The Spyderco Para Military 2 is an almost perfect pocket knife in my humble opinion but I’ll try to be as objective as I can with this review as I know not everyone loves the folder as much as me. It’s as close to being universally loved among the cutlery community as almost any other folding knife and there’s plenty of good reasons for this.
At Spyderco they use the C.Q.I. principle which stands for Constant Quality Improvement and if I sat down at the table with their design team to discuss improvements on the current version of the Para Military 2 I wouldn’t say very much at all. My only suggestions would involve using different materials just because I like change, but they’ve already got that pretty well covered. There’s plenty of limited run PM2 variations out there using different steels and all sorts of handle variations.
The Paramilitary 2 comes in about 8 varieties as standard at the moment but there’s also a constant stream of dealer runs, sprint runs and other rarities using various steels and handle colors. There’s six current varieties using Crucible Particle Metallurgy’s CPM-S30V which come in black G-10 handle with satin plain edge, satin serrated (SpyderEdge), plain edge black blade, and a left handed version. The other two standard varieties using S30V have a camo (digital camouflage) handle with either a satin or black plain edge blade. Then there’s the more recent, more exotic PM2 flavors with a blue G-10 handle + CPM-S110V and the Maxamet version with a dark gray G-10 handle.
From the current standard varieties of the PM2 available I would have the blue handle (also called blurple by some: blue + purple) with the CPM-S110V or the Camo handle, satin S30V blade. The former because of the steel and the latter because I love how Spyderco do their digital camouflage on G-10 scales.
The Spyderco Paramilitary2 is a mid sized folding knife that’s in the Goldilocks zone for many people who carry knives for work or general everyday carry (if your local laws allow it.) It has a 3.4 inch blade and weighs in at about 3.9 oz or 111 grams. So it’s a full sized knife that doesn’t weigh your pants down and it’s capable of doing pretty much whatever you ask of it.
As far as the Spyderco range goes the Para Military 2 now fits in between the larger Military model and the smaller Para 3 model. The Military has a four inch blade, the Para Military 2 has a 3.4 inch blade and the newer Para3 has a 2.95 inch.
It’s comparable in size to a couple of other folding knives that I have been carrying a lot lately: the Zero Tolerance 0450CF and the Tops Knives MSF 4.0 or Mini Scandi Folder. Obviously they’re all very different knives for many reasons but they all fit well in the pocket and work well for EDC. Some prefer their everyday carry to be a little smaller and lighter but for me it’s perfect.
As a comparison, lets have a look at a much larger and smaller folding knife next to the Paramilitary 2.
So you can see that it fits somewhere in the middle, making it an ideal full sized everyday carry folder. The Squid from CRKT is quite a small knife, while the big boy on the table from Cold Steel is oversized. I’ve previously reviewed the Zero Tolerance 0393 Hinderer and the Cold Steel XL Voyager Clip point folding knives.
Blade Grind, Shape, and CPM-S30V Steel
Firstly the blade shape is immediately recognizable as a Spyderco with the drop point blade, sweeping belly and the Spydie hole for easy one handed opening.
Spyderco love their full flat grinds and they do them very well. The PM2 grind is done to perfection, making it a wicked slicer. Blade thickness is about 3.7mm and they always seem to come razor sharp out of the box. The folks at Golden, Colorado know how to sharpen a blade.
The black G-10 handle version also has a serrated or SpyderEdge option but I’ve never owned one. Spyderco does their serrated edges well though, so if you’re a fan of serrated knives then there is that option also. I’ll choose a plain edge 99 times out of a hundred as that’s what I like. All my serrated knives are used in the kitchen.
Crucible Industries’ CPM-S30V steel was developed in collaboration with knife maker Chris Reeve. It’s considered a good all round premium grade powder steel and is used by a lot of knife companies, including Chris Reeve knives obviously. Crucible made some slight improvements with their CPM-S35VN but S30V is still a great steel for folding knives.
It’ll keep an edge well, it’s rust resistant, and it’s easy to sharpen. I’ve been using my Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker sharpener quite a bit lately and it puts an edge on S30V with ease.
For steel snobs who think CPM-S30V is too oldschool there’s new versions of the Para Military 2 using CPM-S110V or the super hard Maxamet.
