The Spyderco Para3 Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review

The Spyderco PM2 is one of the very best EDC pocketknives out there. The Spyderco Para3 is a smaller, less murdery version of it, which is nicer to carry, and still just as nicely designed. Aside from some nasty locktite and a silly lanyard hole position, it's a very worthy followup, and it's absolutely a gem.
(Also, sorry about the white balance there at the end!)

[@ComUnSas]

Screws that 'strip like you're throwing twenties at them'. Well played sir.

[@NickShabazz]

I forget who used that phrase on the Instagram, but I owe them one. It's a joy.

[@Guncleana]

ComUnSas was just gonna comment on that, hilarious

[@scipio7837]

could of sworn he said toonies. Listened several times...

[@Reviews4fun1]

Classic

[@JonesSmyth]

Spyderco says we can take them apart now lol 😂

[@hastings9452]

The blade shape reminds me a lot of the noses from the old comic spy vs spy

[@mitchelldelmar9682]

"By Prohias."

[@paulx7620]

Never can unsee that haha 😂

[@spydergkh6337]

Exactly!!!! Great Comic!!!!

[@gubourn]

Haha i had the same thought. Also reminds me of a plague mask

[@tincansailor9437]

128 people and counting revealing their age!

[@nyccolm]

Worth listening to just for your voice- a wonderful combination of whatzizname from The Munsters, some guy from Brooklyn, and another guy who just popped a helium balloon into his soul.

[@scottbrenn6830]

Grandpa Munster 😂

[@tyarnold4088]

Brooklyn? That's an Illinois accent.

[@sharperdamage829]

I love this freakin thing - the looks, the overall size, the blade, the whole (smaller) enchilada. I'm slapping a deep carry clip on it as soon as I get it, so the stock clip is a non-issue. I've been waiting (impatiently) for word from Knife Center that my pre-order has finally shipped. But no joy. The world needs joy. I need joy.

[@CedricAda]

Another triumphant review by the Nick

[@a_rabid_raccoon]

I came here to find out if it was a beautiful thing or not.

[@matthewadler1329]

This review was still hugely valuable to me 4 years later. Thank you Nice. Looking forward to my first Spyderco, which will be this one.

[@ihop4no14]

"The red Loc-Tite makes screws strip like you're throwing $20's at them." Ha ha! I had to stop the video and hear that again. Too funny Nick!

[@MotoJunkie23]

You have to remember what this knife was designed for. It’s not for a formal dinner party where you want a sleek classy deep carry almost invisible knife. With the bigger spydie hole, shallow carry, and bigger lanyard hole it’s perfectly designed to use in a tactical or work situation. When wearing gloves at work the shallow carry makes it easy to get out of my pocket, the bigger spydie hole makes it easier to deploy, and the bigger lanyard hole allows more lanyard options. Perfectly designed knife in my opinion for what I need at work.

[@jimyocum9556]

did you just rub that Medford against that pm3 for a size comparison?..way to go Nick that voids the Medford warranty

[@kevinmorrice]

maybe he is sticking his middle finger up to greg

[@Kolby9241]

jim yocum Medford’s are absolute garbage. Not a fan. I’ve owned 2 and definitely not worth the price.

[@sethnicholls7861]

LMFAO

[@tyarnold4088]

​@Kolby9241 what knives do you like?

[@miguelbalde1503]

Hey Nick! Watched quite a few of your videos and just picked up my PM3 today, you were a big influencer on this decision, and I have to say I'm incredibly happy with my purchase! Thanks for doing what you do!

[@sander9488]

Still happy ?

[@johnnnewmex]

My first knife purchase was the para 3 lightweight. Absolutely perfect for everyday. Love the compression lock!

[@sreilly688]

“Strip like you’re throwing 20s at them.” Lmaooo 💀

[@Biblicalgiants]

I love the way Spyderco added Earth on the blade stamp on their USA made knives. That's class! Great upload!

[@1983mikechan]

Best knife reviewer in the game.!! I just got this knife and I am in love with it.!! I have no hot spot from the clip like you did and I will for sure be scoopin up a deep carry clip

[@chrispariseau7139]

So glad you mentioned the poor quality of screws and how they strip. Spyderco is not the only guilty party here. It's a real problem in the industry in general.

