Now I don’t get swag boxes often.
I don’t know if people think I appreciate them, do people just not understand the bro?
Am I the weird Youtube knife reviewer?
Ha ha ha.
We’re all weird, no one likes us.
But even if I am awkward in most social interactions Flytanium still asked me if I wanted new scales
for the Blurple Para Military 2.
I mean I’ve had for years and- I said why not, as spittle dripped down my lips and I
caressed my pewter dragon necklace.
Because yes I read aloud all my messages as I type them on my phone, just like everyone
else.
I decided on the natural G10 offering from them because I missed out on all the retailer
exclusive drops.
So then a big box arrived and what I did not expect is all the stickers.
There was a nice soft shirt, my new favorite, that I will wear every day without washing
under my floor length black trechcoat.
The aroma adding to the cornucopia of smells at the knife show I attend.
Some lanyard beads, more stickers, And a big surprise- 2 sets of scales.
And stickers!
One set that is not even out yet and I did not know about.
Which is not a surprise because I am always out of the loop.
I mean not quite- please don’t ask me if I’ve seen the new Zero Tolerance.
But here we are, the smooth sculpted milled natural G10, and some very nice titanium scales.
I won’t be taking any notes, or arguing with anyone on this- but the Para Military
2 is a reference pocket knife, and what I regard as the perfect modern folding knife.
Checking off the boxes, it is relatively lightweight, it has a sick as hell name that tactical cosplayists
respond well to, it is well balanced, very fun to deploy flick and fidget with, available
in many steels if you want to chase exclusive and sprints- and lastly it has a healthy aftermarket
support.
It may not be my absolute favorite knife, but other pocket knives at bigger price points
just can’t improve how much it gets right.
Now there’s nothing wrong with it’s grip.
It’s great, smooth, and feels sure in the hand.
But I have been staring at the blurple G10 scales for years, and I thought what the hell.
Think of the content, I’ve made 5 Instagram posts about it, so that means it’ll give
me three videos.
The unboxing, the review, and thoughts after 5 months of occasional carry.
Flytanium’s scales are direct swap ins for the originals that use the original hardware.
They achieve that sculpted look by being a hair thicker, like by a 10th of an inch, but
with deeper milling on the grip and top side.
Weight gain for the G10 is minimal as well.
That added material gives the middle of the handle where your palm is some extra swell.
It doesn’t feel much different in the pocket- but ever so slightly, in my opinion, gives
it a nicer feel in the hand.
Natural G10 para military 2 knives are usually limited, and these are easy to buy at $45.
They have some micarta for $49, and these brand new titanium are about $85.
Anyway taking the knife apart the first time isn’t fun- but you can do it.
You’ll need two sets of torx wrenches, because some of pivot and dual screwed tubes.
I use the bits seen here, I will link them below.
They are properly hardened and don’t fuck up soft spyderco screws as easily as cheap
bit kits.
See soft bits often deform easier, so a bit with rounded edges will not grip to the inside
of a screw tightly, then in turn strip out the bit.
You pay more for Wihas because of the higher quality bits.
As far as knives go- Remember either the screws on your $150 knife can break when you remove
them or they can strip out- there’s no middle ground.
Do you wanna go to jail or go home?
Alright you need to understand I have had this knife for several years now, so the Lock-tite
has loosened up- some people report having to boil their knives or worse, to get the
pivot lockout to loosen.
I had an easy time and went with positive thinking.
Pocket clip goes first.
Remember- both versions of the flytanium here are tip up blade backward in the right pocket.
The ideal position for most right handed persons, while the left handed knife persons are pounding
sand.
I removed the standoff at the back and the stop pins next, it made it easier to use both
screw Torx drivers.
Otherwise you’ll remove one and the other will free spin.
This was my first time taking apart the knife, and I thought in my Hue-bris just one torx
driver would do.
But the standoff proved I was a fool.
While you see me using one here for both I had to put one screw back in then loosen the
other side.
I just cut that part out.
In total I removed the scales three times, each time was easier.
No locktite on standoff and stop pin as far as I could tell.
Now the pivot.
Remember Use two bits, one for either side.
