My first article about the Military 2 Salt was a story about evolution. About how Spyderco quietly transformed one of its most iconic folders from the ATS-34 era into something that almost feels like the final expression of the Military concept. From ATS-34 to the Salt Age, the journey was technical, historical and, in many ways, inevitable.

This time, I want to talk about something much simpler :
Living with Gurney, my Mil 2 Salt.
(I nicknamed my Military 2 Salt Gurney, after Gurney Halleck from Dune. A warrior, a troubadour and, above all, a dependable companion. Somehow, it seemed fitting.)
Because after months of carrying it, I’ve stopped thinking about its steel, its lock or even its impressive specifications.

I simply reach for it. And I like it. I like its texture and action.
I did not like some hot spots.

The very first thing I did was reshape the edge. Not because Spyderco’s factory edge wasn’t excellent—it was—but because every knife eventually becomes personal.

Sal Glesser has often said that sharpening a knife is one of the ways its owner truly makes it his own.
I couldn’t agree more.

Over the years I’ve come to prefer a convex edge on almost every working knife I own. It glides through food beautifully, feels stronger behind the edge and, perhaps more importantly, suits the way I maintain my knives.

Magnacut seems to love that de-shouldering treatment of mine.

Once the convex geometry is established, maintenance becomes almost effortless. A few strokes on a leather strop are usually all it takes to bring the edge back to hair-popping sharpness.

Just a few moments with a strop on fine leather (NOT that Gucci !) or white ceramic, and the Military 2 Salt is ready for another week of work.

No complicated sharpening sessions.
No steel removal unless it’s really necessary.
Free-hand sharpening is a skill to hone. 😉
Pun absolutely intended.

Now, about those hot spots I mentioned earlier.

I also rounded the blade spine.

Not because it needed it, but because I simply love the feeling of a nicely rounded spine under my thumb. It’s a small modification that makes prolonged use even more comfortable and gives the knife a more refined, almost custom feel.

Like the convex edge, it’s one of those little personal touches that turns a production knife into your knife.

Ah, and the choil ! Just to fit it to my hand. I have used the diamonds rods from my Spyderco TriAngle sharpening system.

Those scales are french fries friendly. 🙂

Ok, like many knife enthusiasts, I spend far more time preparing food than cutting ropes or surviving in the wilderness.

Summer only reinforces that habit. (Here pictured with my favorite kitchen knife custom the Kitchen Warriors made by Patrick Bonetta)

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocado, watermelon, mozzarella, feta, peaches, lemon, herbs… preparing large salads means wet hands covered with olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and vegetable residue. Exactly the kind of environment where many folders start feeling slippery and where corrosion quietly begins its work.

The Military 2 Salt simply doesn’t care. Citric acid ? Bring it on !
And that G10 pattern/texture really keeps the knife perfectly anchored in my hand even when everything is slick as butter under the sun.

I would ever think that its ergonomics almost reveal once my hands are wet and slippery.
And you know what, in cutlery, luxury is not having to think.

Magnacut attracts all the attention nowadays and corrosion resistance sells knives. But what I appreciate most isn’t the laboratory performance. It’s the peace of mind.
Nothing is going to rust.
Nothing is going to seize.
Nothing requires immediate cleaning because I forgot the knife in the sink after cooking.

That confidence is difficult to quantify, but it changes the relationship you have with your tool.

This is something few knives offer.

At around €200 (or about $200), the Military 2 Salt is hardly a budget knife, but I honestly think it’s a bargain for what you’re getting: a thoroughly refined design built around one of the most capable blade steels available today.

(A deep pocket carry clip is a must for a low profile attitude.)

That knife, it removes one more concern from everyday life.
You simply use it, rinse it if needed, strop it from time to time… and never worry about rust, corrosion or a reluctant pivot. No lock stick on mine actually. Just a smoooooth opening and closing.

The Military has always been a large folder. Well balanced and alive in your hand once opened.

But its pointy blade is undeniably imposing.

Yet the black and yellow Salt colors completely change the perception people have of it.

Instead of looking tactical, it looks… useful.

That yellow jacket Salt identity somehow soften its silhouette. It becomes an obvious tool before becoming a military weapon.

That surprised me.

I expected a big folder built with soldiers (of fortune), outdoorsmen and hard users in mind. And it is.

Instead I found one wasp of a folder that almost disappears into daily life despite its size.

Larger folders are often criticized for being excessive.

Sometimes that’s true. But excess is good in a sturdy piece of equipment.

I do love the Lil’Temperance in K390 which is a beast of a folder.
But when summer arrives and you’re slicing an entire watermelon, preparing vegetables for several people or working with large ingredients, blade length suddenly becomes an advantage rather than a compromise.

This is exactly where my UKPK Salt or even my Sage Salt begin to reach their limits. Blade length in the kitchen is defining the use of the knife.

These days, whenever I know I’m going to spend time doing wet work, I instinctively grab the Military 2 Salt.

If I’m cooking—or simply lending a hand in a friend’s kitchen—the Military 2 Salt usually travels in my bag, while a smaller Slipit, like the Urban, rides in my pocket. (Or a Microjimbo, Meerkat, Lil’Native…)

The same applies when I’m camping or travelling.

Peace of mind is priceless, and that’s exactly what Spyderco’s CPM Magnacut Salt knives give me.

Gurney comes along as well, bringing all the qualities I appreciate most: a high-tech blade, superb balance and effortless reliability.

Not because they’re the strongest folding knives I own.
But because they’re the ones I never have to worry about.
I know they’ll deliver—whether in terms of cutting performance, corrosion resistance or simple reliability.

Easy to deploy.
Easy to control.
Easy to clean and keep it dirty.
Easy to put back in the pocket.
Solid. Reliable. Efficient.
The Military 2 Salt has become exactly that.

A big folder to live with.
A little piece of Colorado in my pocket.