Spyderco Para military 2 cons

[breedm]

My only complaint would be that they come new with the clip tip down. Like all my other spydercos I like to carry tip up so I have to flip the clip around and it leaves a slight impression in the g10 where the clip used to be. I know Pretty nit pickey. Pm2 is a great knife.

 

[J_kocaj]

Perfect folder IMO. The people who said it came dull or with a bad grind got delt a bad hand. Mine was turbo sharp out the box and holds its edge better than any other knife I own.

 

[Fish Boy]

Pretty much a perfect folder. One of mine came with a very sticky lock, but I sent it in to Spyderco and they fixed it up.

 

[gglotz83]

The PM2 is a great knife - I only have two things to complain about.

1. The action of the blade was a bit stiff when I first got it. This was easily fixed by taking it apart and cleaning/tuning.

2. The handle ergonomics towards the butt end are not super comfortable for me. I wear large size gloves. Pickup a Stretch in comparison.....you will feel what I am talking about.

 

[JNewell]

I think it's easily one of the ten or so knives in the Top Three Ever category but it's not perfect - no knife is. I like the engineering, simplicity and strength of the compression lock, but it has drawbacks. I'm left-dominant and find it gawky to unlock one-handed with my left hand. Further, it's less than optimal when my hands are cold or when wearing gloves. I can live with those, though - it's an extremely knife, both in design and in use.

 

[knifewing]

I was a big fan of the Para 1. When the 2 came out and I read about the improvements to what was already one of my favorite Spydercos ever, I bought one as soon as I could, even though it was a bit too big to EDC (IMO). But I was unhappy with the way it felt in my hand--the lock kept pinching me, which my Para 1 never did. Just the way my hand is shaped, I guess. Anyway, I sold the Para 2 soon after it arrived and remain very happy with my 1s. Now if the same improvements made to the Para 2 could be added to a vintage-design Para 1 it would be just about the perfect folder...well, maybe #2 behind the original G-10 Caly 3 (again IMO).

 

[Evany]

It is currently my all time favorite folder, edging out (no pun intended) the large regular Sebenza which held that position for more than a decade. Sometimes I just take it out and admire the way all the elements and surfaces flow into one another, open or closed and how smooth and solid the action is. It really is a marvelous piece of design. I greatly prefer the sprint and exclusive versions in M390, CTS20CP, CTS204P, etc. I'm a lefty and I find the lock very natural and easy to operate. When I need to cut something the knife just seems to appear in my hand and then afterwards reappear in my pocket with no conscious thought or effort on my part. As for cons, I don't really see any, but since this is a thread about them--the large lanyard hole has no function for me personally, I'd rather see that space either eliminated to shorten the grip (like the Caly 3.5 or Manix) or modified slightly to accommodate a slightly longer blade. I sometimes find that the knife feels a little thick side to side in my pocket after a long day of carrying it at work. I've modified mine with a deep carry clip, which I prefer, but really the stock clip is just fine. If they ever make it in a super steel with carbon fiber scales again I'd buy as many as I could get my hands on this time--really regret missing out on those.

 

[bdmicarta]

I have no criticism of them. They aren't a "pretty" knife and some people might complain about that but I don't. I have owned 4 of them and currently have 2 in my EDC rotation. I've been carrying a digicam/satin model all week.

 

[Tdhurl1103]

Handles are a bit short for me. I prefer the military for that reason.
Otherwise the pm2 is a great knife and totally worth the money.

They aren't really too hard to find. Just keep an eye on the exchange here and/or sign up for alerts from knife dealers and you'll be able to find one in a few weeks or so.

I'm actually opposite this. I love my PM2, but really I prefer a shorter handle. I realize this probably can't be done with the PM2, I just prefer my handles not stick way out on the back end. For this reasoning, I probably will never own a military. If they made a PM with a 3 inch blade, holy cow, I would be all over it!!!