[@appalachiangunman9589]

I can personally testify that Benchmade uses really good screws, at least on the knife I have. I made the mistake of putting red loctite on the pivot screw, the next time I took it apart for cleaning I was able to remove the screw with no heat without damaging anything. That’s how I learned to never use red loctite unless you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you will never need to remove that fastener ever again.

[@Apex_grind562]

Buy a lynch or mxg clip. Ends the shallow carry . As for the hot spot , a little discomfort. I agree with the red lock tight issue. Buy for the price...spyder co gives you an amazing slicer with a fantastic compression lock system . Overall, fantastic review.

[@kova1577]

Where do you buy those clips?

[@NeddyRoosevelt]

REALLY looking forward to that Para 3 vs Sage 5 review. That's been one of my biggest questions since the Sage 5 was first announced.

[@davidinghram2494]

I have been watching your channel for quite a while, and for some reason just now subscribed. About an hour ago I ordered a new para 3 from KC. I chose the blurple one with with a 110c blade. I had wanted a blue knife for a while now, but couldn`t find one that really drew me in. I`m looking forward to owning and enjoying this one. Thanks for all the hard work that you put into your channel, especially the disassembly videos for cleaning and adjusting.

[@ericmack1709]

Excellent video. I really like the size of the Para 3. It's the perfect size for an EDC knife. It has great looks and ergonomics. Spyderco did an awesome job with it.

[@JohnPaul-ve4pg]

As of April 2017, Spyderco stopped using red Loctite on knives made in the United States and instead uses medium strength Loctite. The company's facilities in Taiwan, Italy, China, and Japan source threadlocker locally. The change came after reviewers and social media users raised concerns about the difficulties that high-strength threadlocker can cause when maintaining knives.

[@vawterb]

Great review, Nick, thank you! It's a shame they're using inferior screws. I anxiously await your compare and contrast review with the Delica.

[@stignation]

Yet another Awesome & informative review as always Nick. Your inspiring & humorous words have influenced my knife purchases and more than likely saved me money. The para 3 is on my list but here in the uk is not a cheap buy! Keep on keeping on & thank you....🙏🏻

[@ericmack001]

“They strip like you are throwing 20’s at them” lol what a line!

[@mikejoseph8392]

This is one of those times that I should have listened to you. I usually like larger knivesso I did not put it on my list of "I gotta get that" and never looked back until this past monday. A friend and fellow modder sent a few knives for sharpening and the Para 3 S35 was one of them. I opened it and closed my hand around it. I could not believe how perfectly it fit my hand. I proceed to call my friend Eric and asked him if it was a customer's and he said no it is his, I then announced to him that he was not getting it back ever, he tried to convince me to wait until he goes to the Spyderco @nd sale and he will pick one up. I said yes to getting another one and no to returning it to him.I traded my lightly used PM2 Blurple for this new Tan S35 Para3. I have not been excited about a knife this small. I always carry 3 knives, a satin Street Beat IWB and 2 pocket knoives in matched pairs or close so the Para3 will be carried with a Pm3 both tan S35. I see myself getting a few more..I now know that I should heed your suggestions more often. Thanks for all the great info that you provide for knife community with a lot of comic relief and I hope you are enjoying your new home and job Mike J.

[@greghawes12]

nick could you imagine a mini manix with the lovely ergos and the bb lock. a 2.5 -3 inch manix would be really great.

[@rwicker83]

Mini Manix? Sign me up!

[@damon5899]

Would love that! I want to get my hands on the LW just for something that feels not as large and heavy-duty, though that’s one of my favorite qualities of the Manix 2. Such a secure, well-crafted knife.

[@sipsimies1588]

So pretty much a sage 5

[@heinkhel]

Just bought this one as my first EDC after watching your review

[@johnclary8518]

heinkhel nice first edc man you’ll like it

[@wake777]

Hows it doing? Im looking at this or the 940 for my first edc. Im thinking para 3 to beat on it.

