Paramilitary refinement - Need input.

[MojoMC]

Ugh, please no wire clip. Not on a hard-use knife.

I could live with "just" a low-rider tip-up clip... :-)

CPM S30V is not "nice steel"?? :confused:

IMHO overrated. For its ability to hold the sharpness a little too brittle & too hard to sharpen.

[gull wing]

Come to think of it, I will probaby buy one whatever improvments are made. This is my most liked knife of all time.

[LJK]

A lower ride clip for sure. I also would not mine if you slimmed it down some. Always looked a tad chunky to my eye.

[Vincent]

god please no wire clips. just no no no no

[Vincent]

I had a Paramilitary, but I sold it. The reasons:

- only Tip-Down. Why? Tip-Up is safe (and IMHO better, too) - unless you don't know how to build a knife. But I wouldn't worry about that. The extra holes for ambidextrous carry would be annoying if the handle would be made of metal or stag - but it's black G10. You can hardly see these extra holes...

- the total opposite of a low-riding-clip, very annoying.

- blade:handle ratio. It's even worse than an SBMF, and at least that's a **** good handle.
Increasing the blade would be a solution (why not buying a military? because of the ridiculously oversized handle), but decreasing the length of the handle (including moving the pivot to the end of the handle) while keeping the length of the edge under 3" would be suitable for many situations.

So, my next Paramilitary needs:
- possibility of Tip-Up
- a low-riding clip (perhaps even a wire-clip?)
- a shorter handle (better than more blade)

It would be nice if it had:
- nice steel (like ZDP-189?)
- not only black G-10, but other colors too
- not the pointy tang

ir joking about the buck correct.

[jaislandboy]

In my small 7-1/2 glove sized hands, the Military feels MUCH more comfortable than my Paramilitary in a forward grip......I kinda feel the same way when I grip an Endura vs. a Delica (any generation).....I guess I'd love it if the overall profile of the Para's handle was an exact "shrunked" down version of the Military's handle (with its "deeper" forefinger choil)... :rolleyes:

[TK]

I had my Para converted to left hand tip up carry a little over a month ago and I can't imagine my knife opening accidentally in my pocket. The only way I could see this happening is if the pivot was ridiculously loose. I carry my Para in my front left pocket, which is where I also carry my money clip. My hand goes in and out of that pocket several times a day, and I have never worried about the knife opening up accidentally.

When there are some real world experiences existing for a save Compression Lock tip-up carry, then my worries are gone :) . I will no longer block the way for a 4-way clip :) .

@sal
When will the refined Para hit the streets? Maybe shortly before christmas?

Thomas

[224477]

To me, a four way clip is a must.

Ball bearing lock would stay MBC and more ambi friendly..

I cant give credit regarding the blade lenghts, I dunno US state jurisdictions..

Maybe a different color of G10 would not be that bad.

[MojoMC]

ir joking about the buck correct.

No, I'm not joking. The handle may look just like something edgy, but it works pretty good. I myself was quite surprised when I first handled a Strider.

Calm down. It's not like I mentioned a Benchmade... :rolleyes:

BTT: Any planned/estimated date for the new Para?

[brainus]

I would venture to guess that if they don't even know what the changes are going to be, they can't have a date.

[MojoMC]

I would venture to guess that if they don't even know what the changes are going to be, they can't have a date.

That's why I asked for the planned/estimated date, because they can't have a real delivery date.
No one starts a project without a "wanted"/intended date (like "before Xmas 2006") or a classification of the urgency of the release.

I hope, you can understand my english.

[brainus]

Well understood. It just seemed that the company already has so much on their plate that it would be really difficult to make such an estimation.

Unfortunately for me, with a 3" limit, I probably won't be able to carry it either way .

[dogrunner]

wow, long thread already.
Here's my 0.02 --
1. It is darn near perfect as is - other than the refinements Sal mentioned in his first I would not change much.
2. Handle:blade ratio is excellent as is: strong, comfortable full-hand grip and good practical blade length.
3. Materials - G10 and S30V are 1st rate. If anything, I'd like a sprint run with a different color (green) handle and BG 42.
4. Compression lock - mine works great, easy to operate, very secure. Leave as is.
5. Clip is fine as is. A little lower riding would be ok, but not too much so it is easy to pull out without digging for it.
6. Buy one, get a cricket free :D

[spydutch]

Please don't change the handle. It's perfect like it is.

What I would like though is;

1. Same pivot as the Military
2. Low rider clip (without the sharp edges )
3. Make the serrated version REALLY fully serrated. There is too much PE on
the current Para IMO
4. Maybe an extra effort to make the blade centered.

[butch]

6. Buy one, get a cricket free :D

:D
my para not edc right (mili is )now but was since it first came out (im working on a rebuild)
clip just fine much lower and it wouldnt getout the pocket as fast (lucky that i dont hang around sheeple)
little corner on blade when closed not real nice but im not sure how to clean that up ( i can live with it)
its a great little harduse knife and add heft to it or changing the lock to lockback would make it too close to a 80mm
pivot now heres something that i am changing on my mod para going to go with 3/16 but not cause i think it needs more strenth
from all the use i have blade play on the pivot i may be ablt to post a pic of the wear (maybe a harder pivot steel is needed for cpmV steel blades ) my guess is the vandium is eating the pivots faster then normal as i have not run into any problems with most my other spyders
\so maybe some different handle colors and can you add the little screw in wave like the pickle knife has so if i did want to use it i could
thats about it for me any other thing could be covered with a sprint here and there with different color g10 or blade steel
butch

[boxer93]

Another one here with a tip/up conversion. It has never opened accidentially on me. I'm not running around like "Bowie Man" either. The tip/up also eliminated the sharp corners for me. Lower ride would be better, I don't know if it has to be as low as STR's low rider clips. On the pivot pins I would like to see them flush with the scale like the DKPK. I didn't know if the cutout to access the lock tab could be reduced. I too would like scale color options. Then again I can do those with a customizer I choose. I do like wire clips, but think mounting on the pivot end would be impractical.
My .03cents US.
Chris

[ront]

First off, as others have already said, thanks Sal for taking the time to ask out opinions. That, IMHO, is one of the reasons that Spyderco is such a great company!!
My Para has been in my right front pocket everyday since I purchased it from Rock. It is one of my top 3 favorite knives. I love it!!
I like the ideas that you suggested Sal. I would also like to see some jimping added to the finger choil as some others have mentioned.
Besides that, for me, I would not change a thing. I think the Para is mighty close to perfect right now.

Thanks, Ron

[5150]

already an awesome knife, but maybe...
-a better coated lower riding pocket clip
-a slightly more efficient blade to handle ratio (not that the present one is out to lunch)
-a wicked sprint run of some sort :D

[Woody]

First off Mr. Glesser the Para ROCKS...... Love mine..... IF you were to change anything it would be change it to tip up only, and to see it in a camo G-10 if possible would be too cool....... At least a Sprint run of Camo would be neat.. Everything else about the Para is outstanding....

Thanks for all the outstanding products you and the crew put out, and thanks for this Forum........

[Edd-UK]

i have two paras, and i use both. after extensive use of one i found that the lock bar seems to move its self across the blade. so my wish list of refindments would be

• stick out tang bit removed or rounded
• same length handle but more BIG hand freindly, i find i cant fit my 4 fingers on the handle with out it being a tight fit (NB i dont have realy havebig hands im only a size 10)
• smother opening
• overbuilt pivot
• 4 way clip
• stronger blade retention when closed
• and finaly a more refined compresion lock!! maybe a little thicker liner too

good luck with the project :)