Para-Military II - Right-Hand Biasd

[Mwalle6]

Dont adapt! if you do then they will never make us lefties a comp lock. I had a PM 2 for a while, and while the comp lock is possible to operate left handed, it's certainly not comfortable or easy for me. There is no grip on the thumb side of the knife when you are using your thumb to push the tab. I dropped the knife quite a few times trying to operate the lock with my left hand. I just stick to back locks, ball bearing locks, lefty military. Hopefully one day they will hook us up with a lefty model, but it's a long shot at best. They sell all of the PM2s they can make so why "waste" time building a lefty that may or may not sell out. All of the lefties telling us to adapt and buying the right handed knife are certainly not helping our cause either.

Get yourself a manix 2, caly 3.5, lefty military. They are all great!

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

Dont adapt! if you do then they will never make us lefties a comp lock. I had a PM 2 for a while, and while the comp lock is possible to operate left handed, it's certainly not comfortable or easy for me. There is no grip on the thumb side of the knife when you are using your thumb to push the tab. I dropped the knife quite a few times trying to operate the lock with my left hand. I just stick to back locks, ball bearing locks, lefty military. Hopefully one day they will hook us up with a lefty model, but it's a long shot at best. They sell all of the PM2s they can make so why "waste" time building a lefty that may or may not sell out. All of the lefties telling us to adapt and buying the right handed knife are certainly not helping our cause either.

Get yourself a manix 2, caly 3.5, lefty military. They are all great!

AMEN! Preach on my lefty brother.

[Evil D]

Some of you guys sound like you feel like you're being discriminated against lol. My mother (who's a lefty) once told me the world hates lefty people, and from the few i've known i think lefty people just hate the world.

This is a long shot but does anyone (Deacon maybe?) know how long it took for the lefty Military to hit the market after the Military was released? Guys, don't forget that the Para 2 is relatively a new model, it's only been out a couple years. A mere 10% of the WORLD'S population is left handed...like it or not you can't fault a company for not taking risks when making lefty only products.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

Some of you guys sound like you feel like you're being discriminated against lol. My mother (who's a lefty) once told me the world hates lefty people, and from the few i've known i think lefty people just hate the world.

This is a long shot but does anyone (Deacon maybe?) know how long it took for the lefty Military to hit the market after the Military was released? Guys, don't forget that the Para 2 is relatively a new model, it's only been out a couple years. A mere 10% of the WORLD'S population is left handed...like it or not you can't fault a company for not taking risks when making lefty only products.

I don't even particularly like the Para2...but I would like to see another lefty model in the line up.

Of course I would prefer it be something like the Southard Folder... :D

[Donut]

For a while, I was thinking it was biased to left handers because of how I prefer to close the lock. After making a thread about it, I was convinced that one extra finger grip for the pinch closing method makes it slightly more biased to the right handers.

Using your thumb to press the lock should make it easier for a left hander.

[Lefty923]

I adapted a long time ago simply due to the fact that the clips were molded and not reversible. Even now with all the clip options, I stay with it in a right-handed position in my right pocket. However that is only limited to my EDC/folding knives, if I carry a fixed blade I carry lefty.

[Mwalle6]

Some of you guys sound like you feel like you're being discriminated against lol. My mother (who's a lefty) once told me the world hates lefty people, and from the few i've known i think lefty people just hate the world.

This is a long shot but does anyone (Deacon maybe?) know how long it took for the lefty Military to hit the market after the Military was released? Guys, don't forget that the Para 2 is relatively a new model, it's only been out a couple years. A mere 10% of the WORLD'S population is left handed...like it or not you can't fault a company for not taking risks when making lefty only products.

