My Manix is killing me!

cockroachfarm

cockroachfarm

Joined
Jan 6, 2001
Messages
4,399
I've always been a big fan of Spyderco knives (and the company and founder) but I only added a big Manix to my collection about a month ago. Well, its become my EDC over the past month - while we are participating in the "Move of The Century" (first move in 25 years! :eek::eek::eek:) I love that knife!

Problem: opening and closing it so many times a day, the thumbhole has made a wide horizontal cut in my thumb, parallel to the nail, right at the fleshy part of the tip. (Had I known this might happen, I would have Dremel'd off the edges of the hole, I suppose). Too late now - and yes, it is painful because the wide split/cut won't close (it has healed) and it is very painful every time I now open the knife or even put pressure on the thumb (Yes, I know I'm being a baby but I have a low threshold for pain :( )

Any suggestions? I want to keep using the Manix until the move is finished; it's just so handy. Or do I just switch to a solid necker?
 
Well yes...but when you're moving and holding a crate with one hand and packing tape with the second hand and a trash bag with the third hand...the concept of a "one-handed" opener is sort of the purpose of it all. ;) Seriously, though, I think I'll grab a strong necker today and see how that works. Just don't like the idea of it dangling loose while lifting stuff, brushing against furniture.

(I hate to be a baby, but I can slip a dime into that split that's opened at the tip of my thumb!:( )
 
2 suggestions:

Wrap a zip tie around the hole for a "ghetto wave" opener when it comes out of your pocket.

Loosen the pivot just enough (temporarily) to make it somewhat of a gravity knife.

Hope this helps you.

Rik

PS- if you can wedge a dime into the split on your thumb- keep it there. Never know when you need a dime :D
 
I had a similar problem when I paticipated in the tennacious passaround. I was looking forward to using a one-hand Spyderco only to get a cut on my thumb before the knife got to me. Grr. It is frustrating.

Maybe try a band-aid or medical tape on your thumb.
 
Spyder-drop! Set the clip to tip down carry, draw the knife with your thumb, index, and middle finger. Once the knife is out of your pocket, pinch the spyderhole with the pads of your thumb and index finger. Holding the blade steady and keeping your hand open, give it a firm backwards flick and it should open right into your hand.
 
You have a defective Manix. You will only be safe from further discomfort if you let me have it. Please.
 
USSR said:
Spyder-drop! Set the clip to tip down carry, draw the knife with your thumb, index, and middle finger. Once the knife is out of your pocket, pinch the spyderhole with the pads of your thumb and index finger. Holding the blade steady and keeping your hand open, give it a firm backwards flick and it should open right into your hand.
Click to expand...

Thats what I was going to say.
 
cockroachfarm said:
(Had I known this might happen, I would have Dremel'd off the edges of the hole, I suppose). Too late now - and yes, it is painful because the wide split/cut won't close (it has healed) and it is very painful every time I now open the knife or even put pressure on the thumb ...........Any suggestions? I want to keep using the Manix until the move is finished; it's just so handy. Or do I just switch to a solid necker?
Click to expand...
So it healed with a gap? It isn't too late to get rid of the sharp edge in the hole. Do it now if you want to use holes in the future. Do it to all of your knives. If it opens up again it will just be worse.
 
You easily break the sharp edge by with a sharpening rod. In my experience it's usually the Seki made models that come with a sharp edge. My para's spyderhole was nice and smooth.
 
Small piece of sandpaper is your friend.:thumbup:
Work from 220 grit up to 600, and you'll have a very comfortably chamfered hole, with no chance of quickly screwing it up; you'd have to injure another thumb or finger to sand enough to screw it up.
 
Never had this problem before..because I've never used any of my Spyderco's as much as this one! I love this Manix! :thumbup:
 
I have never had this problem before either and I'm a pretty rabid Spyderco fan. I am also constantly manipulating and playing with one of my knives and more often than not it is a Spyderco lockback, which I find to be the most fun lock to use.

Here's my suggestion to you:
Hold the knife upside down with the pivot side pointing down, and give it a quick flick downwards and back up to inertia open the blade so the Manix opens in reverse grip. Done correctly this will not cause the knife to snap open too hard and will not unnecessarily accelerate wear on the locking mechanism. Then flip/pivot the knife into the upright, saber position. Sounds difficult, but is rather easy!
 
I had the exact same problem with my Lil' Temperance. I rubbed the inside edge of the hole with the white ceramic hole a few passes and that cured it.
 
I had a similiar problem. Eventually from all the knife handling my thumb calloused over. A couple of other well used fingers too. Problem solved.

Let it heal by using both hands. Then just keep it up!
 
Instead of using your thumbpad to push open the blade, stick the front of your thumbnail in the hole and flick it open. Maybe that will work. It works for me on my Centofante.

Good luck.

M.
 
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