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Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Review Manly Folders: Comrade, Peak, Wasp. Fixed Blades: Patriot and Drugar, Made in Bulgaria
- Thread starter Gary W. Graley
- Start date
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Late on the wagon.
So far, I really like the thinly ground blade.
What a bargain!
One of the thinnest ground folders I own, wicked cutter!
G2
Last edited:
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Got my drugar today. It's really cool, I'm digging this green g10, it's nicely grippy.
Very ergonomic, I just want to keep touching it lol.
I'm a bit annoyed though, I thought it's going to be thinner at the edge. Can just pinch it with fingers and tell right away.
The site says .4 mm BTE and this thing is .6. It's very even I must say.
I just want to give up... Is there anyone out there who actually got a thin behind the edge drugar?
The edge is beautiful. But at .6 bte, I don't believe it's 15 degrees advertised either.
This is drugar by Wagner, whatever that means.
Update:
Stock checked and site is adjusted.
Very ergonomic, I just want to keep touching it lol.
I'm a bit annoyed though, I thought it's going to be thinner at the edge. Can just pinch it with fingers and tell right away.
The site says .4 mm BTE and this thing is .6. It's very even I must say.
I just want to give up... Is there anyone out there who actually got a thin behind the edge drugar?
The edge is beautiful. But at .6 bte, I don't believe it's 15 degrees advertised either.
This is drugar by Wagner, whatever that means.
Update:
Stock checked and site is adjusted.
Last edited:
Having moved to the UK recently I thought it was justifiable to purchase a Wasp. I got the 14c28n version:
My initial impressions: it’s very well put together, I like the stiff spring and the blade shape. A bit of a gap between the back spring and scale on the one side and the spring sits a bit proud in both closed and open positions but other than that the fit and finish is great. Overall I’m thrilled with it!
My initial impressions: it’s very well put together, I like the stiff spring and the blade shape. A bit of a gap between the back spring and scale on the one side and the spring sits a bit proud in both closed and open positions but other than that the fit and finish is great. Overall I’m thrilled with it!
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Mar 2, 1999
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- 27,433
At almost 120,000 views and nearly 600 replies, this thread ranks in the top 5 for knife reviews in both views and replies, that is quite a lot of interest of Bulgarian blades 
speaking of which, I just got in a new to me Manly Peak in S90v steel and quite the slicer she be.
Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr
Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr
I don't know if there are many dealers lately for these knives, but from the interests shown and the knives they make, you would think there should be several.
G2
speaking of which, I just got in a new to me Manly Peak in S90v steel and quite the slicer she be.Untitled by GaryWGraley, on FlickrUntitled by GaryWGraley, on FlickrI don't know if there are many dealers lately for these knives, but from the interests shown and the knives they make, you would think there should be several.
G2
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Well, let me pour some oil in this "Bulgarian" fire... 
Great thread, Manly are good knives, Garry - outstanding pictures Sir !
Great thread, Manly are good knives, Garry - outstanding pictures Sir !
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Oh my nice addition to this thread, thanks and some excellent looking knives there a few must be just for the group in Bulgaria looks like?
G2
nice addition to this thread, thanks and some excellent looking knives there a few must be just for the group in Bulgaria looks like?G2
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Thanks Gary, all of those are made by Manly, I believe all are forums editions, including the tradicional at the bottom
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Here is a rare-one, an auto made by Manly for the Bulgarian Militaria-BG forum, one of 100 made only:
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
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Thanks, very very cool blade there, the handle looks like it might be a bit on the sharp side? where the metal drops down
G2
G2
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It's not that bad Gary, after all this is just a curio piece, not intended to be a hard use knife or sort of weapon.
The legend has it that the design came from some famous Russian prison and the "original" was designed to be put together just by sliding the components that interlock to each other with only one or two screws. I guess the Russian fellows in BF can chime more on this...
I cannot say if it's true but if you look at the Manly version, the whole frame is one piece of metal, folded in two for the mechanism and blade housing. It is very ingenious but effective design IMO.
There is a interesting thread in one of the Bulgarian knife forums, concerning the developing of this particular knife and Manly's execution of the order.
For those speaking/reading Bulgarian, here it is, courtesy of Metal Blade and their Mod "plambi" who is handling the thread from 2012: https://metalblade.eu/viewtopic.php?t=242
Here is a drawing of the mechanism:
This is one of the computer models from Manly:
...along with the mechanism:
Further on in the thread there is a YT video from one of the forum members - "iivetsa", showing how it opens and closes.
