Well I'm broke. Want a Paramilitary 2.

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dzlvs8

Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
948
....I think I want one.

First off, I just bought two knives and I'm broke. I'm very disappointed that I couldn't squeeze a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 in with the rest of my purchases. I own 4 benchmades and no Spydercos I'd really like a para. What I am thinking of is; should I get rid of my Benchmade Adamas for a Paramilitary 2 in an effort to have more utilitarian looking knife that doesn't make me look like I belong out roaming the jungles with the knife (but still able to do so). :)

I cant find a para2 to experience it first hand and answer these questions for myself.

Downsides off the Adamas looks:
I love the knife but rarely ever carry it or use it for what it's made for.
Right now I don't have the money to just have knives laying around that I don't use.
I bought my Adamas as a hard use knife but I don't want to destroy it (the looks). :/ ? Mostly because of the coated blade. seems dumb, i know. I plan on trashing the PM2 if I get one.
I feel absolutely silly bringing it to work (overkill, and looks like I am about to go roam the jungles) cuz of black blade.
Perceived blade size seemsof the Adamas is too big for work. Not sure if I'm gaining anything here by going with the PM2???
Also, D2 is a double edged sword (no pun intended). It's a good knife for whacking things off (no pun intended) but D2 is brittle. It even came with chips in the blade!! So what the heck is it good for vs s30V or even 154CM besides cutting metal?

I don't consider the paramil a direct replacement for the Adamas. I just found that I can sell the adamas and get a para for same price and still have a very capable knife (it will be my most capable blade). I'm hoping the PM2 will be less silly, extremely long, and less tacticool looking for work????(obivously the lack of a black blade will help big time). It seems to me that the PM2 looks more like a work horse than a knife that is complete overkill for work. ????? Looks are mostly what I care about here. I'm sold on the PM2's functionality. It's just a matter of perception at work...and I kinda want to get away from the black blade.

I'm hoping the Para is a step back from those Adamas aspects. A non coated blade helps, but is the blade any less extreme and wicked looking to pass it off as an EDC/utility knife?

Please don't suggest other spydercos. I dont like many others, whether it be the blade shape, locking mechanism or size. I have plenty of smaller knives. I'm just looking for something that it still very capable that I can still squeeze into work situations without getting laughed at or getting people so freaked out.

Are any of my assumptions about the PM2 vs Adamas correct? FYI - two of my four Benchmade's are gentleman folders and the third is a mini grip, so I'm not looking to go to extreme lengths of "tameness". Sorry, I tried to keep this as short as I could while still fully explaining my situation/thoughts.
THANKS.
 
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Hi DZ,

I just searched your Adamas. Nice knife but, errrr, imho, too Tactical for public. I can't address if it's too much Knife for your work as I don't know your situation. Office ? Errrrr, no! Construction....perhaps. I have a PM2 and I carry it often in my front pocket. I truthfully don't use it too often. Seriously, the knife I use MOST often.....a very small SAK. That being said, the PM2 "is much "tamer" looking knife as compared to your Bench Made. Still, the PM2 isn't something I would "whip out" in public on a whim. No doubt the PM2 will pocket carry MUCH easier due to it's rather slim design (which I greatly appreciate). In the front pocket of my Jeans, I almost forget it's there. I carry ONLY the PM2 in the pocket. I think the PM2 is a very good cross between a Tactical and Gentlemans knife. Still, I am keeping my eyes open for a more......PC folding knife with perhaps a 3" blade and save the PM2 for the Pack. On the other hand, I am also looking at other SAK such as the "Farmer" which appears to be a FAVORITE among many here at BF. I am also a BIG fan of small Fixed Blade Knives. I am always on the lookout for that perfect small belt carry fixed blade. I tend to have at least TWO knives on me most all the time. Either a small belt Fixed Blade AND a small SAK or.....a small SAK and my PM2. If you don't already, I HIGHLY recommend having a small SAK handy at all times regardless of whatever other knife you choose. Best of luck with your search.

Regards,
HARDBALL
 
Yeah, I always keep a peanut or a Buck Prince in my back pocket. I am selling my Leatherman wave, so tomorrow I am picking up an SAK Cadet and possibly a Waiter. The two BM knives I bought yesterday are smaller, and yes I love that size...but I gotta have something a little more hard use than my biggest knife (Torrent).

