Maxamet Para 3 vs. Maxamet Native Lightweight: Which to Buy?

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Sharperthansticks

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Sep 19, 2017
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I think the title says it all. Your advice is appreciated. I have no particular use in mind, and I don't mind coating my rust-prone blades (like the Advocate in M4). Also, if it matters, I sharpen my knives with a Worksharp Ken Onion edition + Blade Grinder Attachment.
 
I prefer the Para 3,, more comfortable in hand, especially with clip removed.
Smooth open/closed with one hand.
Carry in soft nylon pouch on belt.

Regards,
FK
 
FK said:
I prefer the Para 3,, more comfortable in hand, especially with clip removed.
Smooth open/closed with one hand.
Carry in soft nylon pouch on belt.

Regards,
FK
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Thanks. I take the clips off of almost all of my knives, because they're hot spots in my hand. Could you give me more detail about how the Para 3 feels better? (Have you also tried the Native 5 in Maxamet?)
 
I had manix 2 and I have many para 3.
Also 1 in maxamet.

Manix was to big for me.
The lightweight too smooth and the handle had sharp corners.

The para 3 fits like a glove.
 
ric75 said:
I had manix 2 and I have many para 3.
Also 1 in maxamet.

Manix was to big for me.
The lightweight too smooth and the handle had sharp corners.

The para 3 fits like a glove.
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Thanks for the info. Can you comment on the Native 5 Lightweight vs. the Para 3?
 
The Native 5 LW is a favorite of mine and fits my hand great! The way the forward choil positions my hand makes me feel like I can cut through anything. My Native 5 LW was kinda stiff out of the box but quickly broke in to perfection. It’s quite easy to close one handed now, but there is zero blade play and a very confidence inspiring back lock.

The PM3 feels great in hand, but personally I don’t feel it’s quite as locked in, if that makes sense. I’m not a fan of the PM3’s aesthetics.

I vote N5LW.
 
4mer_FMF said:
The Native 5 LW is a favorite of mine and fits my hand great! The way the forward choil positions my hand makes me feel like I can cut through anything. My Native 5 LW was kinda stiff out of the box but quickly broke in to perfection. It’s quite easy to close one handed now, but there is zero blade play and a very confidence inspiring back lock.

The PM3 feels great in hand, but personally I don’t feel it’s quite as locked in, if that makes sense. I’m not a fan of the PM3’s aesthetics.

I vote N5LW.
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Thanks for the feedback.

The one thing no one mentioned is that, according to Spyderco's specs, the Native 5 LW, at .125", is thinner behind the edge than the Para 3 in Maxamet, which is .150" thick. Assuming that this is behind the edge (which, admittedly, may not be a correct assumption), the Native 5 LW should be a better slicer.
 
I think the difference in slicing ability is negligible. The biggest difference is ergos. The Native excels when using the choil. It melts into the hand like it was meant to be there. However, it's a little cramped when utilizing the handle only, but four fingers still fit. The Para 3 is the opposite. The handle is longer making a full grip super comfortable without the choil. When using the choil, the grip is less comfortable than with the Native.
 
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blades&wrenches said:
I think the difference in slicing ability is negligible. The biggest difference is ergos. The Native excels when using the choil. It melts into the hand like it was meant to be there. However, it's a little cramped when utilizing the handle only, but four fingers still fit. The Para 3 is the opposite. The handle is longer making a full grip super comfortable without the choil. When using the choil, the grip is less comfortable than with the Native.
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What you said about the ergos makes sense. Previously, I noticed in the specs that the Para 3 is .3in longer. I'm a choil man, myself, so perhaps the Native 5 is a better choice for me. My one hesitation is the FRN. While I grant you all that it's probably great for "the vaseline factory," as Guru Shabazz calls it, I've always thought it looks kind of cheap, and I'm a bit of an aesthetics snob.
 
In case you’ve never held a FRN Spyderco, here’s my opinion. It looks a bit cheep & sounds a bit cheep if you thump it, but it feels great in hand, both from a tactile and from a sturdiness perspective.
 
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I prefer compression locks over lock back.

But the Light Weight aspect is a big PLUS.
 
Cutting style. Point down with force, ie “stabbing” or puncturing I’d say the native. Slicing, pull or push cut exclusively, I’d say go para3. I agree it’s the ergo’s that matter most. I’m assuming the para3’s blade has the same tapered thickness as the p2. on softer materials though the para3 would be a fine stabby-puncture cut knife.
 
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Lay the N5 LW on top of the Para 3 and you will see that the handle contours are very similar, and that the handle length of the N5, not including the choil, is a actually a tad longer than the Para 3. Just the other day I compared the two of them in a full fisted grip, and there was actually a bit more room on the N5.

Which is more comfortable is up for you to decide, but the handle contours are similar and the handle thickness is the same.

The blade stock on the N5 is thinner, but the edge thickness depends on how the specific blades are ground.
 
Sharperthansticks said:
Thanks for the feedback.

The one thing no one mentioned is that, according to Spyderco's specs, the Native 5 LW, at .125", is thinner behind the edge than the Para 3 in Maxamet, which is .150" thick. Assuming that this is behind the edge (which, admittedly, may not be a correct assumption), the Native 5 LW should be a better slicer.
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The dimensions you're referring to are actually blade stock thickness. I've measure thickness behind the edge on all my Native 5s (6) and Para 3s (3). I used a good micrometer but keep in mind that it's difficult to measure right at the shoulder between the edge and primary bevel.

My Natives measured .022 - .026. My Para 3s were .0225 - .0250. So they're actually pretty close behind the edge considering the difference in blade stock thickness.
 
My Para 3 (S110V) measures about 0.020" while the various N5 LW that have passed through my hands (S35VN, S90V, S110V) have measured from 0.021"-0.025". I think the more recent samples have generally been thinner.
 
I didn't like the high thumb ramp of the PM3 but mostly I didn't like the clip and I've found I'm not big into compression locks, for whatever reason.

The native is a near perfect EDC size blade for me.
 
If the para 3 is available in maxamet I would recommend that. I just got one and it is awesome! I don’t have a native though so I can’t speak about that.
 
I have both. The native is in my pocket way more than the para. But I think it’s mainly the frn that makes me carry it more. It’s just so light and disappears in there.
 
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