MONS Gear Box Product Review
At SHOT Show 2017, Spyderco unveiled several new blades to the public, making them again one very innovative company, especially considering how small this family owned business is. These are being brought to IWA 2017 in Nuremberg this week as well.
Hardly needing an introduction in the knife world (it’s the blades with the hole), one of the new products introduced was the PARA 3.
This knife is a perfectly scaled down version of the esteemed PARA MILITARY 2 (PM2), smaller, yes, but identical in every other way. Holding it after holding the PM2, it feels tiny, but to improve on the design, small (which is the keyword here) changes were made without compromising the mission of delivering a more compact version of the PM2.
Compared to the PM2, the PARA 3 features a less dramatic outline near the base of the handle which offers a more neutral grip to comfortably accommodate a bigger range of hand sizes and grip positions.
To the naked eye, the width of the handle is indistinguishable from the Para Military 2 which makes manipulating the compression lock less of a challenge. Spyderco also chose more pronounced contouring of the handle ledge for added comfort in hand.
At the SPYDERHOLE, from spine to edge the blade height is also unchanged from the PM2. As a result, the spine takes a much steeper angle toward the tip than its bigger brother. The result is a stronger and stouter blade that offers the same tip utility but is less prone to tip breakage.
Located in the spine of the handle, the knife’s patented Compression Lock’s high-strength mechanism locks the blade securely open during use, yet allows it to be closed easily and safely with only one hand. A four-position hourglass clip and an oversized lined lanyard hole complete the design, offering ambidextrous tip-up or tip-down carry and allowing the easy attachment of fobs and lanyards.
The PARA 3 is more proof that Spyderco’s Golden, CO/USA factory has raised the bar, giving us a knife that provides action and compression lock functions without any break-in required. The factory edge is sharp and the blade is perfectly centred.
According to the company, the name was picked to recognise its roots in the MILITARY line and at the same time distinguish it as an EDC (Every Day Carry – knife collector slang).
At an overall length of 184mm (closed 109cm; blade length 75mm), with a 3.8mm thick blade, and weighing just 96g, this knife truly has the potential to rival the PM2 in popularity!
