Millie liner lock vs. Para compression lock

Toyz

Toyz

Joined
Nov 2, 2006
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I have been looking into buying either a Military or ParaMilitary for some time now. My local knife store has the ParaMilitary - its a little tough to get used to the compression lock on the back. My knife store guy says its the cats pajamas - better than the liner lock on the Military.

I've never held the Military, but after reading the many reviews it seems like a very well respected favorite in the knife community.


Size is a little bit of a factor - my state is FULL of sheeple. I usually don't let that stop me - but if the compression lock is better than the liner lock it may be the factor that pushes me towards the para.

Anyone own both, and what has your experiences been?

I am an office worker during the week, and heavy duty outdoors on the weekends.
 
Yes, I have both. I carry a Military every day, the Para once in a while. I never really got used to the compression lock on the Para. It is much easier for me to release the lock with my left hand than my right, and I am right handed. That wouldn't be a problem for me if I could flip the clip to left-hand carry, but it is RH tip down only.

The compression lock is very, very strong. It works by wedging a steel tab between the blade tang and a steel stop pin. For the blade to close without releasing the lock, you would have to crush the steel tab or shear the stop pin. Either of those things will pretty much require a cheater bar and a vise. The Walker liner lock on the Military is not as strong in absolute terms, but it too would pretty much require a vise and cheater bar to defeat. It is the best engineered and executed liner lock I have ever seen, and I have owned quite a few.

The shorter blade of the Para may be a bigger factor than the locks. Both knives are rugged yet light, and either should give you a lifetime of use as long as you don't abuse them too much.
 
I love the compression lock. But, as yablanowitz said, if scaring sheeple is a big issue, the Millie is a BIG knife in their eyes. Even the Para is large for them. Both are great designs, I carry them both about the same frequency.
 
The locks are not a factor, both are excellent and will not fail you. Decide if a 4" blade is too big for you.
 
It's really a matter of which one's more comfortable for you to handle & carry. However, the compression lock can be used with the left hand easier than a liner-lock, IMHO.

While I don't have a Para Mili anymore, I do have a Yojimbo that's part of my EDC rotation (Waved, too, I might add) & a Vesuvius (Centofante 2). I have no problems carrying a knife with a liner-lock, but I seem to be carrying frame locks & compression lock knives more these days, FWIW.
 
Both locks are very well executed. The compression lock is definitely the tougher of the two, although the difference under normal circumstances means very little.

Over time, the compression lock on the Para becomes very easy to use. Lots of fun to play with, like an Axis lock. Very safe, because your fingers never enter the blade path when closing.

People have complained about the Para developing a small amount of vertical blade play over time. It hasn't happened on mine, but enough people have complained that it can't just be false rumors. It is a very hard lock to manufacture. Very tight tolerances are required. I've never heard of a Military liner lock going bad over time. If you get a good Military, it's pretty much good for life.

For the office, the Para is definitely the MUCH better choice. The Military is a huge knife to be waving around sheeple. Some of this problem can be preventing by immediately moving to a choked up handle position. But no matter what, it will still look like a huge knife.

But for the outdoors, the Military reigns supreme over all other tactical folders, IMHO. I've carried a Military outdoors for 8 years and change, and it has never disappointed me. It is an extraordinary knife.

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I say get the Military.
Yes, the Compression lock is the best there is, but the Military has the better handle, and the longer blade works wonders in the kitchen.
You'll definitely appreciate having the extra length on the weekends.
If office carry really is an issue, there are lots of smaller alternatives. For example, I always have my Fallkniven U-2, even though I've got bigger knives on me as well. People usually only pay attention to the one you pull out.
 
I got one of these on order (Digicamo Military) - you guys helped me break the tie.

More to follow.....
 
I have both and the liner vs compression lock is a non issue for me. Both locks are well made and very solid. Once you have handled the Para for 5 minutes you will have easily mastered the compression lock. I do favor the Para over the Millie. The Millie is just a little more blade than I usually need.
 
I really like the compression lock, I must say it is my favorite knife lock (just ahead of the axis lock, as I have a Griptilian in my left pocket and my Superhawk in my right pocket). The liner lock on my Militarys have never given a hint of play, weakness, or being unreliable, but when I look down at the lock tab of my Superhawk's comp lock snapped into place I just know it isn't going anywhere (see Yab's explanation). I also frequently use knives with either hand, and I find the comp lock much easier to manipulate with either hand than the liner lock. That said I prefer the Millie to the Para because it fits my hand way better (I have to use the choil on the Para to get a comfortable grip due to my larger size paws).
 
I did fool around with the Para at the local knife shop - I guess having dropped mucho dinero over the last 5 years gets me extra play time when I am in there.

The Para felt good, but it looks a little out of sorts with the large handle and the smaller blade. And try as I could I just couldn't warm up to the compression lock.

With me, I either "feel it" when I first pick up a knife or I don't. Rarely does one "grow" on me.

Once I have the Military in hand, I'll have to go back to the store and do a comparison. My tastes in knives has evolved - my checkbook is bleeding.
 
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