Omg, this is the first time I've seen a reviewer mention how the loop over part of deep carry pocket clips are uncomfortable to hold.The wire clip is much better than regular clips in this regard but still less comfy than regular pocket clips.
You bring up a good point about the Taiwan made Spyderco knives not getting the sprint run treatment. Hadn’t thought about that before. Don’t quite see why they wouldn’t. It’s not as though the company doesn’t have good control of the quality from that factory.
Hey Pete and/or Basil... Looking for my first Spyderco. Man, I'm going around and around and around (sorta fun, actually)!! One thing is I just really don't at all like the 'baby croc' look of a lot of Spydercos like the Delica or Paras. I prefer the look of the more even, leaf-shape blades. I carry bigger knives some places, but smaller knives most often during the week at the office. Three inch or less is legally good for most towns/cities around me, and would probably be carried more, but bigger is often no problem for me either, and often sees more actual use (vs pocket time). Some of the favorite folders I already own: 1) Dividend M390, 2) CS Lawman, 3) SW Modus D2, 4) CS Code 4 Spear Pt., 5) SW Mini Cutjack D2, 6) Ontario R1-D2. I actually enjoy 'fidgeting' my CS knives, so pure 'fidget factor' isn't a big factor to me re different locks. What do you think for a 'gateway' knife to spyderco? Native 5 LW S35VN $95 Shaman S30V $182 (!) Chaparral LW CTS-XHP $88 Sage 5 S30V $150 Manix 2 LW S110V $127 It seems the Chap LW and the Manix 2 LW are the best value propositions, but the compression lock is calling me, also, since I've never had one. The Native 5 LW might be the most balanced on looks, value, steel, size... but another lock back? Man, I can't decide!!! What do you think?
I agree with you on the deep carry clips, even in wire. They reduce the ergos, especially on a small knife. I swapped the clips from my Manix 2 lightweight (wire, but not deep carry) and my Para 3 lightweight. I tend to use the choil on the Manix (small hands) so it’s not hitting the base of my palm as much. The 10-12 year old Native ($40 at Walmart, back in the day) feels like the perfect knife in hand now. I wish I’d bought another before Wally discontinued them.
Hey Pete. Great comparison. Very helpful details (I have fat fingers). It's often difficult to get a knife in hand (in Oz) before purchase. Keep up the awesome work. Waiting with baited breath for the Cruwear and Rex121 testing. Rex should do 700 cuts, more when unleashed!
Nice comparison. With the exception of the steels for the Para 3 the Sage 5 is better for me in almost every way. With a Chaparral, Sage 5, and a Stretch, I could get 95% of my folder needs met. I don't, but I could.
Frederick J. The only Stretch I've owned tried is the lightweight in ZDP-189, so that one. :) Too larger for me to EDC, but a knife I didn't expect to like.
Well, I'm guessing you mean the first lightweight Stretch from the mid-2000's, with the ZDP-189. But the longer & somewhat fatter profiled Stretch 2 from early this decade -- the current model -- also comes as a "lightweight" in ZDP-189. The latter got more specialized in its design priorities to better suit the prep of game, hence it is now larger and less EDC by nature. I have that, too, in VG-10: I MIGHT keep that one around if I'm feeling extravagant enough, 'cause it's a winner as a very notably different knife than v.1; and it's VERY handsome in black with its many bright screw fixings. Closed in hand or on display, especially. But your main point is well taken. I'm new to this EDC knife thing (after suffering unnecessary frustrations for years!), and being in my '60's, I have been moving faster on this than younger guys probably would. Life is short, yet human beings waste a lot of time and miss out on a lot procrastinating (mea culpa). So right now it looks this way for me in terms of a flexible, complementary EDC group in the folder dept.: Spyderco K390 Urban Leaf; S30V Chaparral 1 (orig. carbon fiber weave); LC200N Native 5 Salt LW (when available; black S35VN LW model now); M390 LionSteel T.R.E. G-10 flipper (due in anytime); S35VN Factor Equip. Iconic Compact (an ergos champ... with choil!); ZDP-189 Stretch ('One') LW -- mine to be jimping & choil modded (fixed!); 14c28n Ruike P801SF (looks $$ to the civilians); and S35VN L.A.P.G. 