Review: Paramilitary

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
4,761
I'm very tired and busy this part of the week, but I wanted to take a break and write this review...I'll expand on it when I get more time around thursday probably.

The first thing that strikes you about the para is it's size. It has a very reasonable three inch blade, but compared to other folders of similar blade length, it really appears something like 75% bigger. The handle is enormous and the blade is beefy. I got the para mostly for the handle. I wanted a three inch blade for EDC, but my minigrip and m16/11k handle's were just a little too short for my pinky with my reasonably large hands (but definitely not unusually large hands). The handle is a full inch longer than the M16/11K's, maybe as much as two full inches if you count the top finger choil. Because I can fit my entire hand easily on the handle, it's very comfortable, and the G10 is very well textured and grippy. Also, I find I have two comfortable ways to hold the knife, with my full hand on the handle, or choke up to the choil on the blade for more precise cutting. The only ergonomics complaint I have is the little bump/curve half way through the handle, which raises some of my fingers unecessarily. It's not uncomfortable so much as strange feeling.
The action on the knife is fantastic, second only two an axis lock or axis lock ripoff....or flipper knife. The extra large spyder hole is very comfortable to open, but the very heavy blade makes it very wrist-flickable. If you hold down the compression lock, it's flickable open and closed, just like an axis lock with a little more effort.
The lockup is very good, and if I'm to believe the hype, extremely strong. I didn't feel like testing it tonight, but I might next week. I like it much better than a liner lock, not for the allegedly superior strength and reliability, but because it's easier to get to and doesn't put you in the path of the blade.
it seems like everytime I review knife, or almost everytime, I have to say something like "this is the sharpest knife I've ever used." By some coincidence, almost every new knife cuts better than the last, perhaps due to the increased funding. The paramilitary puts all my other knives to shame, however. This is the first knife I've owned that, out of the box, doesn't just cut the arm hair, it's like a razor blade, the hairs just popping off on contact with the edge and becoming a neat little pile in front of the blade. I will test it against cardboard soon. The blade is extremely beefy, its spine is about 2.5 times wider than my M16's. This is a very tough knife indeed. I have a lot of confidence in it. S30V, of course.
Fit and finish is excellent across the board, with the minor exception of the surface on the rear most spine of the blade, the notches for your thumb to grip. They're extremely grippy, but appear uneven and rough. This might be intentional, but it's not very attractive. I don't much care. Also, the blade is less than a mm off to the side at the tip when closed. That's sort of annoying, but not a big deal.
The clip grips well and is nice and long, but this knife is much larger than comparable 3 inch blades and most of it will extend from your pocket. This is a necessary compromise if you prefer longer handles, like I do.
Not a bad offering for just over a 100 USD.

Look for a three way EDC comparison between the M16/11k, D2 Minigrip and Paramilly coming soon. Three very different takes (and prices) on what an EDC should be.
 
I've done a lot more cutting tests with the para and it just keeps cutting. The edge is slightly less than when new after being battered on tons of cardboard and plastics, but still incredibly sharp. What impresses me most is the chopping ability of this knife. It outcut my razor sharp chef's knife in a medium intensity chopping contest. To put it in perspective, where my other knives cut through a sheet of paper in one clean, quick slice, this cuts through thin cardboard in the same way...a slice of cardboard flutters off from one chop. I was initially concerned that its enormous spine (for a 3 incher) would inhibit for this sort of task, but clearly, this is not the case. The grip is also so perfect for holding it in a chopping sense...I avoid the choil and move my entire hand to the handle...which gives more leverage. Chopping is comparable to the also stellar benchmade 41MC.
 
Thank-you for your straight-up review! I have been reading about the Para-Militarty lately so this post is quite timely for me. I too like handles that fit my hand! Currently my EDC is a Buck/Strider tanto, but I look forward to when I get to go the good knife shop here (recently moved from small city to a big city!) and check out some better Spydies, Para and Manix in particular.

I look forward to your 3 way eval.
 
The para will treat you real well if you can tolerate its hugeness and price. Depending on the jeans, I can feel it in my side when I sit down. Requisite side effects of the extra long handle that I wanted, nonetheless, so I deal with it. I really feel like this is a candidate for the toughest 3 inch folder out there.

