New EDC and I'm lost

B

BigJD

Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
10
...I think....at least not sure whether I'm on the right track.

About two years ago I lost my Benchmade mini-grip. I enjoyed that knife a lot, but had chipped the tip of the blade so I thought if I was going to spend 80 and lose it....try something cheaper but easily recommended. That led me to the Kershaw Leek. I got it for around $40 and it's been a decent knife now for almost two years. Well the clip has deteriorated and I've been rough with it, I've been updating a lot of my EDC gear and I'm thinking about buying a new knife.

So here I am.

I feel like I'm doing it right this time. I've joined this site, watched a ton of videos, read up on what's good, steel, edge retention, ergonomics, design....that brought me to spyderco. At first I was thinking the delica was my best bet, but I kept thinking that perhaps I should splurge a little. I've kept my leek without issue, maybe I need something worth that $100-120 price tag.

At this moment, the sure bet seems to be the paramilitary 2. But it almost looks too big. On top of that - I can't find it anywhere. When does spyderco usually release their new year supply? Then I found myself looking at the manix 2 but I believe that will be a bit heavy. Then I found the sage1 and other than the Taiwan build, it really catches my eye. Good for office carry but good for every other EDC scenario without end of the world connotations.

I'm looking for a push in the right direction. I'm not a collector. I buy it to use it. I don't want a choice. I want the "one" that I can carry all day every day without worry.

My apologies if this is one of those "here we go again" threads. Some boards eat it up, others would rather you just search. I enjoy the interaction so hopefully I'm in the right place.

Thanks,

JD
 
I'm not big into spyderco, but, maybe thinking you should splurge is what's hurting you... I've heard nothing bad about the delica, and if you're used to a $40 leek, then I'd say get the delica, and if you get it and decide that you like spyderco, then you can decide if you want a bigger/smaller/heavier/whatever... Me personally, I wouldn't spend too much on a brand I don't know personally... Spyderco knives can be quite different than other brands... Just my .02 though, but id say get the delica, even better, find one lightly used on the exchange, and decide from there
 
First off, you might as well face it right now, you are not going to be able to buy just one spyderco. That being said, with what I know after about 10 years of addiction, going with the Para 2 would not be a bad first knife. It is not too big, nor is it too heavy. Everything about them is just about perfect. They are pretty tough to find sometimes - check around with the BF sponsored dealers - take a look at the hall of fame in the exchange section - I usually purchase from Knifeworks and New Graham. All that being said, you will also have to get a Caly 3/carbon/ZDP189 for the office. A Gayle Bradley for the tough stuff. A Military since they are pretty much the cats pajamas. And about 20-30 others just because
 
I would take a different approach ... nothing wrong with checking the forums for a deal, I do that all the time, but with regard to which knife, I'm with you - you're buying your "one" EDC. You don't collect, you want the knife that will hopefully be with you for a while. So I would "shop" ...

Paramiltary 2 is a bit bigger than the Leek you are accustomed to. I love my PM2, great knife, but size-wise, it's along the lines of the Large Griptilian. My guess is it's a bit big for your needs.

I would suggest you look at the 2015 Product Guide:

http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/2015_Spyderco_Product_Guide.pdf

It gives you specs, including blade steel, blade length, and closed length ... you can at least narrow down from there, and then do more research, watch videos of the knives in-hand, ask questions about specific knives, etc.

I can personally attest to the virtues of the Caly 3, Worker, Sage, PM2, Persian, Delica, Native ... truth is, all the Spydercos are great knives ... you just have to find the one that "fits".

Hope this helps ...
~ edge
 
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I don't have the extensive experience that many of the guys here will bring to the discussion, but my two cents would be:

1. The PM2 is everything it's hyped up to be, but it's a bigger knife. If you don't mind the size increase, you'll do well.

