Spydie advice please. Para, Manix, Police

B

BLM4L

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Jan 19, 2006
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Trying to decide what to get.
Not sure about the differences in blade length and thickness of the following Spyderco - Police, Military/Para Military, and Manix.
I want a plain edge.
Have been looking for a decent used one, but haven't seen many for much less than what I can buy them for with my dealer account.
Also, for the Police, I have been trying to see if there is such a thing as a "stick on" G10 type grip which would make the SS handles less slippery on the Police model.

Any ideas?? Anyone seen and handled all three of these?
 
Main advantage with the SS police to me is its very thin in the handles. I don't think it has that bad of a grip due to the shape. Sticking something on the handles isn't something I'd do. (nothing I know of made just for that) I'd go with the military before I did. The manix is a heavy duty thicker, strong lockback. Either the military or manix will give you better traction than the SS police. I doubt you'd be real pleased with sticking a adhesive on your police. (probably come off sooner or later) I own the ss police and the manix and to me they aren't close to being the same type knife. The police is more of a easy carry self defence knife and the manix a utility work-horse. The military I don't own but it may be just what you are looking for as its got the g-10 and it's closer to the police than the manix.
 
The Manix is probably the most heavy duty and the Police the most fragile of the three. The Manix is, for many folks, just too big to pocket carry. I carry the Mini Manix in my trekking pack since it is really too big for me to want to carry in the pocket. The Police has the slim profile, making it a knife you can carry in the pocket, but due to the blade length you will still have a lot of handle in the pocket.

I like the Para the best of the three you mention...in fact, it's been clipped in my pocket all day. For all around easy of carry I choose the Para. It's a good strong knife made with top notch materials. It'll work hard and not look back...just remember the point is thin.

In the end, you need to think about how you are going to use the knife. If you are planning on using it mostly in the woods, I would get the Manix or Para. If you are in a more urban environment, I'd get the Para or the Police. Just make sure that the blade length is legal where you will be carrying. The Para will be legal in most places...the Police, who knows. The Police has a 4" blade if IRC.

Good luck on deciding...all are good knives.
:)
 
The Para and Manix have much better handles, IMO. The Manix is very comfortable and secure, but too big. I traded mine away. The Paramilitary has been one of my favorite users since it first came out, and is my work knife. I think the Police is the best looking. A knife's looks don't mean much to me, though.
 
The police has a blade that's just enough over 4" to get you busted in a lot of places for carrying a concealed deadly weapon. Mine's 4 and 1/8".
 
This may (or may not) help. Side by side of G-10 flat ground Police, SS Police, BGCF Military, Paramilitary, Manix and Mini-Manix.






The SS Police is the narrowest and flatest to carry, although its blade is over the legal maximum here. The Military and Paramilitary are my favorites for EDC and routine cutting, The Manix and Mini for heavy duty chores.
 
P.S. I believe it was gordonk who modified his SS Police by adding thin wooden scales, epoxied in place. The same could be done with either G-10 or carbon fiber at the cost of thickening the knife considerably. It probably wouldn't matter for pocket carry, but I like the SS Police for in waistband carry, where its thinness makes it very comfortable in spite of the length.
 
I have a Para, and I have carried a Manix for a week on a passaround. If you want massive strength, the Manix is the way to go. It has great ergonomics, too. If you want something that carries better every day, the Para is the better choice between these two. My Para figures prominently in my rotation. It has very good ergonomics, and I really like the compression lock, too.
 
Consider also that the Mini Manix is more comparable to the Para. The Large Manix is better compared to the Military IMHO. I personally don't have a problem with carrying the Manix or Mini Manix in my front pocket, even though it does bother others.
 
The Police used to come in G-10 which was great. For reasons known only to Spyderco, they decided to only offer it in SS. I know sales were the reason but they never gave the G-10 Police time to catch on.

All you need to do is add a piece of skateboard tape to one or both of the scales. You can get it at a skateboard shop for about $5 for a sheet about 3x1'. You will find 100 other uses for it once you have it so get some. I put it on the grips of some of my guns as well.
 
I have Para and Manix. I substituted the Military for the Police and I'm glad I did. I even have the Military is 2 models: Spyder-edge S30V and plain edge BG-42 (carbon fiber handle). I recommend you do the same. Make your list the Para, the Military, and the Manix. You will be happy with any of them. Para is easiest to carry, Military is awsome as a SD knife (especially with all serrated edgd), and Manix all around fantastic knife that I carry in a custom made leather sheath. Better yet, just buy them all.

Regards
 
yablanowitz said:
This may (or may not) help. Side by side of G-10 flat ground Police, SS Police, BGCF Military, Paramilitary, Manix and Mini-Manix.






The SS Police is the narrowest and flatest to carry, although its blade is over the legal maximum here. The Military and Paramilitary are my favorites for EDC and routine cutting, The Manix and Mini for heavy duty chores.
Click to expand...

Yes. This does indeed help. Excellent collection there.
 
I like my Military with the BG-42 steel and carbon fiber scales but I also like my ParaMilitary with the S30V steel and G-10 scales. The Para seems to take the lead for pocket carry and I carry the Military in a horizontal Blade Tech sheath.

Both are great knives but I would start with the Para-Military and collect the others from there.

Ciao
Ron
:thumbup:
 
Glad to help. It's not really a collection, just a small part of my accumulation/carry rotation :D
 
I have medium to large hands and wear blue jeans mostly, and the Manix works great for me as an HD folder. It does take up some pocket space, but it is very grippy and ergonomic in the hand, and it cuts very well for a knife of it's magnitude.

Mike
 
For everyday ease of carry, dependability, lock strength and grip security, it's hard to outshine the Para. For the price, I'd call it finest medium-sized tactical folder on the market today. It's a no-nonsense, no glamor solution to every day carry. Awesome knife. Cutting efficiency is far better than most tactical folders, straight out of the box.

If you need larger, consider the Military. It's huge, but light and thin enough for EDC.
 
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