The Spyderco Military is Awesome

I've got some cooler knives that like to carry and play with but when it comes down to actually cutting stuff my military is by far my first choice.
 
evilgreg said:
Well, the stock Benchmade 710 only weighs three tenths of an ounce more than a stock Military, so I suppose slapping CF scales on a 710 would put it in the same ballpark.

One of the reasons I prefer the 710 is that at around the same blade length (a little more sharpened length on the 710) and weight the 710 is a fair bit smaller in the pocket.

That said, they're both great knives and I get why folks love the Military.
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I had my 710 and military out side by side today and its amazing how much cutting edge length the 710 packs into that handle. Its the same if not longer the military but the handle is an inch shorter.
 
My Millie has another day of use on it. Used for more brush clearing in the rain. Even though it got rather muddy and gunked up during use, the knife operated just fine; with no grittiness while opening. I washed it out and gave it a good blast of compressed air, although the G10 is little dirty. As for the edge, it is holding up pretty well. There are two slight chips near the tip, but the edge is otherwise ok. I typically touch it up on UF rods on the sharpmaker when I get home, so it stays quite sharp. Anyway, I friggin love this knife. I could honestly ditch everything but the Millie and an Opinel and be quite happy.
A note about tip strength:

Although the thin tip of the knife initially caused me some worry, I have done a fair bit of light prying and I am quite pleased. In order to cut down 1-1.5 inch thick weeds, I typically make a cut, pry out a slice, and cut some more. I have had no issues so far.
 
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Jill, you need to stop posting these pics of the Ti and Ti Fluted!!! Makes me want them even more! Don't fret, I do greatly appreciate your sharing them and they are on my must get list. :)
 
Bugout Bill said:
Earlier this month, I bought myself a Spyderco Military with my tax refund. It was the standard, S30v/Black G10 model. I started my summer job today and put the Millie through the ringer. I think that I have found my ideal work knife. :D The ergos are superb and the knife operates really well when wearing gloves, something I do a lot while at work. I was doing a lot of landscaping work today, and the Millie was put to work trimming some bushes as well as clearing brush. Some of the brush was roughly an inch thick, but they proved to be no problem.

Unfortunately, the Millie is not without flaws. The tip-down only carry is a bit annoying, I found myself trying to instinctively put it back in my pocket tip up. Additionally, the light weight of the knife does not lend well to chopping. Finally, the non-flowthrough construction proved to be a bit of a pain to clean (the knife got a little dirty), but a hose and compressed air did a pretty good job.

Anyway, I am really enjoying this knife and I am looking forward to using it again.
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Ok....while I do not do landscape as a job, I am taking care of a property under probate. I love my military, love love love it. But when I am looking at shrubs with up to 1" thick branches. The military is my last choice. I love my time away from yard work and I have tools that are designed to rip that 1" stuff up without pulling the Millie.

Just sayin.....
 
The Military is my favorite knife....period. :cool:

Since buying my first one, over fifteen or so years ago, no other knife has been in my pocket more than the Millie....

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Screwdriver said:
Ok....while I do not do landscape as a job, I am taking care of a property under probate. I love my military, love love love it. But when I am looking at shrubs with up to 1" thick branches. The military is my last choice. I love my time away from yard work and I have tools that are designed to rip that 1" stuff up without pulling the Millie.

Just sayin.....
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We forgot the loppers at the plant today, it was the only tool I had. As for the other occasions, it is a bit easier to maneuver the millie when you are trying to cut down a large weed growing inside a bush.
 
If the BM 710 handle suits you, then yeah packing that much blade into it is nice. But the Military was purposefully designed with the over large handle for sheer ergonomics and cutting power. Like I said before, for me it offers at least twice as many very good cutting positions as the BM. It also has that negative tip angle instead of being straight as a board like most benchmades. Once again, user preference. But that negative angle is a huge reason why Spyderco's workhorse models trump the prettier benchmades or Chris Reeve knives. Those straight designs are pleasing to the eye, but the flow of the handle down into the blade just makes the Spyderco excel at utility work.

Ken44 said:
The only factory folders I've bought in the past couple of years are Chris Reeve, Spyderco, Case, and a couple of Benchmades.
The CF Military I carried today is 4oz. What other factory folders have a 4" blade and weights 4oz even ?



I don't care for those myself. The light weight is why I often carry a Military. When I carry Ti its a Sebenza.
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I believe there is an Al Mar model that is a hair lighter coming in at 4". But like I said, doesn't come anywhere near the superior ergonomics of the Millie. And it might be hard to tell from my picture, but I said meet me in the middle because it's the half g10 half Ti model :p
 
hnnnng...

do they no longer make combo edges either? if I ever got back into landscaping I think a combo or SE Millie would do the trick. I know they don't make full SE models any more.
 
jill jackson said:
y1p5f.jpg
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Jill I am really jealous right now........i've been searching for an orange millie myself. One question about your Ti millie, does it have the lockbar insert? if not how has it held up? I think it's time to get myself another millie, my M390 is my lone example and it happens to be one of my favorite knives.

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Bugout Bill said:
We forgot the loppers at the plant today, it was the only tool I had. As for the other occasions, it is a bit easier to maneuver the millie when you are trying to cut down a large weed growing inside a bush.
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That is why I have hand pruners....
 
I buy knives to cut things and I've often used my Paras and Millies to trim around the house and yard or on a trail in the woods around here. I was actually doing that very thing earlier this afternoon. Even fairly thick stems aren't much of a problem as long as they aren't real hard. The Military is a good size for that, blade and handle. And the knives seem to enjoy the workout. The right tool and good technique will let you cut a lot of things without having to chop them.
 
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