not be fair, but it is a well-known cognitive pattern.

[Wartstein]

One reason that many love the compression lock and distrust the liner lock is execution. Only Spyderco make compression lock folders, and they are very well made. Spyderco also make excellent liner lock folders. However, there are hundreds of folders made badly by other makers, using liner locks. I think that Spyderco’s liner locks suffer guilt by association with poorly executed liner locks from other manufacturers, while their compression locks don’t have this problem. We’ve all handled untrustworthy liner locks on cheap knives, whereas the only compression locks I’ve ever seen were by Spyderco, and they are solidly made. Guilt by association may not be fair, but it is a well-known cognitive pattern.

Very good point!
I can't recall even one single post here about for example a Millie linerlock failing or leading to one cutting themselves.
If well done (=Spyderco), I think a linerlock is hard to beat in convenience of operation and also really not "unsafe".

[Bloke]

I love Military Knife threads.

I often think of knuts smashing jam donuts, inhaling greasy burgers and fries, washing it down with a super size Coca Cola that would never buy a knife with a liner lock because it could hurt them.
Ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha!

[hvarcz]

Have both variation is best, I just want big Spyderco knife for fidgeting.

[RamZar]

Upcoming Military2 with Compression Lock (same exact blade and S30V steel).

Congrats to Spyderco Military2 for winning the American-Made Knife Of The Year® at the 2022 Blade Show.

https://youtu.be/oTGHXxmveY8

[JSumm]

People are excited.

[Matus]

Apparently it's super easy to replace and even upgrade detent balls if you can find the right size. I've seen a bunch replaced with ceramic balls.

… it takes some balls to do that though …