Do I need a millie?

[Joris Mo]

If you don't mind a decent sized knife..
I don't edc it much living in a city but love it for trips, my favorite combo is a Para3 with a Military or Pacific Salt with some serrations.

[Nate]

Yes!

Double yes on the green 204p!!

I want that one pretty bad, but I know I wouldn't carry it over my lefty model. Due to the Millie's size it's not one I carry a ton, but it's just such a great blade I want to have it around for weekends, etc.

[SpyderNut]

Everyone needs to have at least one Millie in their collection. I'd definitely go for the 204p, but the S30V version is very nice also.

[mb1]

Need is such an ugly word.

I've enjoyed my 204P and only regret not getting it sooner. The Millie carries much smaller than I thought it would. I like small knives, but sometimes it's nice having that reach/blade length.

[Evil D]

I have a sort of rocky story with the Military. I originally hated it and thought it was just too big and the handle was ridiculously big. That lasted a couple years and one day at my local knife shop I bought one on impulse just because the hype got me curious.

It still felt big and I didn't carry that one much and eventually traded it in for something else. Then a while later I found one used with serrations and that knife really opened my eyes. For real use beyond cutting open your vending machine bag of chips or opening your mail, all that size makes a difference. That handle that I used to think was ridiculously big now made sense especially for my equally big hands.

The down sides are obviously it's a big knife so laws and non knife people are a concern. It's tip down only unless you mod it, which I don't mind for a knife this big. It carries far better than you would expect for it's size and it's just slightly heavier than a skeletonized liner Manix 2. The only activity that seems a bit cumbersome to me is fine work with the tip of the blade since the blade is pretty long. It's not hard to choke up on and use your index finger as a guide if you don't have small hands.

Overall though I think it's the perfect EDC if you can get away with the size. It has the length when you need it, enough strength for any reasonable hard use but still slices pretty well for a 4mm blade. I carry the S110V version almost exclusively these days. If I were forced to sell all my knives but one it would probably be this one.

[abbazaba]

It's a lot of knife, but in a very manageable design. I'd be surprised if the KW green 204p wasn't one of the most sought after models after they sell out. First millie with the new CQI as well.



There's also the M4 version inbound from BHQ... That's a lot of M4 :D

[SG89]

The 204p I bought had perfect fit and finish. I got it when they went on sale for $149ish. It was just too big for my small girl hands and small girl pockets. Wish they would do another run of the 204p pm2 I would be all over that.

[farnorthdan]

Short answer, yes

Like Evil, for the Longest time I thought the Military was just too big for my use. I eventually picked up a Cruwear sprint and it changed everything, was amazed at just how light it is and how flat it carried. Now it's one of my most carried pieces and have most variations.

[vivi]

I have a slight preference for the Police 3 over the Millie, but the Military is definitely one of their best designs. Everyone should try them at some point.

[Doc Dan]

Yes. IN case I did not get through, Yes!

Next to the Delica, it may be my favorite Spydie, and I do not like liner locks. So, that should tell you something. It is a great design and the attributes of this knife far outweigh the one downside, which is the lock. The blade is very multifunctional. It is light enough to carry in your pocket and strong enough for serious work.

[RLDubbya]

I am going to be the lone dissenter. I listened to the voices, and purchased the 204P forest green as my first and only Millie. I figured well, I'll have one in my collection, it can't be that bad...I never, ever carry it.

I should have saved the money, or spent the money on getting another copy of the K2 for backup.

Today I'm carrying the Szabo folder. To my hand, that's the perfect longer, narrower blade. Everything about the Szabo just squeals "Abuse me, more and faster" every time I deploy it. I realized this again today, just breaking down boxes for recycling tomorrow. With the Szabo, I have no second thoughts, I grab, stab, and slice. The one time I used the Millie, I was very careful not to stab too hard, not to slice downward too hard for fear of twisting the blade...every situation in which the Szabo inspires confidence, the Millie whimpers "Easy, big fella, take it easy, I'm only a knife".

I'm obviously an outlier. I'm sure that somebody will inform me how much of an idiot I am with this post. So be it.

[laker_cj]

I am going to be the lone dissenter. I listened to the voices, and purchased the 204P forest green as my first and only Millie. I figured well, I'll have one in my collection, it can't be that bad...I never, ever carry it.

I should have saved the money, or spent the money on getting another copy of the K2 for backup.