[@angelsayachack8612]

Great Review as always. Ive had the military, pm2, manix, dodo and love them all. I sold them all to get higher end knives such as sebenza and strider. I also sold those knives and missed having a spyderco. I just picked up a para 3 with red g10 and black dlc blade. It's small but I feel like it's perfect for edc. I'm tending to lean towards gear that fits nice in my pocket with my pen and torch. The Pm2 for me was a hair to big and felt like I had a tactical weapon on me all the time. I love the smaller size as it can do all the things a pm2 could.

[@jacobdaus3835]

Nick Shabazz thanks for answering my question last night on the live stream! it was really cool to hear you actually say MY name! BTW, its pronounced like "Doss".... keep up the good work, you earned this Patreon supporter

[@thegreasersoutdoors1572]

Nick makes a great point about the tip down carry. I found that the clip hotspot was eliminated shifting to a smaller, deep carry clip installed tip down. It was one of the few knives for me where it really made a lot of sense and the ergos were greatly improved.

[@JM-sj4wj]

One of the reasons I love my Para 2 is the liner lock but it is “frickin huge” to carry for my office job. Gonna buy the Para 3. Thanks for the review

[@lz3390]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this vs the sage 5. Really torn between the two. The lanyard tube/shallow carry issue seems like a pretty serious concern to me.

[@Pleasum]

I just got mine in the mail from BladeHQ and wow! What a fantastic knife. The size is perfect, the quality is amazing and I can't believe the edge they actually put on this one. I will have a hard time not carrying this all the time. In fact, I think my 940 has some serious competition.

[@louismeluso8633]

Thanks for this long anticipated review. I carry and enjoy my burple PM2. The reason I scratch my head over this is not because the lanyard tube is so big, although I think it is, is why on dog's green earth doesn't Spyderco make bloody deep pocket clips? The thing is a POCKET knife, hence it lives in the pocket, not part way out (yeah, I know some folks like to pinch pull the knife from the exposed end.). Even if it were an optional accessory I would buy them. Talk about leaving money on the table. Now I have to buy one from a third party instead of getting one designed by the maker specifically for it.

[@mayanalien]

Louis Meluso that is actually the only reason I am not buying this knife. I can't have a knife hanging half an inch out. Every benchmade knife I own is on a deep carry clip. I just email them up, and it's in the mail the next day. This para3 is gorgeous, but the clip is a deal breaker.

[@jetsgo66]

Diego Salvatierra I agree it should be offered. But it's not a deal breaker for me, just get a clip made from some guy in the US. Generally under 20$.

[@mayanalien]

jetsgo66 that still doesn't address the fact that the lanyard hole is half the width of the handle. Lazy design? So close to buying this knife, but the 940 does it for me. Doesn't have these weird flaws.

[@jetsgo66]

Diego Salvatierra oops I thought you were referring the the pm2. I'm not a fan of the smaller size of the pm3 and agree the lanyard hole is oddly placed, although I like the size of it.

[@krazykat64]

Actually, Sal Glesser himself addressed the reason they don’t sell deep carry clips and it’s because they don’t want to steal business from the existing aftermarket makers like Casey Lynch and MXG.

[@Runes_and_Men]

Your videos always cheer me up for some reason. Much respect brother!

[@yankee2yankee216]

I love my Para 3s. They (I have 3, so far) all have deep carry clips, that eliminate that entire problem.

[@gavinreddig3969]

Hope I'm not the only one who thought the pm2 was the perfect size

[@spicychinchin6597]

Gavin Reddig I'm with ya

[@em4703]

Not really, its too long for edc imho. If I needed a longer blade, I would rather have a military on me.

[@ericmack1709]

The Para 3 will be legal in more places

[@derekvillorente4334]

No you not. Awesome knife.

[@Smaug1]

A LOT of the knife community thinks 3.5 - 4" blades are The Perfect Size. I think it's too big for EDC. Unless you guys are doing a lot of food prep or live in bad areas preparing for a knife fight, it's just too big.

[@yankee2yankee216]

I don’t like the clip either, but for about $12.95, that little problem can be solved with a deep-carry clip. The lanyard tube may be as big as the PM2’s, a slightly larger knife, but that is a minuscule point. It doesn’t bother me! I don’t know what kind of threadlocker they use today, but I have disassembled 5-6 of them (this being 6 years later), and… no problem.

