Spyderco Military s30v vs other similar tactical or utility knives?

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lonestar1979

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Thinking of buying Spyderco Military in s30v or some other steel, what I am interested in is your experiences how does it compare to other Spyderco models and other companies(cold steel, emerson,benchmade ,Kershaw,zt etc.).What are its pros and cons regarding value for money, quality of craftsmanship and performance ?
 
An example of great quality/durability of the Military Ti is the lock system incorporating a stainless bar with the titanium liner to reduce any premature wear in that area.Great design/solid,dependable performance.
glak
 
Well, first of all, there is no other tactical/utility knife quite like the Military :)

That being said, here's a number of random thoughts from my end on why the Millie rules and the competition less so:
- steel selection: you get more than 10 different steels to choose from (if we count former + current lineup), none of them something you can really go wrong with;
- liner lock: the Millie LL is my favourite locking system bar none (and has been so for some years now). It is light, has no moving parts, is easy to clean and performs well even in the most appalling conditions of dirt, mud, dust & abuse;
- G10: Spyderco has the best G10 in the business (if memory serves me right, they pay a premium for having their G10 customized with extra 30% fiber glass);
- ergos: designed in the dark, form follow function, you know the drill :)

From what I've used myself, the other production folder that stands a chance against the Millie might be the Benchmade 710 - here's a little comparison I've done on the 2 some ages ago
 
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The Millie is a proven classic. I have used one around my house and shop for many years.

Another spydie I'm very happy with is the Manix XL with CF and S90V. I would say it compares well to a Millie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZoP8ZsBpyw

Lastly, I had some mad money and bought a Chris Reeves Umnumzaan from a BF member. I think it also compares favorably to the Millie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9rvN3FMIj8

My Millie is beater and get 80% of my knife use.
 
The Military is the best folder I've ever owned. The knives I've owned in the same category are the 710, Para 2, and Emerson horseman. For utility task the Military beats all of those knives. I'd says it's probably the best out there.

The blade size is ideal, the handle is comfortable, and s30v is great. However you mentioned tactical. I'm not a knife fighting expert but I think that my horseman would be better for tactical needs. Faster deploying, secure handle, stronger feel. So if tactical needs are a top priority I wouldn't go for the Military. That being said for any other use, it can't be beat. You can't go wrong with buying one, the value is amazing.
 
Don't take my opinion to heavily.

I'm getting a Spyderco Manix 2 XL and I just finished deciding on that.
I was thinking about buying a Military, however the handle scared me a bit. I don't like the fact that its pure G10, compared to a Para 2 that has liners, and the Manix 2 also has Liners. I'm not saying its a bad knife, but you can get something more durable that will last longer.

That's all I had to say, I also like that S30V holds a nice edge for a good amount of time with its durability and level of hardness, makes it as chip resistant as I'd like.
 
The military does have nested partial liners and G10 is extremely durable. If you were really abusing one, I'm fairly certain the blade would break before the G10.
I prefer the military over the manix 2xl for its lighter weight and narrow profile. Whatever make you happy though.

OP, I've tried a number of knives from all the companies you listed and more in my search for a favorite. The military is just about the only knife I carry now. Of course that doesn't stop me from looking...
If you're considering one, give it a shot. Otherwise you'll always wonder about it.
 
bowman78 said:
Don't take my opinion to heavily.

I'm getting a Spyderco Manix 2 XL and I just finished deciding on that.
I was thinking about buying a Military, however the handle scared me a bit. I don't like the fact that its pure G10, compared to a Para 2 that has liners, and the Manix 2 also has Liners. I'm not saying its a bad knife, but you can get something more durable that will last longer.

That's all I had to say, I also like that S30V holds a nice edge for a good amount of time with its durability and level of hardness, makes it as chip resistant as I'd like.
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I can't recall hearing about anybody actually breaking a Military's handle. The most I've heard is that some folks have snapped the tip by either dropping it on a hard surface or by prying.
 
Fancier said:
I can't recall hearing about anybody actually breaking a Military's handle. The most I've heard is that some folks have snapped the tip by either dropping it on a hard surface or by prying.
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Fair enough. G10 is very strong. That being said with a knife you plan to use for years on end. I just don't think its worth the the first thing to break would most likely be the g10. In the end a knife handle made with metal, whether its titanium or more steel, will just last longer, that's just what it comes down to.