Imagine it the other way and you might understand how we feel. All of us understand that we are the minority and it makes ZERO sense for any company to produce products for 10% of the market when they can produce for 90%. I applaud Spyderco for even having 1 true lefty model in the lineup. All lefties have been adapting their whole lives so it's nothing new. Right handed scissors, desks at school, bumping elbows at the dinner table with righties, and so on. I am basically ambidextrous at this point, but fine motor skills are still easier with my left hand. So I don't feel like I am entitled to have a left handed pocket knife, but that doesn't stop me from asking for it. I have a lefty Military, a couple of lefty sebenzas and a couple lefty customs.

Given that left handed people are generally smarter, more athletic, and better looking, etc.....I guess you "correct" handed folks can have your stinking pocket knives! (I may have made up the better looking part)

[Evil D]

Imagine it the other way and you might understand how we feel. All of us understand that we are the minority and it makes ZERO sense for any company to produce products for 10% of the market when they can produce for 90%. I applaud Spyderco for even having 1 true lefty model in the lineup. All lefties have been adapting their whole lives so it's nothing new. Right handed scissors, desks at school, bumping elbows at the dinner table with righties, and so on. I am basically ambidextrous at this point, but fine motor skills are still easier with my left hand. So I don't feel like I am entitled to have a left handed pocket knife, but that doesn't stop me from asking for it. I have a lefty Military, a couple of lefty sebenzas and a couple lefty customs.

Given that left handed people are generally smarter, more athletic, and better looking, etc.....I guess you "correct" handed folks can have your stinking pocket knives! (I may have made up the better looking part)

We are all minorities in one fashion or another. Try being a tattooed/pierced/shaved headed dude some time. Still though, it's not that i don't sympathize with the issue..i'm just calling it like it is. Like you said, at least Spyderco made the Military in lefty form. It's not like they're not thinking about lefties, they're just catering to 90% of the population. You have to also consider that the VAST majority of knives made by Spyderco are back locks, which are ambidextrous, so i don't think having a few righty only models is too terrible now is it? The fact that the Military 2 is rumored to be using an ambidextrous lock design shows that they're pushing to cater to that 10% in some way. Still though, i think in the long run a lefty version of the Para 2 could be possible. Start a petition?

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

We are all minorities in one fashion or another. Try being a tattooed/pierced/shaved headed dude some time. Still though, it's not that i don't sympathize with the issue..i'm just calling it like it is. Like you said, at least Spyderco made the Military in lefty form. It's not like they're not thinking about lefties, they're just catering to 90% of the population. You have to also consider that the VAST majority of knives made by Spyderco are back locks, which are ambidextrous, so i don't think having a few righty only models is too terrible now is it? The fact that the Military 2 is rumored to be using an ambidextrous lock design shows that they're pushing to cater to that 10% in some way. Still though, i think in the long run a lefty version of the Para 2 could be possible. Start a petition?

Well, I'm heavily tattooed at least...so I know what you mean.

I would think that maybe at some point we will get a lefty friendly model that isn't a back lock. The new millie could be very nice. BUT it would be nice to have a smaller model too. Not everyone can carry a millie.

[Evil D]

Well, I'm heavily tattooed at least...so I know what you mean.

I would think that maybe at some point we will get a lefty friendly model that isn't a back lock. The new millie could be very nice. BUT it would be nice to have a smaller model too. Not everyone can carry a millie.

Manix 2?

Also for what it's worth, i had a physical therapist tell me once that i was likely born left handed and raised as a righty, because i have an unusual amount of strength in my left hand. Who knows.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

Manix 2?

Also for what it's worth, i had a physical therapist tell me once that i was likely born left handed and raised as a righty, because i have an unusual amount of strength in my left hand. Who knows.

Meh...yeah but something new and cool would be nice. Just once you know...to get something really new and cool that was also a lefty model. I would love to see a lefty frame lock personally.

That isn't surprising. Not sure how old you are...but a lot of people up here that are maybe 5 years older than I am...say 40. Were forced to use their right hands to learn to write etc.

[The Deacon]

Some of you guys sound like you feel like you're being discriminated against lol. My mother (who's a lefty) once told me the world hates lefty people, and from the few i've known i think lefty people just hate the world.