The manix is great too and quite comfortable, but my personal preference is away from lockbacks and, blade wise, it was just too large for me to EDC on a college campus. Or at least, so I thought. A good friend just bought a full sized D2 Griptilian from Cabela's with me, and he just pulls it out during class, walking on the side walk, at Potbelly's restaurant, and plays with it, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone. I might be able to upgrade in knife size at TCU.

Thanks for the reply, I was beginning to think no one cared about the paramilitary!
 
Thanks for the reply to my reply!

I understand your concerns about blade sizes on campuses and such. Interesting to hear your thoughts on that.

If I may ask, why do you want to steer away from lockbacks? How do you find the compression lock to be, as far as ease of use, solid lock-up and reliability?

It looks like the Para ha a great blade shape for slicing and such, how has it performed in cutting and point work? Interesting comments you made about chopping, by the way.

Thanks!
 
I haven't really used it much for that kind of work yet, but as soon as I find it, it'll be first on the list to use.

I have a few personal reasons why I don't like lockbacks. I used to use lockbacks exclusively up until my mid teen years when one failed on me. It was a cheap beater that had seen hard use, but the thought has stuck with me. With lockbacks, it's impossible to see good engagement. I visually check out the lockup on my axis locks, liner locks and now compression lock before I take them (I don't even really think about it) and can see that everything is operating well.

I also don't like closing lockbacks...I learned early on the flip it around in your hand, push the lock in, then slide the spine against jeans close techniques, but in the worst case scenario with my other folders, I just slide the liner/frame across and close it, and the best case I just pull the axis lock/compression lock down (push in the latter) and flick my wrist.

The compression lock is very impressive. Lockup is almost perfect, though unfortunately, it's very difficult to see the actual engagement. But the bar goes to the middle of the tang, so looks very good. Also, the liner is braced against the bar the blade rotates on, which is also embedded in its own steel liner, so very strong as long as it stays engaged. However, I've extremely abused liner locks like my M16 without the bar breaking or buckling. The concern against liner locks is in their disengagement itself. While this particular reverse liner lock (compression lock) does have very solid lockup, this could still be an issue, and I'd recommend that people who believe liner locks are evil to avoid this knife. I think most people are attracted to the compression lock because they want to avoid the stigma of the liner lock, though I imagine it's subconcious. It's not going to replace the axis lock

There are big improvements though, outside the increased (unecessary?) strength. For instance, when holding the knife, if you use the choil and put your thumb where you're supposed to, on the ridges of the spine, you do not touch the lock at all, unlike almost all other locks. Even hammerfist holds on the knife, with my hands, do not touch the lock at all, but if you had huge hands ,it might. Furthermore, the compression lock allows for axis lock esque tricks. By disengaging it you can flick your wrist to both open and close the knife, which is very handy and keeps your fingers out of the way of the blade--which is another huge benefit of the compression lock.

All in all, I'm a big fan of the compression lock. I don't see any advantages to the liner locks, including price.

Also, on a side note, the top choil, addition to the low axis of the blade on the handle, makes lock failure almost a non issue. The choil encloses the finger so well there's no way the knife will close on your hand if you have your finger there, and it doesn't even smart because of its circular shape. Unless someone was intentionally forcing the blade closed on my hand, the bounce back from a failed lock wouldn't even cause my finger to smart.
 
I personally love the PMillie's egros, second only to the AFCK and the KFF. The blade is perfect for urban use
 
I'm a big fan of the Para. I have no problem with knives that don't maximize the blade-to-handle ratio.

I wish it kept the blade closed like an Axis lock or lockback does, but for a knife that uses just a detent ball, it does a very good job of staying closed and still being easy to open.
 
Artfully Martial, thank you for the detailed information! That was very helpful.
 
I think there's a misunderstanding. In regards to the Para's handle to blade ratio, I bought the para primarily because the handle was extra long compared to other 3 inch blade folders. My hand just can't fit all the way on my 3 inch M16/11K and D2 minigrip...it fits okay, but my pinky is always on the edge. The ergonomics are excellent on my para, though imperfect.

I'm planning on getting around to the big comparison next wednes night or thusday afternoon. The university is keeping me very busy lately.
 
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