Need Help Deciding...Para Military vs 710

S

steelscout30

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Aug 1, 2006
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I hate asking "which one should I buy??" questions because it makes me sound unsure (which I am this time :o ) or inexperience in the whole knife business (which I am not) but I need help in the decision-making process for this one.

The Spyderco Para Military D2 or the Benchmade 710D2? I am a very big fan of D2 tool steel, and of both companies. I cannot make the decision between the two and am hoping for some real world experiences that might help!

Thank you and God bless.

KATN,

Wade
 
I've got an S30V Para and an M2 710HHS, so I'm familiar with both designs.

It's a tough call -- these are both knives I've kept for several years and used, and I never intend to sell either one.

The 710 gives you a better blade to handle ratio. I also think the Axis lock is marginally easier to operate than the Para's compression lock. In fact the Axis is just plain fun. The 710 also carries better in the pocket with its lower profile, tip-up design.

The Para will probably come with a better, thinner edge -- one that is ready to be touched up with a Sharpmaker. The compression lock does not have breakable omega springs. (I did have an omega spring break on my 710 -- it didn't diminish my trust in the soundness of the lock, but it's something you should know.) Some might find the Paramilitary somewhat easier to sharpen than the 710, which has a slight recurve. Also, the G-10 on the Para is grippier than that of the 710.

I trust the locks on both equally. I think the pivit pin on either knife would fail before the lock would.

It's a close call. I would never want to part with either knife. You really can't go wrong with either, and if your a real knife nut, you'll likely end up with both at some point.
 
Thanks for your opinion. If you don't mind my asking, what part of Central Ohio are you from? I'm from a little town called Bucyrus, if you've ever heard of it.
 
I would lean towards the Paramilitary (or Military). The Military is my favorite Spydie, and I like the Para a lot too. Rock solid lockup and also very easy to clean due to the open back design. I like the pointy tip, which allows better piercing and I find the nice belly makes both knives excellent for food prep. The choil also allows you to choke up real close to the blade for excellent control and the handles are extremely comfortable.

The 710 by contrast, I loved the way it looked and I liked the blade but I could not get used to the handle. I felt like the design pushed my hands too far back from the blade for good control and I did not like the feel of Benchmade's smoother G-10. Both knives have rabid fanbases so you can't go wrong with either, though.
 
I like the 710 best, BUT if you do not want to plan on taking a good amount of time to rebevel the edge, go for the para-millie. Spyderco is the best with factory edges and you will get it nice and thin. Benchmade always ships theirs thick in my experience. Getting that thing set up was a pain but well worth it for me.
 
A member on both here and Jerzee Devil let me carry his Para, and I own a 710. The 710 is one of my favorite big folders. I love the design of the Para, the full size Military is one of my favorite designs of all time, I carry my 710 more, but I like my Military more. . The knife is almost perfect, except I absolutely hate the lock. I would like to pick one up though, just because I love the knife so much. I just don't like that type of lock.

I would get both!
 
What are you going to use it for?

If its contstantly going to get dirty, muddy, used for things like food prep, and be washed and serviced reguluarly, I think the Para is better due the open design and the simplicity of the lock.

For use with more 'dry' stuff (breaking down boxes and such), I would suggest the 710.

I do have both, and the 710 gets more pocket time as its much more comfortable in the pocket. Also, I have a first gen Para where the exposed tang (when folded closed) is not rounded, so it scrapes the $hit out of my hand if I ever use the pocket its clipped in.
 
I have owned two 710's, two Militaries, and two Paramillies. I still have a Millie and 710. I like my 710 a little more, but I still love my Millie. I actually carried both today at work, I say go for the 710.
 
I already have several Military models, so I know where you all are coming from. ;)

I like the size, cutting power, and ergonomics of that model so much, I'm almost half-afraid to buy what the Spyderco literature calls the "two-thirds size" model because I like the design so much as it is. With a blade length of 3.9-inches, the 710 just seems more similar in size.

I believe I'll take the plunge and get the Para Military in D2, due to the fact I've always been a Spyderco man, and have only had a few Benchmades. Mr. Glesser knows how to do it right. Thanks for the help, all.

God bless.
 
i would go with the spyderco over the benchmade my friend has both and i prefer the design of the spyderco its smaller and more versatile easier to use plus it is probably easier to sharpen than the benchmade
 
I don't have experience with the Benchmade, but I love the Paramilitary. Mine is S30V, but I do have the Military in D2. It is a pretty good steel.

Let me just say...I have about 25 or so Spydies, and the Para has pretty much pushed the rest of them out of my pocket. I try to carry the others sometimes, but I keep coming back to my Para. It is the perfect size for the things I need to do at work and the blade shape is ideally suited, also.
 
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