'TBFK' Satin (ridiculously great; perfectly crafted, ground and set up, BTW, my copy)... lightest (1.90 oz.) to weightiest (4.87 oz.). "Horses for courses", as the Brits sometimes put it. I'm pretty happy with this group; and in a very practical sense, too, given the diversified collection and my helpful NIB auction wins. Interested to hear of any other faves of yours, Andy. Not making the cut on examination, FYI: Sage 1 (s-m-o-o-t-h/refined & the most classy Sage, but: three un-reconciliable hot spots in my hand, blade too tall & bulbous beyond the spyder and out of proportion aesthetically -- lost out to the ergonomically fit & smaller, but versatile Chaparral)... Para 3, just in (but simply a rather pedestrian effort, I think, with no particularly well-defined role or niche in the Spyderco lineup except to sell a lot of units off the popularity -- and over-hype -- of the supposedly NOT family related and more useful Paramilitary 2 (and, um, what's so military here except for the marketing, if I might also note?). I think the 3.09 oz. REAL 100% carbon fiber & titanium Factor Eq. Iconic eats the S30V Para 3 alive, properly tweaked -- some variations noted, frame lock release, especially (provisional three day take). The Para 3 is virtually the same weight on my scale as the sleeker, slightly longer Stretch, which easily matches or exceeds the Para 3 on handle/grip ergos and is much better looking [in 'person', let me emphasize!] and more versatile for real world EDC tasks. And it closes SO fast, just skake-for-blade-drop smoothly, and ultra-safe/securely in one hand, zero acrobatics required -- best of all my Spydercos, INCLUDING the Para 3! You all can hunt with your fingers and balance the knife to "pinch", as they say, that ugly little tab... not me (subjective take)... heh, heh. ...Sage 5 for the win there, I'd agree, Andy; if you care about aesthetics. But a bit "plain vanilla", as Nick Shabazz put it. Not too impressed by the compression lock and that ugly release tab and accommodating G-10 cutout on the Para 3, then -- if any of my Spydercos break for lack of a compression lock, I'll buy you dinner, Andy! And that hideous black G-10's dirt-grabbing appearance looks like something that belongs underfoot on a cheap treadmill machine at WalMart. Ugh. My unvarnished two cents on that. Ha, Ha. Scales & liners presentation: Sage 1 easily best; Sage 5, O.K., I guess. But it's not gonna pass for "dressy". So back to your original point. I'd even go so far as to put it this way. Three to get it all done, practically speaking: Urban Leaf (1.90 oz. and a tough little beast and box destroyer in K390 with a circa 600 grit (?) diamond honed toothy edge -- a 'sleeper', for some -- hypermacho? -- reason and surprisingly 'big' in hand)... Chaparral carbon fiber, EDC & "gent's carry" (2.43 oz.)... and Stretch LW-'One' in ZDP-189 (3.42 oz.) [modded, perhaps]. And always a place for a Native 5, of course. Cheers!
Frederick J. Nice bunch of stuff you have there. Honestly not sure what Stretch I had - I sold it to somebody who really wanted it since it wasn't getting much use. I struggle to find the right knife a little. I use all my knives and don't want to worry about not using the knife in my pocket for the task at hand, which means I'm unlikely to carry a knife where I'm worried about getting a scratch on the blade. (Not sure if that makes sense.) I have a location and support preference for my knives. I prefer to not buy Chinese made knives and I prefer to buy from a company that will offer support and parts if needed. Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw/ZT, and most small makers are at the top of my preference list. This means I'm missing out on a lot of other knives, and I'm ok with that. I have a couple Three Sisters Forge knives that I love. Not sure what's happening with that business right now. My North Arm Knives Shaha is great as well, but I'm generally not a flipper guy. I suspect a few of the Spydercos coming out this year will get most of my knife money, and maybe a Benchmade or two.
I went with the Sage 5 lightweight mainly because I like the blade shape better than that humpback thing going on with the Para 3.🐪 I own a Delica & Endura, so I understand the hump is for functional reasons, and not aesthetics. I'm retired, so my days of fighting wild animals with a knife are probably over.🐅🐰🐭🦘 I don't need a super strong thick blade on a 3 inch folder. I'm Quite happy with my slicy little Sage.
