Review Manly Folders: Comrade, Peak, Wasp. Fixed Blades: Patriot and Drugar, Made in Bulgaria

[shandrydan1]

Oh, I gotcha, I misread your post haha.

 

[vilePossum]

You guys are evil enablers. Luckily I already own a comrade. But now I also want a Patriot. nice thread gents.

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[bralexander]

You guys are evil enablers. Luckily I already own a comrade. But now I also want a Patriot. nice thread gents.

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Seriously! I was just trying to figure out how to get a Patriot over here! I still want to pick up an Orange Comrade too.
Bruce

 

[vilePossum]

Seriously! I was just trying to figure out how to get a Patriot over here! I still want to pick up an Orange Comrade too.
Bruce

Well AFAIK manly ships internationally and at least to Germany the shipping isn't too bad... I think they also offer free international shipping when passing a certain amount. So who knows, just check their website [emoji14]

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[bralexander]

Well AFAIK manly ships internationally and at least to Germany the shipping isn't too bad... I think they also offer free international shipping when passing a certain amount. So who knows, just check their website [emoji14]

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I did check their website and unless I missed something, they don't ship to the US.
Bruce

 

[vilePossum]

Ups sorry, that is of course something I didn't check. You could still ask them, their direct sale prices are very good after all.

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[Tom1983]

I hope it's alright to revive this thread, since it's been the most popular one. I would like to gift a slipjoint to someone and I know for a fact that he really likes this model. However, he has arthritis. And I have seen videos of how sturdy the spring is. Which impressed me, but it also made me question whether this would be the right knife for him. If I remember correctly, there's five stop points before the blade is fully opened and I'd like to know if the spring breaks in a little after a while or if it will always be as tough (as it seems on video!) to open.

 

[bralexander]

I hope it's alright to revive this thread, since it's been the most popular one. I would like to gift a slipjoint to someone and I know for a fact that he really likes this model. However, he has arthritis. And I have seen videos of how sturdy the spring is. Which impressed me, but it also made me question whether this would be the right knife for him. If I remember correctly, there's five stop points before the blade is fully opened and I'd like to know if the spring breaks in a little after a while or if it will always be as tough (as it seems on video!) to open.

Hopefully this helps- This knife has 5 "positions" but what I would call 3 "stops",
1) closed
2) 1/4 of the way open
3) half way open
4) 3/4 way open
5) open

I Have been using this knife for a couple weeks now and have cycled it open and closed a couple hundred times. Both in use and because it has a satisfying feel to open and close. I have noticed no reduction in ease of opening. I cannot really recommend the Comrade for your friend. I know a few people with mild arthritis and this knife would cause them problems. When opening the knife you have to pinch the blade firmly and pull pretty firmly also. Add in, if the blade or their fingers were slippery/wet in any way it would be close to impossible for them to open. I still love this knife, but I think you should continue the search for your friend.
Bruce

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I agree that the back spring doesn't seem to weaken, about the only other thing I can think of would be to take a deremel cutoff wheel and cut the groove deeper so it can be used as a nail nick, then you would have more leverage to open the blade
G2

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

I wonder whether you could round the corners on the tang to eliminate all but the half stop.

I haven't had one apart, but I'd be willing to bet that the stops are removable with some light dremel work.

 

[Tom1983]

T.L.E. never fix what is not hopelessly broken already! But honestly, you might be onto something.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Well, had I not seen a review video of this model, I would have never known of the sturdy spring, so this might really not be the model for him. Maybe I'll get one for myself one day.

 

[knarfeng]

T.L.E. never fix what is not hopelessly broken already! But honestly, you might be onto something.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Well, had I not seen a review video of this model, I would have never known of the sturdy spring, so this might really not be the model for him. Maybe I'll get one for myself one day.

Good call. I likewise think that this is not a knife for someone with arthritis.

The spring is robust and has not lessened in the force required to open it. It is, after all, intended to have similar security in use to that of a locking blade.

I keep reading stories of constables flipping knives open by swinging their arms and then calling the knife a "gravity knife". I double dog dare anyone to try to open a comrade that way. It just ain't happening.

 

[Tom1983]

I believe that is a very popular practice in New York. You could even do this with an unlocked Opinel if you hold it by the blade. Ridiculous what lengths certain people will go to.

 

[Tigerfan]

I double dog dare anybody to show they can do a spydie-drop with this knife!

 

[Gary W. Graley]

If I were a betting man, about the only guy I know that might be able to do that might be Mr Emerson, that boy has one heck of a grip! but then, even he might have trouble doing a spydie-drop though, not a lot of metal there to pinch! and no cheating by getting the blade started out of the frame either

It be a very solid folder, which does give more confidence in use, as to the multiple stops, I think that actually can help, as you first don't get a solid grip on the blade until it reaches that first stop, they you can reposition your fingers for a better grip to open it the rest of the way a bit easier/safer.

G2

 

[knarfeng]

you first don't get a solid grip on the blade until it reaches that first stop, they you can reposition your fingers for a better grip to open it the rest of the way a bit easier/safer.

G2

This is true. The first opening movement is significantly easier than the others. I do use that first stop to reposition my fingers and get a fuller grip on it to get it the rest of the way open.

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

In the time I had Gary's, I found myself struggling to close it more than anything. The old back of the leg trick just didn't seem to work. It required too much force so I was apprehensive about a finger sliding forward on the grip and creating a cigar cutter scene.

I settled into inverting the knife and pinching the handle between the side of my thumb and index finger. Like you'd pinch them together to throw a paper airplane or mimic a mouth with your hand.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Yeah, I don't know I'd ever give the pant leg closure a try with this strong a spring, possible but like you discovered, doesn't give a warm fuzzy feeling so I close mine with my right hand holding the handle and my left hand pressing down on the spine of the blade, and I don't let it fall free into the handle, but I am gripping the blade the whole way till it's closed, just easier for me.

and Tom, it probably is best to move on from this one as a possible one for your friend if he has arthritis, if you've not done so already, might post the question in the Traditional forum for some suggestions, providing a rough spec of the knife type and style/size he may be interested in, some great folks there that really know a LOT about the various options available!

G2

 

[Tom1983]

Yes Gary, no worries. It seems that this is not the right model for him. I on the other hand got interested in it! I never owned a slipjoint. While I was cutting boxes today, I asked myself if the comrade would hold up to it. What's your take on that? I know many lock nuts believe that using a slipjoint for such tasks is simply not safe.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I've cut up several boxes with mine, thin edge made easy work of it, as with any knife you do need to be aware of what you are doing but with this strong a back spring and the multiple stops, it may help prevent any unwanted full closures during use.

G2