[@saigudbai]

I have been carrying the PM2 tip down for years. The clip fits better in the hand that way, plus it lends itself well to reaching in to grab it by the spydie hole and once out you spydie flick it open. If I got the Para 3, I would definitely be moving that clip to tip down.

[@tsriftsal3581]

So, front right carry?

[@stevemorton9585]

Spyderco…I’m running out of twenties! Great review!

[@gvoigtlander]

Eric Glesser did a disassembly video on the Spyderco website. He said red Locktite is now out at the factory. He also explains his choices in designing the PM3. Worth watching.

[@moelns12]

"Strip like you're throwing 20's at them" lol! Awesome..

[@CrimsonSurvival]

I like my Millie 3, I just carry it as an extra to my EDC gear, use it as a little slicer/dicer/cutter. Good video, brother.✝️👍🏻

[@BrentonCarr]

I appreciate your reviews. I do wish you'd not cover the knives, in the size comparison portion of the video, with your hands.

[@jedimike7689]

Its ok he's only covering a very, very small part of them.

[@mikem4259]

Hahaha, as the post before mine "strip like your throwing $20's at it". I couldn't stop laughing. I'm a very amateur knife collector and learning. Your videos are well done and strait forward. Your humor adds to the experience.

[@yankee2yankee216]

IMHO, the Para 3 is the PERFECT pocket knife.

[@KmusikOne]

Funny, because I didn't love the PM2, but I really like the Para 3 with a deep carry clip.

[@HeadCase55]

This is the first video of yours I've watched but the flowchart at the end is such a good idea. Idk if you do it in all your reviews but its helpful

[@TheFlyrodder68]

Best knife reviewer on you tube. Better than NutNFancy! Straight up honest review! Love it! Keep it up Nick. Love my PM2 and went for the Sage 5 over the Para 3.

[@Fret6]

Just bought one used for 120 with a deep carry pocket clip. Glad I landed this deal. Can't wait till I get this

[@CoordinatedCarry]

Ok honestly, I like that the screws are lock tighted in place. I can clean it in an ultrasonic cleaner if I get it really dirty. With the hollow body, most debris with pass right through. Hit is with a little oil and press on.

[@jimmycricket7946]

That dammed lanyard hole is still ruling supreme and taking priority over the position of the pocket clip. September the 25th of the year 2022.

[@feralgrandad4429]

Nick, I watched this video and brought one. The video was just that good. Bearing in mind this side of the pond it's a $200 knife. It's a great knife and I love it. Cheers for your help.

[@misfit71]

Received mine today. Lightweight version in BD1N steel. Love it so far. It got it's first taste of blood. Looking forward to carrying it.

[@Mike-vu8nn]

First USA made Spyderco I got, and it came with debris in the pivot which made it hard to open. Loving it now that I washed it and lubed it tho.

[@MrFlyrod7]

Great review. Now have to choose between the Para 3 or a Benchmade Mini 555-1 😎

[@turningpointinspiration]

Benchmade!

[@smokingunclefrank6037]

Just got my first Spyderco the Para 3 and it's great tip up Nick love your videos

[@mpmassacre91]

Took me 6 years to actually pick one up glad i did cause the s45vn is nice

[@timsummers870]

I love folding knives like that, but I can never give up carrying my Swiss Army Knives. I needed the straight pin that goes underneath the corkscrew today. Spyderco-type knives look appealing, but it's a knife blade and nothing else. Also, many guys are throwing $200-$300 on those knives just to use as box cutters, aren't they?

[@PARADIGMCREATIVEGROUP]

Nick, by far the best no nonsense reviews, thank you for the solid videos!

[@jamesfair9751]

I finally found the review that brought about the para lightweights lol 😂

[@TS-sc9lq]

I love your vids. Keepin it real! I fell in love with the PM2 at the Spyderco store but carrying it was a nightmare so i got rid of it! Do you know if Para3 will is avail. in any other colors? Thanks!

[@YaGhAd]

Mr. Nick, you are my favourite reviewer! Love from Saudi.

[@jsimons9630]

Excellent review! I've never completely understood the obsession of tip up vs tip down carry (except, perhaps, with an Emerson).