Good review. I just bought a CF Sage 5 and really like it. It definitely wasn't fantastically finished out of the box. It had a few rough spots on the handle and blade, but easily smoothed out. I'm finding the compression lock very stiff but the knife is new. Time will tell if the CF veneer stays on the G10, but overall I like it a lot. The wire clip was what sold me as they are more discreet and sit lower.
Sorry if I missed this point during the video but: how do the handles compare in "place for the fingers"? I have a Sage 5 and love the over all shape but I am thinking about a Para 3 because it looks more sturdy. And I noticed the Sage handle is more "flat" at the end while the Para 3 seems to have a little "hook" - are the fingers kind of compressed on the Para 3? (without foreward grip)
Cedric - can I ask you a couple of questions about your Para 3 S110v? I recently bought one and found a couple oddities about it. Well, the first one isn't that unusual, but the blade on mine wasn't completely centered. Did yours come centered? Secondly, I found the right embedded liner (the one opposite the compression liner) seems to bulges out a bit from it's embedded position in the G-10. Does yours do that too? Lastly, I found a sort of machined step on the ramp of the tang that accepts the compression liner. That's the strangest thing on this particular one. The box has a make date of ER, which indicates is was made in May of 2018. Perhaps this is something Spyderco is doing to newer batches of this model? I bought this one from BladeHQ, so I assume it's genuine, unless I got someone's switch and return that Blade HQ didn't catch when putting it back into stock.
I am waiting on that para 3 in lc200n. Then i will buy one. Until then the sage interests me more. I had a sage one years ago but didnt realize that there wasant to much better. It wasant doing it for me so much but i loved the performance. With the compression lock i think it could really tickle me.
I like the shallower finger choil on the para 3. I had the sage 1 but found it really slippery and the finger choil uncomfortable. i got rid of it right away the para 3 on the other hand is near perfection
I think if they did a delica in carbon fiber peel ply with a compression lock , and offer it in saber grind and ffg also YOU WOULD HAVE A HOME RUN. Especially with some exotic steels. Nothing would touch it in sales. At least my opinion
The Taichung S30V finish on my recently acquired CF/G-10 Chaparral is much less coarse and more clearly reflective, more "polished" [pun intended] than that on the new Sage 1 here. FYI.
Is there any blade play with either ? My beef with pm2 is that the action is all over the place, either blade play and drop or no blade play and stiff action . I haven’t handled a para 3 yet though.
I found the jimping on the sage is not effective at all. There's more traction on the carbon fiber portion vs the jimped one on the handle. The jimping on blade is rounded also and your finger just slides forward. Have a look for yourself. The Golden paramilitarys got it right and it's not just because of it being more ramped. Its annoying no reviewer i saw ever mentions this. Perhaps it would be CQIed by version 5 by now if they did. End on rant.
I very much enjoy that you mentioned rex121 which soon is available for the sage 5. What a time to be alive!
I love the Sage 5. My fav Spyderco. I love the blade shape and the wire clip.
Great review..I’m trying to decide between the two for purchase. ..the Para 3 is now in the lead
Sage 5 all day no question
Omg, this is the first time I've seen a reviewer mention how the loop over part of deep carry pocket clips are uncomfortable to hold.The wire clip is much better than regular clips in this regard but still less comfy than regular pocket clips.
So true. It's pretty much mandatory to have to buy an MXG or similar aftermarket clip for the Para 3 to reach it's true potential.
love your dog,as they say'its all in the eyes,in this video one can see thet,take care .
You bring up a good point about the Taiwan made Spyderco knives not getting the sprint run treatment. Hadn’t thought about that before. Don’t quite see why they wouldn’t. It’s not as though the company doesn’t have good control of the quality from that factory.
Hey Pete and/or Basil... Looking for my first Spyderco. Man, I'm going around and around and around (sorta fun, actually)!! One thing is I just really don't at all like the 'baby croc' look of a lot of Spydercos like the Delica or Paras. I prefer the look of the more even, leaf-shape blades. I carry bigger knives some places, but smaller knives most often during the week at the office. Three inch or less is legally good for most towns/cities around me, and would probably be carried more, but bigger is often no problem for me either, and often sees more actual use (vs pocket time).
