Military vs. Police

I like my police. It feels better in my hands but thats jsut a personal thing i guess and i dont really like liner locks.
 
Bottom LINE: Both models are exquisite folders and both rank extremely high in the world of production knives. Both models have been in the Spyderco main line up for many years.

This truly is like an Ali versus Frazier comparison or a Kobe Bryant versus Michael Jordan selection. You really can't go wrong with either blade. It truly is a Ford vs Chevy type deal. It's just a matter of which one meets your own personal criteria.

I hope both models continue to be around for several years to come and I also hope that they do many high tech modifcations on both models as well.

The Military is a perfect blade to test new blade steels and the Police model is a great one to implement new hardware.

Both would be excellent survival blades and both are capable of a very wide range of demanding cutting chores. This is truly a WIN-WIN Choice!!
 
Police 3 carries better being tip up and having a thinner build, but my Millie sees more pocket time because I prefer the blade shape, large opening hole, D2 steel and ergonomics. Both are great knives.
 
the full-serrated stainless steel Police is THE quintessential Spyderco for me, but I definitely prefer the Millie

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shangchi108 said:
I prefer the Police model. It's thinner, easier to carry, doesn't profile at all, has more carry options in that it will carry either tip up or tip down, has a true ambidextrous lock, has a stronger lock, and is easier to carry concealed.
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That is a subjective issue, the Military liner lock is said to with stand at least 550lbs of force without failing. I'm not saying that the Police wouldn't handle that, but the only knives that I've experienced lock failures on were back locks. (not Spydercos however).
 
I had to buy the military to realize that I like back locks and carry tip up. If I had to do it all over again I would have gotten the police.
 
In the past, I would have chosen the Police over the Military any day. I have around 4 versions of the SS Police and one older 440V Millie. Lately, though, I prefer using the Millie. Although I haven't owned a Police 3 yet. I'm finding more and more I give the edge to the Millie, though both are excellent designs. In more recent years, I've come to appreciate wide blades with great slicing ability even more.
Jim
 
That is definitely one reason for having both in the lineup, even if they serve the exact same purpose. Different strokes for different folks. Sal did mention once that the SS Police model has been in the top ten sellers every year since it was introduced. In fact, the first two attempts at a G-10 model were commercial flops. The people who buy Police Models apparently like stainless handles. :cool:
 
I love lockbacks, but given a choice I'd take Mili above Police3.

Mili SE vs Police SSSE...that's a no brainer. The Police SS seems to be made for SE.
 
yablanowitz said:
For me, it is a very simple decision. The Military's blade is under 4", the Police is over 4", and the legal limit in the state of Kansas is 4" max. I find the Military better suited to my uses anyway. I've never had an issue with the liner lock on the Military. In my opinion, it is the best engineered and executed liner lock on the market.

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I thought you said you weren't a collector:D That's a nice collection of Millies and Police models:thumbup:

I EDC'd an older Ti Police model for close to 15 yrs.and loved it..still do, and I still have it but when the full size Manix came out that was it for the Police.

IMHO the original Manix (not the Manix 2) is the best folder Spyderco has ever made. It's a pity it wasn't a commercial success. I've bought two more off the Bay for redundancy..like I'll ever break one:p and until somebody makes a better folder for the money,I'm set for life for folders.
 
I'm not a collector, I'm an accumulator. ;) The only knife in those two pictures that I haven't carried and used is the back up S90V Military, and that's only because I haven't used up the first one, yet. :D
 
My recent digi camo Milli was my first Military ever and is enjoying daily carry for several months now. Not a liner lock fan, but willing to make an exception. Actually think I could acquire another Milli or two over time. I have a "traditional" SS Police model - love the lockback and look & feel, but just too slippery and heavy. As things stand now I would vote Milli, but if I had a "traditional" shape Police with G10 handle I could be swayed. Both are great knives though :)
 
i was just debating over the military or the police but i went with the military because on knifeworks☺com they were about the same price the military was 1cent cheaper lol and the military has the s30v steel , the police has vg10 and the military is made in golden , the police is made in japan i'm not much of a steel snob but what the hell , for the same price why not go with s30v i still wanna get the police sometime though
 
█PhillieBRidin█;7819769 said:
i was just debating over the military or the police but i went with the military because on knifeworks☺com they were about the same price the military was 1cent cheaper lol and the military has the s30v steel , the police has vg10 and the military is made in golden , the police is made in japan i'm not much of a steel snob but what the hell , for the same price why not go with s30v i still wanna get the police sometime though
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Apart from S30V feeling just a bit 'toothier', and VG10 being just a bit easier to sharpen, I can't tell the difference between them. They both seem to hold an edge just the same under the same conditions.
 
I'LL recant a little. If you were to lay both knives out in front of me and say choose only one.....
I'd take the Police. As mentioned, it has survived the test of time. I do like VG-10 steel. The lock is very strong. It carries well and haven't had it rust after much time IWB.
 
I don't have a Millie but I do have an older SS Police. The Police is a nice, solid folder, but I don't carry it much because I can't easily deploy the blade using the
Spyderhole. I have to grip the back of the spine and flip the handle out instead.

My Gayle Bradley, on the other hand, is a liner lock, and the blade deploys very easily using the Spyderhole.

For those of you who have both; which knife deploys the blade more easily, the Millie or the Police?

Andy
 
It depends on the individual knives to some extent. For the most part, the Millies are easier to open, but the detent on my S90V/CF beater is extra strong, making it harder to open than any of my Police Models. I like it that way. ;)
 
I don't have either one, but I do have the baby versions - Paramilitary and G-10 handle Rookie. Of those, I like the Rookie better for typical EDC purposes, and the Para better as a heavier-duty work knife.

I'm more likely to buy a Military before a Police, unless I find a model with a G-10 handle and the stainless Police blade, swedge, hollow grind and all. I don't like stainless handles in large knives, and the Police 3 styling does nothing for me. The orange handled Military, now, is near the top of my list of wanted Spydies...
 
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