Is the Manix 2 meant to be a hard use folder?
The reason I ask is that the design seems to allow for incredible stresses on the lock without high risk of failure. However in practice it's completely different due to the tolerances.
I got the knife new, and had to reassemble it out of the box to get rid of the nasty gritty feeling and considerable blade play. No problem, usually I resassemble my knives anyways since it tends to solve most issues with action, and lock up.
However in real use I am currently perplexed and stuck on my opinion..
I've done 2 separate tests on the knife.
1. First test was simple wood shaving, the manix performed well but developed small blade play however the lock up felt solid. 3 spine whacks caused the blade to disengage, and the knife would be closed with finger pressure. I took it apart to the blade/pivot first and reassembled. No luck, same issues persisted. I then took it apart completely again down to the scales and reassembled it again. Fixed the play, and fixed the lock up issue. 4 spine whacks, and the knife help just fine. I disregarded the failure and figured it was because I reassembled it.
2. Second test: Batonning, chopping, and stabbing. The knife developed considerable blade play pretty much how it was out of the box. The lock, failed miserably. I tested with spine taps (light hits) 5 times, each time it failed easily. I could disengage the lock with a simple tap of the finger. I took it apart again to the pivot/blade only and reassembled it. It remained the same. i took it apart again, this time once again down to the scales and reassembled.
The knife was literally back to normal. No play, 2-3 very hard spine whacks without failure. This quite frankly impressed me. (So much so, I decided to get it pimped).
Very important information: When it was new out of the box, I messed with the pivot portion first, and not the backspacer. This did not solve the blade play or gritty issue. it wasn't until I reassembled down to the scales that blade play was fixed (pivot/blade/backspacer). This was ALSO the case the other 2 times the knife developed play, or the lock failed. Each time the backspacer had to be readjusted.
At this point I can only think of one thing:
1. The tolerances allow for a little bit of play in the backspacer, which I believe is the reason for the blade failing to lock up and possibly the blade play (when it shifts, the screws go at an angle and or the liners shift, which can allow for tiny gaps, and allow for blade play).
I believe this is happening due to the geometry in the tang and backspacer which seems to gravitate towards the ball traveling down, and not up in high stress situations. (Similar to what Ankerson discovered in his testing, where the ball would roll down under stress, except in my case which is a bit more exaggerated by the hard use or abuse.
Or also to add a pin or TWO through the 2 liners and the backspace to help add rigidity so it will not shift.
The reason I ask is that the design seems to allow for incredible stresses on the lock without high risk of failure. However in practice it's completely different due to the tolerances.
I got the knife new, and had to reassemble it out of the box to get rid of the nasty gritty feeling and considerable blade play. No problem, usually I resassemble my knives anyways since it tends to solve most issues with action, and lock up.
However in real use I am currently perplexed and stuck on my opinion..
I've done 2 separate tests on the knife.
1. First test was simple wood shaving, the manix performed well but developed small blade play however the lock up felt solid. 3 spine whacks caused the blade to disengage, and the knife would be closed with finger pressure. I took it apart to the blade/pivot first and reassembled. No luck, same issues persisted. I then took it apart completely again down to the scales and reassembled it again. Fixed the play, and fixed the lock up issue. 4 spine whacks, and the knife help just fine. I disregarded the failure and figured it was because I reassembled it.
2. Second test: Batonning, chopping, and stabbing. The knife developed considerable blade play pretty much how it was out of the box. The lock, failed miserably. I tested with spine taps (light hits) 5 times, each time it failed easily. I could disengage the lock with a simple tap of the finger. I took it apart again to the pivot/blade only and reassembled it. It remained the same. i took it apart again, this time once again down to the scales and reassembled.
The knife was literally back to normal. No play, 2-3 very hard spine whacks without failure. This quite frankly impressed me. (So much so, I decided to get it pimped).
Very important information: When it was new out of the box, I messed with the pivot portion first, and not the backspacer. This did not solve the blade play or gritty issue. it wasn't until I reassembled down to the scales that blade play was fixed (pivot/blade/backspacer). This was ALSO the case the other 2 times the knife developed play, or the lock failed. Each time the backspacer had to be readjusted.
At this point I can only think of one thing:
1. The tolerances allow for a little bit of play in the backspacer, which I believe is the reason for the blade failing to lock up and possibly the blade play (when it shifts, the screws go at an angle and or the liners shift, which can allow for tiny gaps, and allow for blade play).
I believe this is happening due to the geometry in the tang and backspacer which seems to gravitate towards the ball traveling down, and not up in high stress situations. (Similar to what Ankerson discovered in his testing, where the ball would roll down under stress, except in my case which is a bit more exaggerated by the hard use or abuse.
Or also to add a pin or TWO through the 2 liners and the backspace to help add rigidity so it will not shift.
Last edited: