Military love

I’m debating on getting one to complete my Spyderco collection in the sense that I have the para 3, pm2, etc. I can still get the s30v versions fairly easily from the stable of online retailers but wondering if it would be best to try and snag an s110v version or say a rex 45 or even the 204p which appear occasionally on the secondary market. I don’t have any knives in Rex 45 or 204p So that would be good from a collection standpoint but I do prefer a more stain resistant option for this particular knife. If I’m correct I beleive Rex 45 is not stainless and will patina easily not sure about 204p but the fact it’s no longer used probably means s30v is better and then of course s110v would be the best option available today provided I can still find one. I thought it was offered in s110v but maybe I’m wrong.

I’m leaning towards the s30v digital cami version to stand out from all the knives I have and it’s also still available at a reasonable price especially against the others on the secondary market. If anyone has advice or comments on my thinking here please let me know. I also considered a shaman instead but I think completing my ”military” li e up would make me happier at least for now,
 
GusSharp68 said:
I’m debating on getting one to complete my Spyderco collection in the sense that I have the para 3, pm2, etc. I can still get the s30v versions fairly easily from the stable of online retailers but wondering if it would be best to try and snag an s110v version or say a rex 45 or even the 204p which appear occasionally on the secondary market. I don’t have any knives in Rex 45 or 204p So that would be good from a collection standpoint but I do prefer a more stain resistant option for this particular knife. If I’m correct I beleive Rex 45 is not stainless and will patina easily not sure about 204p but the fact it’s no longer used probably means s30v is better and then of course s110v would be the best option available today provided I can still find one. I thought it was offered in s110v but maybe I’m wrong.

I’m leaning towards the s30v digital cami version to stand out from all the knives I have and it’s also still available at a reasonable price especially against the others on the secondary market. If anyone has advice or comments on my thinking here please let me know. I also considered a shaman instead but I think completing my ”military” li e up would make me happier at least for now,
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S110V is regular production and has not been discontinued, but shipments to dealers have been sporadic for the past couple years.

S110V is a big step up from S30V in edge retention and stain resistance, and it's definitely worth the extra $28 if you can find one for sale at MAP.
 
HP2114B said:
S110V is regular production and has not been discontinued, but shipments to dealers have been sporadic for the past couple years.

S110V is a big step up from S30V in edge retention and stain resistance, and it's definitely worth the extra $28 if you can find one for sale at MAP.
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Thanks, I figured as much, I'll keep my eye out for an s110v version. The blurple scales are pretty nice, they came on my pm2 originally.

My PM2 in S110v I customed out but haven't used a lot lately. I have to re-anodize the clip that I scuffed trying to bend it to ease it back a bit when mounted on the scale, it was way too tight. Fortunately, mxg gear said they'd re-do it for me for just the cost of shipping which is fantastic service. My only gripe with them is that when you order their clips in a color such as black or blue, they don't anodize the screws to match, you just get standard silver screws. Fortunately, I got the hardware including the screws from xxxadrenalinxxx.com which is in Australia so it did take a bit long to get them but they do great work and offer the option for standard or longer clip screws to accommodate aftermarket scales and clips.

My collection in that line currently (PM2 (s45vn, s110v) and Para 3 (maxamet, cts bd1n)...

 
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GusSharp68 said:
Thanks, I figured as much, I'll keep my eye out for an s110v version. The blurple scales are pretty nice, they came on my pm2 originally.

My PM2 in S110v I customed out but haven't used a lot lately. I have to re-anodize the clip that I scuffed trying to bend it to ease it back a bit when mounted on the scale, it was way too tight. Fortunately, mxg gear said they'd re-do it for me for just the cost of shipping which is fantastic service. My only gripe with them is that when you order their clips in a color such as black or blue, they don't anodize the screws to match, you just get standard silver screws. Fortunately, I got the hardware including the screws from xxxadrenalinxxx.com which is in Australia so it did take a bit long to get them but they do great work and offer the option for standard or longer clip screws to accommodate aftermarket scales and clips.

My collection in that line currently (PM2 (s45vn, s110v) and Para 3 (maxamet, cts bd1n)...

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I just happened to see your post in that S110V Millie sale thread. To answer your question about the clip, early runs had a black clip, but they switched to a satin clip around 2017. The one you're currently trying to get has a 2016 date code (first year of production), so the black clip is correct.

Home anodization is easy. You should give it a try sometime.

maxace-killer-whale-2-0-mkw203-27v-anodization-960.jpg
 
thanks for the answer on the clip, I was just looking up info on that haha. Also, I've been watching a lot of youtube videos on anodizing and considered it. I'm guessing the process mxg gear used was pretty simple to replicate. I do have a set of flamed titanium scales for the para 3 I decided I didn't want and if I can't sell them as is, I may try to anodize them assuming I can remove the flamed color somehow. Not sure if Whink would work on that or if I'd have to sand it off. Anyway, it would be fun to try I think.
 
GusSharp68 said:
thanks for the answer on the clip, I was just looking up info on that haha. Also, I've been watching a lot of youtube videos on anodizing and considered it. I'm guessing the process mxg gear used was pretty simple to replicate. I do have a set of flamed titanium scales for the para 3 I decided I didn't want and if I can't sell them as is, I may try to anodize them assuming I can remove the flamed color somehow. Not sure if Whink would work on that or if I'd have to sand it off. Anyway, it would be fun to try I think.
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Whink should work on flame ano just fine.
 
