I don’t have a Para 3 but don’t have many smaller folders . If I had interest in another smaller folder , I would give one a try but would have to try one in hand again . Just seems too small for me but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad folder . MG2
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:24 am
by Dnwrghtsr
I’m from Ohio we can carry about anything including guns. Florida has a four inch limit. So I couldn’t bring my military or native chief. So I brought my para3 lw and my pm2. We took a trip last fall to the New England states. I didn’t look up all the laws just took my para3. We stopped at Gettysburg on the way there and they checked for weapons the guard looked at my para3 and said it was fine just slide it into my pocket. Sometimes you need a smaller knife.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:53 am
by Ferruginous
I got one and liked it at first, but after carrying it for a few weeks I sold it. The problem was the placement of the pocket clip. Such a thick small knife needs to carry low, in my opinion, and the Para 3 rode too high in my pocket. Honestly my full sized Military felt better in my pocket than the Para 3. Both stick up "too far" but the Military's longer footprint kept the knife flat against my leg while the Para 3 poked me because it was short enough to move around more, rotating using the top of my pocket as a fulcrum. Rereading this I'm not sure if it will make sense to anybody I did try an aftermarket clip but it was so big that the knife didn't feel right when actually using it.
The Para 3 would have been perfect with a wire clip. Spydercos wire clips carry perfectly and feels great in the hand when using the knife.
I rarely have an emotional response to a knife, but it is disappointing to see so many Spyderco models clip placement affected by the small number of users that feel the need to tie their knives to something necessitating a giant lanyard hole. Make a lanyard-less version with G10 scales and a wire clip and I'll buy 3 of them. Otherwise I'll keep going back and forth between my UKPK or my Military.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:33 am
by Bemo
Thinner blade stock, no hump, better/wire clip, same comp lock = Sage 5. And of course, just my opinion; but I do have 4 Para3's.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:06 am
by jdw
I never cared for the Para 3 but I can see the appeal to a niche market. I agree with some of the above comments that, for its size, it is missing part of the knife. For me, it’s an awkward knife that’s missing part of the blade if I really need to work with a knife and if I want to carry something smaller then I want to carry something smaller than a Para 3. I think Spyderco and dealers saturated that niche with Sprints and Exclusives and there isn’t a lot of room left.
If they did a para 3.2 where they slim it down so it's competitive with the chaparral, that might become the must-have small spyderco knife. They probably can't get the blade stock that thin, but they certainly could slim it down a little and cut a lot of excess off the handle.
That's sort of what they did with the Para 3 LW, which ditches the big lanyard hole.
Is it actually any smaller? I've never seen them side by side, but spyderco's website lists them as the same size. They'd need to trim it down to 3.9" closed, thin the blade and maybe slim it down otherwise to create the model I was thinking of.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:38 am
by Freediver
I’ve bought I think two Para 3s over the year and sold them immediately. I prefer the native 5 or delica if I’m going to carry something smaller. The PM2 is the perfect size in my opinion.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:54 am
by James Y
I like the Para 3. I own 2 of them. It's not my favorite model, but I also don't have any complaints about it. I do like the PM 2 more, but then, I like the PM 2 more than most models.
If I were going on a road trip, say up to the cities of L.A., San Francisco, or Sacramento, I would probably take a Para 3 to stay within their 3" and under blade length rule for open (pocket clip) carry in or through those places.
Is it actually any smaller? I've never seen them side by side, but spyderco's website lists them as the same size. They'd need to trim it down to 3.9" closed, thin the blade and maybe slim it down otherwise to create the model I was thinking of.
Actually you're almost right, their handles seem to be of the same length
Just looking at the pictures I had assumed the that LW was shorter, but I was wrong.
This being said, just for the record, the blade on the LW is listed as being 1 mm shorter (and 0,1 mm thinner).
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:18 am
by Freediver
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:19 am
by cjk
With the original pocket clip in tip up position, the G-10 Para 3 fits so perfectly in the fifth pocket of my jeans that it seems to me that it was designed just that way very much on purpose.
Who makes the blue scales in the middle? I like that they use a wire clip and I think I could tweak the shape more to fit my hand.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:30 am
by Mrj
The para 3 has always been my favorite. I recently have been cheating a lot with my BBB pm2. Never carried the pm2 as much. Now I see all the hype. But the para 3 fits and go almost everywhere. Plus I prefer compression locks over back locks. I want more a few more exclusives. Like Dlt purple LW, rec LW, restock on rec g10, knifejoker forest green, and mostly BBB sprint.
I was just upstairs in my knife/workout room. I was standing there infront of my display stands, admittedly flicking a few knives around. (This new position at work has me in a serious knife use depression)
I came across my one remaining Para 3, the G10, DLC M4 BladeHQ exclusive. It really is a pretty nice model. I feel I've always hated on the Para 3 because of the popularity surge a few years back. But, I also find myself complimenting this knife anytime I've used it.
This got me thinking, it honestly seems like the Para 3 rage has died down significantly over the past few years, at least on this forum...which is my only source of social media, so I understand my views are limited. But this place was buzzing over Para 3 sprints and exclusives galore a few years ago, and now there's barely a whisper even with upcoming and recently released exclusives. Not many are posted or even talked about. I was just curious what everyone thinks as to why the craze seems to have disappeared for this model?
The Para 3 is one of my favorite knives and was my first Spyderco.
When I took it out of the box and flicked it open the first time, I said "Yeah" and smiled. The Para 3 is a great knife.
Who makes the blue scales in the middle? I like that they use a wire clip and I think I could tweak the shape more to fit my hand.
Applied weapons tech lightweight model skinny.
David, just in case it's not obvious, those are scales for a para 3 lightweight and they're aluminum. I think AWT also does raw aluminum (instead of anodized or cerrokoted) which you'd probably want to get if you're going to mod them.
Who makes the blue scales in the middle? I like that they use a wire clip and I think I could tweak the shape more to fit my hand.
Applied weapons tech lightweight model skinny.
David, just in case it's not obvious, those are scales for a para 3 lightweight and they're aluminum. I think AWT also does raw aluminum (instead of anodized or cerrokoted) which you'd probably want to get if you're going to mod them.
Nope thanks, I haven't followed the Para 3 much so I'm brand new to modding them.
I'm in this weird struggle where I like the ergonomics of a no thumb ramp model like the Native 5, but I strongly prefer the opening action of having a thumb ramp so I'm thinking about trying a Para 3. The whole reason I fell out of love with the Para 2 was that the handle is too small behind the choil, but with the Para 3 it's basically my only grip option so it makes more sense to me. I really need a Para 2.5 but the Military 2 will probably fill that role.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:28 pm
by Bolster
Wasn't part of the love-fest. Want more blade, if I'm going to carry that much handle.
Re: Para 3 Lovefest, Where Did It Go?
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:43 pm
by bearfacedkiller
I generally like big knives so I’m the wrong one to ask. That said, I ergonomically prefer the Native. I have quite a few Natives and only one Para3. I kept that Para3 because I’m a knife geek and want to have it represented in my giant pile of knives.
I think the Para3 came out of the gate hot because it was riding the Para2s coattails. That hype can only last so long before it is forced to stand on its own merit. At that point it has to compete with some other three inch knives that are quite impressive.
I did try an aftermarket clip but it was so big that the knife didn't feel right when actually using it.
