To pull the trigger, or not to pull the trigger?

Tyv& · #1

How is everyone?
My love for spyderco has grown very quickly, yet my collection has grown slowly.

I am currently looking at getting a Orange para 2. Is it worth the high price? It would be my first para 2 model and the xhp is tantalizing. Any thoughts?

Also how is the xhp to sharpen? I'm mediocre at sharpening on the best days.

Thanks, Tyv&

jackknifeh · #2

Welcome to the forum. Pull. :) I don't have a para2 but have held one and liked the way it felt. I didn't get to use it though. You will get lots of "pull" suggestions I bet. Paramilitary 2 is a huge favorite. Or, some may say "I like this one a little better" and will explain why. If you are hoping anyone here will talk you into saving money, you came to the wrong place. :D

My only "real" suggestion is to be sure you have looked at the entire lineup of what is available right now. Weigh your desires and what you read here, THEN PULL!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Gayle Bradley and Sage4. Chaparral is my choice for a smaller knife. Of course the Delica/Endura knives are always a winner for knives that set the standard for EDC knives. The Manbugs are really great for keychain knives or just small EDC pocket knives. Oh wait, don't forget to look at the Stretch knives. I'm going to stop or I'll list half the lineup. :)

Jack

jackknifeh · #3

In case you don't have a printed catalog, here.

http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/catalog ... atalog.swf

You can order a catalog from Spyderco's web site of course.

Here is a video that shows most choices available in Spyderco knives.

http://www.spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/video.php

Jack

kbuzbee · #4

I agree with Jack. If I were to buy just one knife out of the current lineup it would be the Gayle Bradley, hands down.

Nothing wrong with the Paras. They are great knives. I have several, but the GB gets the poket time.

As to XHP, it's a good steel and pretty easy to get a great edge as premium steels go. You still need skills. Reading and practicing will get you there, but it doesn't sharpen itself.:lol: Again, my nod goes to the CPM-M4 in the Bradley. It's my favorite blade steel.

Cheers,

Ken

chuck_roxas45 · #5

Tyv& wrote:To pull the trigger, or not to pull the trigger?

Sight picture first.

dj moonbat · #6

You're not going to get a whole lot of people on this forum saying, "nah, don't bother buying that knife." Doesn't really matter what knife it is. "Pull the trigger" is just how these guys roll.

Tyv& · #7

Well I think that settles it! haha
Thanks everyone!
My next knife will be the orange para 2.

I would also like to say how awesome the spyderco community is especially this forum,
and I'm glad I'm apart of it.

And to chuck thanks for the laugh, that was great

Sight picture first.

KardinalSyn · #8

Welcome to the forum.

By all means pull but be mindful that Cutlery Shoppe may list the Orange para 2's that were not bought at a lower price than available in the secondary market. I saw one on eBay for nearly USD 300.

Mine when it arrive will be my first XHP knife too. So can't answer the other questions.

Do try to share your thoughts on your existing Spydies and new ones when you can. We all like reading and writing a lot. Some of us like drawing too. But mostly, all of us enjoy cutting and admiring our Spydies.

xceptnl · #9

Sight picture, breathe, pull!
The XHP makes it a great knife aside from the terrific ergos you get with the other Para2s. If you can find one for a price you can live with I would say pull the trigger 9 times out of 10.

Shakyamuni · #10

Orange or Blue, they are the two best Para's out right now. You can't go wrong with either one. Great steel, and very smooth. Only problem is that they don't come with a deep carry clip like in my picture :)

Evil D · #11

This is a forum full of enablers. You won't get many "don't buy" suggestions around here, least of all from me when the knife in question is a Para 2.

michaelm466 · #12

I'm gonna go against the crowd and say don't, only because I would go with the Blue PM2 over the orange because...
1. I prefer M390 to XHP (m390 has noticeably better edge retention)
2. I prefer blue over orange (subjective) however orange shows dirt/gets dirty much easier than the blue
3. This applies if you're getting the orange for what the going rate is which seems to be about the same as the blue or a little higher, if you found it for around $140 or less (the original preorder price) I'd say go for the orange.

gbelleh · #13

Even though orange is my favorite color, I'd say, if you're having to pay close to $200, get the blue M390.

Holland · #14

michaelm466 wrote:

hate you..... haha

Prospero · #15

gbelleh wrote:Even though orange is my favorite color, I'd say, if you're having to pay close to $200, get the blue M390.

I agree with gbelleh. The asking prices for the orange XHP version on the secondary market are outrageous, with a range of $200 - $300!!! For that money, the blue M390 is a better value.

rg02 · #16

FYI----blue pm2 is sold out from BBS

Blerv · #17

Bummer the blue is sold out

.

Steel snobbery aside the CPM-S35v should still be in stock. Michael, do you have an opinion on it as an alternative?

I don't own one but love the color. Love it even more saving about $70 over the orange one.

Sonny · #18

I believe that the orange and blue are both sold out. I "almost" bought the blue; would have liked that M390. But the prices now are running $215 or so, and I won't pay that. I have a couple of nice Paras that are top super-steels, so I "quit" on that model, at least for now. :)
Sonny

michaelm466 · #19

Blerv wrote:Bummer the blue is sold out .

Steel snobbery aside the CPM-S35v should still be in stock. Michael, do you have an opinion on it as an alternative?

I don't own one but love the color. Love it even more saving about $70 over the orange one.

I actually only got it because I found it for $111 shipped, I don't really notice any difference between s35vn and S30V, so for me it was only so I'd have a complete collection, although I don't really love the color, if I did I would probably have bought it for the normal $135ish.

Wildernest Survivor · #20

I would wait to purchase the XHP Para2 only because the prices they are going for right this moment are ridiculous. The prices have fallen from the initial wave of frenzied buying, but they should plateau once you know if CS will be releasing any leftover knives. I'm partial to the M390 Para2, but now that it is sold out, the prices are going to naturally increase. The Para2 is my favorite Spyderco knife, and no matter what steel choice you end up purchasing, you will get an excellent all-around performer. I couldn't recommend a knife more highly.