Spyderco Para Military 2 S35VN Knife (Black Blade) Discussions | Drop

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Spyderco Para Military 2 S35VN Knife (Black Blade)

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Spyderco Para Military 2 S35VN Knife (Black Blade)

reswright

3850

Jun 18, 2019

The S35VN PMs cost more than they should - the price is high because they're harder to find than regular S30V. S35VN is a little easier to sharpen than S30V but I think S30V holds a better edge a little longer. I think the fact that you see a lot of newer knife companies working with S35VN is more of an indication that it's easier to grind than it is an indication that it's really a better steel for the consumer. S35VN has niobium in it which is much easier to source in China than here so in many ways making S35VN is probably cheaper for the Chinese than old fashioned S30V. Really I don't think the difference amounts to much in the long run either way to be honest but I think S30V is indeed better if you know how to sharpen a knife well. And when you look and see that S35VN PM2s are costing at least 30 bucks more than the originals, I frankly think that's a no brainer -- leave the S35VN and its $30 premium to the collectors, just pick up a regular S30V PM2. The chances are decent you'll end up liking it a teensy bit more if you work with it long enough to get a true, honest opinion on it -- but even if you don't, I doubt you'll end up finding the difference was worth the extra dough. I think that frankly Spyderco understands this and they're just giving the collectors something they'll collect. Look what color they made the handle, ffs.

Triaed

Jun 18, 2019

reswrightWhat are your thoughts on S110V? Spyderco makes the Para 2 in this steel, but they consider it premium (exotic?)

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LazarusLong

210

Jun 18, 2019

TriaedI apologize as this question was directed to someone else. But typically the exotic steels are vastly superior in a few characteristics but you have to adapt to another. This typically ends up being a collector’s item, bragging rights, or a specialized need. S110 can go loooong ways before needing to be sharpened. One of the closest thing to an Excalibur or Adamantium. But once dull you’ll need to develop and invest in your sharpening skills and kit. Can be a pain depending on you. You can avoid this a bit by frequent stropping. A bit chippier than S30v so it needs to be used as a knife, not a can opener. So if your job is cutting cardboard all day long and you can’t be bothered to sharpen it after 100 cuts or so it’s a sweet knife. I have one and I love it. But I only got it as I got a good price. If you want a field serviceable knife you may need to downgrade your steel, S30v or S35vn will work. Or a budget steel. Just something that straddles the midpoint for corrosion resistance, edge retention, hardness / toughness. We live an an embarrassment of steel richness so what you buy is for your lifestyle only👍

reswright

3850

Jun 18, 2019

TriaedIt's my favorite steel and it's what I have in my PM2. but it's not for everyone and it's not for every use. i like it because it just happens to closely fit what i need out of my knives. Spyderco is actually one of the only production knife makers that makes knives in S110V which reflects just how difficult it can be to mill correctly, as well as the breadth of demand for it, which is not much. I don't recommend it for a lot of folks just because it doesn't fit their usage patterns, regardless of their technique. It's incredibly hard to machine. . And it is indeed a cast iron bitch to sharpen -- I think people hear that and go 'oh, it just takes a while to sharpen, no big deal' but what it means is that some folks can waste a couple hours trying to sharpen it and due to their imperfect technique, the blade is now no sharper than it was when they started. So you end up with a blade that isn't nearly as sharp as it should be, which is how you end up cutting yourself, one way or another. if you tend to be precise with a blade and you don't use your pocket knife like a prybar and so on, it's one of the sharpest edges you'll ever see, it keeps that edge, it doesn't stain and it doesn't scratch. The edge doesn't roll over on you with use. But if you use your pocket knife to cut heavy thick material or things that might have something harder in the middle, S110V's edge will chip up in no time flat. That's because S110V is an extremely hard steel with very little flex to it -- and forces that would simply momentarily bend something like a Sandvik blade or another budget steel can chip or crack S110V straightaway, even though the S110V is a lot harder of a steel than the Sandvik is. So it's a little harder to keep a S110V blade in one piece, overall. That's the tradeoff, and the way it works is if you're rough on steel or absolute rubbish at sharpening it, you're better passing on S110V - just get the S30V version, it's gonna get you where you need to be, and get you home again. It isn't as expensive but it's still one of the top 10 production knife steels in the world, it's a lot more well rounded, and it's way more forgiving than S110V. But if you cut a metric assload of boxes up and you don’t tend to damage the edge of your regular knives much, you need to go top shelf custom to find a better steel than S110V.

