Military or Chinook

2

2bits

Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Messages
35
Hi all,
I'm new to high end knives, but I've been absorbing all the knife information I can. Not wanting to collect, I don't want a single knife to do it all either. A two knife solution seems reasonable. I'm set on a dragonfly G10 for small tasks and EDC, and looking for a big knife to fill the "heavy use" chores. I plan to primarily use this for survival/camping (I'd bring both blades of course).

That said, I want a beefy knife, preferably 4mm thick and strongly locked. If I want to aggressively cut up a small branch (ala Ankerson... :p), it needs to resist loosening up or otherwise showing signs of stress.

It's clear from reading that the concensus is you can't go wrong with just about any spyderco, but I'm data driven and looking for an optimal choice. Without noticing the clear preference most have for the Military, I'd buy the Chinook as it looks more interesting to me. However, the Military is wildly popular on just about every site, while the Chinook seems to be the lonely stepchild. Am I not seeing the plusses of the Military correctly, or missing negatives of the Chinook?

Chinook, almost 2oz heavier, but full steel liners. Good belly which I like. Hand settles into the handle for rock solid grip with absolutely no risk of slipping forward towards the blade. Lockback with a solid thunk at lockup. Reported sluggish deployment. Overall this knife appeals to me aesthetically.

Military, 4" blade in a 4oz package, but that's due to mostly G10 construction (no full liners). Liner lock, eh, but not a big deal. Fast deployment especially for a big blade. Big handle for great grip flexibility. No pocket clip options.
 
Both are great knives. I have to side with the majority however, and go with the Military. I've been carrying one for the past few weeks, and I can't see myself preferring anything else over it. I used to be opposed to the size, tip down carry, and liner lock too. Then I handled one.

Everything about it is ergonomic. The opening hole is located right at your thumb when you grab it, and the handle feels great in any grip. Having a choil is definitely a plus in my opinion, especially for detail oriented tasks. For a knife as big as it is, 4.2oz. feels like nothing. The thin profile helps too, I notice it less in my pocket than any Benchmade I've carried. Less noticeable than some smaller Spydercos, too.

As far as hard use goes, I'd still vote for the Military. The tip looks a little delicate, but the blade overall is very thick. I've never batoned wood with it, but I have used it for heavy cutting and it's been a champ. This is the only folder I've ever owned that has absolutely no blade play when you grab the tip and try and move it as hard as you can. I love the liner lock on this knife, it's in the perfect spot for one handed closing, as well as being the most solid lock I've come across.

I'm sure the Chinook is a great knife, but it just looks too bulky for me to want to EDC it. Also, it seems like more of a specialized self defense blade than utilitarian.
 
First of, use a fixed blade for camping/survival !

That being said, I'd opt for the Chinook instead of the popular Military,,, why ?

Imho the backlock on the Chinook is the stronger lock of the two,,, also the Chinook has a stronger tip and overall blade design,,, I don't advocate prying with your knives, but if you really have to, I bet the tip on the Chinook would hold up better,,,

Also, for me at least, the handle on the Military felt too thin,,, now I have never handled a Chinook before, but I have handled the large Manix and the handles seem similar,,, great handle on that one !

just my 0.2,,,
 
This is a no brainer. Mil all the way. Not taking anything from the Chinook. It is a wonderful knife. But it basically belongs in a sheath. Pocket carry with the Nook, you'll find, is pretty much not for the faint of heart. The Mil packs like it's not even there. There's a reason the Mil is wildly popular. Many reasons. The way it carries is one of those reasons. And in comparison with the Nook, it's probably the most glaringly obvious difference. Both knives have great ergonomics, great blade geometry, and fantastic cutting performance. The big diff (and the potential deal killer for the Nook) is the bulk factor. Plus, the Mil can be had with teeth, and they are quite savage on that FFG blade. I have a black blade with a combo edge and it's a sweetheart. Go with the Mil. Another plus is availability. You'll have to search far and wide for a Nook. Mils are for sale on every gun related forum and web-based knife shop on the internet. Deals abound. Cheers. :cool:
 
Have you considered the Gayle Bradley?
Hope I'm not hijacking the thread, but it sounded like high end was the goal.
I used my Military for a couple of days and never picked it up again. Good knife, doesn't do it for me.
Haven't held the Chinook yet.
I can't get enough of my Gayle Bradley. The CPM M4 absolutely kicks butt.
Next batch of 'em should be out next month, I think.

