Military Review video I made

[vivi]

Couple years ago I used to EDC a CPMD2 Military every day. I put a pretty thin edge on it.



Here's a review I shot years ago. Spent about 5 minutes talking about things I like and dislike about the design, then the rest of the video is mostly cutting different things. There's some edge geometry ranting later on once I had a few beers :D

https://videos2.sendvid.com/d9/4d/112jee6j.mp4 (Profanity warning FYI)

edit: re-uploaded

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Et9a5tKC60s

FYI this was a completely freehand edge that I'd estimate was around 8 degrees per side with a mild convex to the back bevel, with a ~15 dps micro bevel. This knife is no longer with me (stolen :/ ) or I'd get more precise measurements for those inquiring.

[Surfingringo]

Hah! One of my all time favorite reviews. Some of that commentary had me rolling. Great endorsement for thin edges.

And such a pretty bevel!! You should open up a business polishing bevels for people’s safe queens! :eek: :p

[PanChango]

Nice. I was hoping you were making a sandwich.

[Brock O Lee]

Good video. It hit the bullseye !

[Doc Dan]

Great video. The Military is probably the best all around large folder design out there. I really like D2 and would love to have one in XHP as a result of my experience with D2 and XHP. I also really hope for a K390 Military, even more.

I wonder when we will see the Comp Lock version? And, will we ever see a Stop Lock version of the Millie?

[vivi]

Hah! One of my all time favorite reviews. Some of that commentary had me rolling. Great endorsement for thin edges.

And such a pretty bevel!! You should open up a business polishing bevels for people’s safe queens! :eek: :p

Yeah one of my motivations for making this video was to show people that my thin edges hold up to more abusive cutting than they use their EDC for. A lot of people think edges like this are too weak for practical use but in reality they're more practical for the things most pocket knives are used for.

Haha....my bevels are the prettiest

[vivi]

Great video. The Military is probably the best all around large folder design out there. I really like D2 and would love to have one in XHP as a result of my experience with D2 and XHP. I also really hope for a K390 Military, even more.

I wonder when we will see the Comp Lock version? And, will we ever see a Stop Lock version of the Millie?

I'm very curious about when we'll see the Military 2. It's been discussed since I discovered Spyderco :eek:

I'm normally into super corrosion resistant steels, but I appreciate any steel that sharpens easily and takes an incredibly fine edge, while maintaining good edge retention. I've heard nothing but good things about CTSXHP...I'll have to try it out someday.

[Doc Dan]

Great video. The Military is probably the best all around large folder design out there. I really like D2 and would love to have one in XHP as a result of my experience with D2 and XHP. I also really hope for a K390 Military, even more.

I wonder when we will see the Comp Lock version? And, will we ever see a Stop Lock version of the Millie?

I'm very curious about when we'll see the Military 2. It's been discussed since I discovered Spyderco :eek:

I'm normally into super corrosion resistant steels, but I appreciate any steel that sharpens easily and takes an incredibly fine edge, while maintaining good edge retention. I've heard nothing but good things about CTSXHP...I'll have to try it out someday.

I like XHP for all the reasons you like D2 (I also like D2 and have some customs in this steel I have used a lot). However, it adds corrosion resistance. I really see no downside to this steel.

For a non-stainless, my current favorite is K390. It is not too hard to sharpen, but I have never let my blade get extremely dull. It seems to take edge abuse with a shrug and a smile. Plus, it is a lot like D2 in the corrosion department, so far, not quite, but not bad. Mine, afters all of my use, has only some golden or brassy spots on the blade that you have to look just right in the light to see.

[anagarika]

Sabotage colleague router :D

I’m wondering if my VG10 and S110V thinned down can last through those usage ..

[dreadpirate]

Great video!! I think I will get my Millie out and cut up all my sh***y spoons. :)

[bearfacedkiller]

I agree with pretty much everything in that video.

I consider the D2 Military to be one of the ones that got away. When I got into Spyderco you could still find them on the secondary market for reasonable prices. I have the D2 Paramilitary1 and wish I had the Military too. I like the color and love the steel. CPM D2 has been good to me.

[sal]

Thanx much Vivi.

sal

[vivi]

Sabotage colleague router :D

I’m wondering if my VG10 and S110V thinned down can last through those usage ..

My only experience with S110V is at factory edge angles, but I have taken VG10 pretty thin. My Police 3 for example, and I also had a Krein reground Centofante 4 at one point. FFG, and very thin behind the edge. Both ha e held up well.

