Does anyone else carry an original Paramilitary?

C

Commando

Joined
Jan 7, 2010
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I see a lot of love for the Para 2 but I can't see how they could be that much better than the original?

I bought mine, obviously, before the 2 came out. I have had great luck with it and I am satisfied. My knife compulsions are pretty much limited to fixed blades and I have little interest in folders. I see folders as more utilitarian and simply a tool. I know this seems backwards but it's true.

Am I missing out not having the Para 2?
 
Commando said:
Am I missing out not having the Para 2?
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I wouldn't say you're necessarily missing out, but there are some tweaks that make the para2 better than the original. The ergos are improved, the blade is slightly longer, and the para2 features a pivot bushing system that makes it much smoother than the original.
 
I bought 4 of the P1 D2's when Spyderco was closing them out for $99 shipped about 3 or 4 years ago. I sold one to a friend I see every week and his is in his pocket virtually every day since he bought it . . .

As for me, I've moved on to the P2
 
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As well the PM2 gives you the option of tip up carry....which is what I like.
I still have the Digi-Cam PM1 I picked up at the 2nds Sale a few yrs ago, Awesome knife but still would prefer tip up.
 
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I guess if you've never had it you don't miss it.

I'm pretty happy with the Para 1. I have learned a lot about the Para 2 that I didn't know before though!

I've checked the 2's out on line and it looked to me like they just tidied up the ergo's a bit and gave the option of reversing the clip.
 
I agree with you on that - the P1 is a great knife but when it's time to grab a contemporary Para, the P2 kills the old one in subtle ways . . .


Commando said:
I guess if you've never had it you don't miss it.

I'm pretty happy with the Para 1. I have learned a lot about the Para 2 that I didn't know before though!

I've checked the 2's out on line and it looked to me like they just tidied up the ergo's a bit and gave the option of reversing the clip.
Click to expand...
 
Commando said:
I see a lot of love for the Para 2 but I can't see how they could be that much better than the original?

I bought mine, obviously, before the 2 came out. I have had great luck with it and I am satisfied. My knife compulsions are pretty much limited to fixed blades and I have little interest in folders. I see folders as more utilitarian and simply a tool. I know this seems backwards but it's true.

Am I missing out not having the Para 2?
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The following is all IMAO...

I have a PM2 (for backup), but I carry a PM1. I prefer the 1. It's my most common work carry. None of the changes to the model did anything for me. The blade on the PM1 was perfect AFAIC, I almost always carry RH-TD, and the pivot bushing is a solution in search of a problem. In fact, I really dislike the bushing because it prevents me from tightening the pivot to the point where the blade won't move without assistance from me. I don't like blades that move without help, locked or unlocked.

At some point, I'll run across someone who has a pristine PM1 digi-cam that they're willing to trade for an NIB digicam PM2. That's the real reason I bought one of the 2s.
 
I do prefer the P1 over the standard P2. The bushed pivot is not really an improvement meant for the ELU but rather for assembly where Sal said that "it takes the feel out of tightening the pivot" for the assembler or some such.

The only thing the P2 has over the P1 is IMHO, the sprints with the different fixes for us steelheads and the different scale colors that are so nice to photograph. :D
 
singularity35 said:
The bushed pivot is not really an improvement meant for the ELU but rather for assembly where Sal said that "it takes the feel out of tightening the pivot" for the assembler or some such.
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Ease of adjustment at the factory may be a nice secondary benefit of the pivot bushing,but I guarantee it is not the primary reason it was implemented. The pivot bushing allows for a blade that swings freely when the lock is disengaged yet has no blade play. This allows for extremely smooth and fast opening as effortless one handed closing.
The bushing system was implemented to smooth out the action, it just so happens it also makes the action more consistent from knife to knife. If it were all that much easier on the assembly process to include a pivot bushing then we would certainly see many more knives using this system.
 
