http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=19
The Military is a large folding knife from Spyderco. Closed the knife measures a hair under 5.5 inches while open it's just under 9.5 inches. The blade is 4mm thick at the spine and approx 3 and 5/8 cutting edge. Bladesteel on my particular model is 440V, but current models use S30V or CPMD2. Handles are G10 with screw construction and no liner on the side opposite the liner lock (Later models have dual nested liners I believe). The knife weighs 107 grams / 3.77oz after some sharpening, though it's advertised as 120g. Features an enlarged opening hole of 14mm.
Pictured next to an older Endura and a Boker Wharcom.
Blade
The 4 inch blade features a modified clip point design, full flat grind, 14mm opening hole and finger choil. While thicker than the Endura, cutting efficiency is higher due to the grind. The out of box edge was sharp enough to catch hairs above the skin and slice newsprint a few inches from the hold. The original edge profile was re-ground to a more acute angle to increase cutting ability in specific media such as cardboard, thick plastics and wood. I found the bladeshape very easy to sharpen and the lack of a thumbstud makes reprofiling much easier. The steel has displayed excellence in edge-holding, toughness and corrosion resistance. While no specific edge-holding tests were preformed, I found myself sharpening the Military about 1/3 as frequently as EDC's of mine with steels such as 440A, AUS8 and 13C27. I've been able to achieve a sharper edge on this knife than on other S30V and 440V knives I've used from other companies. Once when cutting cardboard boxes I accidently hit a metal rail in a box. The reprofiled edge rolled in various places along the edge but didn't chip. The worst of the damage sharpened out on ceramic hones within a few minutes, with the rest coming out over time as the knife was sharpened. Nothing else cut during routine use has caused damage to the blade. The knife has spent much time being covered in sweat and acidic fruit juices among other corossive substances. No rusting has been detectable on the blade so far.
An edge durability test was done with the Military. Speaker wire, CAT5 Cable and a paper clip were the media used. The knife made 5 cuts through the speaker wire and CAT5 cable each using force applied to the spine of the blade, sustaining no detectable damage. On the first attempt to cut the paper clip, the knife failed to go all the way through and had a minor roll in the edge as a result.
Lock
The Military features a nested liner lock measuring approx. 1mm across. The tang where the liner engages is radiused. The handle features a large cut-out to facilitate easy lock operation. The lock was given routine tests such as light spinewhacks when they knife was new and periodically throughout the time it's been used. The lock has been 100% stable against forces against the spine of the blade. During sideways tourqes in rougher use it was possible to disengage the lock due to the nature of liner locks and the large cut-out, but being conscious of this possibility it's generally easy to avoid. The liner engages fully on the far left of the tang and has not moved to the right from wear at all so far, despite being flicked open numerous times.
Ergonomics
The Military is well suited for people with larger hands. Various grips are both comfortable and secure. The light weight and lack of guard make the knife easy to work with in a variety of positions. The only ergonomic issue is in reverse grip the liner can sometimes bite into the pinky when gripped hard, which can cause irritation during prolonged use if gloves are not worn. The angle of the blade makes cutting with the knife very comfortable.
Carry
While much larger than the average pocket knife, the slim profile and light weight of the Military make it surprisingly comfortable in the pocket. The pocket clip is drilled for tip down right hand carry only and leaves about 3/4 inch of the knife exposed when clipped to the pocket. The clip is free of hotspots while gripping the knife. I removed the clip on mine and carried it loose in the pocket. Carried behind or next to my wallet in the rear pocket is my favorite position. Loose in the front pocket it carries well, staying vertical during most activity unless loose pants are worn.
Everyday Performance
This particular knife has quickly become my favorite for a variety of reasons. I find the size to weight ratio very appealing. The light weight and thin profile make the knife very pocket friendly. The blade length works well on foods when more appropriate knives are not available. It's been used to dice vegetables for soups and pastas, cut a variety of fruits like apples and cantaloupes, slice meat, clean and prep fish, slice breads and so forth. The flat spine works well to move chopped up foods off a cutting board. The construction, G10 with no liners or thin nested liners is my favorite offered by Spyderco. It's proven plenty strong for my uses and saves a lot of weight. The blade steel, like my other Spydercos, has left me satisfied in all the key areas of performance. Opening and closing the knife is very easy, which is appreciated when using the knife on the job or anywhere you have to open and close is up to hundreds of times a day. The open construction of the knife makes it easy to clean. The backspacer in place keeps it from being completely open-backed, but I personally prefer this as it protects the cutting edge from damage when the knife is closed. The pivot area can be difficult to clean without disassembling the knife.
