- Joined
- Aug 16, 2008
- Messages
- 5,911
The Blue Manixes came out fantastic! The fit and finish on both of them is top notch production level. The blades are centered, one is dead center and the other is so close it doesn't matter and that is a pet peeve of mine even. Action and lockup is superp!
The Michael Walker is smaller than I was thinking but not too small. It comes in a Leafstorm sized box. It's a keeper too but I will affirm another poster's thread that focused on the F&F. The knife is beautiful with a casual look over but if you go macro and give it a really thorough look over, there are things on mine that put the knife a full notch or more behind the recent Taiwanese offerings. None of which affect function or structural integrity but the bottom line is that this knife is not at the same aesthetic level as the Taiwanese or even the Golden offerings. But to put it in perspective, it's a wonderful gentlemen's size carry that weighs almost nothing, utilizes ZDP-189 blade steel and carbon fiber scales for arouind $110. The only liner on the MW is the locking liner side. My knife has a dead centered blade and the lockup is solid and locks up consistenty around 30%. If you're curious about the barbs I give it, there is a very minute and microscopic delam of the CF scale on one end. Picture included. It's so small I was surprised to see it in the closeup picture because I didn't see it with the naked eye. There are also some less refined grind lines around the perimeter of the scales too. The hollow grind seems a little askew comparing one side to the other but if you sight down the blade like a rifle the blade and edge appears straight as an arrow. There seem to be small signs in the grinds and steel work that indicate the ZDP is just harder to work than a softer alloy assuming the ZDP is in the 62+ range. Also note how the stand off in the very last picture of the delaminated CF doesn't meet the unlined CF scale flatly as well. All in all though, if the general population of Michael Walker CF/ZDP'sare like mine, they make nice smallish, light weight EDC's for light duty or gentlemanly carry with a very useful handle shape and blade shape and it runs cheap for such materials at about $110. It feels better in hand to me than the Leafstorm. Probably because there seems to be more grip length and because there is a place for the index finger.
So my synopsis is:
* Individual subjective preferences notwithstanding, 5 out of 5 on the Blue Manix 2! And for under $130 it's a top value.
* 3 out of 5 on the Michael Walker ZDP. Not because it won't work well as designed and as delivered but more so because the F&F is not worth collecting and that is the intent of many Sprint Run buyers. Even if one buys such a knife to use the F&F should still be at par or better for the special offerings IMHO. The lacking F&F offset by the very fair price for the materials you get still leaves this knife too "regular" to not just use it. Which I plan to do!
Here are the pictures:
The Michael Walker is smaller than I was thinking but not too small. It comes in a Leafstorm sized box. It's a keeper too but I will affirm another poster's thread that focused on the F&F. The knife is beautiful with a casual look over but if you go macro and give it a really thorough look over, there are things on mine that put the knife a full notch or more behind the recent Taiwanese offerings. None of which affect function or structural integrity but the bottom line is that this knife is not at the same aesthetic level as the Taiwanese or even the Golden offerings. But to put it in perspective, it's a wonderful gentlemen's size carry that weighs almost nothing, utilizes ZDP-189 blade steel and carbon fiber scales for arouind $110. The only liner on the MW is the locking liner side. My knife has a dead centered blade and the lockup is solid and locks up consistenty around 30%. If you're curious about the barbs I give it, there is a very minute and microscopic delam of the CF scale on one end. Picture included. It's so small I was surprised to see it in the closeup picture because I didn't see it with the naked eye. There are also some less refined grind lines around the perimeter of the scales too. The hollow grind seems a little askew comparing one side to the other but if you sight down the blade like a rifle the blade and edge appears straight as an arrow. There seem to be small signs in the grinds and steel work that indicate the ZDP is just harder to work than a softer alloy assuming the ZDP is in the 62+ range. Also note how the stand off in the very last picture of the delaminated CF doesn't meet the unlined CF scale flatly as well. All in all though, if the general population of Michael Walker CF/ZDP'sare like mine, they make nice smallish, light weight EDC's for light duty or gentlemanly carry with a very useful handle shape and blade shape and it runs cheap for such materials at about $110. It feels better in hand to me than the Leafstorm. Probably because there seems to be more grip length and because there is a place for the index finger.
So my synopsis is:
* Individual subjective preferences notwithstanding, 5 out of 5 on the Blue Manix 2! And for under $130 it's a top value.
* 3 out of 5 on the Michael Walker ZDP. Not because it won't work well as designed and as delivered but more so because the F&F is not worth collecting and that is the intent of many Sprint Run buyers. Even if one buys such a knife to use the F&F should still be at par or better for the special offerings IMHO. The lacking F&F offset by the very fair price for the materials you get still leaves this knife too "regular" to not just use it. Which I plan to do!
Here are the pictures:
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