I carry one specifically for its tip down orientation. When carrying in the right hand from pocket, clipped toward the side seam, tip up is the best and safest way to carry. Your hand will never go down on the blade side. Tip down it that position, you're fine going into the pocket but coming out if the tip is not completely nested between the scales you could catch the tip on your hand and...zzzzzzzzzip...OUCH. This risk is largely eliminated with a back lock style but I still don't risk it.

For just about all other forms of clipped carry, like in a sleave pocket, in a vest pocket, on Molle gear, you want that tip down so you don't put your hand down on that tip and catch it on the way down...plus you got gravity sort of holding it closed.

So I've oriented the clip on my Para-2 to tip up for what is my most common carry method, front right pocket clipped. I carry my Para-1 when I want a clipped knife in other orientations. Works out great. That's why makes really should make all their knives reversible...like the Para-2 or the Endura. There is a legion of people out there who'd give a kidney for a tip up Military...why not make one?
 
I carry the Para military and have made some minor changes to the ergonomics and made a low rider clip for this knife. With a flip of the wrist I can open and close this knife and the D2 steel blade makes this knife one of my favorites in the rotation. I am very pleased so have no desire to get the Para-2.
P1010004-vi.jpg
 
imbryan715 said:
they made the para 2 for a reason..........
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I'll agree with you here. Makes sense.

However, the purpose of asking was to determine if those "reasons" are "reason" enough to give up on my original in lieu of the #2. Honestly, I don't think it is from what I've read so far.

Who knows? Maybe the original will be the one worth more in the years to come due to popularity and sheer numbers of the 2?
 
mkjellgren said:
Ease of adjustment at the factory may be a nice secondary benefit of the pivot bushing,but I guarantee it is not the primary reason it was implemented. The pivot bushing allows for a blade that swings freely when the lock is disengaged yet has no blade play. This allows for extremely smooth and fast opening as effortless one handed closing.
The bushing system was implemented to smooth out the action, it just so happens it also makes the action more consistent from knife to knife. If it were all that much easier on the assembly process to include a pivot bushing then we would certainly see many more knives using this system.
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Here's Sal's post on it from the Spyderco forums.

sal said:
Hi Enduraguy,

Positives include: "Optimal" tightness on blade, less "feel" type of adjustment in assembly. Negatives include: very close tolerances required to make them, inability of some customers to make their blades tighter. We're still deciding on whether or not to continue to use them.

sal
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I purchased a Para ll when they came out. It seems the Para l is what I carry,its kinda like an old pair of boots,their broken in and feels like home.
 
singularity35 said:
Here's Sal's post on it from the Spyderco forums.
Click to expand...

As I said, and confirmed by sal's quote, ease of assembly is a benefit of the pivot bushing, but not the main reason for it. The main reason is what sal listed first...optimal pivot tightness. Meaning no blade play while remaining smooth and swings freely to close.
 
The original Para was one of my first Spydercos and I used the hell out of mine. In fact, I wasn't sure about getting a Para 2 since I didn't think the changes were significant enough to justify buying it.

I was wrong, and I'm quite happy to have purchased a Para 2. It has kicked my Para 1 out my EDC rotation, which I rarely carry now and then just because of my sentimental attatchment to the knife (I used it on my first archaelogical dig, etc.).

The Para 1 is an excellent knife, but I do believe there was room for improvement. The handle shape on the Para 2 feels a lot better in my big hands, I like that it carries a bit deeper without a piece of tang protruding from the handle, etc.

I don't usually go running out to get new versions of knife models that work fine for me, and in some cases I don't consider them real improvements (I still think the old Manix and Mini-Manix are better than the new Manix 2, and the Endura 3 works better for me than the Endura 4, just to name to Spyderco examples).
 
I've totally switched to the Para 2 platform mostly due to the fact that it doesn't have that sharp, exposed tang. The exposed tang of the Para 1 always drove me nuts as it would jab my hand every time I reached into my pocket.
 
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