Why does everyone like the Military so much?

mr44

mr44

Joined
Dec 16, 1999
Messages
383
I just fondled one of these for the first time and bought an Endura instead. Price was not the deciding factor. I think it was the handle. It is WAYYYY too long. I got the knife in my hand, and the butt end of the handle stuck out something like 1.5" or more. But the blade is shorter than the Endura, the handle of which fits my hand nicely (but somehow not quite as nicely as my almost ten year old first gen. Endura...)

Now, I'm sure that the flat-ground 440V blade cuts like a lightsaber and all, but my Starmate offers 440V steel, far superior ergonomics all around, a thicker locking liner, and IMO a much nicer an dmore useful blade shape (except that it is not flat ground...) Also, the Military felt just as flimsy as the Endura (not that the Endura is weak by a long shot, it's just that at the price of the Military I expect metal liners is all.) I have come to the conclusion that I would take a G-10 Police over a Military any day.

PM
 
There are several reasons why the Military is popular. First, it is very light and made of sturdy materials. Although it has no steel liners, the G-10 scales are plenty strong and the nested steel liner is very reliable. The handle you mentioned actually has some advantages: it provides a big area for various hand grips and the blade itself has a choil that allows for choking up; although the handle is long, it is very thin and the Military carries extremely well for such a large knife. You mentioned yourself that the Military has a flat ground blade. That maker the knife wonderful for slicing, especially the plain version. Finally, the Military has a really big thumb hole which allows it to opened very quickly, that combined with the liner lock makes the Military much easier to deploy than the Endura or most other lockbcaks except for the Chinook or maybe the stainless Police, the weight of these two models aids in their opening. I hope my explanations for the Military's popularity make sense.
 
mr44, you might want to qualify some of those statements. The handle might be WAYYYY too long for you, but it's just about right for me. I don't like the ergonomics of the Starmate any better than those of the Military, and regarding the issue of metal liners, that's been done to death. I'm not trying to jump on you, but it seems like you're stating opinions as fact, and that always rankles me. Plus I really like the Military, so I feel some need to jump to its defense.
 
I agree with Burke.The handle of the Military is perfect for me.As far as the Starmate having better ergonomics than the Military,I totally disagree.Of course this is a subjective matter and we can only offer our personal tastes.I have owned or handled virtually every production "tactical" type knife and IMO the Military is the best.For me that is.
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Later,

Bobby
 
I got a lesson from Sal re: liners at the NYC show. With the commonly seen liners
(that is, two steel or titanium) they are held in place by pins. When the blade is stressed in the direction of closing the force is ultimately placed on those pins. That is where failure will occur. So an ELU unfamiliar with the physics will look at two thick liners and think "strong" when the parts that really matter are those little pins. The Military has its liner recessed into the G-10 scale. This directs force into the G-10. For the lock to fail under closing stress, the liner would have to actually blow out the side of the handle. Much stronger! It's just a matter of understanding the engineering, not being fooled by the weight=strength first impression. Think of it this way: a Ford Explorer weighs a lot more than a Formula One race car but if you had to hit a wall at 100mph which would you rather be sitting in?
 
mr 44

I don't have alot to add to most of the replies to your question. Mr. Cheeseboro's synopsis covered most of the bases. Burke and RJT pointed out the subjectivity of ergonomics, tortoise explains why the single nested liner is NOT less strong than dual liners. One man's choice is anathema to another. I waited for months to get my Starmate....an absolutely beautiful knife. I kept it less than a month. It did not fit my body...that is to say it was a bad ergonomic "fit." I would like to say that I believe G10 far outclasses FRN as a handle material. Also,I think the adjustable pivot system on the Military is a great feature that should afford a longer locking system life. I resisted buying the Military for months because of aesthetics. I thought it was ugly. I finally bought one because of all the Military fans here on the forums. It's been in use almost daily for the past year.



[This message has been edited by ptn (edited 11-20-2000).]
 
Mr. 44, it's a combo of factors. Nothing against the Endura, (I've owned 3). The handle is a bit long but that's to facillitate big hands or gloves.

The Starmate has a thicker blade but not superior ergos except for thrusting IMO. The G-10 handle of the Starmate doesn't have much better ergos in terms of cutting and the liner seems the same thickness. Though the Military did seem a tad flimsier. The Military opened smoother than my Starmate and has a broader blade. I also like the filework but I'd carry the Starmate for everyday chores.

I had the G-10 Police and steel aside, it's tip and blade are too thin. Again though, I would reserve this model, the Endura, and the Starmate for daily carry and the Military for heavy cutting days.

 
Got belly, good blade geometry, easy to handle, robust, felt just right cos I have large hands and priced very moderately for a fine cutting tool. Perhaps it'll be beefier with titanium liners and SS bolsters
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but I guess Sal would prefer it as it is to make this spydie accessible to everyone!! Hey, wait till you guys see the limited-run millie with a pearl spyder logo inlay!!
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This is a tribute from Spyderco to most of us Spydernuts!!!
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Sam

------------------
have spydies
will travel...
AKTI Member #A001148
 
Some good points covered here. The Miltary is the design of Sal Glessers. It is based on the needs for military use in the event a secondary cutting tool is needed. Most MOS carry a fix blade as a primary.

