I like how unbiased you are. You guys ran your test, didn't insult the competition, didn't imply even ONCE anything negative. Hell, you only praised the design of the PM2. Contrary to some forums and online chatter, you guys were upfront and honest about everything. It makes me really glad I bought one of my closest friends in the world a Cold Steel Espada XL. Him and my other friend beat the hell out of their knives and I'm glad they carry knives with your lock.
Cold steel your knives are in a different category of knives. I wouldn't compare it to anything. spyderco focuses mainly on ergos and super easy to disengage lock with decent lock strength. don't get me wrong but strongest lockup doesn't make your knives the best. more people would pick ergos and higher end steel cause for less dramatic daily cutting tasks. I own all kinds of knives and I do plan on owning a cold Steel ultimate hunter and hold out 2. your knives are comparable to fixed blades but ur knives needs thicker g10 for better ergos with bigger front choil with more blade steel options. just a opinion no disrespect.
Also, if you're going to get out a pocket folder and then bang it that hard. I don't think a pocket knife was suitable for the task you were performing, quite frankly.
No doubt , Cold Steel is the strongest bar none. So impressed with what Cold Steel has been doing lately. You may have to move to fixed blades for comparisons haha. Would like to see the buck marksman 830, but have little doubt that Cold Steel will take it. My hats off to Andrew and Lynn
Nutnfancy keeps breaking the world's strongest toughest knives without the use of specific dohickies designed to break blades with higher Rockwell hardness. I say get 3rd parties involved and see where that leads. Let the knives speak for themselves.
BudgetBugout Considering what he does to test the blades, it's not shocking at all. Hitting it on a rock is asking for trouble. He would still be one of the first people to defend Cold Steel.
BudgetBugout He broke two blades as far as I know. It was very abusive and they took a lot considering...I'd consider that a pass. Also, hardness does not = toughness. Softer springy blades take impacts much better....too hard and they will chip or shatter easier.
This is a scientifically objective test. I love nutnfancy, but never seen him hard test a Spyderco. His knife graveyard video is ridiculous. Smashing knives against rocks lol It's funny how, even when presented with objective evidence, people still can't admit Cold Steel is superior in at least some dimensions to other knives.
I've been a Cold Steel guy for 20 years, but I really liked the look of this Spyderco. But it's hard to justify the price of the Para 3 vs Cold Steel's performance. This test just underlined my main problem with any kind of liner lock, be it a normal one or Spyderco's compression lock, and that's that you have a thinner piece of steel than the blade doing the locking, whereas the Tri-Ad lock is two pieces of steel with the same thickness and nowhere to go, so the only real point of failure is the thick blade or the pins shearing off, neither of which will happen until extreme weights. If it can hold my weight, I'm good, but the Spyderco fails significantly under my 180lbs.
These tests are very interesting. I have a spyderco endura 4 but I choose to carry my Cold Steel Recon 1. I was considering getting a paramilitary 2 until I saw this test. Keep up the good work.
Lyle Deroche This test is a good demonstration of their lock strength, but using what you've seen in it to decide for or against the purchase of another knife is foolish. This test tells you pretty much nothing about anything that you would use a folding knife for, unless you have some strange desire to stab your knife into a wall and hang from it. The PM2 compression lock strength is more than sufficient for absolutely anything you'd ever use the knife for and the things that are more important (comfort, ergonomics, ease of deployment/closing, edge retention, S30V steel, G10 scales, etc) make it the better knife.
@@Procraseighterdude, both have g10 scales and the hold out back then had xhp, which is clearly a better performing steel than s30v. the spyderco is much more fun to flick and the ergos are better too though, i give you that.
@@Procraseighter I pry with my knives at work. I’ve broken literally every Spyderco I’ve ever had. It fails in nearly every way except cutting boxes and paper. And for all that, I could buy a box cutter for $3. Batoning, Prying, Hacking, etc… It’s useless.
Durability of a folding knife also depends on the back stop, probably more than the locking mechanism. In cutting task, seems like the back stop bears most of the weight. You guys should also run tests on the back stop strength as well.
I've been checking out the comments and many people like the Para II ,,no problem with that, but I have had a lock fail on me at a job site doing landscaping working for the city and it was the formans / supervisor folding knife,,we had a one piece metal handle knife that was also being used and to get more done we used the BUCK 110 or a very good clone ( but I truly believe it was a110 buck ) well the 110 lock failed and cut me hand and off to the Emergency Room I went,, and my love for pocket knives suffered for sometime,,,,so lock strength is the most important part of ant folder to me,,,having said that now I still buy folder from various makers,,but Cold Steel is the only lock I have100% confidence in without babying the folding knife with extreme caution.I like my knives to use not to play with and flick open and close,,,and as a tool or weapon C.S. is hands down the best and strongest on the market IMHO.
Scarabmex I never said it was. I just would like to see what the ridiculous price justifies. As far as hard use goes, all folders are inherently weak by design and will never be as strong as a fixed blade.
SailfishSoundSystem No, but I am conducting my own thinking. And I watch tests like these. It is typical for replica knives to have a narrow tang (I don't mean rat-tail here) and very hard temper; that will make the knife break soon when used to cut down thin branches. Now surely you think only nameless mall toys do that? Then look up the Gerber "debacle" with several of their blades snapping frequently off the handle. I guess that made the giant yellow maggot that much more bitter for Bear Grylls.
What people need to take away from this is both knives will be fine for everyday use. But I will put my life on the line with a cold steel product over most knife makers out there, and cold steel sits at the top of the finest blades you can buy.
Wow I really expected Paramilitary 2 to do better. Still love Spyderco but heavy use and trust goes to Cold Steel and Triad lock! Thanks for the video. I was one of the ones asking for this one! Thanks again.
Very likely the compression wasn’t fully engaged in the spine whack test but between these two I’d still opt for the Para Military 2. Its lock while not quite as strong as the triad lock is much more practical for everyday use. It is head and shoulders above the triad lock in terms of smoothness and ease of use. Triad locks require a break-in period to “soften” the spring somewhat. To me, this is an annoying setback. Must I murder my thumb just to close a knife? The handle on the Para Military 2 is more thought-out with skeletonized steel liners and superior ergonomics. The PM2 is also lighter in weight, has a lifetime warranty (vs. Cold Steel’s 1-year warranty), and is made in America.
Firstly let me say, I do like your knives, but you should let your product stand on its own merits instead of trying to belittle other successful knives. Not exactly scientific with quantifiable results. more Marketing than Useful. Did you hand finish your knife with the intent of doing this, or did you go to a outlet to get completely random units? Did you not engage the lock when flicking the PM2 open initially? So many variables involved that make this more embarrassing for you than anything, It certainly doesn't make me want to rush out and buy one of your knives. As a great man said "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking"
To people like me, who absolutely push their knives, I appreciate these tests. I'm not knocking people who strop their knives between opening Amazon packages, or those who fidget flick all day on their couch, but they definitely aren't the people I look to for advice on durable tools. People compare cars efficiency and performace, trucks towing, a tvs picture clarity etc.... So what has you so triggered over comparing knives strength?
Still prefer my Paramilitary 2 but I never considered it a super hard use folder anyways, if I wanted a really hard use knife that I would be using all the time I would go with a small well build fixed blade knife.
I really like this fella Mr Demko. He's doing some excellent work in the knife world..... I'll even forgive the 1911 EDC.... ;-). I really like my Spyderco's though.....they are the only knives..along with Cold Steel..that I have NEVER had to send back for work or repair. Every BM POS I've paid the butterfly tax to own....has made the trip back to either get the auto or the omega springs replaced...costing me money, gas, and time....I'll never own another BM, outside of a good deal on a fixed blade, again...... But I'll have Cold Steel, Spyderco's, and Kershaw's from here on til I check out..... Maybe others too.....but def those.
