Wartstein wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 3:13 am
spydergoat wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 2:45 am
Of course you're really best off handling them both in a store. You will really know which one you like once you see them IRL side by side. But as far as your topic here my vote is PM2 for you. The extra cutting edge length of the pm2 is a functional updgrade, knife will cut better for longer in between sharpenings, and it can cut larger items. I don't think the pm2 handle is too big and you may actually find it more comfortable than the para 3 because you can choose to use the choil or get a full grip behind the choil which may nto be possible on a para3. The only drawback is a slightly larger carry footprint, which you said doesn't matter to you. I also find the para 3 looks a little funny as it's a bit of a thicker blade for the short length that it is. I like the knife but I think it's less universally appealing than the pm2.
Good points!
But though it actually is one of my "gripes" with the Para 3 that its generally pretty big and bulky handle still does not offer enough space for a good four finger grip behind the choil: I think with hands as small as the op´s this should still be possible.
Still I would definitely recommend the PM2 - also for the thick blade stock that you mentioned: It suits the PM2 better and gets more relativised on its longer and thus more tapered blade.
I think you’re right. I haven’t accurately measured my hand, but just by eyeballing it, I assume the OP has an even narrower grip than myself. And the Para 3 fits my hand just fine in a behind the choil grip. In fact it is one of the best fitting and most comfortable grips on any knife I own.
Normally that would make the P3 my obvious recommendation for the OP, but the P3 isn’t your normal interpretation of a smaller version of a larger knife. It’s the weird one out, where the main difference is just less cutting edge and less grip length. I sold my PM2 before I got my P3, but as far as I remember the grip on it was quite neutral and works well with my smaller hand. As Wartstein already mentioned, the grip should fit you just as well, but with a bit of excess handle sticking out instead of a more locked in grip on a P3. With the less than optimal clip position, the smaller P3 isn’t even a more convenient carry.
Basically, if one fits you ergonomically, the other will too. So for a person with small hands/narrow grip choosing between these two models comes down to what you expect to use your knife for and the edge length you prefer.
With that said, I personally have a love-hate relationship with the P3. And while we seem to finally have worked out our relationship, I believe the PM2 is a safer choice in the way that you get what you expect; a slightly larger knife that handles, cuts and carries well for its size. With the P3 it’s more complicated. It seems to be wildly popular, so a lot of people don’t seem to be bothered by these “issues”, but it’s something you should know about in order to have your expectations match what you get if you go with the P3.
You’ll hear a lot of people tell you that a large knife can do anything a small knife can, but not the other way around. And that a longer handle just give you grip options with no obvious downside. Well, I don’t agree.
One benefit of having smaller hands is that I can get into confined spaces and do very precise work, but to benefit from this I need small, agile tools that can be maneuvered in tight spaces. The P3 is probably not the best example for this type of use, but just thought I should mention it.
from two days ago: unsheathing electrical cables inside a junction box in the crawling space under my terrace, under finger numbing conditions (-14C/6F). Sometimes less is more
