Knife Review: Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight

SPYDERCO PARA 3 LIGHTWEIGHT REVIEW URBAN PREPPING FIVE ABOVE SIX BELOW

With all the love for Spyderco's Paramilitary series, it's no surprise that people started calling for something smaller, more pocketable. To remedy this, Spyderco released the Para 3 over a decade later, scaling down the proven features of the Paramilitary to create a compact copy of it's proven design. But for diehard fans of their FRN line looking to shed some weight, Spyderco had one more trick up their sleeve - the US-made Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight.

The Glance

With a 2.93-inch blade, and an overall length of 7.2 inches, the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight finds an easy home in the pocket or waistband. Forgoing the G10 slabs and liners in favor of open-backed FRN scales, the Lightweight is said to reduce the overall weight by nearly 30%, and I'm inclined to believe it. While this provides slightly less stability on paper, the use of Spyderco's proven Compression Lock system not only ensures that the blade remains firmly in place, but also helps to keep your fingers out of harms way when closing up shop. They even stripped out one of the washers to drop a little more weight, but I found this to add a hint of friction, and drive the blade slightly off centre. For those fixated on the fidget-factor, this may be something you want to consider. But as a tool, I wouldn't bother rereading my last sentence again. This this thing is still slick - I just know how you knife nerds can be. Topping things off, Spyderco has included their stellar deep-carry wire clip, which is left/right side compatible, and set for tip-up carry only. In this man's opinion, Spyderco should put this clip on all of their knives. No exceptions.

The Steel

The Para 3 LW continues to wear CTS BD1N, a mid-range, high-carbon chromium steel designed in partnership between Spyderco and Carpenter. While the paper shows it trailing other comparative steels in some areas - hardness being one of them - additional nitrogen has been added to improve overall corrosion resistance. In practice, I've found both statements to be true. While I find myself sharpening this knife as often as my VG10 and AUS8 blades, I can usually bring it back to life with half the effort. My guess is that this is partly due to the BD1N being a little less brittle, allowing for more realignment than reprofiling. It is also worth noting that while coated, I have yet to experience any corrosion issues along the blade's edge. This cannot be said for VG10, which will pick up rust if I look at it the wrong way.

Against similar blades in S35 or VG10, I struggle to say whether the cutting performance is helped or hindered by the use of BD1N. To be honest, I'm not sure that it matters given the desired attributes of this blade. What I will say - and this is echoed by anyone with time behind Spyderco's full-flat ground blades - is that this thing can cut. I mean, fingers beware. I commonly use this blade in daily pursuits and find that it is extremely responsive in the cut. This starts with Spyderco's use of thin blade stock, and is kicked up a notch by their shoulder-less grind. As with the venerable Paramilitary 2, the Para 3 LW's needle point comes as a blessing and curse. Treated properly, you can outmaneuver most razors. Make the wrong move and you may have to reprofile the tip; a lesson learned when an old Paramilitary fell to the floor and transformed into a flathead screwdriver.

The Feel

Scaled down, the Para 3 LW has done a fantastic job of standing taller than the specs provide. In large hands, most compact folders feel like a battle to hold, but I have found this knife to fit in amongst my favorites. Aided by the thumb ramp index, the end of the knife provides just enough length to settle softly in the middle of my pinky, eleviating the common annoyance of a free-floating finger. As for the scales, the stellar bi-directional pattern that we've come to know from the Delica, ensures that you feel locked in at all times. Fish slime or sweat be damned.

Going back to the thumb ramp, this is a design cue that forces you to drive the Para 3 LW a little bit differently than most knives. This isn't a bad thing at all, as it allows for greater downward articulation, and a canted hand position that 'punches' more than it 'stabs'. In a martial capacity, this may be more intuitive for some, but will be a slight adjustment for those who favor a linear blade transition.

The Point

With its understated size and weight, the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight makes for an attractive package with very few limitations. It's not perfect, but that's part of it's tale. Afterall, the Lightweight series of knives were made for people looking to shed a little weight, not pry open doors. Standing apart, the Para 3 LW has taken on a different form than its full-featured kin, showcasing functional attributes that make the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight a knife of true contrast. Just don't go mixing up 'contrast' for 'compromise' on this one, because you'd be doing yourself and your pockets a real disservice.

KnivesJHSeptember 9, 2024SHTF Loadout, EDC, Urban survival, Urban Survival, Urban Prepping Blog, Urban Prepping, Urban Preparedness, Urban Preparedness Blog, Apartment Prepping, Knife, Knife Review, Prepping Blog, Prepper BlogComment

Sticking to the Menu When Building An Urban PrepPing Pantry

While long-term food supplies seem to capture our hearts, many don't sufficiently plan for what is required inside of a year. It's easy to get carried away with our short-term selection, but the problem with non-perishable food like canned goods, is that we tend to contribute just a little too much to landfill. So how do we buck this trend when prepping for events like job loss or natural disaster? We plan our urban preparedness pantry around our daily menu.

On Shotguns: Shotgun Breaching For The Urban Prepper

We've all encountered a locked barrier at some point in our lives. Locked keys in the car? Call roadside assistance. Late night as a teen? There's a basement window for that. At the end of the day, these are all easy fixes with ample opportunity. But in an urban survival scenario where self-rescue is required - and a locked door may hold you or your loved ones firmly in harm's way - a heavy-handed solution may be the only way to safety. If a lockpick or hard kick won't clear a path, perhaps it's time to knock a little louder. Enter the shotgun.

The Nail That Sticks Out Gets Hammered

During a period of civil unrest, you're either a number or a target. No matter how well equipped you or your small group may be for conflict, full battle rattle is going to draw a world of unwanted attention from the hoods and have-nots. That overt plate carrier and camo you're wearing? The city will eventually swallow you whole, thinking you're another cop, criminal, or loot drop. But at what point does our affinity for load bearing equipment or camo become a liability in urban preparedness? With big city problems, I figure it's sooner rather than later.