Spyderco Military 2 Compression Lock Folding Knife 4" S30V Satin Blade C36GP2

After more than two decades of dedicated service, the Military Model has clearly established itself as one of the most iconic and enduring folding knives ever produced. Although it has experienced a few minor design and engineering changes over its lifetime, its form has remained basically unchanged—until now.

At the 2022 BLADE Show in Atlanta, Spyderco unveiled the second-generation Military 2. Designed by company co-founder Sal Glesser and his son Eric, it incorporates many of the proven features of one of the Military's offspring—the Paramilitary 2—as well as some subtle ergonomic refinements. The reaction to it was overwhelmingly positive and earned it BLADE magazine's prestigious American-Made Knife of the Year award at that show.

Instead of the original design's LinerLock, the Military 2 uses Spyderco's signature Compression Lock mechanism. Although seemingly similar, the Compression Lock is mechanically very different from the LinerLock and offers much greater strength. Because it is located on the spine of the handle, it also greatly reduces the possibility of inadvertent lock release during hard use and allows the blade to be safely closed with one hand without ever placing your fingers in the path of the edge. To complement the improved lock mechanism, the Military 2 also features a precision-machined bushing to ensure exact alignment and tensioning of the blade.

The stainless steel liners that form the foundation of the Military 2's lock are still nested within its peel-ply-textured G10 scales to keep the knife slim and pocket friendly; however, they are markedly larger than the liners of its predecessor. To reduce weight and allow easy cleaning, the liners are skeletonized and teamed with stainless steel standoffs to create an open-backed construction style. Together, these features trim the knife's weight by 0.2 ounces (6g) and give it an exceptionally lively balance. The larger liners also enhance the knife's structural strength and provide a solid anchor for its four-position pocket clip. Unlike the lone carry position of the first-generation model, the pocket clip of the Military 2 is fully configurable for left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. This greatly enhances the versatility of the design and allows it to be fine-tuned to fit personal carry preferences.

Ergonomically, the Military 2 also features some subtle, but significant changes. Its 50/50 index-finger choil is slightly larger for improved control when the knife is held in a forward, "choked-up" grip. Both the forward and rear portions of the handle have also been narrowed slightly for enhanced comfort.

On the business end, the Military 2 features a full-flat-ground blade crafted from CPM S30V stainless steel. A long-time standard, CPM S30V has proven to be extremely consistent and predictable in Spyderco's manufacturing processes. Over the years, Spyderco has also perfected the heat treating of this steel so, based on their extensive in-house testing, its performance equals or exceeds that of other steels. Like its predecessor, the Military 2 will likely evolve to feature other blade steels over time; however, in its inaugural form, CPM S30V will be the standard.