Military versus Starmate

ptn

Joined
Sep 6, 1999
Messages
389
I finally got a Starmate. I waited months and finally I have it. I am trying hard to love it but I'm discovering that I prefer the Military.

Reasons:

The curve of the Military handle makes front jeans pocket carry much more comfortable. The relative straightness of the Starmate handle causes binding in the pocket when I bend down.

The handle design of the Military affords a greater variety of grip positions than the Starmate. One of the things I love about the Military is the ability to make a "smaller/shorter" knife by choking up on the handle and taking advantage of the finger choil move my hand farther forward for more tip control when doing delicate work.

The cutout on the Military handle for accessing the liner is a more appropriate size than on the Starmate. Also I appreciate the "serrations" in the top of the Military liner. All in all, the Military is easier to operate while wearing gloves.

A couple of small construction details are also notable, namely, the stepped lanyard hole and screws at the stop pin, which are not present on the Starmate. I'm not suggesting that the Starmate is lacking anything, but for some reason, the Military seems more completely put together.

I'll keep playing with the Starmate, but can't shake the nagging feeling that I'd be happier with a plainedge Military to go with the serrated version I already own.

I surely don't mean to step on any toes here. Certainly not the designer, nor the manufacturer. These are simply my observations. We all use our own criteria to determine preferences.

Anyone care to share an opinion?
 
To add..
The Military is awesome for opening with gloves on because of the large hole and fits the hand good..
I have no probs carring the Starmate though.
I like the handle to blade ratio and the cutting edge size is almost the same for both.
I do like the Plain Military..
I like the Plain Starmate too..
Guess you better keep both..
 
PTN,

Don't feel bad, I prefer the Military too.

Blues

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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
I think that since the newness has worn off, the Starmate is still one heck of a knife! It has a great lockup and the CPM 440V blade is very easy to sharpen. Although it is a bit big for my everyday carry, it is still a nice knife to use whenever I decide to carry mine.
 
There's something very "alive" about the Starmate. Anything Bob designs has that "live" feel to it for he's an end user not just a designer. Yes, it feels different than a Military BUT I fit in the small group of those that have no particular love for the Military..of course how a knife "feels" is very personal...( no two guys would ever agree on how a woman feels either! LOL!)
I don't like the way the Military's G-10 edges "feel" against my palm..I find the belly of the handle to be wrong for my hands..again all personal..it obviously is grreat for other people.The Starmate on the other hand (no pun intended ) fits in my hand like its not there.Yes its straighter but it asks me to cut with it.
I do like the Miltary in Reverse grip due to the belly of the blade proceeding my hand but the Starmate is also comfy and the base of my hand rests into the thumb ramp very nicely adding ooomph to my cuts..
The clip on the Military catches in the palm of my hand and the Starmate doesn't...
Over all I like them both...I prefer the Starmate...of course I own custom Terzoulas and they "FIT" my hand and mind set as well..
If the Starmate doesn't ride in your pocket I don't see how a BIGGER knife like the Military does better..( they are side by side in front of me)..Why not do as I do and get knife pockets that run down the side of your pants just BELOW the bend of your leg so the knives NEVER bother you?
oh well..I'm not sure that I helped at all..hmmmm


[This message has been edited by BRAM (edited 03-30-2000).]
 
Quick $.02 worth...

Picked up a Military this past weekend, and I've carried it as much as possible to find out why folks love it so much, and so I could participate in all of the Military vs.... threads.

Maybe it will take more time, but I'm still sold on the Starmate. I like the flat grind on the Military better, but that's about it. I like the Starmate's size and shape much better.

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AKTI Member #A000832

"A man's got to know his limitations." - Dirty Harry
 
A couple of comments after a studying the Starmate for a few more days:

After reading Bram's post, I went and compared the Starmate and Military as to what happens in the right front jeans pocket when I bend down. Lo and behold, no difference. Neither knife caught at the point where the pants bunch up and was pushed up into my hip. That's good but also strange because it happened over the weekend and bothered me. I went and found the jeans I was wearing then and changed into them and this time the Starmate was pushed into my hip when I bent down. The Military's handle curve met the pocket seam and pushed the bottom of the handle forward as I bent down. No binding. No pressure on the hip. Then I tried another pair of jeans. Both knives were comfortable. I don't know how interesting this is, but there you have it. I jumped to a conclusion based upon too small a sample size.

My comment about the lanyard hole was also not well thought out. The open tail end of the Military explains its construction. The Starmate with its G10 spacer all the way back does not require the metal insert.

The more I handle the Starmate, the more accustomed my hand becomes to its shape. My appreciation may be growing. The Starmate was the large Spyderco that most appealed to me when I first started looking. The Military was so "ugly" to me I couldn't imagine wanting one. Ultimately, I went to buy both and found only the Military in stock. The months since then have given me time to grow a real appreciation for the Military. I guess I was surprised at how different the Starmate felt in my hand than the Military. Perhaps it will just take a little time for a similar feeling to grow for the Starmate.


 
BRAM,

I am interested in your "knife pockets." Could you tell us a little more about them? Isn't it too conspicuous?
 
In my reception the Starmate with straight blade-handle line, hollow ground blade and stronger tip is more suitable for self-defense action using fast precise stabbing techniques.
The Military with curved no-pull-away handle is more suitable for slashing. Flat ground blade serves nicely for deep precise slicking. My wife said - this is the great knife for field sandwich making
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Just my $0.02
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Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland

[This message has been edited by Sergiusz Mitin (edited 04-03-2000).]
 
I have had a plain-edge Military for a few months now and I really love it. I got a plain-edge Starmate this week, so I've been carrying it a lot. I like both knives very much but for different reasons. I think they are the best Spyderco has to offer, and among the best that can be had in general, at any price. I also like the looks of the Starmate better, but the handle on the Military is superior for my large hands. Both are definitely keepers!

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Chris Turner
Arkansas

"We Don't Rent Pigs" --Augustus McCrae

"I won't abide rude behavior in a man." -- Woodrow Call

 
Lagerman,
I couldn't have possibly said that better and I agree with you 100%.
I love the Military and the Starmate. I love them so much, in fact, I went out and bought a second Starmate and am now contemplating doing the same with the Military. I'll usually buy two of the same species if they are offered in both right and left hand models, so buying two of the same model in right handed only is a bit unusual for me. But I'm glad I did.
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My new bumper sticker:

Let me tell you about my SIFU!
 
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