I'd like to think of it like comparing fixed blades. A half or hidden tang will still do the job fine, but a full tang will just last longer, its what it comes down to.
 
Bowman your logic is flawed. In normal use, neither handle or blade will break.

If you want to abuse a knife with heavy prying, whether the military with partial liners, manix xl, with full liners, or the cold steel recon 1 with no liners at all, the blade is going to snap before you damage the handles.

This reminds me of FFK saying that the world needed stronger pivots or handles so folders can be used to pry more. Doesn't matter at all unless the blade is made thicker than makes sense for a folder designed to cut.
 
I've got a completely functional shovel with a carbon steel blade and a wooden handle that is over a hundred years old and has gone through three generations of my family. I am confident that the G10 scales on my military will last longer than that wooden handle. :)
 
bowman78 said:
In the end a knife handle made with metal, whether its titanium or more steel, will just last longer, that's just what it comes down to.
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A handle made from "metal" isn't necessarily stronger than one made from G10 or another composite. Steel and titanium are damaged by stress, just in a different way than other materials. It is a very complicated thing to say which one will perform better for a given task.

Did you miss the part about how the Military has a steel liner hidden up inside the G10, similar to the Para2? I've had a Military for 7ish years and it is in great shape even after some pretty hard use.
 
MatthewSB said:
A handle made from "metal" isn't necessarily stronger than one made from G10 or another composite. Steel and titanium are damaged by stress, just in a different way than other materials. It is a very complicated thing to say which one will perform better for a given task.

Did you miss the part about how the Military has a steel liner hidden up inside the G10, similar to the Para2? I've had a Military for 7ish years and it is in great shape even after some pretty hard use.
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Yea, I had no clue there was hidden liners. I may debate purchasing one again. Thanks
 
The Military, in my limited experience with it, is a good knife but I personally usually reach for a BM 710 or 806 before it.

710 is a bit less ergonomic, but carries a lot slimmer and only adds another .3 oz.

806 is more the same size as the Millie, and only .2 oz heavier.

Both have full liners and the axis lock. Lock is the big selling point for me on that. Nothing wrong with the Millie's liner lock but I do prefer the axis.
 
Skywalker31 said:
The Military, in my limited experience with it, is a good knife but I personally usually reach for a BM 710 or 806 before it.

710 is a bit less ergonomic, but carries a lot slimmer and only adds another .3 oz.

806 is more the same size as the Millie, and only .2 oz heavier.

Both have full liners and the axis lock. Lock is the big selling point for me on that. Nothing wrong with the Millie's liner lock but I do prefer the axis.
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The Millie is a wonderful knife, I found out a few things that I didn't know about it already. I think I'm gonna have to save up for one.
I prefer the CBBL on the Manix 2 XL than the Benchmade Axis lock. They are both excellent locks IMHO. Locks involving ball bearings in general just amuse me. (That cylinder thing in the Axis is cool too)
I'd also be quite sad if I didn't have my spydie hole.
The BM 806 looks very interesting though, I'd love having a folder in D2.
 
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If you break the Military, it's because you're doing something with it that you should not be doing with a folder. The Military will last as long as you need it to as long as you're using it correctly. I've owned 'over-built' knives XM-18s, other customs, ZTs, and while other knives probably would handle more stress, that added stress would be considered irrational abuse on any folder. Thinking that the Military will some how fall apart from normal use compared to some other knife with a metal handle, only demonstrates one's ignorance of the Military. That person is not speaking from experience or any actual research. Simply put, there's a good reason why the Military has lasted so long in Spyderco's line up: It works.

As far steel choice, most people will not see any difference between S30V and other "premium" steels. If money's a factor, don't worry about the steel. S30V is a premium steel. There's a reason it's become the standard that other premium steels get compared against.
 
About the Military handle strength: Do not confuse partially lined G10 with Zytel or any other such materials. G10 is very strong for this type of thing. If in doubt, think about the Spyderco Recon 1 and American Lawman. They both have unlined (except for the area around the pivot and lock) G10 scales and no one says these knives are weak. Quite the opposite, in fact. The only weakness I see in the Military design is the lock itself. But Spyderco does liner locks better than most.
 
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