Hi all,
I'm currently the proud owner of a Manix2 LW S110v, AKA my first Spyderco AKA that one knife everyone kinda wants but is always out of stock 20 minutes before you get there. Anyways, I carried the Manix2 around the farm this summer and really enjoyed it- had no problems with the skeletonized FRCP handles, blade performed beautifully, the whole package is light as hell. However, once I started foraying back into civilization, also known as the land of pants that are expected to fit and carry items beyond a knife and radio, I came to realize exactly how much space the Manix2 takes up. Wide but thin, sure, but as a 6'1 135lb skele- I mean, skinny dude, the Manix is just too wide to sit against my body if I'm not wearing baggy clothing. In addition, while the ball bearing lock is certainly an excellent system, it became quickly gritty and gummy when working in the fields, especially around tomato plants and their abundance of gummy plant matter and acyl sugars (a note to aspiring tomato growers- don't). Dust and dirt quickly accumulated on top of the sticky plant matter, expediting the gumming process- and with the open lock design, that stuff got everywhere.
Anyways, washing it out was fairly easy given the simple construction, but I ended up having to clean it once or twice a day to keep it operational, so when a friend sent me a cheap used UKPK I laid the Manix2 to rest in a drawer and started carrying it on the farm. The simple construction has held up incredibly well against the elements, and as a result it basically took over my pocket for the summer. It has no style, I do not appreciate the lack of a lock, and CTS-BD1 is honestly not my favorite steel, but it done worked good so I stuck with it.
So, just recently I decided to look into Spyderco's wide variety of offerings a little more, to get a better sense of anything not Manix or densely populated island off the coast of Europe flavored. As a combined farmer and college student I couldn't actually expect to buy anything, but hey, knowledge is power right? Much as I like Spyderco's design philosophy, nothing I saw really got me interested (with the exception of the Salt series, but that's a different story).......
.......And then I saw the Native 5. And the S110v CF/Forum Sprint runs. To my fairly ignorant eye the Native 5 appears largely similar to the Manix 2 in terms of grip (love that choil) and seems to really be the closest equivalent to a mini manix 2 that's currently available. It's a little smaller, a little less wide, a little heavier (can't have it all) and all without sacrificing too much blade. Plus my issues with the Manix were entirely related to handle and lock- S110v and I got along great, and I want to continue that relationship in the future, albeit in a form factor that I'll consider carrying on the farm or in town.
So, Spyderco fans/Bladeforumites- am I crazy for wanting to swap out my Manix 2 S110v for a Native 5 S110v, and how hard will I get screwed if I try to do so without triple digits in my bank account?
I'm currently the proud owner of a Manix2 LW S110v, AKA my first Spyderco AKA that one knife everyone kinda wants but is always out of stock 20 minutes before you get there. Anyways, I carried the Manix2 around the farm this summer and really enjoyed it- had no problems with the skeletonized FRCP handles, blade performed beautifully, the whole package is light as hell. However, once I started foraying back into civilization, also known as the land of pants that are expected to fit and carry items beyond a knife and radio, I came to realize exactly how much space the Manix2 takes up. Wide but thin, sure, but as a 6'1 135lb skele- I mean, skinny dude, the Manix is just too wide to sit against my body if I'm not wearing baggy clothing. In addition, while the ball bearing lock is certainly an excellent system, it became quickly gritty and gummy when working in the fields, especially around tomato plants and their abundance of gummy plant matter and acyl sugars (a note to aspiring tomato growers- don't). Dust and dirt quickly accumulated on top of the sticky plant matter, expediting the gumming process- and with the open lock design, that stuff got everywhere.
Anyways, washing it out was fairly easy given the simple construction, but I ended up having to clean it once or twice a day to keep it operational, so when a friend sent me a cheap used UKPK I laid the Manix2 to rest in a drawer and started carrying it on the farm. The simple construction has held up incredibly well against the elements, and as a result it basically took over my pocket for the summer. It has no style, I do not appreciate the lack of a lock, and CTS-BD1 is honestly not my favorite steel, but it done worked good so I stuck with it.
So, just recently I decided to look into Spyderco's wide variety of offerings a little more, to get a better sense of anything not Manix or densely populated island off the coast of Europe flavored. As a combined farmer and college student I couldn't actually expect to buy anything, but hey, knowledge is power right? Much as I like Spyderco's design philosophy, nothing I saw really got me interested (with the exception of the Salt series, but that's a different story).......
.......And then I saw the Native 5. And the S110v CF/Forum Sprint runs. To my fairly ignorant eye the Native 5 appears largely similar to the Manix 2 in terms of grip (love that choil) and seems to really be the closest equivalent to a mini manix 2 that's currently available. It's a little smaller, a little less wide, a little heavier (can't have it all) and all without sacrificing too much blade. Plus my issues with the Manix were entirely related to handle and lock- S110v and I got along great, and I want to continue that relationship in the future, albeit in a form factor that I'll consider carrying on the farm or in town.
So, Spyderco fans/Bladeforumites- am I crazy for wanting to swap out my Manix 2 S110v for a Native 5 S110v, and how hard will I get screwed if I try to do so without triple digits in my bank account?