I’m down to one Spyderco, sold my CRKTs and my Kershaws, and have been buying CTS XHP and S35vn Cold Steel knives. I keep my Yojimbo 2 for the cool design and fun action, but I carry Cold Steel exclusively now. They are well designed, functional, and if I need to lean on them, I’m not gonna worry about their ability to withstand the abuse.
***** It would be really cool to see a ti lite with the old school looking switchblade handle. At least from what I've seen there aren't any knives out there with that classy looking handle that aren't junk.
I still prefer the Para 2 because of the shape of the handle along with the extra jimping on the edge and spine sections. I know that it is much less likely to cause my hand to slip forward onto the blade, especially if I have it in a saber grip.
When you compare a Tri-ad lock to a compression lock side by side, it's not hard to understand why this test resulted in this way. A compression lock is strong at resisting pressure coming from cutting edge force because the blade is resting on the stop pin but it is weaker, just as any other liner lock knife from the spine side. The TRi-AD lock is strong from both cutting blade force and spine force because the blade is surrounds the stop pin supporting it from both sides equally.
No shit lol. A folder needs to be strong at resisting forces coming at the spine, so the lock doesn't disengage when pressure is put that way and chop off all your fingers. No 1 cares about forces toward cutting edge cuz almost every knife has a stop pin that's strong enough to prevent hyperextension before the knife handles destructs.
Its about solving the convenience "problem" of the knife being a folding knife as opposed to a fixed blade knife, as well as the reliability of continuing to use the knife as a unit after impact, such as a fall or from a weapon. Lock backs are the strongest to offer the convenience of a knife whose handle is a sheath while making it compact.
Was a very fair TEST, I do not own a spyderco and only own 1 cold steel knife, I own several Benchmades on that note wonder how the Benchmade ADAMAS would compare in this test to a similar Cold Steel. with all that said I may just have to look at the Cold Steel line-up of tri-ad lock folders, I not sure even which cold steel knife I have. Well Done, Tnx
to be fair, you should have continued with the spyderco paramilitary in doing the spine whacks. why wouldn't you? you gave it another two whacks after it "failed" on the first. you've said you don't perform the overstrikes if the blade fails on the spine whacks, but you did the overstikes anyways. it could be possible that the paramilitary was not properly locked opened prior to spine whacks. if it was ok on the second and third spine whacks you shouldve continued with a few more.
I am a little bit disappointed by the para 2, but still this is a comparison of a thick piece of back lock to a thin liner in the compression lock, that is why I keep asking you to compare it to the spyderco szabo which has a reinforced compression lock and is considered by spyderco a tactical knife. This test is like comparing a .223 to a .22.
I love these tests, keep 'em coming! Andrew Demko has a great attitude. As a Paramilitary 2 owner I'm pretty disappointed. I guess it stays relegated to light duty EDC use, if even that. Maybe I'll sell it and put the cash into the 4Max fund...
Andris Kompelien my cold steel tuff lite blade chipped out really bad, using it on larch wood in Wales in the forest, could not believe it I had it for about a year. Did not even use it that much, unfortunately I live in the uk so it was not worth all the hassle of sending it back, So I throw it away, I do videos on my channel but don't like to do fail videos to be honest, just brings the wrong crowd to watching my videos, I may get me a recon 1 but at the moment I must say I am disappointed.
Oh right, yeah huge chips can be a pain to get out. I've been looking a little at the Code 4 and Ultimate Hunter, but the Para 2 is a little higher on my wishlist right now :)
I own and love both but in my opinion the triad lock is overkill in a standard size folder. It is nesisary on there XL models tho. The compression lock is much more convenient for every day use.
yeah andrew you have the strongest lock. i own 8 of you (old series) and they are top. but i never could close it well with one hand,im always scarry to get my fingers not out,and they are very stiff. with a pm2/pm3 it works just top. for me to compare your knives are tanks,but the pm/p spydies more tac knives. i didnt seen untill now one cs knife for exact my needs.i would wish you could build something up. fine+tac+ultrastrong+fullone hand use+fast opening&close
Fun fact. 52% of all steel in the world is produced in China. So even if you were to buy an "All American Made" knife, that doesn't mean that the materials are produced here in America. It was just assembled here. Both Spyderco and Coldsteel pocket knives are great. But if it comes down to pure durability and longevity, I'd go with Coldsteel.
Great knives great prices can't take anything away from spider co-though Spyderco still excellent they both have their vantages and disadvantages I would just pick them up on what purpose you were trying to serve and what's most comfortable for you cold steel spider co-top of the line
How do we know the spyderco was subject to the same amount of tension during the shock testing as the CS? The CS knife tension seemed a bit lax compared to what the spyderco was experiencing... These are control variables that need to be addressed to get accurate results. Anyways, the Tri-ad lock is still impressive regardless.
The only thing I don't like about the hold out 2 is that in order to close it, you need to put an EXTREMELY high amount of pressure on the rocker. It really hurts you're thumb after only a couple closes. Besides that it's an okay knife. The lock is really bothersome though.
I think it is technique as well. I have never had any trouble unlocking any of my tri-ad locks yet my wife has a little and after showing her the right way, she now has no problems.
I own a Paramilitary 2 and a Hold Out 1 (larger 6" version). And I do believe that the Hold Out is probably a stronger knife. I love both of them a LOT! However I see these tests in the same way that I see high performance sports car tests. A Nissan GTR may be quicker than a Corvette Z06. But most people likely aren't going to be taking their cars to the track pushing them to their limits. Most people drive them around town and will never take their cars to their limits. For me both knives, for EDC, are more than adequate. The thing I love about the Paramilitary 2 is the ease of operation. I can quickly open and close it with one hand. The Hold Out requires two hands to unlock and close.
richarcm The Spyderco can close on your hand if it spins in your hand and you push down as if cutting. The force you push down with is enough to undo the lock. That's quite a big failure.
I haven't yet noticed that to be the case in real use. In extreme testing, such as this, perhaps that can become a problem. But I don't think most knife owners put their knives through such torture. If YOU do, then perhaps a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 isn't for you.
zwz • zdenek I know this comment is a year old but...how in the heck could you be holding a knife (well the PM2 anyways) loose enough that it could spin in your hand but still tight enough to put enough pressure to make the blade fail?? Don't be mistaken, even tho it didn't hold up to the test this video shows, that compression lock is very strong and more than adequate for anything you'd ever use your knife for.
I don't use my PM2's as pry bar or wedge. Lockback/Triad are stronger but, how much spine strength do you need for a pocket knife ? How about you do some slicing tests ?
***** I have been playing with a couple of your new knives in CTS XHP, and now I really see why you guys went with that AUS8a in the passed. I must say, I like the 8a better, its just an easier steel to work with. I spent over an hour getting a polish with my edgepro on the new XHP, and then it micro chipped after doing some cutting at work. AUS8a takes about 20 minutes to get an absolutely great edge, and I have never had it micro chip. AUS8a is some tough, keen stuff!
I know this test is just testing other companies vs your basic standards, which is awesome! I think that in a knife I'm looking at, I don't plan on hanging off of it or using the back of the blade as a hammer. But that wasn't what this test was about.
As I'm staring and holding my para2, although I love my mini-ak and have been wanting to get some more CS. The only thing that leans me away from them now days is that they are not all USA made :(... I can watch all your test videos but if I don't see USA made, part of me just isn't as happy.
@@alfredcornflake5032 The American folding knife only crown are kind of hypocrites, 99% of them have draws full of cheap chinese made knife, forks and spoons, all use Chinese phones, and hardly any oft heir guns are American made, they mostly use European guns. I know tons of American only folder guys, and they own tons of Chinese swords too, and wear Chinese and European made clothes and shoes. but there folding knives have to be American for some reason.
