Strider comparisons please

T

tleger

Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
21
Hello all. I love this site!
I was hoping someone could help me. I am interested in purchasing a Strider folder and was wondering which model to get. I have only seen pics of these knives and I find that sometimes when you look at pictures you don't get a
true representation of the real thing. Sometimes the picture makes things look worse or better than they actually are.
The two models I would like compared are the SNG and the SMF. I have been trying to use the search, but there are too many people using the server to
get more info on these knives. I now carry a Spyderco Military as an EDC and I have found it to be almost perfect for my every day use. It fits flat in my right rear pocket. It is comfortable and very easy to use one handed and is wonderfully sharp. (I have both 440V and S30V, though not carried at the same time :)
Would anyone have pics of these Striders next to a Military? How do they compare? Any thoughts on the subject would also be appreciated.

Thanks
Tony
 
Dude, track down a guy here named Buzzbait. Used to be a regular who has just returned to the forum recently. He has both the Military and a Strider SNG. He has a LOT of experience with the Military and just got the SNG. He'd be a good source for information. As to the SNG vs. SMF, I'd say the SNG is closer to the Military if you like that size. I find the SMF to be somewhat larger than the SNG, and while I have larger hands I found the SNG to be a VERY comfortable grip. Very nice, indeed. Also, you may want to look at the Strider Knives website under their FAQ, as I believe they have the stats and a picture comparison for all the models lined up next to each other. Hope this helps!
 
It's a little late tonight, but I'll try to take a pic of the SNG, Millie and Manix together tomorrow night.
 
i had an sng... and while it was a superior knife i found it too small for me. the smf is perfect for my average sized hands...
 
Ask and you shall receive, here's a SNG/Millie pic. I used to own a SMF as well, but no more. I hope the picture makes things easier for you, because my advice will be confusing.

Here goes.
If you want the length of the Millie, go for the SMF. But it will be MUCH thicker/bulkier.
If you want the weight of the Millie, go for the SNG.
The SNG/SMF blade lengths are close, so neither will touch the Spyderco for length.

However, for cutting ability:

Either Strider will do great at 30 degree like the Millie. Except for length, it's a tie. But for strength? Not even close. I'm not even going to open the lock strength can of worms. I'm talking blade and pivot/handle strength. I used to only do perfectly straight cuts with my spyderco's and never abuse or scratch them and they held up OK. Cutting up lotsa rags for the shop created play in the pivot on my Manix and Native. But otherwise OK.

Now I abuse and scratch up my knives and am thrilled with it. Will my knives worth 4 times as much cut 4 times better? No, but they cut just as well and take on all the harder tasks that my 100 dollar knives would piss themselves just looking at.

I am literally using my knives for 10 times the amount of stuff that i was before. Used my SNG at a ski hill to make a carving out of ice. Never would have done that with my Manix. Lots of sideways twisting.

A Millie used to be a strong knife to me. When I received this one recently, I opened it, looked at the blade, and thought "I can't use this. I'll break it."

My point is the smaller SNG will impress you in the strength department. You are already outdoing the Millie. The SMF is just outdoing it even more.

I like big folders and started with a SMF. Later got a SNG and found that I didn't necessarily need a big folder, just an exceedingly capable one.



sngmillie.jpg
 
Well, that saves me one job. Thanks Talonturbo.

As far as cutting goes, I agree with Talonturbo. The SNG needs to be reprofiled to a 30 degree inclusive angle, in order to compete with the Military's slicing ability. Once the SNG is reprofiled, cutting ability should be nearly identical.

The blade on the SNG is definitely smaller than the blade on the Military. This is probably the area where the two knives are most different, IMHO. The Millie gives you a nice long blade, with a devastatingly thin tip. The SNG will net you a much smaller cutting surface, but with a stouter tip. The SNG’s tip is similar to the tip on the Manix. Much stronger than the tip on the Military, but with slightly less cutting precision.

As far as grip goes, I like both grips. The Military’s handle is longer, but the SNG’s handle is thicker. I will say that the texturing of the G-10 on the Strider is rougher, so it probably provides a better grip than the texturing on the Millie. Both knives have choils for choking up on the blade. The SNG has a larger choil, which fits my index finger better.

I do find the Military to be easier to open. Opening a Millie is almost completely effortless. The blade hole is huge, and the positioning of the hole is perfect. I can open my Millie with my work gloves on, with no problem. Opening the SNG does take some concentration, until you learn the sweet spot. If you don’t have the handle gripped perfectly, it can be tricky to open it up. I’m not sure whether I could open the SNG with gloves on.

The pivot of the SNG is much beefier than the pivot on the Millie. I’m not sure if this is a big deal or not, as I’ve never had a problem with the pivot on my Millie. Same goes for the lock. I’ve never had anything even approaching a lock failure on my Millitary, and I’ve beaten on it pretty badly. I do prefer the security of a well done frame lock over a well done liner lock though.

Both knives, in my opinion, require a dedicated pocket for carry. The SNG does plug up the top of the pocket more though, just because it has a huge rear end. Theoretically, the SNG should cause less wear on the pocket than the Military, since the outside of the pocket comes into contact with only titanium, instead of the roughly textured G-10.

I bought the SNG because I wanted a knife with a smaller blade than the Millie, but with just as secure of a grip. I also didn’t want to add any weight to my carry, or I probably would have gone for the smaller sized Manix. So far, and it has only been a couple weeks, I’m very happy with the SNG. It’s a nice reduction in overall cutting length, but without the normal loss of grip security associated with moving to a smaller knife.
 
I would like to thank every one for responding to my request for info and pics.
It's people like you who make this site great.

Tony
 
If I want to do anything else I'll take a Strider any day. You get what you pay for!!!
Click to expand...

What exactly do you do with your folding knives besides cut? Both knives outcut the SMF every test, wood, tomatoes, and rope. Why have an edge at all if you're just going to use it to pry. Get one of those pocket prybars.
 
ghost squire said:
What exactly do you do with your folding knives besides cut? Both knives outcut the SMF every test, wood, tomatoes, and rope. Why have an edge at all if you're just going to use it to pry. Get one of those pocket prybars.
Click to expand...


That's what I got:D
 
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