Spyderco Military - Best Bang for Buck knife?

[Todd21969]

I think the FFG Manix 2 is a better knife in terms of strength, especially tip strength, and is generally more user friendly. The ergonomics are a bit more one-size-fits-all on the Manix and the balance in hand is better.

I have a love/hate relationship with my Manix 2 (s30v/g10). It fits my hand pretty well but the BBL is horrible when you wear gloves or have numb finger tips from the cold.

It is my one Spyderco I will not carry at work.

 

[crom]

Tip down rules for right rear pocket carry. The military has been on my scope for years, one of these days when the mood hits me just right and one comes up on the exchange for a decent price.

 

[asdf12345]

I have a love/hate relationship with my Manix 2 (s30v/g10). It fits my hand pretty well but the BBL is horrible when you wear gloves or have numb finger tips from the cold.

It is my one Spyderco I will not carry at work.

I could operate the BBL on my Manix 2 with just my index finger. Is the spring strength variable from knife to knife on the BBLs?

 

[Todd21969]

I could operate the BBL on my Manix 2 with just my index finger. Is the spring strength variable from knife to knife on the BBLs?

Mine is stiff and requires two fingers. Otherwise love the ergos of the Manix 2.

 

[bigmark408]

Pics or it didn't happen!



I know, but can't find any on the interwebs.

 

[@LeathermanGX]

 

[Spey]

Daily carry Ti/G10 Millie. I appreciate this model enough to continually mod it time and again (about ready to put this one back on the bench again).
Yes, I think highly of this model. Hard to imagine any question about performance & likeability of a model that's been in continuous production since 1996 ;-)
Great thread!

 

[inkynate]

That anodizing is sick, Spey.

Here are two steals:

(Got my lefty for $99 on closeout. The Svord is arguably a lot more bang though at $15.)

 

[gooeytek]

Got around S30V by transplanting CPM-M4 & M390 blades, makes the Ti Military perfect for me.

 

[T Schloz]

I'm quite fond of the Military. It's been in my rotation for 12 years and has had more carry time than any other knife.

Tom

 

[Sosa]

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[Spey]

Few more recent Ti-Millie project pic's as my way of saying to he OP's ?, that I think the Military is "already" a classic, and a very good value.

 

[co556guy]

I like the knife, but the tip down only carry problem kills it for me.

If it was tip up, I'd have one.

 

[singularity35]

I've noticed that a lot of the guys who can carry tip down can also carry tip up. Seems like it's mostly the tip up guys who can't do both.

 

[SALTY]

The Military is one of my favorites in the rotation. Bang-for-the-buck is not as easy to quantify as one might think. I do agree that the Military is a great knife and provides much functionality and value for its price point but some of the offerings from China, while not a direct competitor to the Military, provide extraordinary value.

Not to facilitate thread drift but i am thinking in terms of knives like the Kershaw-Emersons, RAT 1 & 2, Benchmade Thermite and their ilk - not competitors to the Military but score well in the bang-for-the-buck category.

Now, back on point, I do not believe that there really is a direct competitor tot he Military in its price range.

 

[Jeru]

I have never had a more functional folding knife than the millie, my old orange is a keeper.

I completely agree with this. Also, orange happens to be the National Color of The Netherlands aka Holland (because of our backward monarchy: the royal family's shortened surname is Of Orange. And Mokum is the nickname for Amsterdam, by the way).

Yes. It is a classic.
Yes, it is one of the best in performance to cost, especially for those with large hands or that seat gloves while working.

Tip down rules for right rear pocket carry. The military has been on my scope for years, one of these days when the mood hits me just right and one comes up on the exchange for a decent price.

I've noticed that a lot of the guys who can carry tip down can also carry tip up. Seems like it's mostly the tip up guys who can't do both.

I have to be honest: I am very unfortunately one of those very few knife nuts who couldn't get used to tip-up carry, although I tried very hard, literally training myself, but I just couldn't. In the end I sold all my tip-up knives, except for my Recon 1 tanto, who's collecting dust--still planning on let it customize for tip-down carry one day (but with the new CTS-XHP DLC's, I probably will buy a new one for that and put the older one up for a giveaway here).

Sal Glasser himself started as a tip-down carry guy himself by the way. But he told me once (at Spyderco's Forum) that he did got used to tip-up carry over time.

I have Xtra Small hands and with tip-up carry I have to "creep/crawl up" on the knife handle to open it when I pull it out of my pocket. With tip-down carry, my thumb or middle finger is already next to the opening hole when pulling the knife out.

And indeed, since I carry my large folders in my right rear-pocket, it is perfect for tip-down.













Also, I guess the handle is just as comfortable with XS hands without gloves, as it is with XL hands with gloves, since I only wear gloves in winter and have XS hands

Last but not least, the long pocket-clip is the most comfortable one I've experienced so far: no other folder slips so easily in and out of my (rear-)pocket than a Millie while still being very secure, even after a decade, in my experience.

 

[singularity35]

I like my plain jane millie too.

And my orange as well.

And of course, my most used millie...

 

[shunsui]

My first Millie was the orange model. Thought the handle was way too big and bloated at first. The Military has a tendency to shrink on you after you use it awhile. It got to be my favorite work knife, edging out the Manix2 XL just because it feels more comfortable in my hand. When I carry one, it's in the left front pocket with the blade to the seam, or in the right rear pocket with the blade to the seam.

 

[NetshadeX]

for the tip-up hipsters.

:thumbup:

Funny thing is that tip down is actually faster and more convenient. Place thumb on pivot point and indexfinger on opposite side, pull in hand, move thumb to spideyhole, done. Try tip up when seated, good luck getting your thumb all the way in your pocket.

 

[bigmark408]

I like the knife, but the tip down only carry problem kills it for me.

If it was tip up, I'd have one.

That's silly, tip down is great.