(Edited)

Triaed

Jun 19, 2019

reswrightThank you and @LazarusLong for your detailed and on-target comments. I might have been able to figure out myself, but not as succinctly with the very relevant comments you provided. BHQ has the blurple in S110V for a similar price than the S35V. I do not have big or frequent cutting jobs, so I am likely in it for the "bragging rights" :-) The sharpening part, I am willing to put in the effort and improve my technique. I might end up not becoming better than I am, but I am sure I'll find the process enjoyable... perhaps, my other blades will benefit from the experience! Thanks, guys!

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reswright

3850

Jun 19, 2019

TriaedBragging rights? Lol, just say so next time. I don't judge. The value of the knife is what the man becomes in the process of mastering it. But there's also something to be said for the chance to claim bragging rights among friends. It's tribal but that's just another way of saying it's what meets our basic needs in a way that is so easy to get that a caveman could do it. We're all pretty tribal at our core, when you get right down to it. And this'll likely get you a nice ace to drop on the river of brag. the thing is, anyone can buy the blurple S110V. I did. I love mine. The gray Maxamet is more prestigious right now just because it's so hard to get, and because Maxamet can achieve Rockwell hardness around 72, which is nuts. But I can't recommend buying it now just because you're seriously either camping on a deal to buy one at $210 or you're paying someone else's markup to get it now at whatever they wanna charge you. What I'm saying is it's gonna be too easy for one of your friends to bust out one of those, and then you gotta argue about which is better. If you want bragging rights, and you're not afraid of a little light disassembly of your knife, then whatever steel you end up choosing, you want to try this: http://wisemencompany.com/signet-rings/ And this: http://wisemencompany.com/fang/ There's Youtube tutorials on how to do the signet, it's very simple. Takes less than 10 minutes. Putting on the Fang takes like 30 seconds. You get this.

What that means: you can clip this into your pants pocket, closed (obviously). The ring extends from the pocket. Everyone sees it. And if you know what you're doing, you can draw this knife with one finger through the loop, twisting as you pull, and the Fang catches on the lip of your pocket. You keep pulling in the same motion and that force flicks the blade open, like you were flicking a thumb stud, but it happens just as your knife clears the pocket. And if you really know what you're about you can finish by flipping the knife around your finger into a reverse grip, like a karambit. One motion. That gets you something rather more than bragging rights.

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reswright

3850

Jun 19, 2019

reswright This capability, for example. https://youtu.be/7VZN9KM76t4

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Triaed

Jun 22, 2019

reswright

I took the plunge and went with the S110V. I am happy so far with it, it feels very well made! To clarify on bragging rights, I don't mean it as in comparing my knife to someone else's; although I recognise the tribalism you just described! I meant it more as being able to get in my collection something of sturdier quality and more exotic... more for my own satisfaction. I have a 3V knife somewhere which I don't use, but this S110V I likely will. That signet ring and fang are so cool! I'm gonna have to try them out. With some proficiency, they will surely give you some true bragging rights! Thanks for all your help and guidance

(Edited)

LazarusLong

210

Jun 22, 2019

TriaedNice! Love the ergos myself. Fun flipping it too. So funny story, I have a nice collection of medium price and custom knives. But nowadays just carry a cadet and Leatherman minitool or skeletool. I’ll carry my PM2 or some other folder if I know what my day would be like. But it’s seldom. I think my edc has simplified over the years as my lifestyle has changed, plus I’ve made sure I have MTs and knives stashed in convenient places and emergency kits where it is readily available. So what I keep in my pockets is enough to get through my day (sometimes have to be creative which is fun) or until I get to a place where my big tools are at. Helps a bit not to look too threatening in today’s climate. A good segue, not sure where you live but modding your knife to make it karambit style with a wave opener makes it highly visible to the public and police and in court of law a bit hard to defend as the design intent is the opposite of a work knife. Not to take away your fun, I apologize if so, but just something to think about before you plop some money on this or get caught. Does look cool.

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reswright

3850

Jun 22, 2019

LazarusLongspeaking of segues! Funny thing about knife people. If you ask 100 of us what our favorite knife or knife steel or knife style is, you'll hear well over fifty different answers and a whole lot of mutually exclusive opinions. And we'll all be able to explain what and why and who is wrong and who is right, and if you line us all up at the table and tell us to lay our knives on the table, there's gonna be dozens of styles, all manner of steels and grinds and lock and blade shape and handle material and clip. They'll be as different as the opinions were and we'll probably be all engaging in some level of debate as to who knows dick from dunk about knives. And yet, somehow each one of those knives sitting on the table, I guarantee you, is gonna be an awesome knife.