@@londiniumarmoury7037 Nah bruh everything I have ever owned or will ever own has been proudly made in 'merica. lol, nah but for real I made this comment 5 years ago I could really give a shit less now. Still carrying my para2 though lol.
i think your testing is very objective and you do it quite ethically, albeit controversial I enjoy these videos! but it proves your strap line "...strongest knives..."
To those questioning why someone would ever abuse their knife like this... Please remember, there was a time when a mans knife was his most trusted and cherished tool. If you find yourself in a "life or death" situation, having a knife fail on you could make the difference. If i had to bet my life on a folder, im choosing an ad10 over any spyderco. That being said, if im not expecting to do much work on my farm, i carry a native 5 lw and a cs verdict g10. Both are super lightweight and tougher than most folders that outweigh them.
I do like my cold steel knives. My gitanto got the tip bent from pinewood, not from prying just stabbing, I think it wasn't tempered correctly. My double agentII is extremely light and has amazing strength for it's thinness.
However both these examples are of fixed blades. And I can't say using folding knives in the manner in the video is a good idea. Even the Cold Steel knife would fail eventually, certainly before a fixed blade would. Most fixed blades have a lateral strength (as in the lock failure test) in the thousands, not just hundreds of pounds. After all cars have steel that can support thousands of pounds laterally, but moving parts, no only a couple hundred. Pathetic to use the spine of a folding knife as a hammer. Of course I carry both, and usually I carry a close steel knife as my fixed, and a cheap variety of folding knives, typically including a razor, which kinda beats edge holding and cutting abilities of all known knives on the planet.
Real knife fans should be able to appreciate knives from all manufacturers. I love Spyderco shaman, I own cold steel, buck, and Chris reeve. Personally I won’t buy a Spyderco, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love the design, that doesn’t mean I will talk shit about it. I love the shaman, I just won’t buy it.
I bought a new large Voyager to match my medium and the blade chipped immediately right out of the box with the first use. My only issue with CS is the quality of steel for the price.
+csknives advise you???? Is that code for you just got bent of and fucked up the butt???.... You rep CS just like a typical 1911 guy that can't admit his gear is bogus, looks great but when it's game time it fails, so let's make a video to trash the competition, I bet you hate Glocks too huh? I actually buy and use you product, but as of now I've decided I will never spend a dime to fund your stupid ass comparison videos.they are either nonsense tests or rigged.
Man people are hilarious. I love all my Spyderco knives and I love these test video's. Cold Steel does in fact have the strongest lock on the market. That's just fact. Don't own any Cold Steel knives myself and that is because of a couple of reasons. 1. Don't like coated blades 2. don't like their business practice (ie. frivolous law suites and corporate bullying like with the whole recent San Mai BS) If they ( Cold Steel) just let their products speak for itself I would definitely be more inclined to buy one of their knives.
+Neil The Knife Guy no one has been bullied over the San Mai thing, they are just doing what any company would and protecting their trademark. If someone started calling a knife the Manix 2 that is not Spyderco, they would step in... its just a normal practice. The real reason that is controversial is because they trademarked a process that was around thousands of years before them. But people can come up with their own names too, its like Notebook vs. Laptop. Same thing, just different names because of copyright.
I have a bunch of Cold Steel Products, i just recently sold my Recon 1 Tanto serrated combo because the black paint was starting to chip off. I have never used it hard or abused it but the paint needs to be better quality for the long haul. I would also like to see you guys make some automatic knives such as a OTF and push button Automatic. It would be cooll if you could make a similar tri ad lock for an auto knife. You would have me "sold" if you did.
To be fair this test isn't completely equal to both knives, they have different locks (and it's compression lock, not liner lock, they're different things altogether) and those locks work differently. The lockback on the CS hooks into the tang of the blade and keeps the blade from going forward unless it rips the handle and lock bar pin out, breaks the blade, or shears off the lock bar, none of those will really happen during those conditions due to the design of the lock itself, the compression lock on the PM2 needs to be wedged in place first, something that doesn't really happen unless you open the knife properly and use it until it's worn in. The whole thing is an uneven comparison between the two blades.
First and foremost, I understand fully that this test was designed only to test locking mechanism durability. As far as durability goes, the Tri-Ad is one of, if not the, strongest in the industry. With that said, I still passed on the Cold Steel brand for the PM2 on a recent purchase. It came down to a combination of factors instead of perceived superiority in any one category. While the tri-ad locking feature is strong, I feel it sacrifices in convenience. I like to open and close my knives one handed and I can't do that with the tri-ad lock. Second, and probably less important, I prefer the Spyderco unique aesthetics. Not that CS knives are ugly, they just seem to have a common appearance. The final selling point for me was the PM2 being US made. Even tho I know this company outsources, I do like to support an American company when possible, especially when they make a quality product. If I were a knife collector of any kind (as opposed to a guy who just buys one good EDC and carries it til lost, it fails, or I'm just wanting something else) I would undoubtedly own CS products. I feel they make a great product that is affordable and that is certainly among the elite of mass production companies. Final note, these "My brand vs your brand" comment fights are really stupid. The companies themselves don't even have any animosity amongst each other and actually recognize and willfully admit that their competitor makes great products. I work for a major company that makes small gas engine products and regularly meet with, and have great friends in, employees of our competitors.
pfff Spyderco PM 2 it's awesome looking knife but,,, it's good only for light task, if for him will fail, that's bad Sal should make the PM2 lil bit stronger
***** Light tasks? If you are doing anything to a knife that causes it to take 135Lb of pressure, and very hard spine wacks, you are not using the knife right in any way shape or form. You are not doing heavy tasks, you are straight up abusing the knife in this case. In real world applications both of theses knives would hold up just as well in daily use.
Dan Martin This it's my opinion. cud be lil bit stronger, dosen't matter for me if it's lil bit hevy. Also the TIP cud be stronger! Im not like other guy's who abuse knives, also i dont understand the spine wacks for test a knife. Even i use hard a folder knife, i use carefully, the most important for me it's to be SHARP, VERY SHARP, i just like to be lil more stronger becouse i like very much the PM2 that's all All i want for PM2 its a stronger TIP and the liners to be lil bit ticker like the liners from my Gayle Bradley
***** Yeah they do have very thin tips. I have a Ti Military and at times I do hold back because of it when doing some tasks... but in general the thin tip has a lot of uses, like for marking wood, picking out splinters, and cleaning under my finger nails. It all comes to personal preference I guess. Personally I like thinner tips, hence why I tend to carry knives with them such as my Al Mar Eagle zpd-189, Kershaw Skyline, Boker Kwaiken, Ti Milli, ect..
yes,, you have right! a thin tip it's good for many task. The most of guys who love knives, start like overbuild knives, like Hinderer, Strider etc etc. in my opinion overbuild knives dosen't perform very well Me i expect more from a knife like PM2 becouse in my country we pay doulbe or more for a USA knife. If you live in USA u pay for PM2 100 plus minus, me i pay around 200, this is the reson. Our online stores sell a Spyderco Military with 302 $ it's alot of money , and who pay this money expect more for this price. sorry for my english! Best Regards!!!
+csknives Just searched the 4 Max, its a handsome knife. Thank you for taking a step into made in America products cold steel. Can't say I'm happy about the price though. But you know what they say, you get what you pay for.
Cold Steel still not American made. Strider, CRK are successful even considering the price. However the Spyderco you are using is worth the little extra money over anything not made is the US.
