Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight / Para 3 LW - Overview and Review

[@metal_complex]

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[@katienicoara6323]

Great review! I picked up a Para 3 LW for 90 bucks, and I love it. The action on mine is perfectly fall shut, super fun to fidget with. The FRN doesn't bother me, so I have no complaints at all. Totally agree with you on the pocket clip, it's amazing! I'm glad you gave it a try, and realized how awesome of a knife it is :)

[@chillseawasp]

does anyone else do this? when they buy the product THEN watch reviews 😅

[@potatosnacks5571]

I’m doing it rn

[@nikkidreyer]

rn

[@dantem5228]

Just so you know, Spyderco have the spot on the scales that says the name, as a place for the clip to land. This makes it so it goes in and out of the pocket easier.

[@metal_complex]

Ah that makes perfect sense! Thanks!

[@MaulBlast]

Thank you MC. Over time I have come to really appreciate this channel. Valuable insight and opinions on things in the knife world. \m/

[@johnbillings4947]

I finally ordered one of these a couple of days ago and it arrives tomorrow along with a new balisong. Stoked? Yes I am!!

[@Dontslaythybroski]

Howd u like it? Still own it?

[@cbwelch4]

I am admittedly cheap and utilitarian, but I finally broke the $100 mark for a pocket knife. I’ve always had a fascination with Hogue and Spyderco. For an anniversary gift from my wife, she let me pick between the Deka and a Spyderco. I was leaning toward the Deka, then I saw the Blade HQ run of the Para 3 LW in CPM M4 and it pushed me over the edge along with the deep carry wire clip. I guess this is how the addiction progresses. It comes soon and I think it is cool. It was a great way to get into a more premium steel for $122. I’ll have buyer’s remorse and probably get the Deka in S20V. I’ve actually heard S20V is no slouch. BTW - I could tell it hurt you a little inside to recommend a knife with FRN scales... ;). Kudos.

[@TheGamerGuy1981]

100% my favorite lightweight EDC I've ever carried or used. Action on mine is so good it's fall shut and I can nearly pinky flick it. All I've done is lube it and adjust the pivot.

[@RileySantiago]

I've removed plenty of zip-ties with my PM2... you just have to make sure you put the edge against the zip-tie and the spine against the hard surface. If you try to wedge the tip in sideways it will break.

[@jeffsmith6441]

I've had mine for a while and the action is pretty nice. I've been happy with it so far but I carry my Bugout more often.

[@gigaphonicon]

I have the para 3 lightweight and I love it as far as FRN goes to me it's well proven it's place as durable and strong as it's what all the clam shells of most power tools. Even Crazy expensive drill and drivers like hilti and snap on so it feels comfortable and natural to me and quickly became my edc

[@DaveAlkema]

I just got mine last night. I actually didn't know what I was bidding on for sure. I knew it was a SpiderCo, and I knew the closed length, but the seller didn't have any other information. They stated it was never sharpened, but that was about it. I paid $30 plus shipping. Got it in, saw it was a Para 3 and got excited. I'd initially purchased it to practice the "spidey flick" as I couldn't do it yet on my other knives. While waiting for it to arrive I ended up teaching myself with my mini-Bugout. Now that I have the LW in hand, I do really like it, and I'm getting really good at the flick. Edit Mine drops shut to a 90* angle. I can either wiggle it or thumb it in for the rest. Sometimes, not sure why, it'll drop shut all the way.

[@just9911]

Blast it with compressed air. Spray down with WD-40 to flush any gunk building up. Blast out with air. Add a couple drops of KPL on both edges where the blade meets the scales. Should be damn near drop shut.

[@scotteger6271]

I'm sure you know this already and it's still a matter of personal preference, but the "belly button" as you called it, or the Spyderco "bottlecap" as I've also heard it referred to, is so that the pocket clip has a landing pad. Then when it has tension on it that area is smooth and doesn't tear up pockets as bad, compared to if the clip sat on a textured surface.

[@itsaknifestyle8482]

Yeah the action on my Para 3 Lw was not dropping shut like on my PM2. Putting some KPL on it helped a lot BTW. Nice Review 👍

[@cueball981]

After carrying for a few weeks, my P3L's action is amazingly smooth and fidgety! My most carried knife at the moment. I wasn't sold at first, but I now prefer it over my G10P3.

[@TheGamerGuy1981]

Looking back on this I'm glad they didn't use S30V. I've truly come to hate the steel due to how chip prone it is. Yeah, I would have rathered 20CV or something, but they were trying to hit a lower price point. Only knife this size I use more often now is my we banter in 20CV.

[@DrGruesome]

Are there any aftermarket scales for the para 3 lightweight? I just bought one today!