[@spy8464BB]

Nice review, it was a beautiful thing. The flow chart is genius. Thank you for the video

[@wagstaff6135]

I hope one of the future comparison vids feature the Native 5, too, along with the Sage 5, Delica, et al! Love this video. I am still mulling over this knife. (Of course if I had the cash to "just buy" it would have been done!)

[@paulneumann7739]

Para 3 is a great size. Has a neat style to it. Grown to like this one. Good steel!

[@thsbulldawg82]

As expected, an excellent and interesting review. Love the way you explain the excellent to ugly aspects of any given knife. Helps a lot when considering a new purchase. I must say that I'm glad I live around people who are more "Wow, awesome knife" when they see a PM2 in the lunchroom than "EEEK!! Better watch this guy"..... lol...

[@pinkiewerewolf]

Nicely done on the PM3, especially going with the regular pocket clip instead of the wire clip which has the ability to lose any folder they are placed on. I agree that the PM3 would be a better knife with the lanyard hole/pocket clip three screw dealio. I think the pice should be less than a PM2 but then again, I've paid much more for custom Spydie Crickets, and they are tiny.

[@Outdoor_MED]

I just ordered a PM3 in S45VN

[@Cheeseoverdose]

I got one of these and wound up selling it. Knife felt too small, flicking open wasn't as easy for me as the PM2. It's amazing how such small changes can seem like such a big deal on a folding knife and completely change the overall experience.

[@_kuruptkonvik_2059]

You must have big hands bro 😂 all good just use what you enjoy at the end of the day it's your decision

[@Cheeseoverdose]

@@_kuruptkonvik_2059 I didn’t think so but maybe I do! Daily is now a full size military 😂

[@col8179]

Best blade reviewer on KZbin

[@TheGamerGuy1981]

Amazing how much more I enjoy the LW version on this one.

[@juanhinojosa1593]

Good review nick! Everyone appreciates a honest review

[@spicychinchin6597]

I love the size of the 3" blade, however, I'm a big guy, I just fit the pm2's with as big as my hands are, I just couldn't deal with the smaller handles, as I can barely on my delica, I don't find the pm2 to be too unwieldy, and I don't think I'll he carrying a para 3 but I will consider picking up a sprint run certainly, because let's face it, this guys a gem

[@pinkpearl8130]

Just got my first para 3 and I must say you hit every mark right on the money. Every point you made in the good the bad and the ugly were spot on. I may let this para 3 go and stick to my dragonfly 2's.

[@andrijabandolero6242]

why that?

[@rustyjocsen5260]

Why all the dislike? Its a really nice edc knife. Right size. I have cara cara 2,which is really good but a bit big for me. I am really happy with para 3 size and overall perfomance

[@JohnPaul-ve4pg]

Price doesn’t bother me one bit. I paid $130 more for the Maxamet. Love my Sage 1 Maxamet but don’t have a Spyderco compression lock on any of the 7 I have.

[@dmarkj22]

Living and working in Los Angeles county where the blade length for a pocket knife is limited to 3 inches the Para 3 is the perfect EDC knife for me.

[@jimmygrey6848]

Something to consider maybe for future flowcharts, Do you actually carry the knife in you pocket? Because the answer for me is no. So the whole tip up/tip down, deep vs shallow carry thing is a non issue for me. I carry my knife in an EDC pouch which sits in the bottom of my backpack everyday until I need to use it. Or if I am engaged in some kind of outdoor activity I will have a fixed blade on my belt, if it's the weekend and I'm just out casually I'll either leave my knife at home or have one sitting at the bottom of a pocket without using a clip.

[@oscarbustos7314]

Amigo: Puedes hacer un episodio comparándolo con el Sage 5? El Sage 5 se ve mejor en la mano, mejor en calidad y sin los problemas del clip. Gracias! Saludos desde Chile!

[@felixf5211]

This is my favorite knife. I agree with every point raised in the review. The lanyard hole isn't well placed and is too big, resulting in a less favorable position for the pocket clip. Obviously some of this can be solved with an aftermarket clip, but it's still a fair point. Just ordered a Para LWT, which is likely why this came up in my feed, and I'm excited to check it out. Apparently some of this was solved. Enjoyed the video.