***** I'm not saying you didn't. That was just my first thought. And I own both knives. Actually I own a Hold Out I. I LOVE THAT KNIFE!!! I am a Spyderco fanboy but I love Cold Steel knives as well. For EDC my knives don't go through these torture tests. Although I always felt that the Paramilitary's compression lock appeared flimsy. They both function adequately for me with daily EDC use.
***** Also, although the Hold Out may VERY WELL BE the stronger knife, when I see the Hold Out spin 180 degrees during a strike test I wonder how much impact is not absorbed in the knife but rather dissipated in the spin itself.
I have a couple Para 2s, and all three (Aus8) sizes of the Hold Out. I knew I had to have the 4 inch version of the HO as soon as I saw it. I got the other two on sale. The HO's are so unique, and COOL looking. I was pleasantly surprised by the 3 inch version. They are pretty stiff when opening, and closing, even after leaving them in the spring flexed position for a few days. I like how CS almost always offers a 4inch blade. They are strong, and I am not afraid to use them, and scuff them up. I think the price tag of Aus8 combined with the ruggedness made sense. You really had no serious competitors at this price range. Now with the steel upgrade, and the price increase, you have stiffer competition. The Para 2 is definitely going to be an knife icon like the Endura. It is unbeatable for the price. It is so smooth, and easily to manipulate. Aesthetically, it is looks great. It is the perfect size, has top notch materials, and superb fit and finish. I carry, but do not use the Para 2s too much. I will be passing these on to my son. Comparing a CS to a Para 2 is like comparing a pick-up truck, or a Jeep to a Corvette.
My heart was beating hard when you tested the paramilitary 2. I expected more from it. But aren't we are talking about 2 very different locking methods? Isn't the Spyderco Paramilitary pretty much a reverse liner lock with a notch taken out the tang that the liner snaps into? The design is cool but it will allow for play and flex under that kind of duress and doesn't have the strength to compete with a Tri-Ad mechanism which seems to be one of the strongest out there. (I own two Espada XLs). I can't see most liner locks standing up to the Tri-Ad. Now what would be interesting to see is a normal back lock tested with the Tri-Ad, say the Spyderco Chaparral. I really would like to see the Holdout 'holdup' against a Sebenza too :) Come one man, do the Sebenza!
I beleive it would fail if new . My experience with spyderco knives is they seem to have a poor quality control and need to step it up. The knives have ruff engagement when new and they claim that usage improves performance . That should NOT be a way a company thinks . I agree with what you say . it may pass 99% but the first fail could be catastrophic
I have found on the para 2 if you do a good hit on the back of the knifes blade it fails which is scary because I like fingers not a fan of the compression lock and I do not understand spyderco makes.an amazing ball bearing lock, bolt lock and back lock
Awesome video from our favorite knife designer Andrew Demko... Funny how the machine had stuff on it rattling during hold out test when Andrew was looking dumbfounded. LOL (Awesome video)
You should do the weight hanging test upside down, as if the pressure applied in the extreme situation was from the opposite side of the blade or whatever By upside down I mean the knife blade edge facing up instead of down like in these vids, so that the direction the knife handle would swing normally is reversed to what you currently do normally I wonder if the results would be similar from any of your tests Like the vids though, community service honestly
+Lion Heart you can tell by how much more the cold steel knives move compared to others. The cold steel moves like 180 degrees whereas the competitors only move 75-90
Cold Steel when you torque the nut down that holds the knife for the spine wacks, how much force is used? is it the same for both knives? they seem to be barely able to stand up
Fixed blades are more material, considering the sheath, and less convenient for pockets or concealment. A folding knife doesnt need a sheath or belt clip, and in comparison to the same holstering position, a folding knifes draw time is marginal. That being noted, a folding knife can be easily moved to another position, such as a coat pocket, a sleeve, or a palm, concealed to prepare for draw, and drawn first. A fixed blade lanyard would also be non-locking if short and time-consuming and long to be locking, long enough to be grabbed, cut, or if someone else controls the knife momentarily, killed with your own knife while its still attached to your wrist; a folding knifes lanyard can be locking, shorter to prevent more opportunity for manipulation, and applied under cover of clothing, and in a locking configuration, body impact leading to loss of grip doesnt mean loss of weapon
you guys are crazy. I know there is no stronger lock on the market. there is no reason to prove it more then what you have done. I like my cold steel knives. I like others too. I love my blades guys! interesting stuff you guys do, but I doubt I would ever be in a situation to make my pm2 fail like that. rock on fellas!
I like how unbiased you are. You guys ran your test, didn't insult the competition, didn't imply even ONCE anything negative. Hell, you only praised the design of the PM2.
Contrary to some forums and online chatter, you guys were upfront and honest about everything. It makes me really glad I bought one of my closest friends in the world a Cold Steel Espada XL. Him and my other friend beat the hell out of their knives and I'm glad they carry knives with your lock.
Cold steel your knives are in a different category of knives. I wouldn't compare it to anything. spyderco focuses mainly on ergos and super easy to disengage lock with decent lock strength. don't get me wrong but strongest lockup doesn't make your knives the best. more people would pick ergos and higher end steel cause for less dramatic daily cutting tasks.
I own all kinds of knives and I do plan on owning a cold Steel ultimate hunter and hold out 2. your knives are comparable to fixed blades but ur knives needs thicker g10 for better ergos with bigger front choil with more blade steel options. just a opinion no disrespect.
555 Nato I agree, but man the Recon 1 fits my hand like a glove
Also, if you're going to get out a pocket folder and then bang it that hard. I don't think a pocket knife was suitable for the task you were performing, quite frankly.
MetalsForBrunch I agree with pretty much everything that you just said
If they focused on ergos, why do all of my G-10 and FRCP spydercos feel like fucking sharp bricks?
Check out the GoldenEye. I love mine. Great ergo, thick scales, and the tri-ad lock.
I'd like to see the lock strength tested with a pull guage. that way you can tell exactly at what weight it failed.
and lets me realistic...no liner type lock can rival cold steels triad. so the results were 100% expected from my perspective
No doubt , Cold Steel is the strongest bar none. So impressed with what Cold Steel has been doing lately. You may have to move to fixed blades for comparisons haha. Would like to see the buck marksman 830, but have little doubt that Cold Steel will take it. My hats off to Andrew and Lynn
Nutnfancy keeps breaking the world's strongest toughest knives without the use of specific dohickies designed to break blades with higher Rockwell hardness. I say get 3rd parties involved and see where that leads. Let the knives speak for themselves.
BudgetBugout Considering what he does to test the blades, it's not shocking at all. Hitting it on a rock is asking for trouble. He would still be one of the first people to defend Cold Steel.
BudgetBugout He broke two blades as far as I know. It was very abusive and they took a lot considering...I'd consider that a pass.
Also, hardness does not = toughness. Softer springy blades take impacts much better....too hard and they will chip or shatter easier.
Nutnfancy is also a goofball.
^^^
This is a scientifically objective test. I love nutnfancy, but never seen him hard test a Spyderco. His knife graveyard video is ridiculous. Smashing knives against rocks lol It's funny how, even when presented with objective evidence, people still can't admit Cold Steel is superior in at least some dimensions to other knives.
I've been a Cold Steel guy for 20 years, but I really liked the look of this Spyderco. But it's hard to justify the price of the Para 3 vs Cold Steel's performance. This test just underlined my main problem with any kind of liner lock, be it a normal one or Spyderco's compression lock, and that's that you have a thinner piece of steel than the blade doing the locking, whereas the Tri-Ad lock is two pieces of steel with the same thickness and nowhere to go, so the only real point of failure is the thick blade or the pins shearing off, neither of which will happen until extreme weights. If it can hold my weight, I'm good, but the Spyderco fails significantly under my 180lbs.
