10 years of Military

brj

Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
936
There was this thread over on General about what knife(s) were you into 10 years ago and it made me realize something.

Precisely 10 years ago I was buying my first Millie, a plain jane S30V. I was stoked, it immediately kicked out everything else I was carrying at the time. In fact, I was so thrilled with my new Millie that in a couple of months I was buying my second (foliage green D2) and in a couple more my third (the CF BG-42).

10 years have passed and my original Millie is still good to go. Actually, if you ignore a couple of scuffs and dings in the G10 handles, it still looks quite good too.





Lockup has moved more towards the 50% mark but has remained as vault-ish as in day 1...



... and the blade is still dead-centered



All in all, great manufacturing standards, I don't think there are too many items with a lifespan of more than 10 years in today's world.

10 years and 16 Millies later, I still think the Military is the best production folder. Ever.

 
That would be the S90V, followed closely by the M390. On the other hand, S110V is really starting to grow on me and I know I would love a LC200N version...
 
I wish I was able to get my hands on an orange one. My millie saga started with the CF/M390 six years ago. I only have 4 now (all sprints) but will be grabbing the S90 framelock this week. Great collection B brj :thumbsup:
 
7 years of orange millie goodness!! I have many folders and there is not 1 that outperforms as an outdoor folder for my usage
 
My favorite of all time. Some more orange goodness here.
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7 years of orange millie goodness!! I have many folders and there is not 1 that outperforms as an outdoor folder for my usage
Fully agreed, the orange Millie is the only one where I actually have a perfectly identical pre-need replacement ;)

I wish I was able to get my hands on an orange one. My millie saga started with the CF/M390 six years ago. I only have 4 now (all sprints) but will be grabbing the S90 framelock this week. Great collection B brj :thumbsup:
Thanks. I'd also be getting the S90V KW exclusive, should be epic...
 
... 10 years have passed and my original Millie is still good to go. Actually, if you ignore a couple of scuffs and dings in the G10 handles, it still looks quite good too...

10 years... well that should answer concerns about Spyderco's liner lock dependability and their tip design on the Millies and Paras.

I've been carrying a Para or Para 2 90% of the time for the last 7 or 8 years and I've had no issues with any of mine, either. Solid lockups, centered blades, and they all still have their tips, even after hiking & camping, gardening around the house, and doing a bit of remodeling.
 
Great thread!!
The Milie is also my favorite knife ever! I have carried a camo DLC s30v for several years. I recently discovered the 204p version that is built like a tank.....and one of my most sentimental knives my TI Milie.
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Hard to say, I enjoy rotating them.

Might have a slight preference towards S90V as the absolute 'best' of the bunch,



and for M390 as 'best for EDC'.



However, lately I've carried almost exclusively the S110V version and I like it a lot.

 
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BRJ!

The Military is also my favorite folder. Its the literal "if I could only pick one folder for the rest of my life" folder.

I have

S30V/black G10
S30V/camo G10
S30V/Titanium RIL
DLC S30V/Titanium RIL "Franken Millie"
204p/Dark Green G10
S90V/CF/Ti RIL

The franken millie started as a standard Ti version and then I blade swapped the black DLC and black clip from the DigiCam handle. Its the looker of the bunch. The 204p/Green G10 was my favorite and most carried until the S90V/CF/Ti showed up. And I have to admit, I have two of both Knifeworks exclusives and two of the standard Ti versions.

The standard black G10 is carried in at work in my black uniform pants and the digicam version is in my green uniform pants. I rotate the others through EDC duty. I have been thinking that I want to customize one of the Ti models. Ide like to have someone machine the Wilson Combat starburst pattern into the handles.

Like so many I was initially turned off by the tip down carry. The PM2 was my edc and I decided to try a military for shits and giggles and suddenly every other knife was too small! When I sat down and thought about the design philosophy I realized that the tip down only was for a reason and have come to appreciate it on this knife. On others I still dont really like tip down, but for some reason, it works on the military.

I will try to get a family photo. Until then here are some glamour shots!

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Brj great thread, love the Spyderco military as well and own almost all of them. Certainly arguably one of the top knife designs in this century IMO.

Riz, your black ti combo is pimp. Like that a lot !
 
Thanks. I got the idea from the forums. Somewhere a few years ago someone had shown a picture of a Ti Millie with a black blade. When I realized I had the parts I did it. Amazingly enough, the swap was easy and both knives operated perfectly afterward. They have perfect centering, action and lockup. I was shocked. Its a testament to Spyderco's production quality.
 
The millie fits my hand about the best of any knife. Going to have to get another one. The new purple one sounds nice.
 
BRJ!

The Military is also my favorite folder. Its the literal "if I could only pick one folder for the rest of my life" folder.

Yep, same here :)


This is insanely cool, might need to replicate it someday. I've always liked the look of my M4 with a black clip on

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but what you're having here is really next level :thumbsup:
 
If thats M4 steel you could use hot vinegar to force a dark patina on the blade. It wouldnt be as durable as DLC but it would look nice and you still have M4 for the steel! Might be the best of both
 
10 years is a long time. I ve only had mine since 1996. Bought to edc at the Olympics in Atlanta. Mine is a serrated 440v. I did barely break the tip trying to clear a jam on an m-60. Never tried that again. The center isn't right (left actually) but it locks up nice and tight.
 
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