*Light weight is a boon since other gear is toted along.

*G10 has a warm feel in extreme cold climate. Steel scales may in fact bond to skin in such temps. It is also structurally more stable than steel which can literally crack at sub zero temps.

*Flat profile allows for better leverage and "feel' in similar cold circumstances.

*Large diameter thumb hole is a plus when gloves are worn or when the loss of hand sensation is experienced.

*Ats 34 or 440V is as good as any quality steel out there in terms of corrosion resistance and edge holding ability. (debatable)

Yes it is a fairly large folder compared to most others in their line. But I have since rediscovered it and find it to be a "regular" in my all purpose utility category.

L8r,
Nakano



[This message has been edited by Nakano 2 (edited 11-22-2000).]
 
Nakano, I hadn't realized how much the flatness of this knife adds to the overall ergonomics of the piece until you mentioned it. I find that it does make opening, indexing, and grip-shifts much easier.
 
1. It is light.
2. The bladeshape is cool and useful.
3. The steel is very good.
4. The knife is screwed and bolted like a battleship.
5. The lockup is first rate for a linerlock.
6. The knife is VERY tactical.
7.One handed opening fast is easy.
8. Sal designed it!!! (well he did!)
9. Show me a terrible Spyderco knife!
10. You get a lot of knife for little cash, well comparitivly speaking...
11. Spyderco knows how to make CPM 440V work, others do not.
12. It is the flagship model.
13. I like how it looks and feels.
14. It makes me happy.
15. I would trust it with my life in a bad situation.
16. You want more? Buy one now!
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------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
 
I thought the Military was too large for me when I first got them in stock. I took the plunge, put one in my pocket and was converted.It is now my daily right hand carry.My best suggestion is buy it, you'll then find ouy why everyone loves it sooooo much.

------------------
Ricki
info@outdooredge.com.au
outdooredge.com.au
 
I'll throw my hat on the Pro-Military pile,
Carry one every day in uniform in my thigh pocket. Light, strong, sharp, opens fast.
The heat treat on the 440V is ideal, it is soft enough to be rather resistant to impact and compression stresses, easily sharpened, yet due to the super hard vandium carbides supported in the steel matrix displays excellent abbrassion resistance (edge holding). The flat grind and large belly provide an excellent cutting geometery and the G-10 provides a secure, yet not too abrasive grip. Very corrosion resistant.
What more could you ask for?
Take care,
Chad

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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell
"Those who hold the thin blue line keep order, and insure that anarchy and chaos will not prevail." Chad (1992)
"He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. He who dies by the sword did not train hard enough" -Chad (1999)
chad234@email.com
 
10- 4 Burke. A flatter profle handle is much easier to index under less than ideal conditions. As an example, if you try to pick up a round handled knife in the dark or under obscurred vision, especially with gloves on, will you know where the edge and blade tip is oriented? One needs to "feel" for it. On the other hand if you picked up the Military with its dropped handle design, you' ll know quite quickly how to shift the folder in your hand to get the proper/ correct grip.

So then, is the Military a tactical folder?!?!

L8r,
Nakano

Oh yeah, corrected my spelling in first reply from BOOB to BOON!
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[This message has been edited by Nakano 2 (edited 11-22-2000).]
 
Thanks for clarifying that boob/boon thing Nakano, I just figgered it was some sort of soldierin' term I didn't know, something along the lines of "REMF", or "clufu" (maybe "best of on board")?
Is the Military tactical? Well, I think a phrase like "very tactical" is just plain silly, no matter how many qualifications the utterer has. Is the Military a "sport/utility" knife, as James K. Mattis of blessed memory would refer to it? I think so. It certainly is a rugged knife, manufactured to work efficiently under difficult conditions.
 
I have to echo all of the pro Military comments stated thus far.
This is by far my most carried, most used, most trusted and most relied on folder.
I have carried others and still own a few high quality folders(not to say the Military is not a high quality folder because it is), but I find myself reaching for the Military everytime.
I have yet to find one thing to complain about with this knife.
I recently disassembled, cleaned and relubricated mine and it feels and performs better then new(it is over 2 years old now and well used).
Lastly I have only had to sharpen it twice since I got it. Now how is that for an awesome performer?
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To use a Harley Davidson phrase: " If I have to explain, then you wouldn't understand."
Everyone pretty much covered it, between the flat ground blade, smooth opening action and light weight, it is hard to go wrong.
 
The Military is the most endearing spydie in my keep....

Sam

------------------
have spydies
will travel...
AKTI Member #A001148
 
........and another thing I like about the Military is how I can use it like a much smaller knife by choking up on the handle and even gripping part of blade (using the hole and choil)....something I can't do easily with other 4" folders. Anyone else appreciate this?
 
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