Getting out of the sun with a Manix

Cliff Stamp · Jun 3, 2005

Site selection for an a-frame :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Spyderco/manix/manix_shelter_I.jpg

Basic frameup :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Spyderco/manix/manix_shelter_II.jpg

The frame is a lot more extensive than usual because since a folding knife was going to be used to gather the cover material much of it would be small boughs plus ferns and other similar vegetation so really large gaps would be difficult to fill in.

Note as well that much of it is made from litter and dead fall as the Manix doesn't have the chopping ability to efficiently hack down 2-3 inch trees for the supports, outside of Alders which there were none in close proximity but there was a lot of dead wood on the ground.

One hour of cover layering :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Spyderco/manix/manix_shelter_III.jpg

and the inside :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Spyderco/manix/manix_shelter_IIII.jpg

At this point it protects decently from the sun (not much of a problem here) and cuts the wind well. It would need at least another two hours of layering to get decent rain resistance.

With a larger knife which had more chopping power the shelter could be made *much* faster but the Manix made it many times easier than doing it without a knife, or a much lighter one.

-Cliff

donutsrule · Jun 3, 2005

Cool!

HoB · Jun 3, 2005

Looks like you had some fun there

.

Cliff Stamp · Jun 4, 2005

It was interesting to do it with a folder. I have been carrying the Manix and Paramilitary for awhile now and for a lot of cutting the Paramilitary tends to get used as the tip is pointier and the knife simply lighter and easier to handle. But the power of the Manix for some work is so many times greater. Both are great knives but for any brush or woods work the Manix is very versatile, the handle is also more filling and comfortable for a lot of heavy cutting.

-Cliff

DPris · Jun 5, 2005

What, besides the legendary & classic wolverine urine approach, is a good naturally occurring substance that's effective for removing pine sap from folding knives (and folding hands) in the wild?
I have yet to build a shelter using any of the the piniferous trees because that gabbleblasted pitch just gums up everything. :grumpy: I think the Indians had the best idea- beat a pine tree repeatedly with a rock. When the rock sticks to the tree, find another rock and repeat as necessary.

Denis

(Cliff- you done a review on the Mannix yet? If so, I missed it. They sent me one to try out, haven't had the time yet. Should it replace the SOG Tomcat on my belt?)

Cliff Stamp · Jun 6, 2005

DPris said:
What, besides the legendary & classic wolverine urine approach, is a good naturally occurring substance that's effective for removing pine sap from folding knives (and folding hands) in the wild?

On my hands I rub them in dirt, fine sand/gravel is best, it will take off a decent amount and covers in the rest so don't stick to everything. It also helps remove it with soap and water later on.

Getting it on knife handles is problematic as it makes the grip really uncomfortable, you start sticking to the grip and then tearing/ripping, it gets uncomfortable fast. I usually coat the grip with the sand/dirt the same way, this burnishes most of it off and removes the glue like aspect.

Of course the handle is a little abrasive covered in mud/dirt, but far less problematic than the raw sap.

...a review on the Mannix yet? If so, I missed it.

In progress, I just rounded out some work on the Paramiliary and the Manix is getting the brunt of most of my work now, along with another dozen knives anyway. I'll be doing a lot of edge holding work against a Sebenza shortly.

Should it replace the SOG Tomcat on my belt?

I'd carry both and rotate them through work and see how they hold up. The Tomcat looks like it would make a better prybar assuming the lock/handle construction is solid, and the Manix a better cutting tool.

-Cliff

Senate · Jun 6, 2005

Feel free to share some pics of the knives while you're working on them Cliff

DPris · Jun 6, 2005

Cliff,
I learned the dirt remedy from my grandfather many years ago, it still leaves a mess on a knife. I don't think there's really much that can be done about it in working with pine trees, I'll just do my best to avoid pine trees except as a last resort.
I find the old Tomcat to feel great in my hand and it always locks up tight, has a better point. But, the Mannix is much handier to open up & use one-handed, and I suspect the steel will hold an edge better. I'm thinking the Tomcat is 440c? This Mannix has a plain edge which is a plus, no offense to Spyderco but I wouldn't even consider it with a serrated edge.
Then again, I can't use a clip-style folder in the pocket, they're in the way of getting in & out, and they don't stay there. I live in Levi's outside the house nowdays, I use items from both pockets during the day, and if a smaller clip type won't work there's no way this big honker could. Tried a back pocket years ago when I was still in uniform, had a buddy hand me the knife & tell me it was under the chair I was sitting on.
For a cargo pocket, the Mannix would be great.
Life is just so full of problems....

Good luck with your testing.
Denis