Para 3 Lightweight

5C1C0A53-6560-4E4E-A68E-C8B085BB2CD4.jpeg

Both of my Para 3 Lightweights, these are tied with the FRN Native as my favorite lightweight 3” Spyderco’s. The Dragonfly and Ladybug/Manbug are still very hard to beat in sub 2.5” category.
 
I've been EDCing a Para 3 FRN since they became available (April). It came shaving-sharp out of the box and perfectly centered, but after having it open slightly in my pocket twice (with the resultant point-stick in my finger) I tightened down the pivots, and now it slightly favors the clip side - but I'm OK with that, since I prefer it to bloody fingers... I don't have a standard G10 Para 3 for comparison, but this has largely replaced the Para 2, since the wire clip is so much more discrete than the spoon-shaped one on the Para 2. It's also replaced the Gerber LST I've been EDCing since the early 1980s or late 70s when they came out (I've bought three and lost two of those over the years), because it's just as light and discrete for business attire, but with a more substantial blade.

At least for me, this is an almost ideal EDC knife. I know a lot of folks are skeptical regarding the utility of the BD1N steel, but I can get a finer edge on this than I can the S30V in the Para 2, and even though it doesn't last quite as long, bringing it back to a hair-popping edge is remarkably fast and easy with a few swipes on an extra fine diamond and a bit of stropping. I've gone through a stack of corrugated cardboard boxes, cutting them up to put in the recycling bin, and it takes a lot of cutting before it dulls enough to require refreshing.

All in all, I am very happy with this purchase. Unlike a lot of knives that I own which are essentially useless for my urban existence and have to be satisfied with occasionally being just taken out, ogled, and then put back - this one is actually practical for modern life.
 
I finally got my hands on a Para 3 LW. Spyderco hit a home run with this one. Great ergos, nice solid feel to it while remaining very light, and the sharpest knife out of the box I've ever owned. Keep up the good work Spyderco!
 
I find myself carrying the para3 lw a lot. Especially on the weekends when wearing board shorts around the house. That normally would be dragonfly time. And I love the dragonfly.
 
Back
Top