You made me laugh a little with that post. For a long time, I was content with budget knives. I just never thought about the knife I was carrying - I was just happy to have something that functioned. Then I got a heavily used PM2 from my brother. I was hooked from there. The PM2 operated and cut so much better than anything I had used before.
I think that sprint run Manix 2 will serve you well. The Para 3 would be another great one. At the very least, I'd buy it just to try the compression lock. A lot of people love the ball bearing lock and ergonomics of the Manix 2 and a lot of people love the same things on a PM2 and Para 3.
The only thing I don't like so much about the Para 3 is the placement of the pocket clip. If you carry the knife for right hand use with the tip up, a fair bit of the knife protrudes from your pocket because of the where the clip is. You can buy aftermarket clips, though, from places like Lynch Northwest that would fix that. It's a small thing, but is worth mentioning.