These tests are very interesting. I have a spyderco endura 4 but I choose to carry my Cold Steel Recon 1. I was considering getting a paramilitary 2 until I saw this test. Keep up the good work.
Lyle Deroche This test is a good demonstration of their lock strength, but using what you've seen in it to decide for or against the purchase of another knife is foolish.
This test tells you pretty much nothing about anything that you would use a folding knife for, unless you have some strange desire to stab your knife into a wall and hang from it. The PM2 compression lock strength is more than sufficient for absolutely anything you'd ever use the knife for and the things that are more important (comfort, ergonomics, ease of deployment/closing, edge retention, S30V steel, G10 scales, etc) make it the better knife.
@@Procraseighterdude, both have g10 scales and the hold out back then had xhp, which is clearly a better performing steel than s30v.
the spyderco is much more fun to flick and the ergos are better too though, i give you that.
@@Procraseighter I pry with my knives at work. I’ve broken literally every Spyderco I’ve ever had. It fails in nearly every way except cutting boxes and paper. And for all that, I could buy a box cutter for $3. Batoning, Prying, Hacking, etc… It’s useless.
youve got one of the best jobs in the world man ;-)
piet jansen yeah being a fucking douche an getting payed for it.
I wish you could bring back XHP. It was such a lovely steel!
Durability of a folding knife also depends on the back stop, probably more than the locking mechanism. In cutting task, seems like the back stop bears most of the weight. You guys should also run tests on the back stop strength as well.
They did.
Wow, I didn't expect the PM2's compression lock to be this wimpy? like what the hell? it's doing a lot worse than some liner and framelocks??!!
Cuz spyderco is trash
@@blakeg4166 i totally agree.
I've been checking out the comments and many people like the Para II ,,no problem with that, but I have had a lock fail on me at a job site doing landscaping working for the city and it was the formans / supervisor folding knife,,we had a one piece metal handle knife that was also being used and to get more done we used the BUCK 110 or a very good clone ( but I truly believe it was a110 buck ) well the 110 lock failed and cut me hand and off to the Emergency Room I went,, and my love for pocket knives suffered for sometime,,,,so lock strength is the most important part of ant folder to me,,,having said that now I still buy folder from various makers,,but Cold Steel is the only lock I have100% confidence in without babying the folding knife with extreme caution.I like my knives to use not to play with and flick open and close,,,and as a tool or weapon C.S. is hands down the best and strongest on the market IMHO.
I thought the Spyderco would hold a little more. Please test a Sebenza.
SailfishSoundSystem How is the Sebenza a hard use blade?
Scarabmex I never said it was. I just would like to see what the ridiculous price justifies. As far as hard use goes, all folders are inherently weak by design and will never be as strong as a fixed blade.
SailfishSoundSystem There are many cheap fixed-blade knives that are weaker than Cold Steel folders.
zwz • zdenek Are you conducting your own testing?
SailfishSoundSystem
No, but I am conducting my own thinking. And I watch tests like these. It is typical for replica knives to have a narrow tang (I don't mean rat-tail here) and very hard temper; that will make the knife break soon when used to cut down thin branches. Now surely you think only nameless mall toys do that? Then look up the Gerber "debacle" with several of their blades snapping frequently off the handle. I guess that made the giant yellow maggot that much more bitter for Bear Grylls.
What people need to take away from this is both knives will be fine for everyday use. But I will put my life on the line with a cold steel product over most knife makers out there, and cold steel sits at the top of the finest blades you can buy.
Wow I really expected Paramilitary 2 to do better. Still love Spyderco but heavy use and trust goes to Cold Steel and Triad lock! Thanks for the video. I was one of the ones asking for this one! Thanks again.
Very likely the compression wasn’t fully engaged in the spine whack test but between these two I’d still opt for the Para Military 2. Its lock while not quite as strong as the triad lock is much more practical for everyday use. It is head and shoulders above the triad lock in terms of smoothness and ease of use. Triad locks require a break-in period to “soften” the spring somewhat. To me, this is an annoying setback. Must I murder my thumb just to close a knife? The handle on the Para Military 2 is more thought-out with skeletonized steel liners and superior ergonomics. The PM2 is also lighter in weight, has a lifetime warranty (vs. Cold Steel’s 1-year warranty), and is made in America.
Firstly let me say, I do like your knives, but you should let your product stand on its own merits instead of trying to belittle other successful knives.
Not exactly scientific with quantifiable results. more Marketing than Useful.
Did you hand finish your knife with the intent of doing this, or did you go to a outlet to get completely random units? Did you not engage the lock when flicking the PM2 open initially?
So many variables involved that make this more embarrassing for you than anything,
It certainly doesn't make me want to rush out and buy one of your knives.
As a great man said "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking"
To people like me, who absolutely push their knives, I appreciate these tests. I'm not knocking people who strop their knives between opening Amazon packages, or those who fidget flick all day on their couch, but they definitely aren't the people I look to for advice on durable tools. People compare cars efficiency and performace, trucks towing, a tvs picture clarity etc.... So what has you so triggered over comparing knives strength?
Please compare an Spyderco Endura with a C.S. Code 4.
The outcome is very predictable... And I've got more SpyderCos! Triad is #1 though dude
@@DOGGYSTYL32012 yep. Doesnt matter which spyderco they pick. Its gonna lose.
Still prefer my Paramilitary 2 but I never considered it a super hard use folder anyways, if I wanted a really hard use knife that I would be using all the time I would go with a small well build fixed blade knife.
I would like to see a hogue ex-01 or other button lock tested.
I really like this fella Mr Demko. He's doing some excellent work in the knife world..... I'll even forgive the 1911 EDC.... ;-).
I really like my Spyderco's though.....they are the only knives..along with Cold Steel..that I have NEVER had to send back for work or repair. Every BM POS I've paid the butterfly tax to own....has made the trip back to either get the auto or the omega springs replaced...costing me money, gas, and time....I'll never own another BM, outside of a good deal on a fixed blade, again...... But I'll have Cold Steel, Spyderco's, and Kershaw's from here on til I check out..... Maybe others too.....but def those.
I’m down to one Spyderco, sold my CRKTs and my Kershaws, and have been buying CTS XHP and S35vn Cold Steel knives. I keep my Yojimbo 2 for the cool design and fun action, but I carry Cold Steel exclusively now. They are well designed, functional, and if I need to lean on them, I’m not gonna worry about their ability to withstand the abuse.
Hey cold steel make sprint runs with different color knife handles G10 on black is getting old
***** yeah. even emerson now offers different colors. Thanks for listening. You took care of the steel, now take care of the rest.
*****
#coyotebrown #olivedrab #oxblood
***** It would be really cool to see a ti lite with the old school looking switchblade handle. At least from what I've seen there aren't any knives out there with that classy looking handle that aren't junk.
I agree with VERY NIIICE I've been wanting that for years.
Na.
I still prefer the Para 2 because of the shape of the handle along with the extra jimping on the edge and spine sections. I know that it is much less likely to cause my hand to slip forward onto the blade, especially if I have it in a saber grip.
When you compare a Tri-ad lock to a compression lock side by side, it's not hard to understand why this test resulted in this way. A compression lock is strong at resisting pressure coming from cutting edge force because the blade is resting on the stop pin but it is weaker, just as any other liner lock knife from the spine side. The TRi-AD lock is strong from both cutting blade force and spine force because the blade is surrounds the stop pin supporting it from both sides equally.
No shit lol. A folder needs to be strong at resisting forces coming at the spine, so the lock doesn't disengage when pressure is put that way and chop off all your fingers. No 1 cares about forces toward cutting edge cuz almost every knife has a stop pin that's strong enough to prevent hyperextension before the knife handles destructs.
@@karlizen4990
Then you're using the wrong knife for the job.
