Paramilitary 2 validity

F

FanBoy86

Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
377
I bought a PM2 off a member here (not saying name, not throwing anyone under the bus), and I tried posting it up for sale and got a couple of weird responses. First one was asking where I got a 2010 PM2 from? I mean, I understand the PM2 debuted in 2010, but were there different versions of it? Then I got to looking at the knife and noticed something. Here's a pic and see if you see it:

20160616_155237_zpsdioyenhc.jpg


The tab to release the lock bar is pushed way back. It should be more centered in the cutout. As it is now, I end up pressing the front part and top right corner of it and its kind of unpleasant to press repeatedly. There is also a slight bit of lock stick to it also. Is this a manufacturing flaw? Is this a fake? Is this a "first gen" if there is such a thing? Or is there just that much variance in the manufacturing?

Here are some more pics of various parts of the knife. It looks real to me, but fakes are getting better I suppose. Help, please and thank you.

20160616_155248_zpsunmehnrr.jpg


20160616_155312_zpsia524ezs.jpg


20160616_155329_zpspgmdqimz.jpg


20160616_155340_zps5zlmduxo.jpg


20160617_083105_zpshwr7z84q.jpg


f5704b28-5f5f-4f7f-8931-736458150ff0_zpsthrqivnm.jpg


20160617_083046_zpsl6innxax.jpg
 
Looks legit.
- Angled jimping.
- Satin color hardware with tool marks.
- Lanyard tube with a camphor on the end.
- Spyder and other blade marks look laser etched, grey color with colored (bronze) outline.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yes the lock tab did change from the 1st gen. I had a 1st gen and much prefer the 2nd gen from an ease of unlocking standpoint.
 
AF said:
Yes the lock tab did change from the 1st gen. I had a 1st gen and much prefer the 2nd gen from an ease of unlocking standpoint.
Click to expand...

Even with just one of the "glesser" signatures on the blade? That's the only other thing i noticed that's different than mines besides the tab location
 
Thank you sirs! Do you know any remedy for the lock stick? I know of the graphite and the sharpie, is there any other way? Will spyderco fix it if I sent it in?
 
If you had the photo of the box in your sales thread, someone who knows how to read Spyderco date codes probably just read it. GJ = 7/10
 
I am the one who asked where you got this knife you are selling from (from your text description, it sounded like it was a new knife that was still in break-in period). Your description combined with a picture of the box with date code July/010, resulted my curiosity related to consideration of my purchase, hense my question.

Yes, the PM2 has gone thru some changes (typical Spyderco CQI). The compression-lock bar changed (I believe because peeps complained about disengagement pinching their index finger between palm & 1st knuckle). I also had a few with minimal lock-stick.

The lanyard tube on your knife does not appear to be flanged (inside chamfer flanged during assembly pressing the tube to secure the scales & liners). The wall thickness also looks a bit thick. I'm going from memory on the early PM2's as I can not currently pull one of my early versions.

I had a couple early one's with lock stick. On mine typically an easy fix during a tuning disassembly/reassembly. Many times a ridge/bur could develop on the trailing edge of the lock bar resulting in stick that gets progressively worse over time. No, graphite is not a solution.

The gap (on scales) appears pretty narrow between the screw heads & edge of G10. But, I would guess this is just edge wear to the G10 vs. clone/copy.

In general, I it appears to be authentic (your threads reads like maybe your are questioning possibility that you bought a clone ...). Appears to be a well worn early (7/2010) PM2 that probably just needs a tune-up. Would be interesting to see if the date code on the blade matches the box, as the knife appears it could easily be a 2010 version.

Hope something here is of some use to your questions.

If you're interested in getting the lock-stick fixed, let me know.

Regards,
Chris
 
Last edited:
Looks legit. Bar code looks right, G10 looks right, thumb cutout on lock looks right. People also say that the black foam inside the box is not see-through on real PM2s, but its very see-through on the fakes.
 
Spey, where exactly would the date code be on the blade? Is it visable with out disassembly? I have no fears about taking it apart, if I have to do that to this one to verify date, I will.
 
SavageSmurf said:
Looks legit. Bar code looks right, G10 looks right, thumb cutout on lock looks right. People also say that the black foam inside the box is not see-through on real PM2s, but its very see-through on the fakes.
Click to expand...

The foam in the box is very dense. Not much light makes it through, looks like good quality stuff. Everything Im hearing makes it seem like I have an authentic spyderco, which makes me very happy.
 
I would guess the blade (around the pivot hole) would read 07/2010 (provided that is the box it shipped in).

Regards,
 
If you decide to take it apart, please ... use a proper fitting torx-driver. I have had toooooo many knives come to me with f'd up fastener heads ... ;-/ Also, suggest only removing one side, and do not separate the two halves of the handles (simply rotate them around the lanyard tube and lift the blade out).

Regards,
 
Ok, thanks for the tips! So, are these harder to find nowadays? And do they have any additional collectors value to them? It sounds like something I want to keep in my collection if so...
 
16a3780418a74e695170afc2823ed19b.jpg


Hopefully, pic showing (02/2011 Blade Date-Coded) PM2 going thru a tune-up. The second side of the pivot does NOT need to be removed to get the blade out. I typically only remove both sides when adjusting the thickness of the washers and/or the pivot bushing during an initial tune-up.

Pic mainly to illustrate rotating the scales around the pivot vs. separating them. Also, blade date-code location around the pivot.

All of my PM2's have had both Sal & Eric initials on blade (I think). Feb/2011 Black/DLC example above, also a Nov/2011 that I just looked at (both initials each side of Spydie-Hole). Not sure if I have any from 2010 to verify ... (vs. only Sal initials, as illustrated on the PM2 you have).

Regards,
 
Last edited:
FanBoy86 said:
Ok, thanks for the tips! So, are these harder to find nowadays? And do they have any additional collectors value to them? It sounds like something I want to keep in my collection if so...
Click to expand...
From my experience no (on the additional collectors value question). Especially, when the knife appears to be exhibiting specific traits related to why Spyderco CQI'd the model (improvements to correct/change the design for the better).

There's a personal intrinsic value I have on some of my older PM2's (and others) but only after I have made modifications addressing these types of things, and only on the ones that have not been back to Spyderco for correction (typically factory visits include a visit to the sharpening belt, which means the blade is an 8th to 1/4" shorter O.A., higher up the ricasso and resulting thicker behind the edge - all significant devaluations in my mind).

If the knife had no lock stick, would you keep and use it? If so, and your goal is a user knife - fix the lock stick and enjoy using it as the workhorse it was designed to be. If not, dump it for something more appealing.

Regards,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top