Since I really like the Para2 I am hoping it can fit that role with out seeming like overkill.
 
...Yep, I have a Bengal. ...I see a pattern. Mine draws more blood than a new/unfamiliar knife does when I'm playing with it in the car.

...but back to the Para-military!!!!

I've drawn it up on paper at full scale. Pathetic, I know. ...but I really want to make sure I am making a good purchase. It seems like the perfect size and extremely practical. I feel that something just a little bit bigger than a Delica would be good and this seems to be it. Correct me if I'm wrong, someone. It may just be the slimness of a piece of paper that makes it seem ok.
 
Wow, I never did this search because I never expected to find something like this. It's a video of my torrent (gentlemans folder) compared to a PM2. I can't believe no one ever jumped out and said the PM2 is 100% normal sized /same size as a griptilian. I saw all the dimensions online a hundred times but it always looked big in peoples hands in vid

For reference for other idiots like me.
[video=youtube;R1YMLu0cA84]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1YMLu0cA84[/video]
 
The PM2 will be thinner in the pocket, and the blade will not be as "hard use". I abuse my PM2, and find myself removing chips and rolls a LOT from the S30V. I have the digicamo with DLC blade, and it doesn't look "intimidating".

A lot of people complain about the handle:blade ratio on the PM2, but I think that's one of my favorite things about the knife. Oddly enough, it has the EXACT ratio as my Benchmade 520, and my 520 is the knife I grab when I need a smaller "sharpened pry bar" than my Busse.

Were I you, I'd keep the Adamas, and just save up for the PM2.
 
My experience is, if you like a knife and sell it to buy anything but a kidney for a loved one, you will regret it. If you want a PM2, save up and keep the other knives you like. There are a lot of general use knives to get for work that aren't as 'tacti-cool" as the PM2 or Adamas and more sheeple friendly. My main work knives are either a Spyderco Dragonfly or a Kershaw OD2, but your needs may differ.
Too reiterate, keep the Adamas, save up for the PM2 if that's what you want.
 
The funny thing is, although by rational analysis my PM2 is my most tactical knife, I only get positive reactions from non-knife enthusiasts.

The main difference to most of my other folders? It has "soft" brown handles.

If your main objective is a non-tactical, friendly appearance I recommend a sprint run with a satin blade and non-black/camo handle scales.
 
I understand what you are saying. As I explained before, I'm really not wanting to destroy the Adamas black coating which is dumb because it's an ultra hard use knife. I do see myself rebuying it in the future but because of the excellent knife exchange here, it doesn't really hurt to sell something that you plan on wanting again. So convenient and I can get a good price.

I may not have explained myself well but my largest/heaviest duty knife besides the Adamas is a Benchmade Torrent (Gentlemans folder). Right now I don't need an extreme use knife. I just want something thats very capable, that I like and don't feel as bad about destroying (unlike the purdy torrent or black bladed Adamas). For some reason, the PM2 seems to be something that I wouldn't mind marking up as much as the torrent and it may not seem as ridiculous for work as the Adamas. If it is, whatever, I rebuy the Adamas and I'm only out $20 or so. Lovin the exchange. Knife ADD encouragment.

I'm pretty much sold on getting rid of the Adamas now. I think it sold in the exchange in under five minutes. If my collection keeps getting out of control, I do however see myself purchasing the Adamas again. But I do like my setup of one medium/large size gentlemans knife and "beater" knife and one smaller gentlemans knife and beater knife.

In about a week my setup should be:

Small
Mini Grip and 943

Medium/Large
PM2 and Torrent.

Large to use...TBD
Probably Adamas and a fixed Busse/Scrapyard/Ontario/???/!!!!!!
 
Just my experience with the PM2 - ergos are great for me and the finger choil is great to choke up when you need fine work with tip. I have the camo/DLC combo - I have actually noticed I get less attention in public when using it than with my Persistence or Dragonfly. Only thing I can figure is the DLC and camo kind of blend and it sort of disappears into the hand and doesn't catch light like a silver blade. DLC coating still looks new with after carrying 1+yr and using 90% of the time for cutting tasks including cardboard breakdown and light vine trimming in the yard. The only negative I have about this knife is that when you lay a camo/DLC down on the ground when fishing at night, it grows legs and seems to walk off and can be difficult to find.

Just for reference I wear size L gloves, am 100% left-handed, and live in TX.
 
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