Why the obsession with the paramilitary 2??

cbxer55 said:
the blade-to-handle ration is horrible
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Horrible might be overstating it just a little. I'm looking at a Para 2, and when closed the tip of the blade comes within about 0.5" of the end of the scales. Mr. Sal might have been able to increase the blade length by 0.2" - 0.3", if that. Just my take.
 
I've held and used one. Nothing wrong with them.

I like them because it reminds me of an alligator or croc...

Overpriced though, probably because of popularity.
 
Its a very good compromise knife, for me its the over all perfect folder. Its light, strong. Love the comp-lock and the pivot. Its super smooth. There are other blades that I use more in my collection. But if I could only keep one it would be the PM2
 
I just got mine 2 days ago and love it I wish I didn't wait so long to get one. for a long time I was thinking the same as you gringo, I didn't get what the hype was all about but now its becoming more and more clear. ergonomics are unbelievable, great blade shape/size, and the tip is excellent for fine detail work. opens really fast with the middle finger flick, and is very smooth. the compression lock is very well done I wish more knives use it. in the future I wouldn't mind seeing an H1 salt sprint or permanent variation.
 
cbxer55 said:
I was not trying to push my opinion on others. Just telling it like it is. The Military and the Para Military are close cousines, far as I am concerned. Like some have said, the blade-to-handle ration is horrible on the pm. I know it is to have a comfortable handle, so it can be over-looked. But my preference is to have a large blade to go with the handle.

Peace.
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Yeah, I realize that. My post was not intended to be negative in any way. I really meant it when I said that is why they make different models for different people. Not just with knives, but with everything. Tastes are different and there isn't a thing wrong with that. So, if I came across as demeaning your thoughts about the military, that was certainly not my intent. I don't have a single issue with you liking the Military and me not. That is just kinda the way the world works..

BTW, I too like a large blade for some knives. I have the Manix2 XL and love it. The blade on the Manix2 XL is as long as the blade on the Military (or very, very close - 3.88" vs 4") but somewhat wider. The reason that I like the Manix and not the Military is the way the two respective knives fit my hand, I think. The Manix is a nice fit and is comfortable for me to use. The Military feels awkward to me. And that, clearly, is a function of my individual hands. Very subjective stuff here. :)

I'm hoping that the PM2, having a slightly smaller handle, might be a better fit. We'll see.

Anyhow, no offense intended in my prior post. :)

Edit:
Comparison photo of Manix2 XL to Military:

DSC_0054.jpg
 
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I have only owned one spyderco in the last 15 years. I have a pm 2 on the way. I much would have preferred the military. I only went for the pm2 because of the compression lock. If the military had a compression lock I would have got one a long time ago. I am addicted to the Axis lock.
 
I got a PM2 awhile back on another forum for $80 which was a good price. I like the knife but not my favorite (still looking). When the prices go back to normal I will add second one just to have as backup. Very new to this knife obsession/addiction, but in my short experience not every hyped or highly rated knife works for everyone. I bought a Skyline based on all the good reviews & I never took a liking to it, so sold it. The PM2 is definitely a keeper, I just think the hype has made it more than it is which is a very good knife.
 
cbxer55 said:
I was not trying to push my opinion on others. Just telling it like it is. The Military and the Para Military are close cousines, far as I am concerned. Like some have said, the blade-to-handle ration is horrible on the pm. I know it is to have a comfortable handle, so it can be over-looked. But my preference is to have a large blade to go with the handle.

Peace.
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Numerically, they're both pretty poor, but I think there's a lot more to a knife overall than the handle : blade ratio. The other side of that is the complaints you read from people who've come to various sorts of minor grief with blades that have a very nearly 1:1 ratio. :(

Daddyo16 said:
Never wanted one till I put one in my hand at Blade Show. I bought it on the spot.
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I was initially a huge doubter and only bought one because I couldn't miss the CF/S90V sprints. I got converted after I started using it. :thumbup:
 
SaintlyBrees said:
Yeah, I realize that. My post was not intended to be negative in any way. I really meant it when I said that is why they make different models for different people. Not just with knives, but with everything. Tastes are different and there isn't a thing wrong with that. So, if I came across as demeaning your thoughts about the military, that was certainly not my intent. I don't have a single issue with you liking the Military and me not. That is just kinda the way the world works..