This is a long shot but does anyone (Deacon maybe?) know how long it took for the lefty Military to hit the market after the Military was released? Guys, don't forget that the Para 2 is relatively a new model, it's only been out a couple years. A mere 10% of the WORLD'S population is left handed...like it or not you can't fault a company for not taking risks when making lefty only products.

Military was around for about 14 years before the LH version came out. Not sure what that proves though, because back when Spyderco made its first Walker lock model, the C15 Terzuola, they offered a lefty version. 10% is a pretty good market, and when you count in those like myself with mixed handedness who favor their left hand for opening, closing and using knives, the number is probably better than 15%. Chris Reeve seems to find it a market worth tapping. I don't think any of us expect Spyderco to offer left handed versions of all their Walker, Reeve, and compression lock models, but it does seem they could do so for a few of the really popular models.

Not to mention that, with the compression lock, there was at least one right handed person (Bram Frank) who thought the lock should be on the opposite side. And, FWIW, my interest in this is strictly academic since I have zero desire to own a PM2 regardless of handedness.

[Evil D]

Yeah like i was saying, the first time i handled a compression lock (original Para) i was really confused about the lock because i figured it was meant to be closed with your thumb. I remember even commenting on this forum about it, wishing they had put the lock tab on the other side. Later i discovered the Gunting and thought...well at least they got the lock right on one knife. It took the guy at the knife shop to show me how to unlock it with my index finger, and then it made sense.

[angusW]

Some more left handed frame locks would be really nice as well as a Para 2 but in all honesty I really don't find it to be an issue to release the lock. Even the right handed Military's are very easy to release the lock once you know the secret for left handed closure.

10% doesn't sound like very much but it's still a considerable amount for a high selling knife like the Para 2 so maybe Spyderco should consider a "lefty" version. Problem with that though is even if they did come out with one there would probably, like the Military, be only one flavour. Black G-10 with S30V. I've got nothing against that but I love my orange and grey and blue and brown handled Para 2's as well if not more than the regular one. As far as Chris Reeve knives go, don't his knives lean more towards but not totally to custom knives? I've never seen neither Spyderco's or CR's operations but I would bet Spyderco is larger and a bit more automated. Maybe it takes Spyderco more time to setup for a particular knife than CR's operation.

SnooSnoo, what part of Hogtown are you from? I'm over 40 and have never heard of people being forced to write with their right hand around here in the Hammer. If I think about it though, I wish I was forced to use my right hand then there wouldn't be any left hand in a right hand world issues :)

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

Some more left handed frame locks would be really nice as well as a Para 2 but in all honesty I really don't find it to be an issue to release the lock. Even the right handed Military's are very easy to release the lock once you know the secret for left handed closure.

10% doesn't sound like very much but it's still a considerable amount for a high selling knife like the Para 2 so maybe Spyderco should consider a "lefty" version. Problem with that though is even if they did come out with one there would probably, like the Military, be only one flavour. Black G-10 with S30V. I've got nothing against that but I love my orange and grey and blue and brown handled Para 2's as well if not more than the regular one. As far as Chris Reeve knives go, don't his knives lean more towards but not totally to custom knives? I've never seen neither Spyderco's or CR's operations but I would bet Spyderco is larger and a bit more automated. Maybe it takes Spyderco more time to setup for a particular knife than CR's operation.

SnooSnoo, what part of Hogtown are you from? I'm over 40 and have never heard of people being forced to write with their right hand around here in the Hammer. If I think about it though, I wish I was forced to use my right hand then there wouldn't be any left hand in a right hand world issues :)

I'm from the west end. Etobicoke area. But I have a few friends that are 41-43 age group, one that even went to my high school, and one was forced to write with her right hand, and the others all remember people being forced to do that.

I have family up Sudbury way and they say the same thing. Up until about 1978-80 people were being forced to use the right hand for writing.