I no longer have the centofante but I could make a video showing my Police in action.

[vivi]

Thanx much Vivi.

sal

Thank you, Sal. The Military is the knife that opened my eyes to the quality of your designs.

I agree with pretty much everything in that video.

I consider the D2 Military to be one of the ones that got away. When I got into Spyderco you could still find them on the secondary market for reasonable prices. I have the D2 Paramilitary1 and wish I had the Military too. I like the color and love the steel. CPM D2 has been good to me.

I regret not picking up more of the foliage green knives. It's my favorite color Spyderco has used aside from the usual black. I had a UKPK in foliage green I should have held on to. Really wanted the Manix sprint too, but I think that was around the time the Manix 2 was announced, so I went with that instead.

[Skoalart]

I love your review. I just got my military in m4 and it is amazing. I have to reinvest in better sharpening equipment because the basic Lansky hones just dont cut it. I will try their diamond hones and see where that gets me. I have completely fallen in love with my knife. I am a bigger guy and I always go for the bigger blades, but this is such a perfect fit. I want to get a crazy narrow edge on mine and see how long it holds up, at this point that almost seems like wishful thinking. I really like your vid Vivi.

[anagarika]

I love your review. I just got my military in m4 and it is amazing. I have to reinvest in better sharpening equipment because the basic Lansky hones just dont cut it. I will try their diamond hones and see where that gets me. I have completely fallen in love with my knife. I am a bigger guy and I always go for the bigger blades, but this is such a perfect fit. I want to get a crazy narrow edge on mine and see how long it holds up, at this point that almost seems like wishful thinking. I really like your vid Vivi.

Reprofiling M4 definitely requires diamond. You can check my older post on my GB1 which has been reprofiled by bluntcut to almost zero grind. I added the micro convex bevel. Marthinus also had his GB ground to zero & it didn’t hold up to his use. So he added a bit of micro as well. You’re going to like the M4!

Marthinus post: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/cpm ... y.1086828/

[ChrisinHove]

I think the spoon-cutting and hanger-cutting tests should be standard on all knife review vids. Excellent!

[J D Wijbenga]

Thanks for posting the video Vivi! Thin is the way to go for cutting!

[zeus]

Vivi,
Loved that video! Since CPM D2 is now in unicorn status, what steels do you think are comparable using the 15 degree regrind you mentioned?

[vivi]

Vivi,
Loved that video! Since CPM D2 is now in unicorn status, what steels do you think are comparable using the 15 degree regrind you mentioned?

To be honest, I haven't found a "name brand" steel that performs poorly at these sorts of angles.

I've taken the following steels down to comparable geometry as this Military:

H1, S30V, S60V, D2, 1095, 440C, 420, AUS8, S7, 154CM, 8Cr13MoV, ZDP189, CTSBD1, ATS55, 12C27 and a few others I'm forgetting.

I am genuinely perplexed why folks find factory edges acceptable.

In my eyes I can't get a feel for how a knife performs until I reduce the edge angle by about half what it comes from the factory. Using factory edges feels like test driving a car with the e-brake fully engaged.

Here's a few knives I've done up over the years...



ZDP189 Endura converted to scandi grind. The edge held up just fine to chopping and batoning.



S30V UKPK converted to zero convex grind (The edge chipping was from intentional abuse, this edge angle was stable under EDC cutting)



I had to grind my ZDP189 Caly Jr this thin before I saw edge damage carving into knotty hardwoods.



Same Caly, different angle.



An old Izula with a nice and wide bevel



Native 1 converted to zero saber grind, then gave it a microbevel. First time I attempted the zero grind conversion, you can see my technique was off near the ricasso.



Cara Cara 1 converted to zero saber grind, then given a not-so-micro bevel



Police 3 back when it had a slightly thicker edge than it does now. It's been in and out of my pocket for a decade with no chipping, despite frequently using it to hack and chop at overgrown trails.



Current state of my PE Aqua Salt. I chop and baton and pry chunks of wood off fallen logs with this knife with no second thoughts.



Batoning with a stock swiss army knife, wondering why modern folders are so thick in comparison.

I challenge anyone reading this to EDC an Opinel for a week and see how the thin blade holds up to your use. In fact, before you pocket the Opinel, reset the edge bevel to 15 degrees per side with your sharpmaker, using no microbevel. Try and make the edge fail using it the same way you use your spydercos.