Sanding Manix 2 Bushing

Handwrecker

Handwrecker

Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
1,265
I currently have a foliage green Manix 2, and it's perfect except for a tiny amount of blade play. I've read online (can't seem to find it) about very slightly sanding the bushing of the Manix 2 in order to remove any blade play.

If anybody has ever done this before, or remembers the thread I'm thinking of, any advice would be appreciated.
 
Wouldn't sanding the bushing make the bushing smaller than it already is, making it not properly fit the pivot hole and make for more bladeplay?
 
The way I understood it, the Manix bushing is slightly too wide, giving the blade a little wiggle room, despite the pivot being tightened down. If the bushing was a tiny bit slimmer, the blade/bushing/scale would be closer to flush, and not allow the play to occur.

If I'm completely off base on this, feel free to let me know.
 
al3xd4gr34t said:
Wouldn't sanding the bushing make the bushing smaller than it already is, making it not properly fit the pivot hole and make for more bladeplay?
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I think the principle behind that is that the shoulders on the bushing are preventing the scales and the liners from tightening up on the blade itself and reducing lateral blade play. If the bushing system is done to the proper tolerance then it really shines.
 
Handwrecker said:
The way I understood it, the Manix bushing is slightly too wide, giving the blade a little wiggle room, despite the pivot being tightened down. If the bushing was a tiny bit slimmer, the blade/bushing/scale would be closer to flush, and not allow the play to occur.

If I'm completely off base on this, feel free to let me know.
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Yeh, I think you're right Handwrecker. Here's a thread from the spyderco forums explaining the technique.

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41956&highlight=Manix+play
 
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Did you get anywhere? I would think hand sanding would be difficult to get the bushing narrowed evenly. I would chuck the bushing in a lathe ideally and if one is not available then a drill press or last a hand drill. Spin the bushing then use a piece of fine sand paper backed with a piece of wood to take some material off the shoulder. If you have a micrometer you should be able to get it close to the same thickness as the blade and then reassemble often to check for play. If you take off too much the knife isn't ruined but you will be able to over tighten the pivot and make it hard to open. Not much different than a regular knife that uses only washes. This is just the way I would do it so take with a grain of salt and remember you can't add material back.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Did you get anywhere? I would think hand sanding would be difficult to get the bushing narrowed evenly. I would chuck the bushing in a lathe ideally and if one is not available then a drill press or last a hand drill. Spin the bushing then use a piece of fine sand paper backed with a piece of wood to take some material off the shoulder. If you have a micrometer you should be able to get it close to the same thickness as the blade and then reassemble often to check for play. If you take off too much the knife isn't ruined but you will be able to over tighten the pivot and make it hard to open. Not much different than a regular knife that uses only washes. This is just the way I would do it so take with a grain of salt and remember you can't add material back.
Click to expand...

You should be able to hand sand fine as long as you use very fine sandpaper and a very flat surface (glass).

Just to note, I don't recommend sanding the bushings on any knives.
 
I haven't sanded anything yet. The knife opens so smoothly that it makes putting up with a little blade play manageable. I'm planning on looking for a good deal on a micrometer, and keep this as a rainy day project. Thanks for all the responses, and I'll be sure to post once all is said and done.
 
Send it back to Spyderco. If you foul it up, you won't have any warranty coverage. Let the manufacturer fix it for you and continue to stand behind the knife. IMHO/YMMV, etc.
 
JNewell said:
Send it back to Spyderco. If you foul it up, you won't have any warranty coverage. Let the manufacturer fix it for you and continue to stand behind the knife. IMHO/YMMV, etc.
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I think spyderco won't fix that because they will consider the knife to be within specs.
 
I would strongly advise against modding the barrel pivot but instead enlarging the ID diameter of the washer.
 
i've done this but you have to sand the little step.
don't sand where the blade's pivot hole touches the bushing but the step wich contacts the liners

i've done it a bit to much but then you can loosen the pivot until you don't have any play ;)
 
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