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

Thanks.
Very nice knife, too

 

I just ordered a walnut handled Patroit from amazon in D2.
It's my Christmas present from Me to Me.

 

Waiting for my drugar. Went with the Christmas theme, military green .
Already bought some cold steel sheath clips for it. They are like g-clip

 

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.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

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!

 

I wish there were more dealers in the US carrying their products, I bought a Wasp a few months ago (great knife ), but I had to hunt for it more than I usually do when I find something I want. I’d REALLY like to pick up a Peak.

 

Well, let me pour some oil in this "Bulgarian" fire...





Great thread, Manly are good knives, Garry - outstanding pictures Sir !

 

Thanks Gary, all of those are made by Manly, I believe all are forums editions, including the tradicional at the bottom

 

Here is a rare-one, an auto made by Manly for the Bulgarian Militaria-BG forum, one of 100 made only:

 

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

 

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).

 

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