Help me Bite the Bullet (First Spyderco/$100+ Knife)

[bikerector]

Now here are my questions:
-Does the Para 3 carry significantly better than the Paramilitary 2 even though they seem very comparable in size?
-What knife do you prefer and why?

I've had a lot of PM2's and love them. I bought one PM3 and sold it immediately...much too small to take seriously....I do have large hands.

Not in my opinion. The PM3 handle is about .5" shorter but just as thick at around .5". It's still a pretty long handle on the PM3. Honestly, the pocket clip placement is probably what led me to get rid of my PM3 when I tried it when it first came out, hoping for many things similar to what you're looking for when compared to a PM2 and trying to give the comp lock a more honest try. But, it leaves a lot of handle out of the pocket with made it carry bad, relatively speaking to other EDC knives, for different reasons.

A lot of people love carrying the PM2 and PM3 so this is just my opinion. I think they work fine as coat pocket knives but I didn't like them in front pockets. But, now that I've had a millie and have been running it with a lanyard and with the clip I think I would run a PM2 or 3 that way. However, I've found all I want between the millie and a native 5 so I'm pretty happy.

 

[KNIFEMARK]

Not in my opinion. The PM3 handle is about .5" shorter but just as thick at around .5". It's still a pretty long handle on the PM3. Honestly, the pocket clip placement is probably what led me to get rid of my PM3 when I tried it when it first came out, hoping for many things similar to what you're looking for when compared to a PM2 and trying to give the comp lock a more honest try. But, it leaves a lot of handle out of the pocket with made it carry bad, relatively speaking to other EDC knives, for different reasons.

A lot of people love carrying the PM2 and PM3 so this is just my opinion. I think they work fine as coat pocket knives but I didn't like them in front pockets. But, now that I've had a millie and have been running it with a lanyard and with the clip I think I would run a PM2 or 3 that way. However, I've found all I want between the millie and a native 5 so I'm pretty happy.

I wonder if a deep carry clip would have made a difference with your PM3. I run a lanyard and a titanium deep carry clip and it gives me a lot of options for my EDC PM2.

 

[bikerector]

I wonder if a deep carry clip would have made a difference with your PM3. I run a lanyard and a titanium deep carry clip and it gives me a lot of options for my EDC PM2.

I'm sure it would have and I really think the PM3's should just come with one based on where the lanyard hole was stuck. I sold it before spending more money to make it work for me since I already had a BM mini-grip, with a spydie hole, that I really liked, and still have. One of those scenarios where there are so many options we don't need to work too hard to find something we like but it's always fun to see if something is better than what we already have. Haven't found something with a 3" blade that I like more than a native 5 or mini-grip yet for a modern folder.

 

[kbirk2003]

I would suggest you hold at least one of these knives before buying based on the fact that you say you want a quality feeling knife. To some people, spydercos feel cheap..I don't get that from the PM2, but I do get that feeling from my delica (FRN scales), I still think it's a great knife.

I don't trust any of my other folders to hold up better than my PM2s or Manix from Spyderco, I grab them with absolute confidence that they will perform, but IMO it depends what you mean when you say you want to have a knife that has a feel of quality. The PM2 is not a gentleman's folder , but I would 100% tell anyone to get one any day of the week, a great knife to use!

The PM2 feels quality and it is super smooth with precise tolerances. It feels anything but cheap. I was really impressed the first time I tried one. I much prefer the G10 to the FRN.

I'm not worried about it feeling cheap, when I say high quality I am talking more about fit and finish, I know what G10 feels like. I think I am on team PM2 right now, but as of last night I was set on the Para 3. The Para 3 almost seems as if it is a compromised PM2. Blade length is not a concern where I live and I think the extra blade and handle length would definitely contribute to a better all-around knife. I want a 4 finger knife and I think the Para 3 handle is just a touch too small. The things I like about the Para 3 are the chamfered handles, the floating stop pin, and the CQI safety ramp. I wonder how far off it is until the PM2 receives these changes too, probably even longer for the s110v model? I am also still trying to find a place to handle both of them.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful comments so far.

One last thing: Short deep carry clip or long?

 

[KNIFEMARK]

I'm not worried about it feeling cheap, when I say high quality I am talking more about fit and finish, I know what G10 feels like. I think I am on team PM2 right now, but as of last night I was set on the Para 3. The Para 3 almost seems as if it is a compromised PM2. Blade length is not a concern where I live and I think the extra blade and handle length would definitely contribute to a better all-around knife. I want a 4 finger knife and I think the Para 3 handle is just a touch too small. The things I like about the Para 3 are the chamfered handles, the floating stop pin, and the CQI safety ramp. I wonder how far off it is until the PM2 receives these changes too, probably even longer for the s110v model? I am also still trying to find a place to handle both of them.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful comments so far.

One last thing: Short deep carry clip or long?

I'm not worried about it feeling cheap, when I say high quality I am talking more about fit and finish, I know what G10 feels like. I think I am on team PM2 right now, but as of last night I was set on the Para 3. The Para 3 almost seems as if it is a compromised PM2. Blade length is not a concern where I live and I think the extra blade and handle length would definitely contribute to a better all-around knife. I want a 4 finger knife and I think the Para 3 handle is just a touch too small. The things I like about the Para 3 are the chamfered handles, the floating stop pin, and the CQI safety ramp. I wonder how far off it is until the PM2 receives these changes too, probably even longer for the s110v model? I am also still trying to find a place to handle both of them.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful comments so far.

One last thing: Short deep carry clip or long?

I would recommend that you buy both a Para 2 and a Para 3. Fiddle with them at home for a week and send back the one you like the least. Sometimes you might find you like one at first and then you realize that you really like the other better after spending time with each. If you get them from KNIFEMARK Cutlery I would be happy to get you free return shipping for the one you wanted to send back. Just an option.

On the clip I tend to like the shorter deep carry clips because they draw less attention. I like grey titanium because it is super neutral and blends in. Shiny clips tend to clash on some fabrics. I am pickier than most about those sorts of details though.

 

[OfficerCamp]

Can’t go wrong with either, it’s all about which size you prefer. That compression lock is amazing!