Mini Manix or Paramilitary for Self Defense?

B

bk400

Joined
Nov 1, 2005
Messages
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I am new to the forum, and I have received the CE mini manix and the PE black blade paramilitary in advance of a civilian overseas deployment. I wish to carry only one as my primary self defense weapon. Given my expected attire on the deployment, I'll only be able to carry one.

While I realize that the Mini Manix is heavier and thicker than the Paramilitary, my primary concern is last ditch combat effectiveness. Lock failure is not an option. I've read on these forums that both the Para and the Mini Manix have MBC rated locks. The Mini Manix lock "feels" more secure than the Para compression lock, but I'm not sure if this is an illusion due to the beefier construction. The para military looks better designed for piercing and for pulling cuts (bigger pinky choil seems to create more leverage), though I worry a bit about the slimmer first finger choil.

There are a lot of highly knowledgeable people on this forum, and I'd love to hear your informed thoughts.
 
I love the Para for everything. Its lightweight and the comp lock is much less effected by dirt and lint. I view the Manix series as more camping/heavy utility oriented than EDC/SD
 
I have both and agree with your observations on "feel". I ahven't had them long enough to get them gunked up, but it sure looks like the PM is less likely to foul and would be easier to clean. The minimanix feels more "secure" in my hand and is easier for me to manipulate in a hurry. I think you should play with them to see which one feels more natural to you when your hands are cold/wet. Then maybe through some dirt into the works and see which handles it better. As far as SD goes, the minmanix has a broader blade which may make a larger wound...they are both plenty pointy at the tip. I would decide based on comfort/ security and utility.

God speed.
 
I haven't played with one, but that won't stop me from recommending you look at a Chinook II. The handle just looks much better for self defense than the other two knives you mentioned. Which isn't surprising because this knife was designed for self defense, the others weren't.

The waved endura would probably be a good choice, it's not mbc rated, but as long as your enemy doesn't know that you'll be okay. :) And it's nice and light weight.

If the knife is only for self defense, also consider the Civilian.

I like the Para-Military a lot, except the lock scares me. I'm sure it keeps the knife open, but, I, personally, need a lock that springs completely closed when it is near the closed position. Therefore if you can't buy a different knife, I'd carry the mini manix.
 
Thank you all for the interesting thoughts. This is truly important for me.

As the knife will only be used for self defense and must be concealable in the pocket of a business suit or similarly "unrugged" attire, I'm leaning toward the Paramilitary. I am not even in a position where I can use the pocket clip (I've already removed them from both knives). The Mini Manix feels considerably heavier and, as I learned today when I carried it, is just thick enough to alter how my jacket or trousers fell. Two trained observers said that the could make out the characteristic sweep of a folding blade handle when the Mini Manix was in an outside pocket (both on the jacket and the trousers).

The point of my carrying the knife is to have something that can cause enough damage to slow down an attacker, but concealable enough so that I'm not casually compromised (and therefore bring on the attack that I'm trying to avoid).

One follow up question: Is the Paramilitary lock in fact MBC rated? Some of the posts elsewhere in the forum suggest that the compression lock on the paramilitary is significantly inferior to the Manix lockback. Is this true in a practical sense? Put differently, in even the most extreme, one-off self defense situation, can I expect the para lock to hold up? I have no intention of using the knife at all for utility purposes.

(I've gathered from the posts -- Joe Talmadge and others correct me if I'm wrong -- that the Mini Manix lock is unequivocally sturdier under hard, repeated use. But are both locks comparable in the one-off self defense situation? That is, if I thrust someone at close range, at full strength, and hit a belt buckle or a metal watchband, is the compression lock going to close on me?)

Sorry for the excess verbiage, but I'm heading out on Saturday.

Special thanks also to those of you who privately sent me well wishes.
 
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