As I already said in other reviews, Spyderco has a lot of history of taking chances and pushing the envelope, from popularizing the pocket clip on knives, their one-handed opening hole, and their maximum of constant quality Improvement that lets them keep their models fresh.
Today we’re taking a look at the famous battle of para 3 vs para 2 or para 2 vs para 3, two famous knives in the knife community, and where going to answer the question of which one to pick between Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and Parmalitary 3, by reviewing both knives, resorting their similarities and differences, if you’re interested to know more let us dive in.
Spyderco PARAMILITARY 2 VS 3 – A Head-to-Head Comparison
SPECS | BENCHMADE 940-1 | BENCHMADE 940-2 |
|---|---|---|
Overall Length | 7.27” | 8 9/32” |
Blade Length | 3 “ | 3 7/16” |
Blade Steel | ||
Knife Weight | 3.4 Oz | 3.75 Oz |
Blade Style | Sheepfoot | Sheepfoot |
Price |
Spyderco Paramilitary 3 Review
The Para 3 or Spyderco paramilitary 3 is a very famous knife usually used as an EDC, it comes with a 3” of sharped sheep foot blade made from CPM S30V, it has great edge retention, great wear-resistance, and great corrosion resistance, comes with a good grip of a handle made from G10, of course it has the signature opening blade from Spyderco and a thumb spine for better choking, it also has the four-position pocket clip for all types of carrying, an oversize lanyard hole, and finally it has the Spyderco compression lock which allows for safe one-handed operation by keeping your fingers out of the closing path of the blade, it also allows to flick the blade open and close to fits your preference.
The Spyderco Para 3 is a spinoff from the ever-popular Paramilitary 3, it is a little bit smaller, and in my opinion is just about perfect, especially if your state law doesn’t allow more than a 3” blade, the para 3 comes in handy.
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review
“This review is already used in my other Spyderco Para 2 reviews if you did already read it you can skip this part”
This Model is an offshoot of Spyderco military folder, but this design has actually eclipsed that groundbreaking model in its popularity, it comes with a 3 7/16” sheep foot blade made from CPM S30V, that offers great edge retention great wear-resistance, and great wear resistance, it has a plenty of grip on its own, and the choil allows for choking up even closer, it features G10 handle
The Spyderco Para 2, is an American made knife, know for the Pressure Lock, this lock has a tab of metal that interlocks with the tang of the knife, but in terms of how you use it, you can think of it as a spine-mounted liner lock, this makes the one-handed opening and closing easier for right-handers (Left-handed version is available don’t you worry about it), and it even allows blade flicking for faster opening and closing.
What are the Similarities of Spyderco Manix 2 VS Paramilitary 2?
- Steel: they Both have the CPM S30V that offers great edge retention, great wear resistance, and toughness, and comes with high corrosion resistance.
- Design: They both offer the same design with the signature choil and thumb spine.
- Handle: Both knives come with G10 handles in different colors.
- Locking System: Both knives have a compression lock system.
PARAMILITARY 2 VS MANIX 2 – Some Key Differences
- Blade length: The Para 2 has a 3.45” blade length, on the other hand, the para 3 comes with a3” blade length.
Conclusion
Now if you didn’t notice, the Para 3 is just like the little brother of para 2, both knives come with the same steel, same design, same handle, and same locking mechanism, so if you want to choose one of them, the best thing you should go for, is the blade length, if you ‘re looking for small blade length, that is perfectly in terms with your local law, the Para 3 is your knife, if not I recommend you to take the Para 2, why? because it has more edge and honestly if you can afford both, just buy them they’re fine knives that you’ll be happy adding to your collection.
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