Knife signage is minimal with the front show side of the blade including the Spyderco logo and the brand written, along with the steel (CPM-S30V). The back of the knife blade shows where it is made: Golden, Colorardo, U.S.A. Earth. Glad they let us know that they’re earth made knives as I simply won’t buy knives made on Mars or Pluto. The funny looking E and S symbols are the makers mark of Eric Glesser and founder Sal Glesser. I’ve heard them referred to as alien looking symbols, but no, they’re earth symbols, it says so on the blade 😉
Knife Handle, Lock and Ergonomics
The 4.8 inch or 12.2cm handle fits the hand perfectly. I’ve given the PM2 to boys with small hands, men with medium sized hands, and those with gorilla hands. All of them have said favorable things about the ergonomics of the handle. My trusty assistant in the photograph below has large hands and it’s one his favorite EDC knives.
The textured G-10 has plenty of grip without being too aggressive. I have heard of people sanding the G-10 where the pocket clip touches it so that it’s easier to use but I don’t find it a problem. I usually have jeans or cargo pants on so I like the extra grab.
There’s less than an inch of the knife sticking out when you clip it to your pocket. Being such a popular pocket knife means there’s plenty of aftermarket accessories to customize your Para Military 2. So if you want your folder to disappear into your pocket you can buy a deep carry clip or if you want to go bling-bling you can get a fully machined titanium clip in all sorts of colors and designs. Same with the scales, back spacers and hardware of the PM2, there’s lots of aftermarket options to customize.
Speaking of clips, the Para Military 2 is left or right hand, tip up or tip down carry. I don’t usually like too many unnecessary holes messing up the handle scales but they look fine on the PM2. I only ever use right handed, tip up carry on knives but I know we’re not all the same. Remember there’s also a left handed black G-10 version of the folder for the lefties out there.
There’s also a full sized lanyard hole for those who like to use beads and lanyards. I say full sized because a lot of folders have tiny little holes that make you feel like you’re threading a needle just to get your paracord through.
Spyderco’s own compression lock is used on the Para Military 2. It’s a solid lock and it’s fun to play with! I know it’s a knife and not a toy, but the fidget factor is important to me and many other knife lovers. So you can release the blade or unlock the knife with one hand and keep your fingers away from the sharp bits. Easy one handed opening and closing, meaning fun to play with.
There’s jimping on the thumb ramp which isn’t too aggressive. It’s also on the 50/50 finger choil which allows you to choke up on the knife and achieve a more secure grip for doing finer knife tasks.
Opening Action
The Spyderco trademark round hole or Spydie hole allows for easy ambidextrous one handed opening. The hole is about 0.57 inches or 14mm. Phosphor bronze washers are used and the action is nice and smooth.
I’ve found that some PM2s come a little tighter than others but they wear in nicely after a couple of weeks use. Most of them come with the blade swinging freely so they’re maximum fun right out of the box.
Knife Technical Specs
Spyderco Para Military 2, Black G-10 / satin model: C81GP2
- CPM-S30V
- G-10 handle scales with stainless steel liners
- Phosphor bronze washers
- Manual opening with Spydie hole
- Spyderco Compression lock
- Left or right handed carry clip, tip up or tip down
- Blade length: 3.4 inches (8.7cm)
- Handle length: 4.8 inches (12.2 cm)
- Overall length: 8.2 inches (20.9 cm)
- Blade thickness: 3.7mm
- Weight: 3.9 oz. (111 grams)
- Made in the United States of America
The Verdict
No knife collector can call himself a real knife collector without having owned a Paramilitary 2 from Spyderco. You just have to own one, it’s that simple. You may decide that it’s not for you and you then move it on but you have to own one at some point.
And for those that are not so knife obsessive and just see knives as knives then the Paramilitary 2 is a great premium everyday carry option that uses quality materials, is well made, and it’ll handle most daily tasks with ease. It’s a pocket knife that will last for many years if you look after it.
Directness.com Rating 9/10 (Buy One!)
My rating is a very subjective score out of 10 for the type of knife it is. So I see the the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 with the CPM-S30V blade as a higher end production folder that’s full sized yet EDC friendly, uses premium materials, and is capable of hard work. It’s how I see it ranking in the style/category/use that it was made for. I want to rate a fish for how well it swims rather than how well it flies (a bird shouldn’t be rated for how well it swims).
Let me know in the comments what you think of the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 if you own one. Would you recommend it to a friend?
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