Difficult decision

carl

carl

Joined
Dec 2, 2000
Messages
102
Hi all

I just ordered a Spyderco Chinook II but by mistake I received a Military. This is also a very nice knife so do I send it back or should I keep it -which is best? My need is for a hunting/camping knife.

____
Carl
 
The first thing is to check out the bill and see what it is you were charged for. If you got what you were charged for then it is up to you. If you were charged for one thing but got something else the only right thing to do is call the dealer and let them know.
 
Sorry for not being precise. It’s not about the money. I am just trying to decide which knife is the best.

____
Carl
 
The Military's blade is a bit longer and the point design is significantly different. If you think that it will work well for your purpose you should stick with the Military. The Chinook is about 50% heavier than the military, but is significantly shorter when closed. The Military handle is too long for my taste.
 
id stick with the millitary it has a much more apealing blade and is lighter when caming it helps to have a longer blade.........
 
Another consideration for you may whether or not you are used to, like, or perhaps never have had a liner lock (which the Military is - the Chinook II is a lockback). There are fans and detractors of both types. There seems to be general consensus that lockbacks are less prone to closing up on you while using the blade, and lockbacks seem more likely to stay shut while clipped in your pocket. At least, that's the consensus among lockback fans ;)

Having expressed my obvious prejudices, there don't seem to be any owners of linerlocks (at least on this forum, that I've noticed) who are concerned about the blades opening up in their pockets - so maybe it's not even a valid
concern for you...?! The military is certainly lighter in weight, so if you're backpacking, it might make a difference.
 
I would choose a fixed blade for your stated purpose. And I like the blade shape of the Keating design alot better than the Military but then that's just my personal preferance.

If you are going to go with a folder, I would not mind the little bit of extra weight - and for the record, the Chinook II feels very substantial in my hand but not in any way "ponderous". I clip it to the front pocket of my cargo shorts this time of year & all but forget about it unless I need it.
 
Keep the Military, for all the above mentioned reasons. Also, keep in mind that the Military is probably a little less expensive.
 
In this case, return the Milli and get a Manix instead of the Chinook. I think the Manix is a bit of a cross between the Milli and the Chinook, the size (and weight) and strength of the Chinook, with a more utilitarian blade shape. Not to mention the excellent ergos.

The Manix has received so much positive press lately, but I think here the Manix really deserves meantioning here, as the easy way out for people that face exactly your dilemma.
 
For Hunting: I would pick the Chinook II as its blade shape would be better for skinning. It is also more solid in build which might prove an advantage under extreme conditions.
For general Camping: The Milli's lightness and blade shape makes it much better for food prep and other cutting/slicing chores.
I personaly would go with the overbuilt Chinook II if I had to choose only one of these for Hunting/Camping.
 
I'd keep the Military, because I like lightweight knives. And the Millie is the lightest in its size class. Also it has that full flat grind blade, another feature I love.
But if you're looking for a tough folder, than the Chinook is for you. Heavier, but much stronger (not that the Millie would be fragile in any sense).
 
The only large advantage I see in the Chinook is lock reliability. The Chinooks lockback design is absurdly strong. If lock reliability is your chief requirement in an outdoor folder, get the Chinook instead.

The Military has so many advantages over almost any other folder design. I’d easily stick with the Military. I’ve used it for MANY outdoor adventures over the last few years, and it has only impressed me more and more.

Here’s a link to an extended review I did of my first Military. The steel issues have been resolved on newer models (no more need to convex the edge), as have any handle flex issues.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264955

From personal experience, I consider the Military to be the most versatile folder I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. Only time will tell whether the Manix will dethrone the Military. The Manix is superb.
 
These knives have different purposes. The Chinook II was designed for self-defense, whereas the Military is more of a utility knife. If Denmark is anything like Germany, where I lived for a while, you don't have much crime and don't need a defensive knife. If that is the case then keep the Military.

BTW, I know people who have lived in Copenhagen (they worked for SAS) and really loved it.
 
The Chinook blade is more specialized and heavy duty. (both the lock and the knife are heavier duty actually.) It was designed for defense but it would double as a skinner and a good one at that. The Military would be better in my opinion for survival over the Chinook. I mean it would be quite laborious and cumbersome to use the Chinook to whittle some bowls or spoons with. I'm not saying a guy couldn't do it in a pinch but the Military would make short work of those type of tasks and even be good at more delicate tasks than that for food prep. I don't think it would be any problem at all for me to make kindling with my Para-Military so I'm sure the Military could certainly do that also.

I just sold my Chinook and my Manix even though both are great knives. They are just a tad impractical for EDC as I found out after spending the money for one of each and taking a small loss to resell them and move on in my search for the ultimate knife for my own needs. I elected to go with the Para-Military but gave the Military serious thought. I finally decided the Military was too long though.

I'd go with the Military over the Chinook knowing what I know now after having one. But again both are super knives. I'd pick the Military over the Manix now too I think. It just seems the big guys while great are a bit much for the real world IMO. It finally hit me that if I really want a big knife like that I should probably be carrrying a fixed blade you know?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top