It was a cold winter in 2007 when I first heard about Spyderco. I was browsing guns at Kame's Sporting Goods and saw some high end knives I had never heard of - Spyderco and Benchmade.
I went home and researched them. I found out Spyderco came up with the opening hole, so I decided to try Spyderco instead of Benchmade, because they were the original in my mind.
I bought a saber ground PE Delica because it was the most recommended model.I never did like that knife because it was small for my grip and cut poorly compared to the Swiss Army Knives I EDC'd around then.
I sold it, then asked around for suggestions closer in size to a Buck 110.
I purchased a single liner S60V PE Military based on advice, and I fell in love with it right away.
Prior to carrying Spyderco, my favorite single blade folder was the Buck 110. Right away I was shocked at the size to weight ratio of the Military.
The next thing that impressed me were the ergonomics. Again, the 110 was my gold standard here, and amazingly the Military beat it.
The Military quickly became my go to pocket knife, replacing the 110, Opinels and Victorinox folders I had been carrying. I used it at work, in the woods and at home.
It's the knife that really sold me on Spyderco, and led me to this forum.
Over the years I've used a lot of different versions of the knife.
I bought a CF/BG42 sprint and had a tip up clip installed.
I bought a digital camo S30V Millie, CF/S90V sprint, and a CPMD2 seconds
I ended up swapping the CPMD2 blade into the camo handles, and this was my most frequently carried knife for 5 or 6 years.
This Military was special to me, being a unique combination of parts I never saw anyone else with.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Et9a5tKC60s
That's a review / cutting demo I filmed before my move. The first half is talking about the Millie, what I like and what I don't, while the latter half is cutting.
No matter how big my knife collection got, the Military was always one of the most frequently carried. Notice its right in the center in this pic:
In 2014 I had that D2 & camo Military stolen, and I washed my hands of the model. I knew I wouldn't be able to put together one that was exactly the same.
About a year later I got the itch for another, so I picked up a blacked out Military about 400 days after losing the D2 one:
However, right after I bought it, I had a close friend ask me for a knife. I let him go through my collection, telling him about the different models, and he chose that Military. I had plenty of other knives so I sold it to him.
Replaced it with a 204p sprint.
(not my picture)
This one I did carry a lot. I didn't baby it at all. Carried it to work, out camping, anywhere and anything unless it was a Pacific Salt kind of day. I fell back in love with the design.
Then a few months after buying this Millie, I had my Para 2 pop open in my pocket twice and I swore off detent based locks. I traded the 204p Military for a Police 4 K390 and didn't look back.
Three years later, this past fall I started looking at Military folders again, missing it. The rex45 sprint looked awesome, but I was too late.
Thankfully there were some in the seconds sale. I decided to order another DLC S30V, and this time I was going to keep it and use it.
I've been pleased to have the Military enter my collection again, about 14 years after buying the S60V version and falling in love with Spydercos.
After ordering it I wondered how I'd feel about the Military all these years later, in 2021?
Well, after a lot of pocket time the past month, I can say It's still one of my favorites of all time.
(My 4 favorite single blade folding pocket knives)
I've tried every Spyderco folder I've wanted to audition for EDC besides the Catcherman. Fom the LC200N Pacific Salt, the C95 Manix, Dodo, ATR, Yojimbo 1&2, Calypso/3.5/3/jr/ukpk, Phoenix, Police 1-4, CF/ZDP Stretch, Dyad and more. I've tried different variants of models I like, whether both PE and SE Pacifics, PE and CE C95'S, and the same design in different steels (e.g. Police 4 in VG10 and K390).
This doesn't even scratch the surface of what I've tried from other companies, whether Cold Steel Voyagers, Kershaw Leeks, Benchmade Griptilians or Buck 110's.
Out of the over hundreds of folding knife designs I've tried in my life, the Military easily makes me top 5.
Now, despite my re-kindled love for this model exactly as it is, I've been spending time thinking about a potential Military 2.
When I first bought a Para 2 from Kames back around 2012, my initial reaction was I wanted that same knife scaled up to be the next generation of the Military.
Having spent time with both a Military and Para 2 the past month, I still think that would be a good idea. The specific changes I liked from the Para 1 to the 2 that I'd like to see carry over to the Military 2 are the four way clip, the different clip design, and the enlarged index finger choil.
I'd also like to see the compression lock on the Military.
Regarding the four way clip, my main issue with tip down carry isn't speed of access, but the way my hand rubs against the knife when I reach into my pocket.
With a Police clipped tip up, the smooth back and tapered butt end make it easy to access my pocket. With the Military clipped tip down, my hand rubs against the spine jimping and the edges around the opening hole. It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't feel as nice as the Police.
That being said, the current clip works great when carrying IWB or clipped to a side of the leg pocket. I just don't like it clipped to my right front pocket.
Having used both tip up and tip down Military folders, for me there is no downside to tip up carry with the model, only upsides.
My issue with the liner lock, is I think the large cutout that makes it so easy to unlock the knife also makes the knife less ergonomic.
If I take the clip off mine and try to open it left handed, the hole works fine. It's still well exposed. With a little contouring there it would work even better. So with a compression lock it should be possible to have no cut-out where the liner lock release is while still being able to unlock it with gloves on.
Of course I'd also be interested in the stop lock Military proposed by Sal, as I like a self close action to my folders. That idea seems to be abandoned though, so I'm not holding my breath for it to come to fruition. And I certainly wouldn't be opposed to Sal trying to fit a CBBL in these, or a power lock :D
The Military is a very fine knife. It's close to perfect in its current form. But I think a four way clip, deeper PM2 style choil and a compression lock could make it better.
The fact that its had such a long career without being revised to a version 2 is a testament to how good of a design it was at inception. While there have been little CQI updates like a new clip, finer jimping and a second liner, the basic idea has remained the same.
The Military is both a Spyderco classic, and one of their best current offerings. I have mine in my pocket as I wrote this, and expect I'll close 2021 with multiples in my collection.
