Axis or Compression? (BM710 or Spydie paramilitary)

I'd take the 710 in a heartbeat. I love my Spydies, but I just can't get used to unlocking the compression lock with one hand.

Also, as others have noted, the compression lock can definitely open up in your pocket. It happended to me with a Salsa. It would never happen with an Axis lock.
 
My experience with the compression lock has not been good. IME, they developped blade play that was difficult to fix and would return quickly.

I'd have to vote axis.
 
DaveH said:
My experience with the compression lock has not been good. IME, they developped blade play that was difficult to fix and would return quickly.

I'd have to vote axis.
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It seems to me that Spyderco has developed the compression lock a long way since the earlier efforts like the Vesuvius. I have both the Vesuvius and
the Para Millie and the Para is a quantum leap beyond in terms of lock strength and reliability.
That said, as between the 710 and the Para, I'd give the 710 the edge, but it's great to have such great choices. :)
 
Maybe the safety could be improved on the paramilitary, nonetheless I prefer its flat grind much better than the mid-saber grind of the 710.

The para is a pure cutting machine compared to the 710 :p

Xavier.
 
I have a Para, and I really like it. I don't have a 710 yet, but I really enjoy both a)axis lock and b)recurve blades. So, one will be in my pocket, someday.

I'd go with whichever YOU like better. I think either will serve you well.
 
ciulkwens said:
me like 710M2 better :D
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I second that, and here's why:

My daughter got a trampoline for Christmas. It was packed in a huge double ply corrugated paper (some say coardboard) box. Wall thickness was all of a half-inch. As a test, I used my Paramilitary (that's in my pocket as I type) for the top half of the box and my 710HS on the bottom half. After about 3 cuts, the blade started to tear instead of cut. After I finished, I ran my fingernail along the edge and found 4-5 dents/chips in the blade. Ten minutes on the Sharpmaker and strop and it was about as good as new.

The 710HS on the other hand never stopped cutting, didn't develop any perceptible blade damage AND still shaved hair afterward.

I had similar experiences with my S30V Native. The first hard use munged up the blade, but it never repeated. I'm not sure Spyderco's heat treatment of S30V is quite as good as that as Paul Bos'.
 
I think the Cobra-hood and tight pants are the culprit in the pop-open ATR's and Salsas. Neither my ATR or Salsa (or completely unhooded Yojimbo) opened in my drawers.

Sheltot,

M2 is generally tougher than S30V, especially roughly-finished S30V, and its hardness also protects to a small extent*. It wasn't until Phil Wilson rehardened two of my S30V knife blades to RC61 that it approached M2's usefulness as a knife steel in my jaded opinion.

*= Go get the Crucible datasheets. :rolleyes: The tests used to derive those numbers, even the ones that agree with me (if any) weren't involving 2-5" knife blades sharpened at 20-30 degrees.
 
thombrogan said:
I think the Cobra-hood and tight pants are the culprit in the pop-open ATR's and Salsas. Neither my ATR or Salsa (or completely unhooded Yojimbo) opened in my drawers.

not on mine, its the (lack of?) detent imho,
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It was also an issue of ball detent on mine. As oddly as it seems, the detent on my Salsa has a tough time engaging as the knife is closed, but disengages too easily when opening the knife.

I don't really see this is any sort of defect. It's just not my cup of tea in terms of fuction and safety in comparison to other models. Somebody less nitpicky might never notice.
 
GarageBoy said:
Hey sheltot, maybe the Spyderco's edge was thinner
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A good question. Both of the Paramilitaries I've had came with incredibly thin edges, as in I use the 30 degree setting to put a mirco bevel on them and use the ultrafine flats for touchups. I take this into account when selecting chores for the Para, although I've cut plenty of cardboard with it without any chipping.

FWIW the detent on my Para seems secure.
 
I like the Paramilitary-read my review. I'm not crazy about s30v, though. It's supposed to be so good, but maybe it takes a really polished edge. It's good enough-I own 2 knives with it, so..
Ont thing that surprises me about the debate is that nobody has mentioned that omega springs break, the compression lock has no breakable parts. I am also surprised that so many people have such a hard time operating one-they're so simple to use, but for some, it is never comfortable, I guess.
 
Dijos, I have only heard of a small number of omega springs breaking in comparison to the number of axis knives that are sold. I don't worry about that at all because the lock will still function correctly, even if one the sprigs break, until you can get it replaced. It has been a very long time since I've seen a post reporting any spring breakage. I have handled and owned many axis knives and I've never seen a broke spring. The axis is my favorite lock by far. I don't have the para-military but I do have a 710HS and love it. So IMHO get the 710.
 
Thanks, Sifu1A!

My ATR was from the first production run and it's detente is quiet strong and my Salsa was from the next to last one (before the black Salsas with ambi-clips). Weird... Sorry you got the lemons.
 
I have had both the BM 710 and the Para Military. I no longer have the BM 710 even though it was a great knife. The Para is much more to my liking and it is a great slicer and dicer. The S30V takes and holds a great edge with little effort. No locking problems and no problems with it coming open. The only time I had that happen was with a BM and the pivot was too loose. Try both out if you can or get both and trade one off it you don't like it.
 
GarageBoy said:
Hey sheltot, maybe the Spyderco's edge was thinner
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Without a doubt, you're right. I'm not willing to sacrifice the time required to thin the edge on the M2 710. I've got paint to watch dry. :D

What will be telling is the next hard use I put the Paramiltary to. If it's like the experience I had with my S30V Native, the edge will hold up much better.
 
I'm partial to both , I'd pick Axiss over Compression , ( much easier to unlock ). I would go with the 710 in M2 ( 710HS ) . The 710 is much prettyer .
 
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