Hope you like what you get regardless.
 
Ah, I expected the requisite "get a fixed blade" response. :)

Thanks so far. It sounds like the 2oz difference is the main driving factor. From a purely academic position, it doesn't seem like 2oz is the difference between feels-like-nothing and not-for-the-faint-of-heart. This could just be my neophyte brain thinking aloud.

The choil is a good point. The nook isn't really designed to use the choil for detailed work. It's also not jimped like the Mili is. Then again, maybe I'd use the Fly for that work, not my 4" big blade.

The hangup for me is the mostly G10 construction of the Mili. I'm not convinced of the durability of the pivot and lower 2/3 of the handle if wrenched on. Otherwise, I agree carrying the Mili is better all around.

Not wanting to lengthen my first post, I ommitted that I'm a lefty. The Mili lefty and Chinook are equally available at about $15 difference. Cutleryshoppe, yourcornerstore, etc.

Yes, definitely considered GB, but not sure how lefty-friendly it is. Also, have an irrational preference for 4mm steel in a heavy user, though M4 is awesome as you say. Also, it's only .3oz lighter than the Chinook which everyone is saying is too bulky and heavy...
 
The new Superleaf might also be an option.
For Me, its the original big bruiser the Manix. Here it is with friends. Problem is its hard to find one these days.
DSC_2306.jpg
 
I have used a Military to do lighter chores on a camp site.

My advice? Either get a very very stout folder with a strong tip or use a Fixed Blade knife! With a Larger 5-7 Inch Fixed Blade knife, you can possibly chop down small trees and split wood then process it. If you decide to go that route, you can also carry a smaller knife, fixed or folder for food processing

Why? The Military has a very delicate tip. In my experience, the tip is not very well suited for anything more than slicing paper or the occasional food prep. The tip is also the part of the knife that will most likely break even when you're careful

Shown here is the aftermath of chopping with a Bark River Bravo2 and some Feathersticks with the Military:
dsc06744m.jpg
 
I vote for the Chinook. The lock is stronger and ambidextrous. The blade shape is probably more to your purpose. Deploys faster than the Military (Spyder drop method) and is just a more solid design.

However the Military does have a couple of advantages. Slightly longer blade and open handle design, making it easier to clean, and it's a shade lighter.
 
Flatlander1963 said:
The new Superleaf might also be an option.
For Me, its the original big bruiser the Manix. Here it is with friends. Problem is its hard to find one these days.
Click to expand...

Great idea on the Manix 1. It matches the good traits of the Chinook plus it has a classic spyderco leaf shape blade. It's .3oz heavier than the Chinook, so all the downsides from that apply plus a bit more.

How's the Manix deployment? Compared to other knives in this thread?

The Superleaf is nice, but doesn't quite match up to the Manix. Also not sure how lefty-friendly that lock is. None of my current knives lock like that, and I've never seen it in person.
 
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Both the Military and the Chinook are favorites of mine. I tend to carry the Military more in warm weather and the Chinook more in the cold. Weight is the operative factor here. I carry both in my right back pocket, blade opening against the seam.

I find both have a super comfortable and secure grip. I've used the Military on some harder cutting, and as long as you chop with the blade coming directly at the target, you wont damage the tip. It only looks delicate. I do feel more confidence in the Chinook tip, though.

When I use either for food prep, while I like the Military a lot, the Chinook does a great rocking cut thats perfect for anything from slicing carrots to mincing herbs.
 
xtestifyx said:
I have used a Military to do lighter chores on a camp site.