Some of the favorite folders I already own: 1) Dividend M390, 2) CS Lawman, 3) SW Modus D2, 4) CS Code 4 Spear Pt., 5) SW Mini Cutjack D2, 6) Ontario R1-D2. I actually enjoy 'fidgeting' my CS knives, so pure 'fidget factor' isn't a big factor to me re different locks. What do you think for a 'gateway' knife to spyderco?
Native 5 LW S35VN $95
Shaman S30V $182 (!)
Chaparral LW CTS-XHP $88
Sage 5 S30V $150
Manix 2 LW S110V $127
It seems the Chap LW and the Manix 2 LW are the best value propositions, but the compression lock is calling me, also, since I've never had one. The Native 5 LW might be the most balanced on looks, value, steel, size... but another lock back? Man, I can't decide!!!
What do you think?
What... dude, you just posted a big comparison of Spyderco's... how did you do that so fast? It's really Basil, isn't it? Basil for Prez of Earth!
I agree with you on the deep carry clips, even in wire. They reduce the ergos, especially on a small knife. I swapped the clips from my Manix 2 lightweight (wire, but not deep carry) and my Para 3 lightweight. I tend to use the choil on the Manix (small hands) so it’s not hitting the base of my palm as much. The 10-12 year old Native ($40 at Walmart, back in the day) feels like the perfect knife in hand now. I wish I’d bought another before Wally discontinued them.
Hey Pete. Great comparison. Very helpful details (I have fat fingers). It's often difficult to get a knife in hand (in Oz) before purchase. Keep up the awesome work. Waiting with baited breath for the Cruwear and Rex121 testing. Rex should do 700 cuts, more when unleashed!
I got the maxamet one on sale for $171, have to say I love it.
I'm digging the new intro
Nice comparison. With the exception of the steels for the Para 3 the Sage 5 is better for me in almost every way. With a Chaparral, Sage 5, and a Stretch, I could get 95% of my folder needs met. I don't, but I could.
Curious, Andy... The first version FRN Stretch, or the larger FRN Stretch 2? (I have both newly on hand... still cogitating). Thanks!
Frederick J. The only Stretch I've owned tried is the lightweight in ZDP-189, so that one. :) Too larger for me to EDC, but a knife I didn't expect to like.
Well, I'm guessing you mean the first lightweight Stretch from the mid-2000's, with the ZDP-189. But the longer & somewhat fatter profiled Stretch 2 from early this decade -- the current model -- also comes as a "lightweight" in ZDP-189. The latter got more specialized in its design priorities to better suit the prep of game, hence it is now larger and less EDC by nature. I have that, too, in VG-10: I MIGHT keep that one around if I'm feeling extravagant enough, 'cause it's a winner as a very notably different knife than v.1; and it's VERY handsome in black with its many bright screw fixings. Closed in hand or on display, especially.
But your main point is well taken. I'm new to this EDC knife thing (after suffering unnecessary frustrations for years!), and being in my '60's, I have been moving faster on this than younger guys probably would. Life is short, yet human beings waste a lot of time and miss out on a lot procrastinating (mea culpa).
So right now it looks this way for me in terms of a flexible, complementary EDC group in the folder dept.: Spyderco K390 Urban Leaf; S30V Chaparral 1 (orig. carbon fiber weave); LC200N Native 5 Salt LW (when available; black S35VN LW model now); M390 LionSteel T.R.E. G-10 flipper (due in anytime); S35VN Factor Equip. Iconic Compact (an ergos champ... with choil!); ZDP-189 Stretch ('One') LW -- mine to be jimping & choil modded (fixed!); 14c28n Ruike P801SF (looks $$ to the civilians); and S35VN L.A.P.G. 'TBFK' Satin (ridiculously great; perfectly crafted, ground and set up, BTW, my copy)... lightest (1.90 oz.) to weightiest (4.87 oz.). "Horses for courses", as the Brits sometimes put it. I'm pretty happy with this group; and in a very practical sense, too, given the diversified collection and my helpful NIB auction wins.
Interested to hear of any other faves of yours, Andy.
