Original Paramilitary

M

mobilerd

Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
880
I'm on the exchange here all the time and several other sources that sell knives. I practically never see original Paramilitary knives for sale, but Two and Three's by the ton. Were production numbers low? Do people who own them just keep them because they are rare? Also anyone know the different variations of the original Paramilitary? I have a large Spyderco collection and only one original Paramilitary. I think mine has black blade, and black scales for sure. Wondered about this for a while, all info welcome.
 
I think the original version is the called just the military, then came the paramilitary 2 and paramilitary 3. Could be mistake. But hope it helps.
 
Kbun said:
I think the original version is the called just the military, then came the paramilitary 2 and paramilitary 3. Could be mistake. But hope it helps.
Click to expand...

Military is its own model. Paramilitary was a smaller military, basically, with the compression lock. However they did not have a detent ball, but a blade cut out for closed retention. The paramilitary 2 is bigger, detent ball, bushing pivot. The original paramilitary was closer to a para 3 size.

I think I got that all correct. Maybe we should get Sal in here... Hey @Sal Glesser
 
I'd like to be 100% OG, but the ergo improvements to the PM2 were absolutely necessary. The Paramilitary does not feel good in the hand.
 
Ive owned a couple of para 1's over the years and still have yet to handle a para 2.
I know the para 2 is probably the better knife but there is something about the para 1 that still gets me.
The only big negative for me is no warranty service for the para 1 if you need a part that breaks.

1UavE8H.jpg
 
I sold one a little while back. Didn’t get a great price for it. Seems not much demand even as a discontinued collectible.
 
It was called the paramilitary and by Sal's explanation it was meant to be the companion knife to the large Military.

The very first gen of the paramilitary had no detent ball with large jimping on the ramp of the blade. Sal said that was too expensive to mass produce with no detent and so the models to follow still with large old school jimping did have detents and eventually wound up with more standardized jimping on the ramp and choil of the blade. When closed, the blade did not almost fully tuck into the handle as the para 2 and 3 does and while it is sized more like a p3 than a p2, it has scale screws and not a pin like the p3. I have about a dozen and I'll take them over the 2 all day long. I like the para3 though.
 
I did a little more research, saw some video comparisons etc. Seems there are at least a half dozen variations of the Paramilitary. Most interesting the D2 Sprint with green scales. Would love to find one of those.
 
I really loved mine. It was buttery smooth and rock solid at the same time. Parting with it is one of my regrets. I really wish I hadn't, but I do believe the Para2 is a better knife overall. Someday I will get a Para3, and then I think I will let the memory fade away. As said above, in many ways, the Para3 is more similar to the Para than the Para2, especially in size.
 
I got the original para in 2005 or 2006, and it has the large jimping. It made me a fan of the family, attached are pictures of a few members of that family.
SncMLMS.jpg

Wc6wdP4.jpg


Overall I like the original Paramilitary better than the Para 2, and I like the Para 3 best of all.
 
I have 3 or 4 of them. Paramilitary 2 is a big improvement but the D2 version was my all time favorite Spyderco prior to the PM2s release.
 
An interesting question; I claim no knowledge. The question's relevance to me is this: I handled a paramilitary once at a gun show (probably 8-10 years ago) and loved it. But I have no idea if it was the original or the para 2 (I suspect the latter). At some point I'll put an exclamation point on things and get a para 3 (I think).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top