Awesome review comparing two knives I've been looking hard at lately. You covered a lot of the details that make or break whether I'm happy carrying the knife as well.
I hear you on the sharpening coil too. I was cutting up shop rags yesterday and the knife I was using didn't have a sharpening coil. No hang-ups and smooth sailing because of it. Definately a function over form scenario.
Personally, I have a bit of a pet peeve about medium size folders that have a decent blade length but very little actual cutting edge.
Thanks for taking the time to bring us such an in depth review!
Spyderco Paramilitary / Strider SNG Comparison
Good review! - Interesting that the SnG doesn't hold it blade well when closed. That was actually one of the features that amazed me the most on my Strider PT. That one holds the blade close like a strong lockback. It really 'snaps' when closed. But I noticed that that effect was less on a Strider PT ORD, which was a newer generation and had a deeper cut-out on the lockbar, making the tension lighter. Probably the later generations of SnG are also like that.
Now, if only Strider were to do a SnG with satin or stonewashed finish on the blade. :rolleyes:
Now, if only Strider were to do a SnG with satin or stonewashed finish on the blade. :rolleyes:
Excellent Work!!!
Buzz,
You really did an outstanding job in your review!!
Thanks-- :spyder:
You really did an outstanding job in your review!!
Thanks-- :spyder:
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TheKnifeCollector
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WOW, that was an awesome review!! I have had a couple of SNG's, and loved them. I have been wanting to get a Para Millie!! That was a most excellent review.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
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severedthumbs
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Well actually the "sharpening choil" is actually the blade stop when the blade is closed. Look inside the handle, see the hump in the g-10? The "sharpening choil" rests on that. I have been edc a SMF daily for a while now anf the "shaprening choil" has not been an issue for me at all. So actually function over beauty is correct. The "sharpening choil" serves many very functional purposes.Buzzbait wrote:What is truly ironic is that the SNG had a sharpening choil to begin with. It seems very strange to me that a company with a reputation of function over beauty, would even use a sharpening choil in the first place. .
No plans on that. The Para's grind is thin enough as is. I don't think I'd see much difference in performance. The main reason for convexing the Millie was to overcome my sharpening problems with 440V. Specifically, the wire edge that plagued me. Now that that Spyderco has gone to S30V, I have no more sharpening problems.LJK wrote:Buzz:
Any plans to convex the edge on your PMillie like you did on that 440V Millie?
severedthumbs - I'm not surprised that you've had no sharpening choil problems on the SMF. If the SNG had the same cutting edge length as the SMF, I probably wouldn't have had much of a problem either. You've got a lot of cutting surface on your blade in comparison to mine. My cutting needs and personal tolerance for certain things also come into play here. Personal preference and personal needs play into this stuff quite a bit. If you don’t mind the occasional snag, or don’t normally cut things that have a tendency to snag, there should be no issues. I also mentioned in the review, that the problem may be alleviated by a change in my cutting technique. I’m not used to using folders with blades this short.
I see where the sharpening choil acts as a blade stop, but that's just because the stop was designed with the choil in mind. The back spacer could easily have been lengthened and shaped to allow the blade tang to act as the blade stop.
And please don't think for a second that I don't like the SNG. I love the SNG!!!! It's one of the best folders I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. If my EDC needs required a more robust grind than the Para, the SNG would easily take its place. I can also easily see others strongly preferring the SNG over the Para. The SNG has some outstanding features that the Para does not. As is, the SNG may possibly replace the Manix as my dayhiking knife this summer. Also, I have definite plans on buying an SMF in the future. The larger handle and longer blade would be very much to my liking, and would most likely replace the Millie as my all-time favorite large folder. I just have to wait for the piggy bank to fill up again.
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severedthumbs
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great review, i personally am not comfortable carrying such a serious knife but it's nice to see how favorably golden spyderco knives compare with the high, high end folders out there.
"Always keep an edge on your knife son, because a good sharp edge is a man's best hedge against the vague uncertainties of life."
dedguy.net
dedguy.net
Wow, that's a truly fantastic review. I am a Spyderco fan, but I find myself leaning towards the SnG for an EDC (I'm actually considering the SnG tanto point as I use my EDC hard) simply because it seems to has a better blade to handle ratio than the Mini Manix (for my hand), and I'm not a fan of the way the Para rides so high.