Also wanted to ask if anyone knows when Spyderco stopped using Red Loctite, if this Military s110v was from 2016, would that still have been in the Red Loctite era? I do like to take apart my knives for maintenance every now and again and maybe even swap out scales if I find something I really like.
 
GusSharp68 said:
I’m debating on getting one to complete my Spyderco collection in the sense that I have the para 3, pm2, etc. I can still get the s30v versions fairly easily from the stable of online retailers but wondering if it would be best to try and snag an s110v version or say a rex 45 or even the 204p which appear occasionally on the secondary market. I don’t have any knives in Rex 45 or 204p So that would be good from a collection standpoint but I do prefer a more stain resistant option for this particular knife. If I’m correct I beleive Rex 45 is not stainless and will patina easily not sure about 204p but the fact it’s no longer used probably means s30v is better and then of course s110v would be the best option available today provided I can still find one. I thought it was offered in s110v but maybe I’m wrong.

I’m leaning towards the s30v digital cami version to stand out from all the knives I have and it’s also still available at a reasonable price especially against the others on the secondary market. If anyone has advice or comments on my thinking here please let me know. I also considered a shaman instead but I think completing my ”military” li e up would make me happier at least for now,
Click to expand...

CTS 204P is quite stainless. "No longer used" is not really accurate, it was never regular production in the Military, it was a Dealer Exclusive. That means that dealer (KW if I remember right) could commission another run if they wanted to. REX 45 on the other hand is not stainless.
 
Does anyone know what the difference would be in the s110v models C36GPDBL vs the C36GDBL (without the P)?
 
G GusSharp68

I have used a multitude of Millie variations.

204p was my favorite general use steel. It sharpens easy, and holds it well responds nice to a strop and doesnt stain much at all. Plus i liked the green handles.

Rex45 is incredible, super sharp, easy to sharpen, also strops well, never seemed to chip or roll. Patinas a bit, but did develop some rust around the thumbhole and on the tang area, but super fine steelwool fixed that easily. (My wife used it camping for cooking duty and didnt rinse it!!).

S90V is a little more difficult to sharpen, seems to like a toothy edge, occasionally micro chipped, never stained or rusted and has a sick Ti/CF framelock.

M4 was awesome as far as edge holding and sharpening but was dlc coated to prevent stains. The handles were ugly AF. I blade swapped with an S90V framelock to make the ultimate franken-millie.

The most carried…


Lefty model. S30V has been great. Performed similar to the 204p but seems a slight bit chippier. Overall ive had zero complaints about the s30V under normal edc or kitchen use

Im a southpaw so that is why its my most carried. Its also why I have two BNIB because im worried they will be discontinued and if I lose or break it i’ll be bent about not having my southpaw version.

If I could have a left handed, CF/Ti framelock with a stonewashed (i love a good stonewash) CPM 3V blade, it would be my only military and Ide have like 5 of them.
 
Riz! said:
G GusSharp68

I have used a multitude of Millie variations.

204p was my favorite general use steel. It sharpens easy, and holds it well responds nice to a strop and doesnt stain much at all. Plus i liked the green handles.

Rex45 is incredible, super sharp, easy to sharpen, also strops well, never seemed to chip or roll. Patinas a bit, but did develop some rust around the thumbhole and on the tang area, but super fine steelwool fixed that easily. (My wife used it camping for cooking duty and didnt rinse it!!).

S90V is a little more difficult to sharpen, seems to like a toothy edge, occasionally micro chipped, never stained or rusted and has a sick Ti/CF framelock.

M4 was awesome as far as edge holding and sharpening but was dlc coated to prevent stains. The handles were ugly AF. I blade swapped with an S90V framelock to make the ultimate franken-millie.

The most carried…


Lefty model. S30V has been great. Performed similar to the 204p but seems a slight bit chippier. Overall ive had zero complaints about the s30V under normal edc or kitchen use

Im a southpaw so that is why its my most carried. Its also why I have two BNIB because im worried they will be discontinued and if I lose or break it i’ll be bent about not having my southpaw version.

If I could have a left handed, CF/Ti framelock with a stonewashed (i love a good stonewash) CPM 3V blade, it would be my only military and Ide have like 5 of them.
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Great info, thank you. I recently started a collection which quickly got a little out of control. I have enjoyed looking at different steel options and trying to get a good variety to enjoy. I had a KME sharpening system initially and s90v was such a pain to sharpen on it, it took almost a full days work to get a mirror polish going through the stones all the way through the lapping stones, then stropping. Problem with that was I discovered s90v is probably better with a toothier grind. I've since gotten the ken onion worksharp elite system and it is a lot easier as long as you don't mind a little more of a convex edge. I guess my most frequent use is cutting up cardboard which is brutal on knives so I've limited which ones I subject to such abuse and I try and maintain them by honing so I don't have to fully sharpen as often. The Spyderco para 3 lightweight or my benchmade bugout (s90v) that I scratched up during KME sharpening for example. I did use a Hinderer XM-3.5 recurve with a working finish on a particular heavy duty cardboard box and it actually left marks on the finish which kind of suprised me. But I digress.
 
I routinely strop my knives and if needed hand sharpen all my knives with spyderco sharpmaker rods or pocket stones. I dont use the base. I hold the rod in my hand. Usually i just use the medium. I dont let my edges get really messed up. If so I will hand sharpen on a DMT diamond whetstone.

Ive found that if I regularly maintain the edges I rarely have to re-profie them.

I can get them to shave easily and thats good enough for my uses.


This is how i have been able to determine which steel sharpens a certain way. You learn the feel of each alloy. It tends to create a very small convex micro bevel
 
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