Paramilitary - which edge type to choose?

J

Jeff/1911

Joined
Mar 22, 2001
Messages
1,224
Hi Folks,

Well, this was supposed to be an easy one... a plain edge - hands down. I mean what else would one choose, right?

All that changed for me once I got a look at Sonny Burnett's picture (the one Simona recently used) of his serrated Paramilitary! Wow, is that ever a sharp (pardon the pun) looking knife! I love it! Here is that image...

http://www.gunting-girl.com/000/paramil01bf.jpg

So, now I am presented with the tough decision of whether to follow my aesthetic preferences and get the toothy one, or go with my initial common sense approach of "always buy the plain edge"...for it's alleged edge in versatility. This will be my new EDC-of-the-week for numerous, assorted light to medium-duty tasks.

So I ask the age-old question once again...who thinks I should get what and why? Is the fact that this knife has a flat ground blade of any consequence when considering my choice?

Thanks for any help you can offer, Jeff/1911. :)
 
Do you have a full sized Military? If so get whatever edge that it isn't so you can have some versitility.
 
Yes oteyj, I do...

Currently I have a plain edge S30V, and a combo edge black blade in S30V. Hmmmmm, what to do?

Jeff.
 
I have the plain edged mili too, great knife. Since you have a plain edged military I would go with the serrated Para for diversity.

Hope this Helps.
 
I dislike serrations, so it's plain edge every time for me. I'm extremely happy with my Para, I don't feel it needs serrations unless you need serrations for some specific purpose.
 
PE for me too, unless I get a job as a full-time rope cutter, I'm going to stick with plain edge.

Nitin
 
Wow you guys...what a response!

I still haven't decided for sure, but I'm leaning towards buying the toothy one first, then - when I fall in love with the model I'll go ahead and get the plain edge version next. :) You see, I can always easily justify the PE later to myself for practicality, ease of hair shaving demo-sharpness appeal etc.

And as I mentioned, the serrated model has won my heart :p Thanks again, Sonny.

Do any of you ever play this sort of trickery on yourselves...come on & 'fess up now!

Best wishes, Jeff/1911.
 
Yester5 said:
I have the SE and I think it's more versital.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking: Why?

I'll vote for PE. As someone else stated unless you are cutting rope 24/7 the PE is more useful.
-Kevin
 
SE can do almost everything that PE can do, and a little more. It really depends on what you are using it for, and if its just going to be part of the collection or get a serious workout. Since this is going to be your new EDC I would go with PE. Eventually you will most likely get both.
 
I like the serrated knives and my experiences with Spyderco knives ,over time, has caused me to prefer the serrated edge over the plain. I can do just as well, even better with a serrated knife and I love the cutting power of the Spyderedge. I work in shipbuilding(submarines) and have used my Endura S/E and Merlin S/E for a large variety of cutting tasks that have run the gambit of raw power cutting of cellulose fiber rope(TOUGH stuff) to slicing tape and the occasional tomato at chow time. The guys I work with always ask to use my knife but I do the cutting for them due to the fact that I know my knives and also because I loaned my knife to a guy I trust once and he cut himself using it.Spydies will bite ya if you ain't careful! So, i just do the cutting myself. It takes a little finnesse but the serrated edge is just fine to me and not hard to sharpen using the Sharpmarker. I've never had a plain edge Spydie and might like them better, but for now I'll stay with the serrated edge. :)
 
Thanks a lot guys! :)

Jose' - I too really enjoy the Spyderedge Spydies that I have used...this is why I am so interested in a Paramilitary with teeth.

I confess I am fickle however, and have now changed my thinking towards getting a plain edge first, then the toothy one later. :eek:

I think that this is likely the best course of action for me, considering my various planned uses for this knife. The fact is; I really like my S30V Military in plain edge, and I think a slightly smaller version might get carried more.

Indecisively, Jeff.
 
Jeff, I must confess. I also carry another favorite knife that is plain edge, a Gerber LST 400 series lockback for the real fine stuff and low impact upon "sheeple". I've had people react to the appearance of my Spydies and felt that something more toned down would suffice for edc backup carry. I am like a boy scout, always prepared! :cool:
 
jose',

I too try always to be prepared. I still haven't ordered my Paramilitary, but I am hovering nearby the phone with credit card in hand...I probably really should just order both, then see which one I like best. I hadn't planned to do this, my budget was for one... :eek:

Jeff.
 
My very EDC is a SE (Delica in full flat grind). I also have a PE but I find the SE much useful. The edge holds longer and it won't get dull that easy if you cut food on a plate, for instance ;)
 
Hi Alex,

As a matter of fact, what I tend to use my EDC for as much as anything is to cut up various foods for my lunch at work. For example: tomatoes, pickles, cheese, sausage, etc.

I have always found the serrated edge superior to a plain edge for most food prep purposes. My Spyderco small utility knife is a serrsted one, and it sees about 80% of all kitchen chores at my house.

Hmmmmm. The toothy Para is looking more appealing again... :)

Jeff/1911.
 
Jeff, let me jerk your mind around even more....the serrated one definitely LOOKS better, and whilst it's more difficult to sharpen to a shaving sharp edge again (you need to polish out the serrations with the shoe lace loaded with compound), it will last you way longer than with PE.

I will personally get PE (cos I like the "coolness" factor of shaving arm hair), and a SE Pacific Salt for the rough days (I will abuse this knife, I swear). The only thing SEs can't do as well as PEs is to shave hair and slice paper. Ask yourself - is the knife for shaving hair, slicing paper/tomatoes or other cool tricks? Do you like to constantly have to resharpen your knife (it will lose the "shaving" edge very quickly when you cut through fibrous material)?

For SD, I think they both work just as well.
 
I got a PE Millie and a serrated Calypso Jr. Figured a serrated edge on a smaller blade would provide increased cutting edge, and that Jr. really is a cutting monster for it's size! And I've found nothing it can't do that a PE could.
 
i can't speak for the paras, but the serrations on my merlin cut paper consistently better than any of my other knives after much more use (generally opening letters, i just get the corner in one of the larger bits of spyderedge and zip right through it)-now the merlin is a different animal, but that's just my experience. it sharpens up well with my sharpmaker to very utilitarian cutting ability, but it indeed doesn't pop hairs so easily-i will have to learn the shoelace/abrasive compound technique. i'd also like to point out that the serrations and steel type on my kitchen/utility spydie are different than my others, and i don't know how much this may or may not affect kitchen use. my thinking is that the less aggressive serrations lend to smoother fine cuts in food, and the thin, flexible blade allows for a little more versatility in tasks such as stripping meat from bone.
 
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