BTW, I too like a large blade for some knives. I have the Manix2 XL and love it. The blade on the Manix2 XL is as long as the blade on the Military (or very, very close - 3.88" vs 4") but somewhat wider. The reason that I like the Manix and not the Military is the way the two respective knives fit my hand, I think. The Manix is a nice fit and is comfortable for me to use. The Military feels awkward to me. And that, clearly, is a function of my individual hands. Very subjective stuff here. :)

I'm hoping that the PM2, having a slightly smaller handle, might be a better fit. We'll see.

Anyhow, no offense intended in my prior post. :)

Edit:
Comparison photo of Manix2 XL to Military:
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I have very large hands, hence my liking for the larger handle. The Manix looks nice though, I'll give you that. At this time the only Spydies I own are three Miliary's, one from 1992. A left and right handed Millie are my usual EDC. Once-in-awhile I swap for some others. Just like carrying identical, but mirror image knives, since I am mostly ambidextrous. The ability to grab one or the other and have it be identical is nice. Not too many knives offer that kind of versatility. I like the good-old-fashioned Liner Locks of the Military over the more "fancy" Compression-Lock of the PM2.

But as you said, we all have different tastes, and more importantly, different sized hands. Got to go with what fits us best. I certainly like that picture on the last page of the orange-handled Para Military, quite a nice looking piece.
 
I can honestly say I considered the hype before I got one. Then after getting my first one, it was as if it was built for my hand.
Only this one and the Horseman have ever really felt like that. And I have a lot of folders.
Cheers
 
I wasn't sure what the hype was all about either, as the PM2 wasn't all that impressive just to look at. And then I bought one, and now it gets 95% of the carry time in my pocket. It just fits; it's light & thin enough in dress pants, and holds a razor edge very well, and can open/close quickly one-handed. And the large hole makes it easy to grab the blade to open quickly if need be. The blade shape and size work for most all of the tasks I normally do, and it sharpens up easily using a strop. The only EDC that rivals it for me is the Gayle Bradley. Sometimes I just carry both...
 
If you get a Para 2, you will know what the hype is about. I over paid for mine and I have zero regrets. I love the Para 2 so much! It's just such a joy to use. The cutting performance, the ergonomics, the fast deployment and the compression lock make this knife truly great.

As others have said, the handle is just amazing. It fits my hand like nothing else I have, and the thumb ramp feels great. Your grip just locks in and there are zero hot spots. I think it has to do with the well beveled handle edges, and the nested liners make it the perfect thickness. Just go hold one and grip it as firm as you can, you'll see how comfortable it is to use.
 
jeffe65 said:
The only EDC that rivals it for me is the Gayle Bradley. Sometimes I just carry both...
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I have one of each, and when I bought them (from different sources) they arrived on the same day. I still can't decide which I'm more impressed with, but I can tell you my CRK's have seen a lot less pocket time since their arrival.
 
I found one (at full MSRP) and fondled it. I'm left handed and found the lock awkward to operate. I've been looking for a sprint run Manix 2 since I'm more familiar with an Axis type lock.
 
I knew it was gonna be a smash hit the first time I saw it on one of Mr Blonde's Amsterdam Meet pictures and I got in line for one as quickly as I could. It's not that strange IMO. The Military is one of Spyderco's best knives ever. The G10 handle and the blade shape are minimized in weight and material and maximized in cutting performance and durability. People wanted a shorter model though, so they made the Para-Military and also added an even better lock to it. The Para1 is still considered one of their best knives by many, but there were some things about it that people remarked about which were made even better in the Para2.

The adjustments made are very good IMO, I love the big lanyard hole and the improved handle shape is just brilliant, perfect for my hand. The adjustment to the 50/50 choil is also very useful. I love the quad clip, since I'm left handed and prefer tip up and even though the full liners add a little bit of weight they fill a purpose also. The stream lined blade tang while closed is not that important IMO, but still a nice bonus.