My advice? Either get a very very stout folder with a strong tip or use a Fixed Blade knife! With a Larger 5-7 Inch Fixed Blade knife, you can possibly chop down small trees and split wood then process it. If you decide to go that route, you can also carry a smaller knife, fixed or folder for food processing

Why? The Military has a very delicate tip. In my experience, the tip is not very well suited for anything more than slicing paper or the occasional food prep. The tip is also the part of the knife that will most likely break even when you're careful.
Click to expand...

I hear you on the tip. Do any larger spydercos have a strong tip? The Mili has FFG of course, but it also tapers down vertically more than a Manix or other drop point. I'm not looking for perfection on all counts, so would a FFG drop point in 4mm steel be "strong enough"? Not dismissing the fixed blade recommendations, but I expect to be able to find a large "strong enough" folder at a slight weight penalty (for fold/lock mech) and retain the folder flexibility.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I find both have a super comfortable and secure grip. I've used the Military on some harder cutting, and as long as you chop with the blade coming directly at the target, you wont damage the tip. It only looks delicate. I do feel more confidence in the Chinook tip, though.

When I use either for food prep, while I like the Military a lot, the Chinook does a great rocking cut thats perfect for anything from slicing carrots to mincing herbs.
Click to expand...

Nice practical points. The photos/videos I've seen kinda show the Military point thinning out at the tip more than the Chinook, and you seem to be confirming that. Where does the Manix 1 fall in the spectrum of point strength in your opinion?
 
shangchi108 said:
Deploys faster than the Military (Spyder drop method) and is just a more solid design.
Click to expand...

Interesting suggestion on the spydie drop. The only place I've found Chinook deployment mentioned (youtube vid) said it was sluggish and they used the regular thumb flick.

Spydie drop seems risky, but that's probably because I don't own a spyderco yet and haven't tried it.
 
I only handled the Manix once, a while ago. Can't say about the tip. It did not fit my hand as comfortably as the others so I never got one for myself.

I have to tell you one story about the Military. I was out for a late night walk and a branch swiped me in the face. I pulled out the Military and slashed it off -- without noticing a signpost was behind it. The edge of he Military clanked on the post. Grrr ...

When I got home, I could feel one small ding, which turned out to be a slight roll, not a chip. Steeled it right out. SpyderCO! Way to GO!
 
2bits said:
Interesting suggestion on the spydie drop. The only place I've found Chinook deployment mentioned (youtube vid) said it was sluggish and they used the regular thumb flick.

Spydie drop seems risky, but that's probably because I don't own a spyderco yet and haven't tried it.
Click to expand...

I say forget the Spydie drop, except for playing around. (Which is cool in itself :)) Use the thumbhole and learn to give it a quick flick and you've got a fast AND secure opening. My S30V EDC Military is very fast. My D2 carbon fiber Military is blindingly fast. The Chinook is a bit slower but once you practice, loosen up the pivot, and build up a little muscle in your thumb ... I mean, unless you're trying for a world-record quick-draw, you'll get it open faster than you need it. :D
 
I know this is spyderco territory and everything, but I'm really surprised that nobody mentioned the OTHER super strong, super comfortable and not terribly heavy 4" folder, that costs half of what either the military or chinook cost... :)








...The one made my cold steel
 
I have both chinook 3 and military. I love them both I have backups for both. If I had to choose one, I'd choose the chinook just feels more solid to me as a hard use knife. I've also tried the cooking oil test(dip them both in cooking oil and try cutting something tough) on both and the 'nook has a more secure grip both for push and pull cuts and piercing with the tip. The 'nook is also totally ambidextrous. If you want to deploy the 'nook fast carry tip up and use the zip tie "ghetto" wave.
 
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I would prefer the Military. It's bigger for what you're doing, and I think the blade shape would be much more useful. :thumbup:

Not knocking the Chinook, great knife. Might have to pick another one up sometime.
 
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