Spyderco Para Military 3 Lightweight 18

Serious contender for the best pocket knife ever, even at the current price. Yes there are stronger, bigger, arguably better steels, stronger locks, etc. but if looking for just a good little pocket knife, a high end easy to carry something sharp, then it’s hard to beat this. The clip makes her disappear in the pocket, cts produce great steels and bd1n is no exception, spyderco know how to get a good heat treat too. She’s light, comfy, easy to use, fantastic locking mechanism holds an edge long enough. Have several spydies and this is possibly my fave even over my pm2 cru-carta. It’s not a folding knife, a beef cake, or a fidgety wife annoyer!! It’s just plain ol good pocket knife.

My third one,I use it daily at work ... probably my favourite EDC

I have a good few knives but this is my first Spyderco. Thought I'd see what the fuss was all about. I'm really impressed with this knife. Spyderco have made a beautifully balanced piece. It is light without feeling cheap, The build quality is superb. I like the feel of the FRN scales, the compression lock mechanism is so intuitive and the blade movement is slowly loosening up after a week or so of constant fidgeting. Heinnie's service was first class. Great website and super fast delivery.

From the moment I unboxed this knife I knew instantly it was a winner. Brilliant bit of kit, if i had my way I would have more of them but just the one for now. Lock ups great, build quality awesome, super sharp. Feels great in hand not too big or small. Thank you HH

After having lost my previous Para3 while walking my dog across the fields, I decided to try the lightweight version. 100% right decision, it feels every bit a good as the "full fat" Para3, without the added weight and bulk. Fantastic service from HH, as usual, after an initial delivery screw-up by DPD.

I got the serrated version and it did a great job for me cutting away a whole load of ivy off a wooden fence. It was a tough job for the knife and for me too because the whole fence was clad in the stuff. Definitely a job for a serrated knife, too tough and awkward for a different tool like clippers or shears or a plain edge or a power tool so the knife was the thing to use and the serrated edge trashed through it all, cutting it away very well. The CTS BD1N steel blade did sustain a bit of damage with 2 or 3 broken points which I'm now repairing but considering it was a tough couple hours of hard use you might expect this and I wasn't upset about it. BUT I wouldn't buy another one. Why? A few reasons. First I don't think this steel is really any better than VG10 and a fully serrated Delica 4 would do the same job or maybe better for £25 or £30 quid cheaper. I'm still learning about this steel. It seems fairly soft-ish and is very easy to sharpen but at the same time can break like a hard super steel. Second the ergos on this knife are a bit weird for my medium large hand, it doesn't exactly feel right without using the finger choil whereas the Delica 4 which is roughly the same size feels great without a finger choil. 3rd reason I wouldn't buy another one is that now I have one I don't feel I need another. I'm glad I've got it but I don't exactly love it the same as my Delica 4s. IF I did buy another one it would be in a different steel and handle, not the lightweight version. It certainly is light, that's for sure and that is a real plus. The final reason I wouldn't buy another is that I actually bought this for work on the the back of the lorry cutting away shrink wrap when I deliver food to schools and hospitals but the problem is it doesn't look very dinner lady friendly. I've got no problem using a locking knife in public when I'm doing my job because everyone can see that it's for a real proper work purpose and that's obvious and no-one complains but it still has to look friendly-ish and not too big. The serrated Para 3 is just a tiny bit the wrong look which is a shame cos I could really do with it at work. I recommend this knife not on it's own merits exactly because the Delica 4 is a highly refined classic and just works. So my advice is buy it just if you fancy it, you will like it but there's plenty more to spend a hundred quid on!

A great knife, lightweight overall, although about the same as a Delica 4 in weight but chunkier in the hand and with more weight towards the (quite thick) blade stock and compression lock, meaning the balance in the hand is towards the cutting edge and right in front of your thumb and forefinger; with the Delica 4, the weight is more evenly distributed through the steel liners and the centre of balance feels like it is “behind” your fingers and in your palm more but this knife eschews steel liners for FRN scales that are rigid but not inflexible. I do like the blade material and along with the VG10 in the Delica, I find that the CTS-BD1N steel (and the N is important!) is quick to sharpen and hone and takes a nice edge. The scales fill the hand nicely and the choil is well positioned if you want to hold up on the knife without your index finger coming off the ricasso, which you can’t do safely with the Delica 4. The “spidey hole” and back of the blade are subtly rounded to aid ergonomics, which is a nice touch. Good grip pattern which stops the knife slipping in the hand, with ergonomic contouring on the scales; however, the inner edges are noticeably quite sharp to the touch, not enough to cut you by any means but certainly having a detectable edge, which could benefit from sanding down if you felt confident in doing that (I don’t). The compression lock is very solid and easy to disassemble and reassemble, but the lever can feel a little “scrapy” at times, which might simply be due to the knife being new (and not worn in yet) or it could be my inexperience with using and depressing a compression lock mechanism, as I’m more used to slip joints and back locks (think UKPK, Delica 4 and RAT 2). Against those knives I’ve just mentioned, I think this knife is more durable, in spite of its lighter construction, and just as easy to carry about your person. I have occasion to carry it with me for work now and then, but I won’t be toting it around the streets for no reason (that’s what my UKPK is for); however, it may be good enough that my Delica 4 and RAT 2 become presents to friends of mine – well maybe just the RAT 2, because I still like the Delica for neat work – this knife is just very good at cutting through what you put in front of it and breaks down cardboard, cuts rope/paracord and cable ties with ease and feels good in the hand and pocket while you do it. Excellent knife.

If you're into the knife scene then most likely you already know this knife. However if you're not it's rather popular. it's known for being the quality you would expect from some of the higher end spiders without some of the additional cost. Admittedly it does not have the same quality of materials is the standard para 3; it feels great, nice and sturdy while being lightweight. Compression lock is lovely too, paired with spydey whole I can sit flicking the blade around all evening. The only downside to this knife that I can think of is that as a UK resident, you can't (shouldn't) carry this without good reason. Subsequently this gets a lot of use round the house/garden but looking forward to bringing it camping once this covid business is over.

I own several Spydies and Benchmades. This one (plain edge) gets all the pocket time. I'm a big fan of the CTS BD1N steel which has a nice anti-reflective satin, holds an edge well and is really easy to sharpen. Don't confuse it with BD1..the N makes a big difference and they should've given it a different name. I own a PM2 and considered a Para 3..I really don't regard the LW version a 'downgrade'. In day-to-day use, I really don't see a huge difference to S30V. Many reviews state that this is the knife the Para 3 should have been; I agree. I'm awaiting the SPY27 version which will be in my pocket like a shot.