Not making the cut on examination, FYI: Sage 1 (s-m-o-o-t-h/refined & the most classy Sage, but: three un-reconciliable hot spots in my hand, blade too tall & bulbous beyond the spyder and out of proportion aesthetically -- lost out to the ergonomically fit & smaller, but versatile Chaparral)... Para 3, just in (but simply a rather pedestrian effort, I think, with no particularly well-defined role or niche in the Spyderco lineup except to sell a lot of units off the popularity -- and over-hype -- of the supposedly NOT family related and more useful Paramilitary 2 (and, um, what's so military here except for the marketing, if I might also note?). I think the 3.09 oz. REAL 100% carbon fiber & titanium Factor Eq. Iconic eats the S30V Para 3 alive, properly tweaked -- some variations noted, frame lock release, especially (provisional three day take). The Para 3 is virtually the same weight on my scale as the sleeker, slightly longer Stretch, which easily matches or exceeds the Para 3 on handle/grip ergos and is much better looking [in 'person', let me emphasize!] and more versatile for real world EDC tasks. And it closes SO fast, just skake-for-blade-drop smoothly, and ultra-safe/securely in one hand, zero acrobatics required -- best of all my Spydercos, INCLUDING the Para 3! You all can hunt with your fingers and balance the knife to "pinch", as they say, that ugly little tab... not me (subjective take)... heh, heh. ...Sage 5 for the win there, I'd agree, Andy; if you care about aesthetics. But a bit "plain vanilla", as Nick Shabazz put it.
Not too impressed by the compression lock and that ugly release tab and accommodating G-10 cutout on the Para 3, then -- if any of my Spydercos break for lack of a compression lock, I'll buy you dinner, Andy! And that hideous black G-10's dirt-grabbing appearance looks like something that belongs underfoot on a cheap treadmill machine at WalMart. Ugh. My unvarnished two cents on that. Ha, Ha. Scales & liners presentation: Sage 1 easily best; Sage 5, O.K., I guess. But it's not gonna pass for "dressy".
So back to your original point. I'd even go so far as to put it this way. Three to get it all done, practically speaking: Urban Leaf (1.90 oz. and a tough little beast and box destroyer in K390 with a circa 600 grit (?) diamond honed toothy edge -- a 'sleeper', for some -- hypermacho? -- reason and surprisingly 'big' in hand)... Chaparral carbon fiber, EDC & "gent's carry" (2.43 oz.)... and Stretch LW-'One' in ZDP-189 (3.42 oz.) [modded, perhaps]. And always a place for a Native 5, of course. Cheers!
Frederick J. Nice bunch of stuff you have there. Honestly not sure what Stretch I had - I sold it to somebody who really wanted it since it wasn't getting much use. I struggle to find the right knife a little. I use all my knives and don't want to worry about not using the knife in my pocket for the task at hand, which means I'm unlikely to carry a knife where I'm worried about getting a scratch on the blade. (Not sure if that makes sense.)
I have a location and support preference for my knives. I prefer to not buy Chinese made knives and I prefer to buy from a company that will offer support and parts if needed. Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw/ZT, and most small makers are at the top of my preference list. This means I'm missing out on a lot of other knives, and I'm ok with that. I have a couple Three Sisters Forge knives that I love. Not sure what's happening with that business right now. My North Arm Knives Shaha is great as well, but I'm generally not a flipper guy.
I suspect a few of the Spydercos coming out this year will get most of my knife money, and maybe a Benchmade or two.
I have the Chappell sage 2 and manix 2 those three are a perfect combo
They also have the Para 3 in M390 (just got mine in the mail today)
Right on video! I have a Para 3 lightweight and a Sage 5, it would be hard to pick one over the other. Keep the quality videos coming.
I have the para 3 LW and sage 2 and I think I like the sage 2 a bit more
Another Cedric yay!. Love your knife reviews! 🔪 . Go into good detail.
I went with the Sage 5 lightweight mainly because I like the blade shape better than that humpback thing going on with the Para 3.🐪 I own a Delica & Endura, so I understand the hump is for functional reasons, and not aesthetics. I'm retired, so my days of fighting wild animals with a knife are probably over.🐅🐰🐭🦘 I don't need a super strong thick blade on a 3 inch folder. I'm Quite happy with my slicy little Sage.
Good review. I just bought a CF Sage 5 and really like it. It definitely wasn't fantastically finished out of the box. It had a few rough spots on the handle and blade, but easily smoothed out. I'm finding the compression lock very stiff but the knife is new. Time will tell if the CF veneer stays on the G10, but overall I like it a lot. The wire clip was what sold me as they are more discreet and sit lower.