[@thegovernment0usa]

Can we get a little pop-up on the screen saying 1) they stopped using red Loctite and 2) they now permit disassembly under the warranty

[@briantaylor9266]

The lack of a sharpening choil (or a poorly executed one) used to be an issue for me. No longer. I have found I can grind one and polish it in 5-10 minutes with my Dremel-like tool, and have done so on about 25% of my 50 or so knives. Some might object to having to modify a knife, but I see it as no more of a mod than putting a well-profiled and sharp edge on a blade.

[@briantaylor9266]

Great video, as always, BTW!

[@carlosmatos9848]

Brian Taylor Yeah I hate that too, especially if you use an Edge Pro, no sharpening choil makes it easy to start forming a re-curve if you're not careful. I have a couple small diamond grinding bits I'm going to try this with.

[@timbrwolf2238]

I like your decision tree! I honestly waited on the Para 3 for a sprint run. Picked up the Cru-wear blade, which I don't have in my Delica blades. ;)

[@Oldcoinsandstuff1]

I have never seen a level of obsession!! Love it!

[@Mamewi212]

This knife retails for about 150, but I tell people the final cost is more like 180, because purchasing a deep carry clip is a requirement. Spyderco will need to evolve the pm3 soon

[@edgblades]

Great review, Nick! Glad you pointed out the lanyard hole take up (I agree, unnecessary) and overexposed handle from tip up clip. I'll stick w/ my deep carry clip PM2

[@Mrplacedcookie]

Got my Para 3 despite the Red Loctite, anyway... A stunning good knife. A smaller PM2 and the Para 3 became an instant favorite.

[@7784000]

I was always torn between the para 3 and the PM2 so I decided on the para 3 and absolutly love it. Then i got the PM2 and absolutely love it as well. I was surprised I liked none of them more than the other one. But then I realised that both are fairly different, much more than let's say a para 3 and a bugout. What I want to say is: just get both.

[@reddyuda]

The Spyderco Para3, a Beautiful Thing

[@blanebiondolillo430]

i agree nick,they really don't need to use red thread locker!i think the med blue would serve just as well,but its probably do to there warranty!they really don't like people taking there knifes apart and voiding the warranty,makes big problems for them!even though most of us no what where doing,thanks.

[@Smaug1]

Also, about the thread lock, you have to realize that 90+% of their customers will not want to take the knife apart, and for them, it's more important for it not to loosen up on its own, over time. Even for a good cleaning, it's not necessary. There are not many nooks and crannies that are hard to get to with a blowgun, pressure washer, soap and dish detergent, etc. Taking them apart is just for Knife Nerds.

[@desertrainfrog1691]

Blue Loctite is better for that then. Knife nerds can take it apart and the screws will stay in fine for everyone else. Blue is plenty for this, people use it in magnum springer pellet rifles which generate lots of vibration, and the screws still stay strong.

[@mitchelldelmar9682]

Spyderco espouses the philosophy of Continuous Quality Improvement, so maybe, hopefully, they are aware of the lanyard hole/pocket clip design flaw. Using the same collar for the lanyard hole and clip from the PM2 makes sense to company bean counters, but not to a loyal client base. It's enough to wait out a purchase and hope for a revise.

[@secretseventyseven]

I love Nick Shabazz Reviews... honest reviews like 'em or not.

[@Publieus31]

Thanks for the great vids nick

[@HardcityRaindrops]

I can't get my pm2 Blade to fall free without sacrificing at least a tiny bit of blade play what am I doing wrong?

[@brianfreeman2386]

My biggest beef with the design is how not deep the clip carry is with an inch of handle poking out of the pocket.

[@NickShabazz]

+Brian Freeman Absolutely. Had the Lanyard Lobby not corrupted the Tip-up options, this would have been a truly joyous review, tempered only by some threadlocker.

[@slick_slicers]

You should try the G10 Heinnie Haynes UKPK. It’s profile us almost identical, but has a deep carry wire clip. Of course the downside is the slipjoint rather than the compression lock. It’ll surprise you, but I’m not bothered by that, especially with the choil. It’s an elegant knife; sufficiently so, that I bought one. It’s my only Spyderco in a collection of over 100!

[@jknifeguy3043]

I hope they make an S110V version!

[@m.p.2327]

You probably know it already, but there is a s110v version