Paramilitary 2 s45vn scale and pocket clip coating

S

stillshot2

Joined
Jun 6, 2014
Messages
574
I am trying to decide between a satin or dlc bladed PM2 for my first Spyderco but am curious what the pocket clip and scales are coated with. I'm doubtful it's the same dlc coating as the blade since that would probably be cost prohibitive but if it's blued or parkerized like those on my USA made Kershaw/ ZT's I'd be okay with that. Just not painted like the Benchmade clips that flake and look awful in no time otherwise I would go with the satin blade version. Any knowledge in this would be appreciated 👍
 
Mine was not painted, but that is the old s30v version. I have no idea what they are now. PVD? Parkerized? Iron Oxide? 🤷‍♂️
 
They were confirmed not DLC by Michael Janich on the Spyderco forum recently. It's definitely not simply paint, but I can't say beyond that. It wears akin to the BM parkerized clips but a tad better I'd say.
 
q1K9miO.jpg
It definitely not dlc like the blade. But the coating is tougher than say a seki japan black clip. My endura clip shedded its black coating very fast while my all black manix is wearing but not flaking like paint. This knife has seen some serious carry and use.

xU1Yr55.jpg


GrRhxrP.jpg

I have a new pm2 in s45vn all black. The coatings look the same as this old manix 2 did when new.

A satin blade will weather better over time than the black. I don’t believe there’s any question about that. But sometimes you just need an all black beauty. ;)
 
Thanks for the helpful replies guys, and fast too. I'm not much of a camo guy but the blacked out blade on those scales looks pretty good too. I think the answer is I need one of each now haha.
 
This is my often carried PM2 as you can see the dark black has mostly worn off, but the metal stays a nice gunmetal grey color. This picture really doesn't do it justice. I really like the way it has worn. Keep in mind, this is after 4-5 years of carry/use. I am not sure what they used back then vs. what they use now, but it is probably different. It is NOT DLC. My understanding is the temperature required for DLC would ruin the temper of the clip.
yT6sBkpl.jpg
 
Also, maybe this isn't the best thread to ask this but will the non coated s45vn steel resist rust/corrosion well enough in a hot sweaty Arizona summer pocket or should I go for the coated blade for that reason alone?
 
DLC is porous so it’s not going to help with corrosion
 
stillshot2 said:
Also, maybe this isn't the best thread to ask this but will the non coated s45vn steel resist rust/corrosion well enough in a hot sweaty Arizona summer pocket or should I go for the coated blade for that reason alone?
Click to expand...

I generally stay away from coatings. Over time, I don't like how they look when they wear. I also prefer the look of steel.

As far as corrosion, I don't expect that you'd have much trouble with S45VN. Where I live, summers can be very humid. It isn't uncommon to have stretches where the temperature is around 90F or more and the humidity is over 90%. As sweat becomes a fact of life, steels like D2 and XHP become a problem. I've even gotten spots on AUS-8. However, S35VN has been fine for me in the summer and S45VN has even higher corrosion resistance.

To put it another way, Larrin Larrin has rated steels based on their corrosion resistance. I've found 7 to be the cut-off for me. Anything above 7.0 has been problem-free in my personal use. While AUS-8 is a 7, S35VN is a 7.5 and S45VN is an 8. That puts S45VN on par with N690 and Elmax, both of which are fairly well-regarded for their corrosion resistance.
 
Thanks again for the replies. I went with a satin blade black handled paramilitary 2. It's on its way and I'm excited! I decided to go with something that won't wear as much over time because this knife will probably be passed down as a family heirloom one day since it has quite the reputation of a well designed knife
 
The knife arrived from cutleryshoppe, wanted to buy it before the price hike that some other companies have already observed but this knife is excellent 👍 buttery smooth drop shut action, perfect centering, super sharp, perfect grind, and perfect lock up. The satin finish is quite beautiful in contrast to my many other coated blades. When ordering I left a comment to send a knife with solid lock up and the founder left a personal message on his business card that he inspected it before sending, with a cool company branded flight tag keychain, sticker, and some small tootsie roll suckers my daughter loved. Excellent service, packing, and shipping. I was hesitant to spend this much on a knife but now I see why Spyderco has its fans and now I am one of them :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top