Looking for a small lightweight folder for offside carry. I like Griptillian's but want something a bit thinner and lighter than a mini. Obviously the lock and opening method are the two big differences. Anyone have experience with one or both? Thoughts?
I've not owned the Para, although almost everyone who owns one seems to like it.
The Bugout is a game-changer, IMO. If you're someone who thinks you always need to have a knife on you, from suit to running shorts, it's just the easy button in terms of lightweight, easy to carry, cuts like a demon. I also am a big fan of the Axis lock.
"It was the fuck aroundest of times, it was the find outest of times."- 45dotACP
I don't own either, but here's my take:
Para3: Good knife, but too much handle for the blade size. Sticks out of pocket more than it needs to unless you have an aftermarket clip. I prefer the Para2.
Mini Bugout: I like what I see. It looks even better than the already excellent Griptilian. The handle is nice and symmetrical, so it should work well edge-in, tip up or down. Personally I don't love drop point blades, so the mini-Osborne is what I'd buy if I wanted a small Benchmade folder. That knife even comes in thin-blue-line colors.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
I am almost exclusively Spyderco for factory knives. Add ESEE for fixed blade and SAK for folding and a very few other customs (Ban Tang, etc). This does not count multi-tools from Leatherman and Gerber. I tried Griptilians, but the stud vs Spyder hole wasn't as good for me and I can foresee it snagging in tip up configuration and resulting in injuries following posts this forum by folks smarter than me. Maybe unwarranted, but I would only get the benchmade with thumb hole instead of thumb stud. YMMV.Originally Posted by Clusterfrack
Absolutely correct IMHO.
Not the lightweight models with FRN handles and wire clips.
Para 3 or Para 3 LW?
The Para 3 LW is closer to a Spyderco competitor for Benchmades regular Bugout than the Mini Bugout.
The Para 3 (normal) is a pretty good knife. Sentimental love for me as my first Spyderco was a G10 Para3. The Para 3 LW is actually better as it’s lighter, comes with a deep carry clip, and fixes the clip/lanyard hole issue that causes the Para 3 G10 to stick out of the pocket so much. Still though, my first Para 3 is the single smoothest opening knife I’ve ever owned.
I’ve got a regular Bugout and the new Taggedout. I like them both. I think they both were a bit overpriced for what I got. I tried doing some more extensive cutting with the Bugout once and went back in the house for a Manix 2 very quickly. Bugout is really better for if you need to get out a knife, make a cut or two, and then put it away for a while than doing sustained cutting. Taggedout has better handle ergos, but I really haven’t used it enough to give a definite verdict on much of anything. Preliminarily, I think it’s better than the Bugout, but that’s entirely based on the improved handle.
The mini Bugout is a shrunken Bugout. I handled one one time. Definitely not something I’d want to do any sustained cutting with, but for 90% of what we use knives for it should be perfectly fine.
A sleeper is the newer Spyderco Salt 2 model in LC200N (green handles). Light as a Bugout, noticeably more affordable. Delica ergos (I love the Delica/Endura line). I’ve got two of the Salt 2 models, a Wharncliffe with serrated edge and a plain edge normal blade shape. Extremely happy with both.
So I love the Para 3 LW, love the Salt 2, like the Bugout and the jury is still out on the Taggedout. If you do buy Benchmade, try GPKnives. I’m not affiliated in any way, but they do tend to have better pricing on Benchmade than anyone else.
I have a mini-grip, a para 3 G10, and a delica. All are good knives, but realistically, the delica is sufficient for my everyday tasks. If I had heavier cutting tasks to perform, I'd pick the para 3 because handle ergos are marginally better for me than the mini-grip. Mini-grip seems like the toughest knife though.
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FWIW, the Spyderco pro deal is substantially better than the Benchmade one, IME.
Is this where we just encourage you to buy both?
Two vastly different folding knives
The standard bug out as a very thin to me hot spotty And overly flexible handle
The para three has too small of a handle to not use the choil and a very high hump (I think the sage is much more ergonomic if you like choil‘s on a knife this size) I personally dislike Choil’s
If you carry loose in the pocket or IWB Neither has a very good stay closed bias.
(Important to me because I carry that way frequently)
Of the two I would choose the para (have a light weight one personally)
I much prefer a Delica
I own several Benchmades and about 30 Spydercos
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