Love the tests/ honesty don't see spyderco doing it , benchmade had a test to fail thing but I haven't seen any new stuff , thanks again
Last time I checked the spine of the blade of a knife don't cut well
Its about solving the convenience "problem" of the knife being a folding knife as opposed to a fixed blade knife, as well as the reliability of continuing to use the knife as a unit after impact, such as a fall or from a weapon. Lock backs are the strongest to offer the convenience of a knife whose handle is a sheath while making it compact.
Are you ignorant? Last time I checked there isn't any kind of cutting test in this video.
Was a very fair TEST, I do not own a spyderco and only own 1 cold steel knife, I own several Benchmades on that note wonder how the Benchmade ADAMAS would compare in this test to a similar Cold Steel. with all that said I may just have to look at the Cold Steel line-up of tri-ad lock folders, I not sure even which cold steel knife I have.
Well Done, Tnx
to be fair, you should have continued with the spyderco paramilitary in doing the spine whacks. why wouldn't you? you gave it another two whacks after it "failed" on the first. you've said you don't perform the overstrikes if the blade fails on the spine whacks, but you did the overstikes anyways. it could be possible that the paramilitary was not properly locked opened prior to spine whacks. if it was ok on the second and third spine whacks you shouldve continued with a few more.
oh....you did do another set of spine whacks. good on yah, bruh
I am a little bit disappointed by the para 2, but still this is a comparison of a thick piece of back lock to a thin liner in the compression lock, that is why I keep asking you to compare it to the spyderco szabo which has a reinforced compression lock and is considered by spyderco a tactical knife. This test is like comparing a .223 to a .22.
I love these tests, keep 'em coming! Andrew Demko has a great attitude.
As a Paramilitary 2 owner I'm pretty disappointed. I guess it stays relegated to light duty EDC use, if even that.
Maybe I'll sell it and put the cash into the 4Max fund...
Andrew Demko is the man! So classy talking about the PM2.
Lol my cold steel knife broke my para is still as good as it was the day I got it.
Aw that sucks, what broke on it?
Andris Kompelien my cold steel tuff lite blade chipped out really bad, using it on larch wood in Wales in the forest, could not believe it I had it for about a year. Did not even use it that much, unfortunately I live in the uk so it was not worth all the hassle of sending it back, So I throw it away, I do videos on my channel but don't like to do fail videos to be honest, just brings the wrong crowd to watching my videos, I may get me a recon 1 but at the moment I must say I am disappointed.
Oh right, yeah huge chips can be a pain to get out. I've been looking a little at the Code 4 and Ultimate Hunter, but the Para 2 is a little higher on my wishlist right now :)
Andris Kompelien yes and if you ever tried sharpening a cold steel darn the steel is hard lol
fog360 Bushcraft my pm2 has not broke yet either and my cold steel did
I own and love both but in my opinion the triad lock is overkill in a standard size folder. It is nesisary on there XL models tho. The compression lock is much more convenient for every day use.
yeah andrew you have the strongest lock.
i own 8 of you (old series) and they are top.
but i never could close it well with one hand,im always scarry to get my fingers not out,and they are very stiff.
with a pm2/pm3 it works just top. for me to compare your knives are tanks,but the pm/p spydies more tac knives.
i didnt seen untill now one cs knife for exact my needs.i would wish you could build something up. fine+tac+ultrastrong+fullone hand use+fast opening&close
That is one strong Taiwanese knife! Kudos to Taiwan/China for making such a good blade.
Fun fact. 52% of all steel in the world is produced in China. So even if you were to buy an "All American Made" knife, that doesn't mean that the materials are produced here in America. It was just assembled here. Both Spyderco and Coldsteel pocket knives are great. But if it comes down to pure durability and longevity, I'd go with Coldsteel.
You guys should test a microtech otf with your standards, interesting to see how the different folding mechanisms hold up to stress
Sea An otf isn't a folding mechanism at all. Hence the name behind the abbreviation, out the front. Lol :)
It would snap easiest of all
At this point I think it would be good data to test all the cold steel knives until failure to know which is the strongest in order.
Great knives great prices can't take anything away from spider co-though Spyderco still excellent they both have their vantages and disadvantages I would just pick them up on what purpose you were trying to serve and what's most comfortable for you cold steel spider co-top of the line
Good videos keep them coming
How do we know the spyderco was subject to the same amount of tension during the shock testing as the CS? The CS knife tension seemed a bit lax compared to what the spyderco was experiencing... These are control variables that need to be addressed to get accurate results. Anyways, the Tri-ad lock is still impressive regardless.
I literally just watch the non coldsteel knives because I'm curious and I know the coldsteel will pass
It "failed" first time but every time after that it was fine. Sounds like the lock wasn't fully engaged on the para the first time.
why would it fail the first test and not the second? Maybe you didn't lock it back all the way?
The only thing I don't like about the hold out 2 is that in order to close it, you need to put an EXTREMELY high amount of pressure on the rocker. It really hurts you're thumb after only a couple closes. Besides that it's an okay knife. The lock is really bothersome though.
+csknives okay great! Thx!
I think it is technique as well. I have never had any trouble unlocking any of my tri-ad locks yet my wife has a little and after showing her the right way, she now has no problems.
cool test. does this discourage me from carrying my PM2? Not at all.
I own a Paramilitary 2 and a Hold Out 1 (larger 6" version). And I do believe that the Hold Out is probably a stronger knife. I love both of them a LOT! However I see these tests in the same way that I see high performance sports car tests. A Nissan GTR may be quicker than a Corvette Z06. But most people likely aren't going to be taking their cars to the track pushing them to their limits. Most people drive them around town and will never take their cars to their limits. For me both knives, for EDC, are more than adequate. The thing I love about the Paramilitary 2 is the ease of operation. I can quickly open and close it with one hand. The Hold Out requires two hands to unlock and close.
richarcm The Spyderco can close on your hand if it spins in your hand and you push down as if cutting. The force you push down with is enough to undo the lock. That's quite a big failure.
I haven't yet noticed that to be the case in real use. In extreme testing, such as this, perhaps that can become a problem. But I don't think most knife owners put their knives through such torture. If YOU do, then perhaps a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 isn't for you.
zwz • zdenek I know this comment is a year old but...how in the heck could you be holding a knife (well the PM2 anyways) loose enough that it could spin in your hand but still tight enough to put enough pressure to make the blade fail?? Don't be mistaken, even tho it didn't hold up to the test this video shows, that compression lock is very strong and more than adequate for anything you'd ever use your knife for.
I like this guy, he seems very unpretentious which isn't what I typically expect from a person working for CSK.
Your tests seem very fair to me. How about the Hold Out II vs the Spyderco Manix 2 ?
The para 2 could have been a plastic spoon in that first test. Both results would have been the same.
I don't use my PM2's as pry bar or wedge.
Lockback/Triad are stronger but, how much spine strength do you need for a pocket knife ?
How about you do some slicing tests ?
wow I can't believe that pm2 took those over strikes! It is a really cool knife, but it never struck me as a "strong" knife.
***** I have been playing with a couple of your new knives in CTS XHP, and now I really see why you guys went with that AUS8a in the passed.
I must say, I like the 8a better, its just an easier steel to work with. I spent over an hour getting a polish with my edgepro on the new XHP, and then it micro chipped after doing some cutting at work. AUS8a takes about 20 minutes to get an absolutely great edge, and I have never had it micro chip. AUS8a is some tough, keen stuff!
I know this test is just testing other companies vs your basic standards, which is awesome! I think that in a knife I'm looking at, I don't plan on hanging off of it or using the back of the blade as a hammer. But that wasn't what this test was about.