[@robertm8401]

I think this variant is somewhat Spyderco's answer to the BugOut. Lightest weight possible with all the reasonable cutting performance one could ask for in a very compact and easy to carry package. I am also one of those people who like FRN, I like it on my Griptilian, my Ranger Green BugOut and I like the FRN-ish CF Elite scales on my newer black BugOut. 😁 I am tempted as heck to get the newest BailOut with M4 steel and Aluminum scales, but to be true to myself it will just be a redundant purchase to what I already have.

[@TripleEEDC]

It’s interesting to see what does and doesn’t bother people. I guess that’s why it’s good to watch multiple reviews. The sharp edges of the scales ruined this knife for me, but perhaps in other hand shapes it’s not so bad. Great review!

[@wupwop]

They are sharp

[@andyhayward1261]

Just got the applied weapons tech scales for the para 3 lightweight and they transform the knife. I actually always liked the FRN on the lightweight but having the beautiful lightly textured aluminium makes it feel amazing ❤

[@georgemorley1029]

3:23 That’s mine too, either play or no good action. Hitting the sweet spot hard with only one washer.

[@spydiho]

The spot on the scales you said you didn't like with the spyder logo, is there for the clip to land on that's why it goes in the pocket so easy.

[@wretchpin]

When I got my para 3 lw, it had really bad lock stick. But it has since went away and the action is butter! My favorite figit flicker ATM. I love it!

[@nikkidreyer]

picking up the lightweight salt variant 4 years later 🤣 watching this to verify my purchase

[@Below-Average_Joe]

I have two Para 3 lightweights and they both fall shut and lock up tightly.

[@thesportingprofessor3011]

Agree totally on FRN and action-I had one and gifted to a friend in a week.

[@andrewtoole1222]

Had one for a few weeks, and the action just felt sluggish to me. Plus the FRN got to me after handling my other Titanium and CF knives. Just felt cheap. Used to own a G-10 Para 3, but I didn't like the blockiness of the scales. Shaman satisfies my compression lock needs.

[@richardvirchow3390]

I love my Para3 LW but hate the wire clip. They skimped on the fastener- too narrow a head to hold down the ends of the wire clip. My wire clip keeps coming off. I was forced to replace it with a 3rd party Lynch-like replacement clip.

[@manifestgtr]

Interesting...my para 3 lw free falls shut. Yeah, the centering is tiiiiny bit clipside as a result but I don’t get any play which is nice. I consider this knife to be one of the better spyderco values of all time. It’s basically flawless ergonomically and the BD1N has been a pleasant surprise. It just feels so nice in hand and so nonexistent in your pocket....plus, the low vanadium content means I can sharpen it on my shapton glass stones which is a maaaajorrrrrrrrrrr plus.

[@janmakal2445]

Great knife! Mine was smooth as silk out of the box.

[@kozmo7]

So if this IS NOT the kinda knife for prying against zip ties, popping staples or other non cutting box related things, what knife is? Maybe not a Spyderco? I’m new here and it’s tough to wade through the opinions. I don’t do any outdoor bush crafting stuff just a bunch of home related tasks and box stuff.

[@andyhayward1261]

My para 3 Lw had fantastic action and lockup right out of the box, although the centering has always been off no matter what I do, guess it’s just a consequence of only having one washer

[@danielvargo8369]

I have all black para 3 lightweight I absolutely love it even I own multiple knives I carry this and my cf elite mini 533bk 2 bugout love them both

[@MrCrazyclown145]

I like my FRN para 3 over my g10 para 3. Both have been dropped multiple times. Only the g10 version displays damage.

[@frzh0626]

Interestingly, my para 3 lw has great action when I adjust the pivot screw a bit harder. Maybe manipulate the tightness of the screws can help a lot.

[@Stahlzee]

people complained about the stop pin being a pin in the standard para3 because you adjust if you get lock stick.

[@Redroad999]

Good review. I was excited to get one as my first lightweight. Got the black blade/clip version and it's a beautiful knife. The first one I received was way too stiff and when I adjusted the pivot screw to loosen it up a bit the blade was way off center. It was like the clamped down the pivot screw on one side to center the blade. Second had better action, but the blade was still off center. And I think I'm just too used to G10 because this knife felt slippery in my hand. I think it's the smoothed off edges, there's no traction there. I feel like I'm trashing it, but I'm not. It's a beautiful knife with awesome ergos, it's just not for me. It now belongs to my 13 year old son and he loves it.

[@Black_Cat_997]

It should be noted that this is BD1N, which was designed to be an improvement on BD1. Some of the "cut test" people around the internet seem to believe this is true.