The pivot will generally have locktite but the older your knife is the locktite may have
slightly disintegrated, so you’ll have an easier time like myself.
I use one driver here, but I had to put one of the screws back in hold the pivot sleeve,
collar, whatever hold and loosen the other side.
Now with the blade removed we get to the worst part for me- the goddamn lanyard tube.
The ends are slightly flanged and it’s a tight press fit.
Eventually you can just work them loose one side at a time, one side eventually popped
off for me.
But the trick is you don’t want to bend it too hard because you do have a metal liner
and a metal tube.
And you don’t want either one of those deforming one another.
So you don’t want to bend it too far outwards.
One side popped off for me and the other side was more difficult for me.
I used a chopstick to turn it in circles, and also apply downward pressure on the scale,
while applying upward pressure on the tube.
The idea here is you use something soft like a chop stick so it doesn’t deform the metal.
This is only difficult the first time.
The flytaniums both went on and came apart without issue.
The liners are press fit inside the scales, there’s a tiny tab that you can lift to
pop them out.
Inside the flytanium scales there’s milling they are light weight.
Here are the various weights of the OG scales and both the flytaniums, and the hardware
by itself thats blade liners, clip, and all screws spacers and standoffs.
So you can combine the weights to the aftermarket scales you’re looking for.
Ok when putting the knife back together note that the pivot sleeve has one side that has
a flat area, so it is assymetrical.One side is completely rounded and one side is flat.
I would recommend when putting the knife together to start with the liner, the scale, the washer
and pivot on that side.
That way it doesn’t turn.
The liner on that side and the pivot sleeve go together one way, then put the screw in
that side to hold it into place.
Then blade, other washer.
Then I’d pick up the other scale and liner, put in the standoff or stop pin that holds
that together then you’re ready to sandwich both sides together.
Tighten the screws all around, I don’t know if you want to add lock-tite again?
If pivot ever gets loose with use I prefer to just tighten it down.
I guess the Locktite is for the people who buy $150 knives and can’t make minor mechanical
adjustments?
A little booklet in the case with basic maintenance, and picture would go a long way.
So what about the scales on the knife?
Now the thing about the Para Military 2.
Is that it’s well balanced, and works best with a scale that fits the spirit of the original.
The natural G10 improves on the feel in the hand for me, and keeps a similar look to the
original.
Everything is rounded, chamfered, probably not tumbled.
Tumbled G10.
Don’t tell me it’s impossible or a bad idea.
Not a harsh edge anywhere- there’s a tiny not even really there bit of pokiness near
the compression lock which is present on my purple scales… but you never notice it because
of the way your finger hits the compression lock.
I only noticed it when the scales were off.
You can’t move the clip around like the OG scales however I carry tip up blade backward
in the right pocket like like other right handed fully human beings.
The tip downers can see themselves out of the room.
Now what else needs to happen here is now I want to change the hardware, and clip.
I do like the original clip however a flamed titanium, and some loud hardware- it’s like
the knife guys fart pipe, and ill fitting front spoiler flapping in the wind.
How about the titanium?
The titanium is great, all edges rounded and finished.
It’s smooth in the hand, and has a real great look.
Looking though Flytaniums past scale offerings this is probably the nicest and most complex
version.
The interior is further milled to keep weight down.
I weighed the total knife at 4.85 oz- which is about an ounce heavier than a standard
PM2.
The balance point of the knife shifts a bit too.
Just a tiny amount though maybe a quarter of an inch?
People love adding backspacers, artisan lanyard sculptures- so it ain’t too bad.
I still prefer a lighter Para Military 2 though- so I’m sticking with the natural G10 scales.
I also like a little more visual contrast from the handles.
Maybe a cool fade anodization would really make the titanium pop.
The good news is I will be giving away the titanium scales on Instagram in a few days
or a week- so follow me over there to get a chance at them.
So that about does it.
You can get flytaniums lots of places like their website or BladeHQ, check the description
below.
Follow me over on Instagram, for the giveaway.
You can always buy a t-shirt.
Or a sticker or a mug- that supports me.
Here are my Patreon persons say Hi to them.
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Thanks for watching!