Spyderco Paramilitary 2

If you don't like the PM2, you can sell them here on the Exchange for almost exactly what you paid. I saw a PM2 posted in the Exchange sell in less than 2 minutes.

I'm a Benchmade fanboy and bought a PM2 to see what the fuss was about. It booted my Benchmades right out of my pocket (they slowly crept back in). The blade shape is decent, the steel is decent, but that handle... Ohhhh man, the ergonomics of the handle are incredible. I've never had a knife that had so many usable options built into the handle shape. The compression lock is almost as wonderful as the Axis Lock.

If I could create the perfect knife, it'd be a PM2 with an Axis Lock and a DLC-coated S90V/M390/M4 blade. I've been holding off on buying an M390 PM2 for two reasons: I can't find one for less than $250, and I'm afraid it would end my knife purchases.
 
addylo said:
Have you handled one? If not I'd recommend doing so. You will probably answer your own question.

There are some who don't care for the PM2. Most love it.
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This ^^^ is the real answer.

whp said:
I think the compression lock is very left hand friendly . I think it is easier to disengage with my left hand and I m right handed. Although not the best in any one category, it is near the top in many. Materials, grind, fit and finish, light weight, size, functionality. Oh, the ergonomics are the best of any knife I own which include a number of popular Spydercos, Benchmades, ZT s, Striders, and CRK s among others. A really fine combination of qualities for an edc knife. I keep rotating other knives into my pocket, but the PM2 still spends more time there than any other. I continue looking for something better. have yet to find it.
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I'm LH dominant and I disagree. I can make the compression lock work, but its awkward. I put up with it because I really like the PM2, but it's far from optimal.
 
I agree that the best way is to see for yourself.
I would say go down to your local outdoors store, but they probably won't have a PM2 handy.

As for the compression lock, yeah, if you're left-handed, a Manix 2 in G-10 may be better for you.
I'm right handed, and for me, closing the PM2 and the Manix 2 one-handed is very easy.
 
JNewell said:
This ^^^ is the real answer.



I'm LH dominant and I disagree. I can make the compression lock work, but its awkward. I put up with it because I really like the PM2, but it's far from optimal.
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I m probably doing it wrong.:p
 
EDCBlader said:
Okay the handles, blade, and lock are usable. How so? How is it different than their other knives? Other Spyderco's have G-10 handle, similarly shaped blades, and ambidextrous clip positions... The only thing I can think of is the Compression Lock. Other than the geometry of the blade and handle, is the only other difference/feature the Compression Lock? Like in other threads I've seen, people would simple give generic responses saying that the Paramilitary's <insert here> is "just" better without explaining how so...
Click to expand...

People are giving generic responses partly because people simply like the knife after using largely to personal preferences, and partly because the topic has been discussed extensively in the Spyderco section and this topic is in a different section which the bulk of PM2 users may not see. Putting it in words is more difficult because the knife is vastly different from most three-inch folders. There are few knives with this style blade shape, handle aspect, or locking mechanism.



I noted on another thread that the PM2 has a massive handle relative to its size and some people hate it and others love it. I love it because it gives incredible control. The G10 is grippy but not overly aggressive, the traction is good, and it contours well to the entire hand. For prolonged usage, this is much more comfortable than a standard sized handle on that style blade and it really reduces fatigue.

The Compression Lock it uses is strong, simple, and very easy to clean. Like a FN SCAR, it can get incredibly dirty and neglected and still perform flawlessly. Most people find it to be very easy to operate, and like the frame lock, it is a good mechanism that accounts for normal wear over years or decades of usage.

The blade is in a shape that mimics the "leaf" style blade Spyderco has used on a few knives past which many knife nuts find to be their favorite utility folders. The Lil Temperance is an example here. The blade 'drops' in a uniform fashion, the edge itself keeps on a relatively stable plane, and unlike most knives, sharpening on a single angle will give a very even length bevel (most production folders are going to be thicker at the tip and upsweep and thinner of the belly is hollowed). This makes sharpening easy, as well as reprofiling, or if the user wants to turn the knife into a 'zero grind'. It's also a great blade to grind a micobevel on and there are a lot of success stories there. The tip is also a plus because it maintains enough metal on it to be tough, but the grind is very even in tapering and it maintains that "needle style" tip that many people love because of its fine-work abilities. The Delica and Endura 3 had a similar tip to this, and it has advantages for fine cutting.

The PM2 adds (over the PM original) a better pocket clip that keeps the knife comfortable in carry despite its size. And while this is a bigger knife and a tough knife, it is unusually light. For daily carry, that's a big plus. Robust hardware also helps the long-term usage.

Since introduction, we have seen many of the finest steels made be used on the PM2. Still, the base S30V is a great performer and the design of the blade and hardening allows it to really maximize S30V's potential.

But some people also really dislike the knife, so there is a lot of personal preference with this model having such unusual design features.
 
I bought a satin blade pm2 a few weeks ago. I messed around with it for a few days cutting the normal stuff: fruit, cardboard, paper, soft pine scrap wood. It held up great, but after 2 days the action became very gritty opening and closing. After trying a few things I ended up having to take it apart to fix it. The detent ball was dragging on the blade tang more than normal, a little CRK grease fixed it though. But, now I'm left with a voided warranty. I wasn't impressed with the PM2, and I'm thinking of selling it off at a steep discount because of the voided warranty.
 
