Best Overall Spyderco Paramilitary 1 and 2 blade steel to edc? Plz help

Brendtech189

Brendtech189

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Jul 12, 2012
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Ok, I have a number of Spyderco Paramilitary 1 and 2s. All are mint in the box. And I really want to keep just one to edc and Im having a next to impossible time figuring out which steel is overall the best. I can't see myself keeping the s90v or s90v/154cpm just because of the price. This is a user remember. But out of the rest, what is the overall favorite? I know this is very difficult but I really need some input here. I like my knives laser sharp and thats about my only requirement. But it would be good to know which one has been proven to be the best overall edc. If that is possible. Thank you all for your input and I will keep the overall favorite. Thaks B.F. and take care all.
 
For me... and me only... it'd be the S35VN Para 2, maybe swapped into a digi-cam body. I carry my brown P2 a good bit, but if I could only have one, that'd be the combination I'd want. I really like digi-cam patterns on most any knife that has them. And the S35VN steel as Spyderco runs it is my fav of all the Para & Para 2 steels. I've found it to be an excellent all 'round blade steel that's easy to manage. Not the best of anything, but just about the best combination of a lot of things that are important to me.
 
Brendtech189 said:
Ok, I have a number of Spyderco Paramilitary 1 and 2s. All are mint in the box. And I really want to keep just one to edc and Im having a next to impossible time figuring out which steel is overall the best. I can't see myself keeping the s90v or s90v/154cpm just because of the price. This is a user remember. But out of the rest, what is the overall favorite? I know this is very difficult but I really need some input here. I like my knives laser sharp and thats about my only requirement. But it would be good to know which one has been proven to be the best overall edc. If that is possible. Thank you all for your input and I will keep the overall favorite. Thaks B.F. and take care all.
Click to expand...

You may need to use and sharpen the steel to find out which one is best for you.
 
M390

Takes and really holds a fine edge and is highly corrosion resistant as well.

Plus it's a pretty blue color!
 
Brendtech189 said:
I can't see myself keeping the s90v or s90v/154cpm just because of the price. This is a user remember. But out of the rest, what is the overall favorite?
Click to expand...

Lol, the thread title should have been:
"What's the 2nd best overall pm/pm2 blade steel to edc..."

I feel your pain though, I also have one of the cf/laminates in s90v, but my satin/camo s30v is perfectly fine for my uses and it gets almost all of the pocket time.
 
I personally like the S30V. My current EDC modern knife is a regular production Para 2, and I would not want or need anything more. I am not trying to get caught up in steel snobery, I was there a few years ago. I have come to find that I do not want anything more wear resistant than S30V at 60+ hardness. Truth be told, I am very happy with Buck's 420HC and even Case's Tru-Sharp SS. For everyday use, these steels work just fine. It is easy to chase after the latest and greatest, but it is not needed.
 
I understand where you are coming from. I don't have the PM2 in S90V and it is one of my favorite steels, but I doubt I ever will get one given the market price plus the fact that I have other PM2 sprints and a half dozen other S90V knives. If I had to thin the PM2 group to one I think I would be inclined to sell the S90V and M390 keep the CTS-204P simply because I think it is the greatest value in relation to the secondary market prices of those 3. In reality though I would hoard all of them because that seems to be my nature.
 
I've had 'em all...at one time, except for the laminate S90v. Now, I have a brown and a green, and the brown is being gifted and the green is up for sale. So it boils down to ease of sharpening, IMO. Probably the S30V in black or digi-camo scales.
 
dalefuller said:
For me... and me only... it'd be the S35VN Para 2, maybe swapped into a digi-cam body. I carry my brown P2 a good bit, but if I could only have one, that'd be the combination I'd want. I really like digi-cam patterns on most any knife that has them. And the S35VN steel as Spyderco runs it is my fav of all the Para & Para 2 steels. I've found it to be an excellent all 'round blade steel that's easy to manage. Not the best of anything, but just about the best combination of a lot of things that are important to me.
Click to expand...

X2 S35VN is a step above S30V, but not a super steel that is impossible to sharpen. I love the Earth Brown G-10 scales but, like mentioned above, you can easily swap out the scales with digital camo.
 
Sell both S90v, and get the green CTS-204P or the gray CTS-20CP. They are just as good, just lower priced. You don't have to pay for the.pretty handle if you only want to keep a user. S30v is not cutting it for me because mine keep rolling the edge. No, it's not wire edge. I sharpened to 30 degree inclusive, 40 degree micro bevel, and stropped. It is a Para 1, and it had been sharpened several times already. My other Para 2s don't have this problem.

Need to add, S30v roll in small areas after cutting cardboard, not the whole blade length.
 
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Thank you all for your input. I think I am tied between the blue, green, and orange. Sorry, I didn't take the time to write down the blade steel :). But I really like the Orange out of the three, I can get it just so darn sharp. Plus Bento is supposed to be getting another batch of the Blues in later this quarter. I think I will keep the green and orange, and then just buy another new blue down the line. Thanks all and if anyone has a mint s90v that they are willing to let go of for a somewhat reasonable price please let me know as mine is a bit off. I can't explain it but the knife just doesn't feel right. Anyways, thanks everyone and I think I will keep those 2 and pick up a brand new blue one down the line. Take care all and God Bless.
 
S35VN all the way. As the Para is a knife designed to take a beating, a steel designed to take a beating seems a good match. I imagine CTS-XHP is also a really good fit.
 
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