Spyderco Military vs. Police 3

B

brj

Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
1,059
I've had the opportunity to compare a Police 3 versus my Military EDC and thought I'd share some of the observations:

Design-wise, Police is a jewel with an awesome blade/handle ratio.

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The cutting edge is perfectly straight until near the tip; couple this with the blade thiness and you get a perfect slicer

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I liked the in-hand feeling, but for EDC I prefer a little more belly.
I totally disliked the Endura / Delica treatment of the tip (I hope the Military never changes to that) and I also experienced some mixed feelings about the swedge.

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A lot of different grip opportunities, all of them extremely comfortable.

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Closed, the knife is flat and compact, with the blade nicely integrated in the overall design and the opening hole equally exposed from both sides - the design is better than Millie in this respect

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Being flatter than the Millie it carries nice and confy, but the extra 20 grams are noticeable, especially in shorts.

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There is no lanyard hole, I'm not sure why but it seems to be a common trait of the Police series. However, the clip is drilled and that looked a little bit odd.

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I tried to like the Police, but it won't be kicking the Millie out of my EDC setup anytime soon because of 2 distinctive features, both concerning the backspacer:
1) My thumb rests much better between a thick blade and 2 G10 slabs than on a slippier steel backspacer

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and 2) in a forward grip (index in choil) the equilibrium of the blade is forward, as it should be, in case of the Millie, while on the Police it falls to the back of the knife (basically, this grip leaves most all the metal parts outside of the fist). Also, I prefer the rounded butt of the Millie better, for safety concerns.

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So, the Police 3 is a great knife, only not my cup of tea ;), I'll stick with my Millies.
 
I love the Police 3, can't really compare to the Military because I've only handled that briefly.
The Police allows for 4-point clip carry. It's also incredibly well-made.
Its thinness was already addressed but you won't find many folder with a 4+ inch blade that sit SO comfy in your pocket.

I will buy the Military once I can carry it tip-up, and I can compare for real. But I can't find anything wrong with the Police. I'd like the blade to be thicker, but it's fine as it is.

PS: the clip is drilled because when you carry it tip-down, the hole covers the pivot.
 
carried the police for years in many types. [ all black, aluminum handles, 440v] the blade is not as well suited for general cutting since i prefer more belly. still carry the police in my glove compartments as a backup if i get away from house w'o endura or millie. ca'nt complain about the quality.
 
I preferred the Military simply due to weight concerns. The Police felt heavy when compared directly to it.
 
brj said:
So, the Police 3 is a great knife, only not my cup of tea ;), I'll stick with my Millies.
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Same here. I used the P3 in a passaround and both, blade and handle of the Police, kept me from liking this knife. When I grab one of my Military and locks in my hand so to say, great thumbrest and the blade itself is something which should never be changed imho. Thanks for the comparison!
 
I like them both. My Militaries (Militarys?) get more use. The Police takes just a little more - or perhaps different - effort to swing the blade out. Not much, there is a difference.
 
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