To me, a tip down Strider with a Spyderhole would be perfect.
Having said that, my FRN handled Native in S30V has served me well for the most part.
To me, a tip down Strider with a Spyderhole would be perfect.
Having said that, my FRN handled Native in S30V has served me well for the most part.
To be honest I have stopped liking my sng, the blade geometry sucks and it sucks at cutting. I originally thought my sng had a heat treat defect or something like it, as just daily cutting would fully dull the knife to the point it would not cut a piece of computer paper. I pretty much have to resharpen it everyday.
Then when I sent it into strider it took them nearly 2 months to even hear word, got a few letters saying I owed them the money, which I felt i didn't need to pay. Got it back they told me i don't know how to sharpen. Well maybe I don't, but my sharpening skills sure as heck work great on my Spyderco's.
All in all, the para's tip is really to thin for hard use, but i still think of selling the sng.
Then when I sent it into strider it took them nearly 2 months to even hear word, got a few letters saying I owed them the money, which I felt i didn't need to pay. Got it back they told me i don't know how to sharpen. Well maybe I don't, but my sharpening skills sure as heck work great on my Spyderco's.
All in all, the para's tip is really to thin for hard use, but i still think of selling the sng.
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Michael Cook
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Buzzbait
Thank you for this very elaborate and interesting review. The para is on my wishlist and hopefully lands here before the end of the year.
For a more rugged folder i choose this one (the para) before the mini-manix
as it is lighter in weight and less wide and thick when closed. I don't like my pocketed folders to be to heavy or clunky . I rather turn to a fixed 4 inch like blade for outdoor hard use.
5 star raiting review :D
Thank you for this very elaborate and interesting review. The para is on my wishlist and hopefully lands here before the end of the year.
For a more rugged folder i choose this one (the para) before the mini-manix
as it is lighter in weight and less wide and thick when closed. I don't like my pocketed folders to be to heavy or clunky . I rather turn to a fixed 4 inch like blade for outdoor hard use.
5 star raiting review :D
I have both a SnG & a ParaMilitary. The 2 complaints I have on the ParaMilitary are both clip related:
1) The clip has sharp edges that feel uncomfortable.
2) The knife rides high out of my pocket.
Normally complaint #2 is no big deal to me, but my ParaMilitary is my yardworking knife. When I am out in the yard mowing, digging, etc. the ParaMilitary gets all kinds of dirt & debris in it. No big deal if it was tip-up, but with the way it sits in the pocket, all that junk gets in the pivot/lock area.
Still, I love the knife as I got it for $45 on ebay.
1) The clip has sharp edges that feel uncomfortable.
2) The knife rides high out of my pocket.
Normally complaint #2 is no big deal to me, but my ParaMilitary is my yardworking knife. When I am out in the yard mowing, digging, etc. the ParaMilitary gets all kinds of dirt & debris in it. No big deal if it was tip-up, but with the way it sits in the pocket, all that junk gets in the pivot/lock area.
Still, I love the knife as I got it for $45 on ebay.
"A Delica is still a better weapon than a keyboard and a sour attitude..." Michael Janich
Halfneck STR can fix you up with a titanium low rider clip for either left/right tip up/downcarry . He's got his own subforum at bladeForums.Halfneck wrote:I have both a SnG & a ParaMilitary. The 2 complaints I have on the ParaMilitary are both clip related:
1) The clip has sharp edges that feel uncomfortable.
2) The knife rides high out of my pocket.
Normally complaint #2 is no big deal to me, but my ParaMilitary is my yardworking knife. When I am out in the yard mowing, digging, etc. the ParaMilitary gets all kinds of dirt & debris in it. No big deal if it was tip-up, but with the way it sits in the pocket, all that junk gets in the pivot/lock area.
Still, I love the knife as I got it for $45 on ebay.
In reference to the term "choil" in this review, I believe the part of the blade you are making note of, is actually the "kick." If you look in the handle, you will see a little hump in the G-10, this cut out in the blade is where it rests on the handle. On the SnG it is rather deep and it the part I believe you are making reference to.
Again, I will say excellent review. :)
Again, I will say excellent review. :)