Silvanus said:
I bought a satin blade pm2 a few weeks ago. I messed around with it for a few days cutting the normal stuff: fruit, cardboard, paper, soft pine scrap wood. It held up great, but after 2 days the action became very gritty opening and closing. After trying a few things I ended up having to take it apart to fix it. The detent ball was dragging on the blade tang more than normal, a little CRK grease fixed it though. But, now I'm left with a voided warranty. I wasn't impressed with the PM2, and I'm thinking of selling it off at a steep discount because of the voided warranty.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that disassembly does not void the warranty in itself unless doing so causes the damage?
 
I could be wrong. I only have one other Spyderco. I'm just going off what I've heard.
 
been looking at PM2 and doug ritter mk1.. for long time. can't make up my mind. PM2 seems to be hard to find now days. some on the amazon, but the one with plain blade and camo g-10 seems to be all back ordered. i prefer the blade shape of doug ritter better. it seems both are highly rated. only thing bad i heard about doug ritter mk1 is the scales which i don't really like either but the blade shape is so much more.. to my taste.
 
pnsxyr said:
I was under the impression that disassembly does not void the warranty in itself unless doing so causes the damage?
Click to expand...

Oh no, not that topic again... ;) The real world bottom line seems to be that while the written warranty permits Spyderco (like a lot of other knife manufacturers, by the way, including Benchmade) to deny warranty service if the knife has been disassembled, in real life they will only charge the owner if the tinkering caused the problem. Just for clarity, I don't work for Spyderco and obviously don't speak for them. :)
 
JNewell said:
Oh no, not that topic again... ;) The real world bottom line seems to be that while the written warranty permits Spyderco (like a lot of other knife manufacturers, by the way, including Benchmade) to deny warranty service if the knife has been disassembled, in real life they will only charge the owner if the tinkering caused the problem. Just for clarity, I don't work for Spyderco and obviously don't speak for them. :)
Click to expand...

While I can't speak to every instance, that's been my experience with both Spyderco and other makers. Especially in recent time, high-tech folders have gotten increasingly simple, and parts increasingly durable and of increasingly greater tolerances/precision. The PM2 is one model that certainly fits that bill and is an easy detail strip (and generally a very interchangeable knife from model-to-model). While I'm not saying someone should or should not choose to detail strip a model, I am saying that if a simple man like myself can do it, most people will probably not have an issue here! :D
 
Yeah, but the number, frequency and severity of problems that people report on these forums, even with really simple folders, is amazing. :o
 
I'm pretty confident I can teach a crow to detail strip a PM2, and probably lube it and reassemble it as well. I'm positive I can with a Sebenza. My problem-solving abilities are pretty lackluster compared to them...


[video=youtube;BGPGknpq3e0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGPGknpq3e0[/video]

[video=youtube;hz7WKiC4SpY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz7WKiC4SpY[/video]
 
The PM2 is an efficient design and very functional, and because it is an efficient design it is priced low for what you get. So it will be hard to find something that compares for less money.

I've always thought that in some ways the Tenacious is similar to the PM2. The Tenacious is roughly the same length, has liners and nice G10 scales, has the spyderhole, has a somewhat similar shaped blade. The Tenacious is slim but a bit taller. The handle seems shorter when you start using it and it is a little harder to hold onto. So there are a lot of ways that it is similar to the PM2, and ways that it isn't.

The photo shows a comparison of size and shape:

photo407b-1.jpg
 
pnsxyr said:
People are giving generic responses partly because people simply like the knife after using largely to personal preferences, and partly because the topic has been discussed extensively in the Spyderco section and this topic is in a different section which the bulk of PM2 users may not see. Putting it in words is more difficult because the knife is vastly different from most three-inch folders. There are few knives with this style blade shape, handle aspect, or locking mechanism.



I noted on another thread that the PM2 has a massive handle relative to its size and some people hate it and others love it. I love it because it gives incredible control. The G10 is grippy but not overly aggressive, the traction is good, and it contours well to the entire hand. For prolonged usage, this is much more comfortable than a standard sized handle on that style blade and it really reduces fatigue.

The Compression Lock it uses is strong, simple, and very easy to clean. Like a FN SCAR, it can get incredibly dirty and neglected and still perform flawlessly. Most people find it to be very easy to operate, and like the frame lock, it is a good mechanism that accounts for normal wear over years or decades of usage.

The blade is in a shape that mimics the "leaf" style blade Spyderco has used on a few knives past which many knife nuts find to be their favorite utility folders. The Lil Temperance is an example here. The blade 'drops' in a uniform fashion, the edge itself keeps on a relatively stable plane, and unlike most knives, sharpening on a single angle will give a very even length bevel (most production folders are going to be thicker at the tip and upsweep and thinner of the belly is hollowed). This makes sharpening easy, as well as reprofiling, or if the user wants to turn the knife into a 'zero grind'. It's also a great blade to grind a micobevel on and there are a lot of success stories there. The tip is also a plus because it maintains enough metal on it to be tough, but the grind is very even in tapering and it maintains that "needle style" tip that many people love because of its fine-work abilities. The Delica and Endura 3 had a similar tip to this, and it has advantages for fine cutting.

The PM2 adds (over the PM original) a better pocket clip that keeps the knife comfortable in carry despite its size. And while this is a bigger knife and a tough knife, it is unusually light. For daily carry, that's a big plus. Robust hardware also helps the long-term usage.

Since introduction, we have seen many of the finest steels made be used on the PM2. Still, the base S30V is a great performer and the design of the blade and hardening allows it to really maximize S30V's potential.

But some people also really dislike the knife, so there is a lot of personal preference with this model having such unusual design features.
Click to expand...

Very nice discussion.
 
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