The intro music makes me want to see someone take a pie to the face, and i love!
Sorry if I missed this point during the video but: how do the handles compare in "place for the fingers"? I have a Sage 5 and love the over all shape but I am thinking about a Para 3 because it looks more sturdy. And I noticed the Sage handle is more "flat" at the end while the Para 3 seems to have a little "hook" - are the fingers kind of compressed on the Para 3? (without foreward grip)
Cedric - can I ask you a couple of questions about your Para 3 S110v? I recently bought one and found a couple oddities about it. Well, the first one isn't that unusual, but the blade on mine wasn't completely centered. Did yours come centered? Secondly, I found the right embedded liner (the one opposite the compression liner) seems to bulges out a bit from it's embedded position in the G-10. Does yours do that too? Lastly, I found a sort of machined step on the ramp of the tang that accepts the compression liner. That's the strangest thing on this particular one. The box has a make date of ER, which indicates is was made in May of 2018. Perhaps this is something Spyderco is doing to newer batches of this model? I bought this one from BladeHQ, so I assume it's genuine, unless I got someone's switch and return that Blade HQ didn't catch when putting it back into stock.
I love the para 3.
Both great knives!!! I say just buy them both!!! I did
I am waiting on that para 3 in lc200n. Then i will buy one. Until then the sage interests me more. I had a sage one years ago but didnt realize that there wasant to much better. It wasant doing it for me so much but i loved the performance. With the compression lock i think it could really tickle me.
Love your channel bro.
I always wondered how the Manix 2 and the Sage 5 compare... Other than the lock... They seem nearly identical.
steve callari ill do a quick comp video if you like, someone else was asking about the chaparral, too
Cedric & Ada Gear and Outdoors oh shit! I gotta a response from the great cedric!
Yea man whenver you get time. Awsome
Manix2 is bigger tho
its up now man, take a look. nothin fancy but just against some other blades
Manix is larger, Native 5 is close in size to the Sage 5. Native is just a little smaller by about 4mm in the handle (less than a quarter inch).
Ooooohhh Mariaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
My 2 favorite Spydies
I like the shallower finger choil on the para 3. I had the sage 1 but found it really slippery and the finger choil uncomfortable. i got rid of it right away
the para 3 on the other hand is near perfection
What do you think about the Spyderco Smock ?
I think if they did a delica in carbon fiber peel ply with a compression lock , and offer it in saber grind and ffg also YOU WOULD HAVE A HOME RUN. Especially with some exotic steels. Nothing would touch it in sales. At least my opinion
How about g10 and s30v delica...at a reasonable price point?
Justin Hoffman very true.
Delica is a damn fine knife but it is ugly AF
Hahaha love the intro ! Best channel ever!
Another great video
Like them both 🇨🇦
Now they do Rex 121 for the sage five 😊
3:16 such a good boi
Love both of em a LOT dude. Great vid!
cold steel law man is awesome too :)
Bentobox has it in M390.
I am not a huge fan of the coarse satin finish from the Taichung plant on my Sage 2.
The Taichung S30V finish on my recently acquired CF/G-10 Chaparral is much less coarse and more clearly reflective, more "polished" [pun intended] than that on the new Sage 1 here. FYI.
I like seeing the grain of the steel
I like the new intro!
Is there any blade play with either ? My beef with pm2 is that the action is all over the place, either blade play and drop or no blade play and stiff action . I haven’t handled a para 3 yet though.
these are both very solid
That Para 3 is the best but deep,pocket clip wins out.
It says Sage 4 on the video link, not 5
Drat ...2nd.
Steven Robertson Got me boys. Off my game today... (7th ish)):
I found the jimping on the sage is not effective at all. There's more traction on the carbon fiber portion vs the jimped one on the handle. The jimping on blade is rounded also and your finger just slides forward. Have a look for yourself. The Golden paramilitarys got it right and it's not just because of it being more ramped. Its annoying no reviewer i saw ever mentions this. Perhaps it would be CQIed by version 5 by now if they did. End on rant.
Agreed. Also, the sage just feels "cheap" to me for some reason. The Para 3 does not.
I bought both of them! Im sorry!
Para3 with small mxg deep carry clip is muey beuno
Best combo.
Para 3 is way too thick.
Sage 1 in Maxamet..... Just sayin'...:)