[@valenzuelaeph]

Yeah its with an N

[@FISHUNTREECOUNTRY]

Glesser needs to invent a Native 5 lightweight, that is wireclip compatible. That in Magnacut would be the ultimate Spyderco of all time.

[@cbwelch4]

I love the RAT1- love it. I find the FRN slippery. If the ethos and the way it locks into my hands weren’t as positive as they are, I would not like them. It doesn’t slow it down. I can also get G-10 scales for my D2 RAT. It is such a good design, I might.

[@atl3630]

My para 3 has serious rough action out of the box. It’s hard to flick open at all. Is this normal? It’s annoying not getting the satisfying flick open. It stops after traveling 80% of the way to locked straight.

[@journeymanedc]

It really bothers me that on the Para 3 LW only rides on one PB washer on one side of the blade. The other side just runs on the FRN which has a faux washer molded into the handle. I've heard that this is part of the reason that these develop play overtime.

[@coleroyce]

I preordered this in the Salt, MagnaCut blade 🥵 I’m not sure if I’ll like it more than my maxamit one like yours ….thats my favorite and has been since I got it

[@adamszukowski9181]

Love the Para3, getting mine G10 version soon!

[@leonwong7968]

I wish I had gotten the g-10 version. The action is too sticky with the single washer and the FRN inner handle edge feels sharp and uncomfortable.

[@Aries-4Lyfe]

sand it down with some high grit sandpaper, it'll smooth all that out, adjust the pivots screws and put sum kpl oil on it. once broken in, mine is very smooth, not as drop shut as the g10 versions but smooth enough

[@aaronl8609]

I actally just this knife I see the bowie onebay for 589 in blue Is that a fair price?

[@spydiho]

Great review, thanks man.

[@theallix]

The decision by Spyderco to use only one bronze washer and just let it ride the FRN on the other side confuses me

[@metal_complex]

It's certainly a little odd

[@robertm8401]

Exactly, come on Spyderco just add another washer!

[@sprungjitsu8465]

For around 130 euros i dont want the lanyard hole on top where a lanyard might bother the comfort.

[@theknifeguy9513]

So I had a cheap Kershaw and the spring broke and I'm skeptical of getting another, thoughts.

[@metal_complex]

I've never had the spring break on a Kershaw Blur, and I've owned tons. Might have just been that knife. I wouldnt shy away from them.

[@theknifeguy9513]

K

[@RileySantiago]

Contact KAI USA and they will send you a replacement spring for free. I've had the same thing happen on my ZT0566. Similar to Benchmades, any knife with a spring is prone to these issues.

[@theknifeguy9513]

could it be from opening/closing it too many times

[@bloodmorel]

I really like the Para 3 LW. Very practical for EDC.

[@richardg6109]

Agree 100% - FRN not only feels cheap, it looks cheap.

[@one-of-us9939]

I have a LW in all black. My goodness, it is perfect... except when it isn't. Then I have a Shaman in rosewood.

[@darkcentury5676]

I've handled the g10 version and I own the lightweight, I believe that they are almost the exact same in terms of action. The Frn makes a different sound which tricks a lot of people. This one may just be a less drop shutty variation, as every production company has variations. Nick Shabazz said that his was also incredible in his review. Also, the pivot is a t10 screw, t8 works, but it poses a risk of stripping to use a smaller driver

[@wasawasablingbling]

If I remember correctly the lightweight runs on one washer

[@charlesholland6851]

Wasawasa Blingbling it does. I had to break mine down because it sounded like driving over gravel because of my job

[@wasnt_it]

try some blue lube in the pivot

[@mrc2205]

I got the St Nicks red one

[@profesorEDC]

CTS-BD1 and CTS-BD1N are not the same thing buddy. There's a big difference with that N in the end. Also SuperSteelSteve pointed out a huge weakness right in the compression lock being screwed directly into the FRN and not metal. Slicey Dicey made an awful mistake with the Barenuckle review about framelock and only corrected the comment long after. I mention this so that your positivity may continue to be impregnated with objectivity as you generally do. Godspeed buddy.

[@chrisc.4517]

I have 2 of them and both of the action on them are terrible. Severely disappointed.

[@mrc2205]

I think this is a great knife for a female. Light and smaller in the hand.

[@tyroneshoelaces9742]

Rat II in "carbon fiber" with D2 kills it as far as value.

[@SalvaGian47]

Swiss victorinox is cheaper and better made. Too much plastic for the price they sell it

[@Shakermt]

#bant6torx #banfrn #LabelYourBitSelector 🤣🤣🤣

[@Sugardaddy501]

I would love a para 3 lockback.

[@mikebertsch8747]

Its called a delica

[@nateperkins5036]

@@mikebertsch8747 I was just about to say