 

[PKFan]

I'm left handed, prefer knives with relatively thin blades packed into the shortest handle possible. So, for me, the ParaMilitary 2 starts off with a wrong handed lock and pairs it an overly thick blade mounted in a handle that's overly long due to a severe case of bubble butt. Plus, almost all of them have been one flavor or another of peel-ply G-10, my absolute least favorite handle material. If that weren't enough the lanyard hole is huge and the name's kind of a turn off.

I'm not left handed, but I agree with the above. The handle to blade ratio is just not that great for a knife that size and the handle is too thick for comfortable carry. It's one of the few knives I've sold, as it just doesn't (for me) measure up to the Stretch or the Caly 3.5 for EDC.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

this knife is pretty much perfect. Only problem is they can come with uneven shit grinds from the factory

+1

My 204P came with a butt ugly grind that was uneven, even for PM2 grind. Especially at the tip.

 

[StuntDouble]

I can't say that I mind the longer handle. I guess I've always been a sucker for a larger user interface.

My only complaint about the Para2 is mostly an aesthetic one. I wish the edge wasn't so far above the kick. It kinda makes a brand new one look like it's been sharpened down. It's not enough to keep from ever buying another one, but it's a tiny bit annoying nonetheless.

 

[Lee48]

No real cons to report here. The blade does taper to a very fine point that could conceivably be a weakness if you treat your knives like a pry bar or screwdriver. Otherwise, it's a fine knife.

I originally planned to buy a second PM2 because I liked my first one so much. But after carrying it for a few months, I found I liked other knives better and I carried the PM2 less. Not due to any weakness in the PM2 or limitations with ergonomics, just that other knives better fit my needs. I developed a liking for smaller and lighter knives--the Native, the Centofante, the Delica, especially the Dragonfly. I also continue my long standing love affair with the Gayle Bradley, still the finest medium sized knife around in my opinion.

 

[DRK]

I had one for year that just sat in the drawer and I sold it a couple of months back. I felt the tip was too fragile and maybe the knife just felt a little too light to me in general. I have held on to my Military's and still like and carry them. I prefer the option of all the hand positions you have with the larger handle and I just find it a more versatile knife.

 

[RevDevil]

Love the Para2. I use Large gloves and it fits just right. I guess if someone has a really wide palm it would be a bit uncomfy. The distal taper tip is nice for piercing cuts, and it's nice for precision stuff. A thicker point wouldn't help the design much. Most people prefer to have a knife that doesn't weigh a pound, and while I don't have a weight restriction relating to knives, it's weight isn't much of an issue for me. If I need a hefty knife I use a Ti Military. or the regular G10 version - not that it helps or ads to the knives ability to cut in the first place. I guess the only thing I could think of possibly changing is to make the SPyderhole just a tad bit smaller. It seems that the hole is getting huge on just about every knife. I understand the purpose of it, being a trademark and as a means to open the knife, you shouldn't be able to shoot hoops through them too. It does impact the aesthetics of some pieces making them look just awkward and adding unneeded width to a closed folder. Not to mention the real estate that it occupies while clipped to the pocket.

 

[skwurll]

Like JNewell mentioned. IMO it is in the the top ten folders of all time along w/the Military. Maybe top 5.

 

[@LeathermanGX]

Certain models are designed to be opened with gloves on. I think shrinking the Spydie hole would adversely affect the intended versatility.

 

[Riley12]

The pros outweigh the few cons for me. Fragile-ish tip but don't pry with it, obviously and it'll be fine. G-10 is a little slick, and screw setup was new to me so like anything new, I didn't like it. But it's an amazing knife. Buttery smooth. Sharp, and perfect size.

 

[Gizler00]

No real cons for me. Fits great in the hand, flicks open with the touch of my thumb, and drops closed when the lock is disengaged

 

[knifeatagunfight]

the pm2 comes way to often from factory with poor uneven grinds especially at the tip. Last two I bought terrible grinds