Manix 2 ball lock question

J

JarrodS

Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
318
Just received my first Manix - it's the all-black Manix 2 XL. First off, this is an amazing knife. I love the blade, and how my hand finds incredible purchase on the handle. So far so good.

However I am curious about the lock mechanism on my particular knife. It seems very difficult to unlock, and I am not just talking about how strong the spring is (very strong). When unlocking the knife in the open position, the ball and/or the cage mechanism seems to be "hung up" on something before you can move it at all. When you finally apply enough force to overcome this, there is a fairly loud "click" or "pop" sound as the ball or cage mechanism breaks free from whatever it is hung up on.

Does this sound normal for this lock mechanism?
 
It's just new and the ball is sticking a little.
It will break in but if you want to free it up a bit use a pencil and apply some graphite to the shiny back side of the blade where the ball contacts and locks. That will help some and keep your fingers from wearing out while you're breaking it in.
 
Barman1 said:
It's just new and the ball is sticking a little.
It will break in but if you want to free it up a bit use a pencil and apply some graphite to the shiny back side of the blade where the ball contacts and locks. That will help some and keep your fingers from wearing out while you're breaking it in.
Click to expand...

+1
Those buggers come rough, but they break in so smooth...
 
If you snap it hard it will do that.

Otherwise it will get smoother over time.
 
Cool, thanks for the feedback guys. This is a truly awesome knife, and I appear to have received a great specimen (perfect centering, finish, etc). I'm really getting addicted to the Spyderco DLC coating - it's a thing of beauty. The sticky lock was my only concern but it sounds like this is normal on a new knife.

The XL is a big boy though! I have the regular-size dark blue FRN/S110V version on backorder and it might be more suited to EDC than this one. We'll see.
 
I had a manix 2 LW bought from knifeworks and mine did that. I contacted them, sent it back and got a new one. And it didnt do that on the new one or any of the other manix's ive owned.
 
Both of my Manix locks were stiff when new but neither of them were sticky. I suspect it will probably break in and work itself out.
 
Yep, it's pretty stiff.
My reg manix 2 is easier to manipulate than the lightweight version though.
It should be smooth over time.
 
I also thank all of you for your thoughts. My Manix2 XL arrived today and I was having the same problem as JarrodS. Used a pencil as suggested by Barman1 and that has helped some. The rest of you give me hope that it will loosen up as time goes on.
 
The pencil graphite helped some but didn't solve the lock problem. I opened and closed the blade more than 100 times tonight and the lock is as sticky as ever. The blade itself opens and closes just fine. The problem is that the lock is difficult to disengage. It takes a great deal of force using two hands to slide the buttons and dislodge the ball. I think the cage around the ball may be catching on a burr or something. I am returning it tomorrow and I have ordered another one.
 
^
Did ya get it from the Amazonian? I'm glad to here that another one is on the way...

Please let us know how it pans out.
 
The plastic bar the spring wraps around sometimes has a jagged end. This sometimes makes it feel like it sticking, since the spring catches it. It can smooth out over time, or you can dissemble it and smooth it out yourself.
 
bwassung said:
The plastic bar the spring wraps around sometimes has a jagged end. This sometimes makes it feel like it sticking, since the spring catches it. It can smooth out over time, or you can dissemble it and smooth it out yourself.
Click to expand...

I was hoping it would smooth out with time but my patience ran out when I opened and closed it more than 100 times, which is about 3 months of use for someone who uses their knife once a day, without any improvement. Easier for me to send it back rather than take it apart. I am all thumbs when it comes to taking thing apart but I appreciate your suggestion.
 
My xl had a warped spring that did this at first. It would start to disengage and then the spring would catch some where in the lock body with a click. I put in a new spring and it was just fine after that. Never saw it again besides that one time.
I find myself playing with my wifes LW blue model. It is just fun , smooth and damn tough.
 
BellaBlades said:
My xl had a warped spring that did this at first. It would start to disengage and then the spring would catch some where in the lock body with a click. I put in a new spring and it was just fine after that. Never saw it again besides that one time.
I find myself playing with my wifes LW blue model. It is just fun , smooth and damn tough.
Click to expand...

Mine would not even start to engage and I wasn't flicking it. Well, it is on its way back and I hope the big river company heeds my note that it needs to go back to Spyderco for repair and not merely sold to someone else. In addition to getting the XL replaced I also ordered the LW Blue. And it's for me, not the wife.
 
Mine has a similar problem I guess, but I can close it one handed. I don't find it too large to EDC either, but then again, I'm not an average sized guy.
 
My replacement Manix2 XL arrived today. I now know know how these knives are supposed to work and why people like them.

Fit and finish are very nice. The blade centers perfectly. The blade is a tad stiff opening and closing but that will undoubtedly loosen up with use or a slight adjustment of the pivot. And, the caged ball bearing lock works as it should. It is firm but can be pulled open with one hand unlike the one I sent back which required two hands and a lot of force to disengage.

A big thank you to everyone who gave suggestions on how to possibly remedy the problems I had with my first Manix XL. And a big thank you to Spyderco for producing such a nice American-made knife at a fair price.
 
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