It is definitely interesting knife with plenty of history behind the project, it used to cost less than $80 with less than 120 made if I remember correctly, now not only I can't find one but it's easily few times more expensive if whoever have it, decide to sell it...
I consider myself very fortunate to grab one while they were still available, didn't even remember how much I paid for it
The legend has it that the design came from some famous Russian prison and the "original" was designed to be put together just by sliding the components that interlock to each other with only one or two screws. I guess the Russian fellows in BF can chime more on this...
I cannot say if it's true but if you look at the Manly version, the whole frame is one piece of metal, folded in two for the mechanism and blade housing. It is very ingenious but effective design IMO.
There is a interesting thread in one of the Bulgarian knife forums, concerning the developing of this particular knife and Manly's execution of the order.
For those speaking/reading Bulgarian, here it is, courtesy of Metal Blade and their Mod "plambi" who is handling the thread from 2012: https://metalblade.eu/viewtopic.php?t=242
Here is a drawing of the mechanism:
This is one of the computer models from Manly:
...along with the mechanism:
Further on in the thread there is a YT video from one of the forum members - "iivetsa", showing how it opens and closes.
It is definitely interesting knife with plenty of history behind the project, it used to cost less than $80 with less than 120 made if I remember correctly, now not only I can't find one but it's easily few times more expensive if whoever have it, decide to sell it...
I consider myself very fortunate to grab one while they were still available, didn't even remember how much I paid for it
And so did I in August! Well, actually my GF gifted it to me for my birthday, but I ordered it from an online dealer. At the very same time I ordered an identical Peak but in D2 with black handles as a gift for a friend of mine. He is not a steel noob and does not carry everyday, nor he uses knives in a daily basis. He just wanted a nice one hand opening folder for backpacking, etc.
And I must say this thread here in BF is what got me interested in Manly knives. Slipjoints are ok, but once I saw this particular model with the hole in the blade... I was all over it.
Mikel
Hi yeah they make great knives for sure. I had the pleasure of filming a "factory tour there once. Great people, (I actually love the food LOL).Hi folks, with a company name like Manly, you'd expect something, well, Manly right? and so it is, just got this in from Blade HQ, fast service good guys there too. Folder has a strange steel, but am told it's a cousin of D2 which is fine with me. And it is a slip joint with a twist, or fold if you will, it has several detent stops along the way of being opened and closed. Think of it as safety stops, some will not care for it but it's a non issue with me and hopefully you will feel the same. Now while it has a nail nick in there, I about busted a nail as it isn't very deep, but the blade is opened easier by pinch gripping the blade and so that is how I do that since the one time try. I'm a slow learner on somethings but that I caught on quick
The blade, wow, this arrived very sharp and is ground down quite thin too but not so thin you would risk damage I think, but then I don't know what you guys/gals might do! But whittled on some hard wood and sliced receipt paper cleanly, she's sharp!
The clip is quite strong, sorry lefties but it's setup just for righties. While it is retained by just one screw the end is set into a recessed area and is flush with the scale material, nicely done.
Scales, these are the contoured or grooved G10 version, mine is black, I might want to give another colour a try some time down the road but went for the least expensive of the choices and speaking of expense, these are very reasonably priced especially in view of the quality of the fit and finish and blade grind, well done and worth the money, in my opinion.
Here are some images taken today of this folder, sunny 'spring like' day here in northern PA today!
Here you can see that it's ground down fairly thin with a spine thickness about 3mm that tapers down to a fine pointy tip
I've been to Bulgaria, flew into Sofia and hitched a ride to Plovdiv for a couple weeks of work there in a glass factory, on our inspection equipment they had.
People were great, I was not overly fond of their food though.
But their knives? this one feels like a winner to me.
G2
Gary W. Graley
“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Mar 2, 1999
- Messages
- 27,433
I am sure if I were to have spent a longer time there, I would have grown to appreciate the food also 
It would have been great to visit the factory as well, but I was not on my own time frames and had to work and then get back home to travel to another glass factory.
G2
It would have been great to visit the factory as well, but I was not on my own time frames and had to work and then get back home to travel to another glass factory.
G2
Well, let me pour some oil in this "Bulgarian" fire...
Great thread, Manly are good knives, Garry - outstanding pictures Sir !
Spyderco rip-off knife in that picture. Not sure that's a "good" knife, but is a good reason to eschew Manly knives.
Brownshoe, are you talking about the Manly Peak? One in the top picture that sports a hole in the blade for one hand opening?
That hole is not round like Spiderco's, but oval. It resembles the oval hole in the Victorinox one hand opening models.
Are you talking about that feature or do you consider one of the Manly knives resembles a Spyderco design too much?
Mikel