In short, I think it's just a very well thought out, all round design that serves you well in most situations. If I had to choose one folder (maybe even one knife) to use for exactly everything, this would probably be the one. That's not a reality, but it still says something about the knife. It's very versatile.
 
It is a good knife, maybe a very good knife, but not worth the crazy prices that people are getting for them right now. The popularity of the PM2 was made when it was available for $100-110. Now that the same knife is hard to get and costs $150-170 we might be paying for the hype partly and for the knife itself partly. And the people buying the colored ones for $300+, I don't know if they are doing that for herd mentality or because they think they knife is very good. Or maybe they think it will go up in value and they can sell it for a profit.

I would not buy a plain PM2 right now for $150+ and I wouldn't buy one with different color G10 for $250+, but lots of people do. In my mind the Manix 2 is a similar knife for less money, and a few people have said that it fits them better than the PM2. The PM2 fits me pretty well but it isn't magic, and the handle could be a little bit shorter. The recently discontinued Superleaf was another alternative to the PM2 and I would have liked the opportunity to try one but they are very scarce right now.

I think the PM2 was made to come in right under the 3.5" blade restrictions that some people have to live with, such as the people in Colorado that actually make the knife. They made the handle longer for increased utility, not just to cover the blade. For someone like me a handle that barely covers the blade length would be marginally too small for serious use. I have a Tenacious that has a blade length similar to the PM2 but a handle that is barely long enough for the blade. Sometimes when I hold it I think the handle seems a bit short. I am interested in buying a Military to try out since my state allows blades longer than 3.5".

I think the PM2 hype will gradually come back down, maybe in a couple of years, but until then they will be hard to find and the prices will be higher. For the prices that you have to pay for a PM2 right now I can buy several different knife models that I think are better than the PM2 and I am doing so.
 
The crazy prices are just over-demand and under-supply. As these trickle out through dealers they're for sale at prices that make the knife a huge value. The resale prices, on the other hand, range from high to crazy. I doubt it will take a couple of years for Golden to catch up.

bdmicarta said:
It is a good knife, maybe a very good knife, but not worth the crazy prices that people are getting for them right now. The popularity of the PM2 was made when it was available for $100-110. Now that the same knife is hard to get and costs $150-170 we might be paying for the hype partly and for the knife itself partly. And the people buying the colored ones for $300+, I don't know if they are doing that for herd mentality or because they think they knife is very good. Or maybe they think it will go up in value and they can sell it for a profit.

I would not buy a plain PM2 right now for $150+ and I wouldn't buy one with different color G10 for $250+, but lots of people do. In my mind the Manix 2 is a similar knife for less money, and a few people have said that it fits them better than the PM2. The PM2 fits me pretty well but it isn't magic, and the handle could be a little bit shorter. The recently discontinued Superleaf was another alternative to the PM2 and I would have liked the opportunity to try one but they are very scarce right now.

I think the PM2 was made to come in right under the 3.5" blade restrictions that some people have to live with, such as the people in Colorado that actually make the knife. They made the handle longer for increased utility, not just to cover the blade. For someone like me a handle that barely covers the blade length would be marginally too small for serious use. I have a Tenacious that has a blade length similar to the PM2 but a handle that is barely long enough for the blade. Sometimes when I hold it I think the handle seems a bit short. I am interested in buying a Military to try out since my state allows blades longer than 3.5".

I think the PM2 hype will gradually come back down, maybe in a couple of years, but until then they will be hard to find and the prices will be higher. For the prices that you have to pay for a PM2 right now I can buy several different knife models that I think are better than the PM2 and I am doing so.
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I paid just under $120 for the digi camo satin blade version.
I wasn't aware people are jacking up the prices though. I can handle $120 if some are 150+!
 
southernknives said:
I paid just under $120 for the digi camo satin blade version.
I wasn't aware people are jacking up the prices though. I can handle $120 if some are 150+!
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Exactly. I paid $117 for mine and thought that was a great price. The only ones I've seen cheaper were about $110.
 
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