Today I'm carrying the Szabo folder. To my hand, that's the perfect longer, narrower blade. Everything about the Szabo just squeals "Abuse me, more and faster" every time I deploy it. I realized this again today, just breaking down boxes for recycling tomorrow. With the Szabo, I have no second thoughts, I grab, stab, and slice. The one time I used the Millie, I was very careful not to stab too hard, not to slice downward too hard for fear of twisting the blade...every situation in which the Szabo inspires confidence, the Millie whimpers "Easy, big fella, take it easy, I'm only a knife".

I'm obviously an outlier. I'm sure that somebody will inform me how much of an idiot I am with this post. So be it.

I loved the Szabo; only problem I had is it broke on me - pivot seized up and it wouldn't open without extra strength - sad it's discontinued, but maybe I'll find one again someday somewhere; along with an Embassy auto that I somehow lost a few months back.

[SG89]

maybe I'll find one again someday somewhere; along with an Embassy auto that I somehow lost a few months back.

Dang. Sorry for your loss hope you find it.

[Water Bug]

For me, yes, the Spyderco Military is indeed suitable for EDC and then some. Yes, when opened it is a big knife, but you'll get use to the size... and, for a big knife, it folds up nicely into a slim package. It's also light in weight, strong, and carries quite nicely in the pocket. Also feels good in the hand.

[yablanowitz]

A Military? As in, one? Of course not. You need at least a dozen. The first time I opened a box and pulled out a Military, I thought "This thing is HUGE!" Then I folded it up, slipped it into my back pocket and it vanished. I couldn't even tell it was there. After a week, it had shrunk to a totally normal size pocket knife, but somehow my Delica had turned into a keychain knife. It has been years since I've gone without a Millie or two in my pockets. They've been used for a lot of things that make people here cringe to think about (I wore out an S90V blade using it for a drywall knife during a spate of repairs). One thing is certain with me, the Millie of the day will not be babied. It will get used for any knife task needed. It isn't a screwdriver, a crowbar or a piton, but it is a pretty darn good knife.

[Bodog]

I am going to be the lone dissenter. I listened to the voices, and purchased the 204P forest green as my first and only Millie. I figured well, I'll have one in my collection, it can't be that bad...I never, ever carry it.

I should have saved the money, or spent the money on getting another copy of the K2 for backup.

Today I'm carrying the Szabo folder. To my hand, that's the perfect longer, narrower blade. Everything about the Szabo just squeals "Abuse me, more and faster" every time I deploy it. I realized this again today, just breaking down boxes for recycling tomorrow. With the Szabo, I have no second thoughts, I grab, stab, and slice. The one time I used the Millie, I was very careful not to stab too hard, not to slice downward too hard for fear of twisting the blade...every situation in which the Szabo inspires confidence, the Millie whimpers "Easy, big fella, take it easy, I'm only a knife".

I'm obviously an outlier. I'm sure that somebody will inform me how much of an idiot I am with this post. So be it.

Everyone has their preferred styles. I've handled the Szabo and while it seems to be a good knife, to me, the military beats it without question. I can't really imagine any kind of EDC knife having anything more to offer than a military unless tyrannical laws prevent you from carrying a blade that long.

The only thing I could ding my military about is that it has S30V and that the lock fails with a little bit of force. Neither are deal killers but could definitely be better for the price compared to the competition.

[locard]

As someone who carries knives in my left pocket, I have a LH one and drool at some of the sprints that I can't get

[Doc Dan]

Yeah, I think the lock is the weak point of the knife, though it has never failed, and if it did, I would send it back to Spyderco, muy pronto. This weakness is true of all frame and liner locks.

I am looking forward to the new Police 4 as it has a few of the attributes of the Millie, but has a good, strong back lock. Still, I love the Millie and do not worry about the lock.

[Bdubs808]

In the early days of my Spyderco hobby, I told myself that I would never get a Military. I had a bunch of XL folders from coldsteel that covered my big knife collection, and my main appreciation for Spydie was the little big knives (my first was a DF2). After being exposed to so many reviews and raves that touted the Millie as an awesome knife, I eventually impulse bought a Cruwear model. Today, I also have the Blurple S110V and the Green 204P in my Spyderpack. It's that good.

[chuck_roxas45]

If you do a lot of work with a pocket knife then a good look at the millie is in order. When I first bought a millie, I was really underwhelmed. It didn't impress me much. I was working on a farm back then so I just decided to use it like I just found that millie on the road. I used it as one of my tools in building a nipa hut, and everything else that I needed a knife for on the farm. That's when it started to click for me. I was a convert. Now it's probably the knife I carry most.