2. The Native is my personal favorite, because it combines everything that makes Spyderco so good. The blade is a perfect EDC size (3 inches, 2.5-ish cutting edge), the ergos are amazing (I fondle mine all the time), the lockup is crazy solid, and the steel is excellent. You can get it in LW for under $100. The G10 is harder to find, but one pops up on the exchange here about every day.

Honestly, I'd find a dealer and fondle them if you can. Really the only true way to know if you like the way a knife feels/handles.
 
"At first I was thinking the delica was my best bet, but I kept thinking that perhaps I should splurge a little. ... the paramilitary 2. But it almost looks too big. ... I want the "one" that I can carry all day every day without worry."

Given the comments quoted above, the Delica is a great choice. It's the most similar to what you've been carrying, in terms of overall size/pocketability (but a way better knife, IMO).

And if you need a "splurge" option, consider a SuperBlue Delica or perhaps a Caly (also a similar size!) with carbon fiber handles.

The PM2 is amazing -- and certainly not "too big" to me -- but it's a significant step up in size from what you're used to and seem to like. Have fun!
 
Friarphenn has a great point... If you're gonna keep yourself to just one (good luck!) Then find a place to go fondle and hold them, you'll thank yourself later, cause numbersvon a screen don't tell you squat... A blade length, weight, etc, don't tell you where the weight is distributed, and how it fits YOUR hand
 
I think pm2 is the best choice, but only if you are ok with having something a bit bigger than what you have been carrying. Otherwise I would look at the delica or if you want something similar in size but with even better ergos and steel look at the caly 3 in zdp189. Pretty awesome edc blade.
 
I think you need at least 2 folders to rotate.

Also, is your Leek assisted opening? If it is and you are used to that or like that, many popular Spydercos in that size range are back/mid locks and will not open as quickly (but I wouldn't let this deter you honestly).

That said, if backlock is not a preference issue for you and you want to remain similar size to leek, go for a Caly 3 in my opinion. Will have so much more blade control than the leek. I just love the finger positioning. The deep carry wire clip is nice too. Super Blue is the way to go, but they are near impossible to find now.

Sage will be a good recommendation as well, just have to decide which version/lock is for you. Wish they had one with a compression lock.

Just be warned, the Delica is one that grows on you. Many are underwhelmed by them if they are new to them. I EDC a Super Blue Delica with WilkinsGrip, but that puts it way out of your ideal budget.

I love my PM2's, but not for EDC in my situation where I work indoors and often wear khakis.
Manix is same story. I have not used a Lightweight though, but my g10 version is quite heavy.
 
The PM2 is a bit large, but not big enough that I wouldn't carry it every day. When a folder gets to that size, it's nice to carry a smaller knife along with it; for years I carried a matching Stretch2 & Dragonfly2 in ZDP-189 with British Racing Green handles. Many people pair the PM2 with a G-10 Dragonfly, right now I pair it with a Victorinox Sportsman carried in the bottom of the pocket.

The Delica is small enough that you probably don't need a secondary, smaller knife (maybe a ladybug in the bottom of the pocket or on the keys), yet large enough to handle most daily chores (hell the Dragonfly is large enough to handle 90% of your daily chores). If you do go Delica, I'd recommend you use the rest of that $120 to pick up either a second Delica, an Endura, a Dragonfly, or a Ladybug. If you go PM2, get ready to answer the question "isn't that knife a little big?".
 
kennethsime said:
The PM2 is a bit large, but not big enough that I wouldn't carry it every day. When a folder gets to that size, it's nice to carry a smaller knife along with it; for years I carried a matching Stretch2 & Dragonfly2 in ZDP-189 with British Racing Green handles. Many people pair the PM2 with a G-10 Dragonfly, right now I pair it with a Victorinox Sportsman carried in the bottom of the pocket.