Knife Information
The Military is a large folding knife from Spyderco. Closed the knife measures a hair under 5.5 inches while open it's just under 9.5 inches. The blade is 4mm thick at the spine and approx 3 and 5/8 cutting edge. Bladesteel on my particular model is 440V, but current models use S30V or CPMD2. Handles are G10 with screw construction and no liner on the side opposite the liner lock (Later models have dual nested liners I believe). The knife weighs 107 grams / 3.77oz after some sharpening, though it's advertised as 120g. Features an enlarged opening hole of 14mm.
Pictured next to an older Endura and a Boker Wharcom.
Blade
The 4 inch blade features a modified clip point design, full flat grind, 14mm opening hole and finger choil. While thicker than the Endura, cutting efficiency is higher due to the grind. The out of box edge was sharp enough to catch hairs above the skin and slice newsprint a few inches from the hold. The original edge profile was re-ground to a more acute angle to increase cutting ability in specific media such as cardboard, thick plastics and wood. I found the bladeshape very easy to sharpen and the lack of a thumbstud makes reprofiling much easier. The steel has displayed excellence in edge-holding, toughness and corrosion resistance. While no specific edge-holding tests were preformed, I found myself sharpening the Military about 1/3 as frequently as EDC's of mine with steels such as 440A, AUS8 and 13C27. I've been able to achieve a sharper edge on this knife than on other S30V and 440V knives I've used from other companies. Once when cutting cardboard boxes I accidently hit a metal rail in a box. The reprofiled edge rolled in various places along the edge but didn't chip. The worst of the damage sharpened out on ceramic hones within a few minutes, with the rest coming out over time as the knife was sharpened. Nothing else cut during routine use has caused damage to the blade. The knife has spent much time being covered in sweat and acidic fruit juices among other corossive substances. No rusting has been detectable on the blade so far.
An edge durability test was done with the Military. Speaker wire, CAT5 Cable and a paper clip were the media used. The knife made 5 cuts through the speaker wire and CAT5 cable each using force applied to the spine of the blade, sustaining no detectable damage. On the first attempt to cut the paper clip, the knife failed to go all the way through and had a minor roll in the edge as a result.
Lock
The Military features a nested liner lock measuring approx. 1mm across. The tang where the liner engages is radiused. The handle features a large cut-out to facilitate easy lock operation. The lock was given routine tests such as light spinewhacks when they knife was new and periodically throughout the time it's been used. The lock has been 100% stable against forces against the spine of the blade. During sideways tourqes in rougher use it was possible to disengage the lock due to the nature of liner locks and the large cut-out, but being conscious of this possibility it's generally easy to avoid. The liner engages fully on the far left of the tang and has not moved to the right from wear at all so far, despite being flicked open numerous times.
Ergonomics
The Military is well suited for people with larger hands. Various grips are both comfortable and secure. The light weight and lack of guard make the knife easy to work with in a variety of positions. The only ergonomic issue is in reverse grip the liner can sometimes bite into the pinky when gripped hard, which can cause irritation during prolonged use if gloves are not worn. The angle of the blade makes cutting with the knife very comfortable.
Carry
While much larger than the average pocket knife, the slim profile and light weight of the Military make it surprisingly comfortable in the pocket. The pocket clip is drilled for tip down right hand carry only and leaves about 3/4 inch of the knife exposed when clipped to the pocket. The clip is free of hotspots while gripping the knife. I removed the clip on mine and carried it loose in the pocket. Carried behind or next to my wallet in the rear pocket is my favorite position. Loose in the front pocket it carries well, staying vertical during most activity unless loose pants are worn.
Everyday Performance
This particular knife has quickly become my favorite for a variety of reasons. I find the size to weight ratio very appealing. The light weight and thin profile make the knife very pocket friendly. The blade length works well on foods when more appropriate knives are not available. It's been used to dice vegetables for soups and pastas, cut a variety of fruits like apples and cantaloupes, slice meat, clean and prep fish, slice breads and so forth. The flat spine works well to move chopped up foods off a cutting board. The construction, G10 with no liners or thin nested liners is my favorite offered by Spyderco. It's proven plenty strong for my uses and saves a lot of weight. The blade steel, like my other Spydercos, has left me satisfied in all the key areas of performance. Opening and closing the knife is very easy, which is appreciated when using the knife on the job or anywhere you have to open and close is up to hundreds of times a day. The open construction of the knife makes it easy to clean. The backspacer in place keeps it from being completely open-backed, but I personally prefer this as it protects the cutting edge from damage when the knife is closed. The pivot area can be difficult to clean without disassembling the knife.
