Spyderco Military - Wow what a knife!!

stephenthesuave said:
I played with my first military yesterday and actually wasn't impressed.

I didn't use it to cut anything so I realize my opinion isn't as important as others, but maybe you guys can help me realize why they're so popular.

My complaints? Grind too thin (subjective and I know it), handle/blade ration seemed weird, it didn't seem like it'd hold up to be honest. Looked inside and saw very little steel. The guy at the shop hit it spine on a table and the liner let go of the blade. Then there is tip down only which seems strange.

Enlighten me... I love Spyderco and wanted to "get it" but I didn't.
Click to expand...

the liners are nested in the g10 scales, and offer a more slimmer carry option. id say it would be plenty strong enough for anything you would put a folder through. looks can be decieving. but if the handles are too big for ya, try the para2. at 2/3 the size, it tends to fit a lot of folks hands about perfect.

and i dont know of any folders that wont close hitting them on the spine against a table. thats just retarded and proves that its not a fixed blade. and i wouldnt treat my fixed blades that way. be leary of stores that do things like that. i would. :)
 
Captain Hero said:
and i dont know of any folders that wont close hitting them on the spine against a table. thats just retarded and proves that its not a fixed blade. and i wouldnt treat my fixed blades that way. be leary of stores that do things like that. i would. :)
Click to expand...

I've never seen an Axis equipped folder fail when being spine whacked. Have you? (serious inquiry, not being facetious)
 
stephenthesuave said:
I've never seen an Axis equipped folder fail when being spine whacked. Have you? (serious inquiry, not being facetious)
Click to expand...

I've seen a few. If you search around on Youtube I"m sure you will find a few videos. I've even had one fail in my own hands: a brand spanking new 710 failed when I was playing with it in a shop once--though the lock up on the Axis bar was suspiciously early.

I've even had two Omega springs break on two of my own Axis lock knives. In both cases the knives still locked up fairly solidly with only one spring, but my experiences have made me a bit leery of the Axis lock.

It is, however, a great and very ingenious locking mechanism. From the huge amount of knives out there with the Axis lock that seem to do just fine, I'm convinced that my experiences were probably a fluke.
 
Military is a great knife and I can finally play with one. So far very impressed, got it today and it is forming a patina already.

[youtube]EFB5fvyNxr8[/youtube]
 
The spyderco military in m390 steel with a carbon fiber handle is definitely going to be an awesome knife. But i won't be getting one because it's only going to be out next year April. Maybe by then there will be para2 in m390 steel :D
 
A lot of great responses guys. Thank you for your comments. Now you have me looking for the Military in different steel. :D
 
Preorder one in M390. Then re-read the K390 thread. S30V, M390, K390. Ground floor, fifth floor, Penthouse!!:thumbup::p
 
stephenthesuave said:
I've never seen an Axis equipped folder fail when being spine whacked. Have you? (serious inquiry, not being facetious)
Click to expand...

no. i havent had my 710 do it, nor my military, but im sure if i hit it hard enough i could get it to, but i dont go around spine busting tables. nor do i want to. :) it does happen, like cynic said, but id consider spine wackin abuse in which no quality folder should have to endure.

im just curious if anything else was done to the knife prior to the event you described.
 
"Spine whacking" is a rather pointless and absurd test of a quality knife.

When subjecting a knife to overly hard useage, the force is applied in the "opening" direction rather than the
"closing" direction.
If one is usng a knife in such a manner that he risks breaking the locking mechanism and closing the blade on his fingers, then perhaps those responsible for his safety should not allow him to use sharp objects.:eek::eek:
 
singularity35 said:
Are you sure there's none?
Click to expand...

Of course! He'd put the Captain Hero whammy on the spine. :D

captain_hero_by_Anny_D.jpg
 
Ben Dover said:
IMHO, The Spyderco Military is the finest production folder ever produced. I have three. One in CPM D-2, one in S90V and one in CPM M-4.

The S90V and M-4 are my EDC knives. I've used them for everything from removing splinters from my finger, to field dressing an elk. (the geometry precludes them from being an ideal hunting knife, but they work quite well for that chore in a pinch! :p

Tip up v tip down doesn't interest me, since I immediately remove the clip and carry them in my pocket just like any other pocket knife. I have a M390 pre-ordered, and I'll buy one on any quality steel. I keep hoping for one in BU K390. :thumbup::):thumbup:
Click to expand...

What differences have you noticed, as to ease of sharpening, toughness, edge retention, etc? The ONE thing I don't like too much about my S30V is the stain resistance.
 
Last edited:
milie is a great knife and im getting my para2 tomorrow but i love sharpened pry-bars why u guys hate em?:D
and btw spyderco forums is only place that spine-whacking test gets most anger.
 
scotchleaf said:
What differences have you noticed, as to ease of sharpening, toughness, edge retention, etc? The ONE thing I don't like too much about my S30V is the stain resistance.
Click to expand...

Actually, I've noticed no differences in ease of opening/closing with the different steels. CPM M-4 and S30V seem to be "in the middle" for ease of sharpening, CPM D-2 , while not exactly easy is nevertheless easier ( that is to say a bit less work) to sharpen than the others mentioned. Of course, S90V is by far the most work, but it also retains the sharpness of it's edge by an order of magnitude over S30V. :thumbup:

None of these steels possess extreme toughness (certainly not like 3V) but that's the tradeoff one makes for extreme edge retention.

I live in a very dry climate, so corrossion resistance is something I've never been concerned about, and therefore can't really discuss. :confused:
 
stephenthesuave said:
I played with my first military yesterday and actually wasn't impressed.

I didn't use it to cut anything so I realize my opinion isn't as important as others, but maybe you guys can help me realize why they're so popular.

My complaints? Grind too thin (subjective and I know it), handle/blade ration seemed weird, it didn't seem like it'd hold up to be honest. Looked inside and saw very little steel. The guy at the shop hit it spine on a table and the liner let go of the blade. Then there is tip down only which seems strange.

Enlighten me... I love Spyderco and wanted to "get it" but I didn't.
Click to expand...

I know this post is over quoted by now, but it's funny how all the negatives listed are precisely what makes it a good knife (minus spine whacking).

stephenthesuave said:
I've never seen an Axis equipped folder fail when being spine whacked. Have you? (serious inquiry, not being facetious)
Click to expand...

There were a few videos floating around a while ago. Any and every knife will fail to spine whacks, it's only a matter of time.
 
Joshua J. said:
I know this post is over quoted by now, but it's funny how all the negatives listed are precisely what makes it a good knife (minus spine whacking).



There were a few videos floating around a while ago. Any and every knife will fail to spine whacks, it's only a matter of time.
Click to expand...

well certainly tip down only doesn't MAKE it a great knife... ;)

I can appreciate that a bunch of people can get on here and disagree and have it not get ugly... I just didn't "get" it is all... maybe someday I will, and I'm definitely checking out a Para2 asap.
 
Ben Dover said:
"
If one is usng a knife in such a manner that he risks breaking the locking mechanism and closing the blade on his fingers, then perhaps those responsible for his safety should not allow him to use sharp objects.:eek::eek:
Click to expand...

I'd like to respectfully disagree. SD use often precludes "proper" use. Whether you agree to using folders for SD or not, the fact remains that a lot of people here have at least SD as one if not the primary purpose for a folding knife. Whether the SD gurus are justified in advocating folders as a last ditch SD or not, the fact remains that they do, and that their students and proponents look for a folder with a bulletproof lock as one of the requisites.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top