Military VS Police

[R100]

Great poll Vivi and it took some thought but I voted Police. I love both but overall the Police just edges out the Military for me. I prefer the back lock and it slices and carries better but then again the Military is a bit more robust. Depends on the day and what I'm doing ...


Dan

[Coastal]

Great thread, Vivi!

It's easily the Military for me, but I don't consider it the better knife, or even better for my uses. I just like it better. A little more ergonomic for me. I have 3 Polices and 7 Militaries, and I end up carrying the Millies waaay more. All that said, if I ever see a Police 3 for a reasonable price, I'll be all over it.

I thought I was the only one who still carries tip down. Not all knives, but definitely the larger ones. Unlike most folks, I find them easier to open when the hole comes out of my pocket sooner and right next to my thumb. I also prefer tip down with detent-based designs because I've had them open in my pocket. No harm done if the tip is down.

Since getting my Military 2's I saw some PD1 Police 4's with aftermarket scales that looked slick.

So I decided to build one.

Still waiting on scales, but today I'm carrying a Police 4.....

Where did you order your scales? I'm definitely interested.

[JMM]

For me it's a 100% absolute must be the PoPo -- both the V3 & V4, both PE & SE . . .



. . . The P4 G10 PE K390 is & will always be in my top ten, no top five favorite knives ever made by any company, it's just so **** good. The ergos, geometry, aesthetics, everything is just on point.

The Military is a fantastic knife, I've got a couple, but if I want to carry a 4" blade there is no contest.

Cheers,

John

[Brock O Lee]

I have one P4 (K390 SE), but several Militaries.



One M1 missing here.

[Doc Dan]

I like the grip or handle on the military one including the way the choil is made. However, I like the lock and blade better on the Police.

[xceptnl]

This thread had me curious. The Military is the clear winner in my collection based on number of iterations and variants (12) but similar to vivi, the Police, Native Chief, ATR, Pac Salt are nearly all of my top favorite Spydercos.

My first Military was an old S30V PE with the blocky jimping on the thumb ramp and a smooth choil. This inevitably has remained my favorite generation of the CQI. If all my millies said "Military" I would be elated, especially if they still possessed the plethora of steels I have amassed.

The Police 3 was my first of this model and I did carry it for a long time. It was replaced with a C36 and remained that way until the K390 Police arrived, now it was a real competitor for the super steel millies. My latest is a K390 LW in SE. That might be my favorite Police of all, and will see much pocket time in the future.

My experience has taught me that no matter which I choose, it's obvious my tastes prefer large blade folders, that is the only sure fact I know.

[RazorSharp86]

Had at least a dozen of each, over the years. For me it’s hands down the Police.
The fit and finish is much better on the Military, but I find that the Police carries, handles and cuts better in most cases.

Something about these square corners on the Para and full size Military began getting on my nerves, over the years.
It has become a pet peeve and somewhat of a deal breaker.

[horzuff]

That's a really tough choice! Looking at how they come from factory and what I value most in knives (cutting ability, especially in cooking tasks) I would go for the Police. Thinner blade, more neutral blade-handle orienation. However I love the fun factor of the comp lock of the M2.

But comparing my reground K390 P4LW and S110V M2 (with rockscale design ti scales) I think I'd choose the Military afterall. The scales give it a great feel, the regrind changed it into a laser beam and the handle is more hand filling. Plus slightly greater steel choice whic definitely tickles my fancy :D

[Jeb]

Edit

[Jeb]

That's a really tough choice! Looking at how they come from factory and what I value most in knives (cutting ability, especially in cooking tasks) I would go for the Police. Thinner blade, more neutral blade-handle orienation. However I love the fun factor of the comp lock of the M2.

But comparing my reground K390 P4LW and S110V M2 (with rockscale design ti scales) I think I'd choose the Military afterall. The scales give it a great feel, the regrind changed it into a laser beam and the handle is more hand filling. Plus slightly greater steel choice whic definitely tickles my fancy :D

What are you talking about when you mentioned "re-grind", like changing the edge bevel angle or?

[yablanowitz]

Probably thinning out the blade behind the edge bevel.

[Evil D]

That's a really tough choice! Looking at how they come from factory and what I value most in knives (cutting ability, especially in cooking tasks) I would go for the Police. Thinner blade, more neutral blade-handle orienation. However I love the fun factor of the comp lock of the M2.

But comparing my reground K390 P4LW and S110V M2 (with rockscale design ti scales) I think I'd choose the Military afterall. The scales give it a great feel, the regrind changed it into a laser beam and the handle is more hand filling. Plus slightly greater steel choice whic definitely tickles my fancy :D

What are you talking about when you mentioned "re-grind", like changing the edge bevel angle or?

Typically a regrind is just what it sounds like, the entire blade grind is redone thinner. Thinner blade grinds usually slice better, but of course thinner means less strong so you're leveraging one quality at the cost of another.

[vivi]

Probably thinning out the blade behind the edge bevel.

Look at you casually commenting in this thread without listing which you'd vote for

I have a hunch.

[Enactive]

Probably thinning out the blade behind the edge bevel.

Look at you casually commenting in this thread without listing which you'd vote for

I have a hunch.

I think the answer here is evident.

I'm in the same camp. Whoop whoop.

[aicolainen]

I have neither, but I don't trust this poll, so of course I'm getting both

[xceptnl]

I have neither, but I don't trust this poll, so of course I'm getting both

Absolutely best to do your own research.

[zuludelta]

The correct answer, of course, is the Yojumbo :D

In all seriousness, though... I've owned a Police 4 for a while but recently gifted it away. I just wasn't using it as much, and found that I was almost always carrying an Endura 4 over the Police 4 in situations where I wanted a large-ish backlock. And in instances where I absolutely needed something with the blade length of the Police 4 in a relatively compact/light package, I would just carry the Benchmade fixed-blade Adamas (the Cru-Wear version) instead. The Police 4 was basically in this no-man's land where it wasn't seeing much actual use.

I have yet to try a Military 2, but based on how much I like the PM2, I'd probably take the Military 2 over the Police 4 as well.

[GarageBoy]

Where's native chief in this?

[SpeedHoles]

Where's native chief in this?

Unfortunately not a government recognized branch.

[Mushroom]

Unfortunately not a government recognized branch.

LOL!