As I'm staring and holding my para2, although I love my mini-ak and have been wanting to get some more CS. The only thing that leans me away from them now days is that they are not all USA made :(... I can watch all your test videos but if I don't see USA made, part of me just isn't as happy.
***** Which two knives?
This was typed on a device using Chinese made microchips, you were happy with that though.
@@londiniumarmoury7037 Nah i'm not happy with that actually.
@@alfredcornflake5032 The American folding knife only crown are kind of hypocrites, 99% of them have draws full of cheap chinese made knife, forks and spoons, all use Chinese phones, and hardly any oft heir guns are American made, they mostly use European guns. I know tons of American only folder guys, and they own tons of Chinese swords too, and wear Chinese and European made clothes and shoes. but there folding knives have to be American for some reason.
@@londiniumarmoury7037 Nah bruh everything I have ever owned or will ever own has been proudly made in 'merica. lol, nah but for real I made this comment 5 years ago I could really give a shit less now. Still carrying my para2 though lol.
i think your testing is very objective and you do it quite ethically, albeit controversial I enjoy these videos! but it proves your strap line "...strongest knives..."
To those questioning why someone would ever abuse their knife like this... Please remember, there was a time when a mans knife was his most trusted and cherished tool. If you find yourself in a "life or death" situation, having a knife fail on you could make the difference. If i had to bet my life on a folder, im choosing an ad10 over any spyderco. That being said, if im not expecting to do much work on my farm, i carry a native 5 lw and a cs verdict g10. Both are super lightweight and tougher than most folders that outweigh them.
I do like my cold steel knives. My gitanto got the tip bent from pinewood, not from prying just stabbing, I think it wasn't tempered correctly. My double agentII is extremely light and has amazing strength for it's thinness.
However both these examples are of fixed blades. And I can't say using folding knives in the manner in the video is a good idea. Even the Cold Steel knife would fail eventually, certainly before a fixed blade would. Most fixed blades have a lateral strength (as in the lock failure test) in the thousands, not just hundreds of pounds. After all cars have steel that can support thousands of pounds laterally, but moving parts, no only a couple hundred. Pathetic to use the spine of a folding knife as a hammer. Of course I carry both, and usually I carry a close steel knife as my fixed, and a cheap variety of folding knives, typically including a razor, which kinda beats edge holding and cutting abilities of all known knives on the planet.
Real knife fans should be able to appreciate knives from all manufacturers. I love Spyderco shaman, I own cold steel, buck, and Chris reeve. Personally I won’t buy a Spyderco, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love the design, that doesn’t mean I will talk shit about it. I love the shaman, I just won’t buy it.
Has the protoi knife in the pocket been revealed or produced since this video was made?
I was so waiting for this guy to say ( But Wait Theres More !!)) at any moment when he was testing the cold steel LoL
I bought a new large Voyager to match my medium and the blade chipped immediately right out of the box with the first use. My only issue with CS is the quality of steel for the price.
+csknives advise you???? Is that code for you just got bent of and fucked up the butt???.... You rep CS just like a typical 1911 guy that can't admit his gear is bogus, looks great but when it's game time it fails, so let's make a video to trash the competition, I bet you hate Glocks too huh? I actually buy and use you product, but as of now I've decided I will never spend a dime to fund your stupid ass comparison videos.they are either nonsense tests or rigged.
Cold steel is good stuff. I just don't do that to my folders. Interesting contraption you have there.
Eh, I prefer Spyderco, but that doesn't mean Cold Steel doesn't make badass pocket knives.
Man people are hilarious. I love all my Spyderco knives and I love these test video's. Cold Steel does in fact have the strongest lock on the market. That's just fact. Don't own any Cold Steel knives myself and that is because of a couple of reasons.
1. Don't like coated blades
2. don't like their business practice (ie. frivolous law suites and corporate bullying like with the whole recent San Mai BS)
If they ( Cold Steel) just let their products speak for itself I would definitely be more inclined to buy one of their knives.
+Neil The Knife Guy no one has been bullied over the San Mai thing, they are just doing what any company would and protecting their trademark. If someone started calling a knife the Manix 2 that is not Spyderco, they would step in... its just a normal practice.
The real reason that is controversial is because they trademarked a process that was around thousands of years before them.
But people can come up with their own names too, its like Notebook vs. Laptop. Same thing, just different names because of copyright.
+David Downs I stand by my reasons. If that came up with the process than I wouldn't mind as much. But they didn't.
I have a bunch of Cold Steel Products, i just recently sold my Recon 1 Tanto serrated combo because the black paint was starting to chip off. I have never used it hard or abused it but the paint needs to be better quality for the long haul. I would also like to see you guys make some automatic knives such as a OTF and push button Automatic. It would be cooll if you could make a similar tri ad lock for an auto knife. You would have me "sold" if you did.
+csknives Thats cool. i would love to see a Cold Steel otf similar to the microtech ultratech in a tanto serrated blade. thanks
To be fair this test isn't completely equal to both knives, they have different locks (and it's compression lock, not liner lock, they're different things altogether) and those locks work differently. The lockback on the CS hooks into the tang of the blade and keeps the blade from going forward unless it rips the handle and lock bar pin out, breaks the blade, or shears off the lock bar, none of those will really happen during those conditions due to the design of the lock itself, the compression lock on the PM2 needs to be wedged in place first, something that doesn't really happen unless you open the knife properly and use it until it's worn in.
The whole thing is an uneven comparison between the two blades.
What do you do with the tested knifes?! Give then away or auction them!!
First and foremost, I understand fully that this test was designed only to test locking mechanism durability. As far as durability goes, the Tri-Ad is one of, if not the, strongest in the industry.
With that said, I still passed on the Cold Steel brand for the PM2 on a recent purchase. It came down to a combination of factors instead of perceived superiority in any one category. While the tri-ad locking feature is strong, I feel it sacrifices in convenience. I like to open and close my knives one handed and I can't do that with the tri-ad lock. Second, and probably less important, I prefer the Spyderco unique aesthetics. Not that CS knives are ugly, they just seem to have a common appearance. The final selling point for me was the PM2 being US made. Even tho I know this company outsources, I do like to support an American company when possible, especially when they make a quality product. If I were a knife collector of any kind (as opposed to a guy who just buys one good EDC and carries it til lost, it fails, or I'm just wanting something else) I would undoubtedly own CS products. I feel they make a great product that is affordable and that is certainly among the elite of mass production companies.
Final note, these "My brand vs your brand" comment fights are really stupid. The companies themselves don't even have any animosity amongst each other and actually recognize and willfully admit that their competitor makes great products. I work for a major company that makes small gas engine products and regularly meet with, and have great friends in, employees of our competitors.
Fan of both company's.
pfff Spyderco PM 2 it's awesome looking knife but,,, it's good only for light task, if for him will fail, that's bad
Sal should make the PM2 lil bit stronger
***** Light tasks? If you are doing anything to a knife that causes it to take 135Lb of pressure, and very hard spine wacks, you are not using the knife right in any way shape or form. You are not doing heavy tasks, you are straight up abusing the knife in this case. In real world applications both of theses knives would hold up just as well in daily use.
Dan Martin This it's my opinion. cud be lil bit stronger, dosen't matter for me if it's lil bit hevy. Also the TIP cud be stronger! Im not like other guy's who abuse knives, also i dont understand the spine wacks for test a knife. Even i use hard a folder knife, i use carefully, the most important for me it's to be SHARP, VERY SHARP, i just like to be lil more stronger becouse i like very much the PM2 that's all
All i want for PM2 its a stronger TIP and the liners to be lil bit ticker like the liners from my Gayle Bradley
***** Yeah they do have very thin tips. I have a Ti Military and at times I do hold back because of it when doing some tasks... but in general the thin tip has a lot of uses, like for marking wood, picking out splinters, and cleaning under my finger nails.