The Delica is small enough that you probably don't need a secondary, smaller knife (maybe a ladybug in the bottom of the pocket or on the keys), yet large enough to handle most daily chores (hell the Dragonfly is large enough to handle 90% of your daily chores). If you do go Delica, I'd recommend you use the rest of that $120 to pick up either a second Delica, an Endura, a Dragonfly, or a Ladybug. If you go PM2, get ready to answer the question "isn't that knife a little big?".
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Good advice but I would use the extra money on a sharpmaker! :)
 
And you'll soon learn that "Taiwan-build" is an absolute positive (concerning Spyderco knives)!
 
No doubt about the PM2 being everything its hyped up to be, one of the best bang for the buck spydies out there, I would highly recommend the Manix2 S110V dark blue FRN also and must admit that it probably holds the very best bang for the buck knife spyderco has put out recently and its right around the $100 mark you are seeking, feel free to shoot me a PM and I can tell of a couple online vendors that currently have either in stock. Good luck in your search and dont feel too bad if you end up with about 20 spydies a year from now. :D
 
The Delica is really world-class for the general type of everyday use you describe, and owning one will put you in a great position for deciding whether you want to spend double on a fancier model constructed of more exotic materials. Even though it's relatively inexpensive, there is nothing inferior about the Delica -- all the components are still top-quality, intelligently designed, and beautifully manufactured.
 
I second Surfingringo's recommendation on the ZDP-189 CF Caly 3 … it is one of those you don't really "get" until you handle and use it …
 
Ed G said:
I second Surfingringo's recommendation on the ZDP-189 CF Caly 3 … it is one of those you don't really "get" until you handle and use it …
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I third this recommendation. The Caly 3 with zdp-189 is my most carried knife, and for good reason. :thumbup:
 
Ed G said:
I second Surfingringo's recommendation on the ZDP-189 CF Caly 3 … it is one of those you don't really "get" until you handle and use it …
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It has great ergonomics, an aggressive edge (made possible by the super-hard steel), and a beautiful finish. But he should probably consider that ZDP-189 is not exactly "fruit juice proof," can be a bear to sharpen, and is relatively brittle. Personally, I think it would be better as a second Spyderco, when a person is ready to experiment with some fairly major trade-offs.
 
I went through the same thing the last few weeks. I bought the Delica first. It's great, better than either SOG I own. I then asked about a few knives for my next purchase. I was replacing a smaller and larger knife after all. I went with the Para Military 2 as was the overwhelming suggestion. I have to say, it's the best knife I've ever owned. It's well worth it's price tag. I got mine from National Knives, a Bladeforum participating dealer. He has a bunch in stock and the price was the same or better than most places. He also ships super fast. Here is the thread with a pic of both together: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1253768-National-Knives-Paramilitary-2-and-some-single-malt!

The PM2 is so smooth to open and close. I wear a large size glove but it fit everyone's hands at work from large to small. It's popular for a reason. It also carries much smaller than it looks, that's the best way I can put it. It fits in the change pocket in my jeans. You can't go wrong with either, but the PM2 feels better to me. If I could have just one it would be the PM2.

National Knives in satin blade, black g10 29 in stock $110.99:http://www.nationalknives.com/spyderco-paramilitary-2-c81gp2-knife-3-438-satin-plain-blade-black/
National Knives in satin blade, digicam g10 16 in stock $110.99: http://www.nationalknives.com/spyderco-paramilitary-2-c81gpcmo2-knife-3-438-satin-plain-blade-camo/
National Knives in black DLC blade, black g10 2 in stock $122.99:http://www.nationalknives.com/spyderco-paramilitary-2-c81gpbk2-knife-3-438-black-plain-blade-black/
National Knives in black DLC blade, digicam g10 5 in stock $122.99:http://www.nationalknives.com/spyderco-paramilitary-2-c81gpcmobk2-3-438-black-plainedge-blade-camo/

His prices are great (the DLC blade prices are what most charge for the satin finished), shipping is fast (I ordered Thurs. night after close and it went out Fri. at 10:20am), and it's a small business (I always like to support the little guy).
 
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