It all comes to personal preference I guess. Personally I like thinner tips, hence why I tend to carry knives with them such as my Al Mar Eagle zpd-189, Kershaw Skyline, Boker Kwaiken, Ti Milli, ect..
yes,, you have right! a thin tip it's good for many task. The most of guys who love knives, start like overbuild knives, like Hinderer, Strider etc etc. in my opinion overbuild knives dosen't perform very well
Me i expect more from a knife like PM2 becouse in my country we pay doulbe or more for a USA knife. If you live in USA u pay for PM2 100 plus minus, me i pay around 200, this is the reson. Our online stores sell a Spyderco Military with 302 $ it's alot of money , and who pay this money expect more for this price. sorry for my english!
Best Regards!!!
If you're knives were made in USA I'd buy them in a heart beat... until then I'll carry my trusted PM2. Please consider manufacturing in America.
+csknives Just searched the 4 Max, its a handsome knife. Thank you for taking a step into made in America products cold steel. Can't say I'm happy about the price though. But you know what they say, you get what you pay for.
Cold Steel still not American made. Strider, CRK are successful even considering the price. However the Spyderco you are using is worth the little extra money over anything not made is the US.
My first thought is that the Spyderco's lock wasn't actually engaged when he did the first strike.
***** I'm not saying you didn't. That was just my first thought. And I own both knives. Actually I own a Hold Out I. I LOVE THAT KNIFE!!! I am a Spyderco fanboy but I love Cold Steel knives as well. For EDC my knives don't go through these torture tests. Although I always felt that the Paramilitary's compression lock appeared flimsy. They both function adequately for me with daily EDC use.
***** Also, although the Hold Out may VERY WELL BE the stronger knife, when I see the Hold Out spin 180 degrees during a strike test I wonder how much impact is not absorbed in the knife but rather dissipated in the spin itself.
The real test would be if the knifes were firmly fixed to the pivot I two point to not allow it to swivel.
I have a couple Para 2s, and all three (Aus8) sizes of the Hold Out. I knew I had to have the 4 inch version of the HO as soon as I saw it. I got the other two on sale. The HO's are so unique, and COOL looking. I was pleasantly surprised by the 3 inch version. They are pretty stiff when opening, and closing, even after leaving them in the spring flexed position for a few days. I like how CS almost always offers a 4inch blade. They are strong, and I am not afraid to use them, and scuff them up. I think the price tag of Aus8 combined with the ruggedness made sense. You really had no serious competitors at this price range. Now with the steel upgrade, and the price increase, you have stiffer competition.
The Para 2 is definitely going to be an knife icon like the Endura. It is unbeatable for the price. It is so smooth, and easily to manipulate. Aesthetically, it is looks great. It is the perfect size, has top notch materials, and superb fit and finish. I carry, but do not use the Para 2s too much. I will be passing these on to my son.
Comparing a CS to a Para 2 is like comparing a pick-up truck, or a Jeep to a Corvette.
+mwhich50 I'd more say it's like comparing a backhoe to a corvette. the pickup will do a-to-b just as well as a corvette.
The spring gets over compressed and mishaped
My heart was beating hard when you tested the paramilitary 2. I expected more from it. But aren't we are talking about 2 very different locking methods? Isn't the Spyderco Paramilitary pretty much a reverse liner lock with a notch taken out the tang that the liner snaps into? The design is cool but it will allow for play and flex under that kind of duress and doesn't have the strength to compete with a Tri-Ad mechanism which seems to be one of the strongest out there. (I own two Espada XLs). I can't see most liner locks standing up to the Tri-Ad. Now what would be interesting to see is a normal back lock tested with the Tri-Ad, say the Spyderco Chaparral. I really would like to see the Holdout 'holdup' against a Sebenza too :) Come one man, do the Sebenza!
I beleive it would fail if new . My experience with spyderco knives is they seem to have a poor quality control and need to step it up. The knives have ruff engagement when new and they claim that usage improves performance . That should NOT be a way a company thinks . I agree with what you say . it may pass 99% but the first fail could be catastrophic
I have found on the para 2 if you do a good hit on the back of the knifes blade it fails which is scary because I like fingers not a fan of the compression lock and I do not understand spyderco makes.an amazing ball bearing lock, bolt lock and back lock
How about testing the Sog Vulcan, it's a version of the axis lock.
Trying to knock the para 2. Good luck, still take it any day, better overall knife.
Benchmade Adamas please
Vipertech Why would they test a knife that is stronger than theirs?
lazibubulazi That would be a good one!
zunedog31
Hahahahaha, good one!
zunedog31
Also, check out Vininull's hard use video on the Adamas.
Strider smf is the papa
Can you Test the Endura 4 pls :)
Awesome video from our favorite knife designer Andrew Demko... Funny how the machine had stuff on it rattling during hold out test when Andrew was looking dumbfounded. LOL (Awesome video)
Try a Buck 110 Folding Hunter!!!
Will be a test Cold Steel Ti-Lite vs knife another firm (liner lock) ?)
Why didn't you check the tightness of the bolt with the Spyderco like you did with the cs after every strike?
You should do the weight hanging test upside down, as if the pressure applied in the extreme situation was from the opposite side of the blade or whatever
By upside down I mean the knife blade edge facing up instead of down like in these vids, so that the direction the knife handle would swing normally is reversed to what you currently do normally
I wonder if the results would be similar from any of your tests
Like the vids though, community service honestly
Cold Steel I love you! Keep it going!
I think the Spyderco ATR has a framelock compression lock.
you set the torts wrench differently in between frames. You leave the cold steel knife in looser than the competitors
+Lion Heart you can tell by how much more the cold steel knives move compared to others. The cold steel moves like 180 degrees whereas the competitors only move 75-90
Cold Steel is just more rugged and manly than Spider co.
Cold Steel when you torque the nut down that holds the knife for the spine wacks, how much force is used? is it the same for both knives? they seem to be barely able to stand up
can you prove that you used the exact same amount if force for both knives
Cold Steel why don't you torque down the bolt until the knives won't move for the spine wack. that's a test I'd like to see
This is why I don't get why all those other knife guys are all about ZT, Benchmade, Spyderco etc. And not Cold steel.
cold steel you need to compare the coldsteel sage 3 against a cold steel knife because people are saying it's a stronger long
A $150 knife broken by 135lbs. Hell, you dont even get a pound per dollar out of that p.o.s. Glad i carry a recon 1.
Interesting.
Like you said though, if this is a matter of big "what if" situations/use cases, then why not carry a fixed blade?
Fixed blades are more material, considering the sheath, and less convenient for pockets or concealment. A folding knife doesnt need a sheath or belt clip, and in comparison to the same holstering position, a folding knifes draw time is marginal. That being noted, a folding knife can be easily moved to another position, such as a coat pocket, a sleeve, or a palm, concealed to prepare for draw, and drawn first. A fixed blade lanyard would also be non-locking if short and time-consuming and long to be locking, long enough to be grabbed, cut, or if someone else controls the knife momentarily, killed with your own knife while its still attached to your wrist; a folding knifes lanyard can be locking, shorter to prevent more opportunity for manipulation, and applied under cover of clothing, and in a locking configuration, body impact leading to loss of grip doesnt mean loss of weapon
Please test the Endura and/or Delica
What's the flashlght? Looks like an HDS.
you guys are crazy. I know there is no stronger lock on the market. there is no reason to prove it more then what you have done. I like my cold steel knives. I like others too. I love my blades guys! interesting stuff you guys do, but I doubt I would ever be in a situation to make my pm2 fail like that. rock on fellas!
dandandatreeman Would you bet your fingers on it?