Spyderco Manix 2 and Benchmade Griptillian - Next 2 test knives

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JNewell said:
But that may be missing the point. Maybe Jim is just using the spinewhack to apply physical stress, not to simulate real world use. That would be reasonable, and in Phil's words, "I accept that."
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Yes. And it very reasonable for you to accept it.

Sometimes I feel compelled to trot out all the arguments when some guys don't see the point in stress testing but I think for them, it's really a case of "If you believe no evidence is necessary, if you don't believe no evidence will suffice".
 
hardheart said:
What were you doing? With a comfortable 4 finger grip on an LB-125, there's less than an inch of handle in front of my index finger. Plus, for me, the blade is too short/light to chop with.
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I don't remember that far back, but I was testing it I believe. :)
 
Well, I thank this thread for pushing me off the fence about the Manix 2. I just ordered the Manix 2 along with the Foliage Green CTS-HXP. I have yet to see a compelling reason to suspect that the design is not sound, or that the knife will fail to perform in the vast majority of situations. If I have even the slightest problem with these knives, I will let you all know.
 
A.P.F. said:
Well, I thank this thread for pushing me off the fence about the Manix 2. I just ordered the Manix 2 along with the Foliage Green CTS-HXP. I have yet to see a compelling reason to suspect that the design is not sound, or that the knife will fail to perform in the vast majority of situations. If I have even the slightest problem with these knives, I will let you all know.
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Wait until I hear back from Eric Glesser. :)

I am sending the knife to him on Monday. :thumbup:
 
It seems to me the B/M and Spyderco cut a lot deeper and easier than the CS models when cutting up the 2x2. That also subjected them to more side force as they were used to pry-force larger pieces away at the bottom of the cuts.
 
It's really about tradeoffs. A thinner, better cutting knife like Spyderco usually likes to build, and like the BM Grip, will usually be less strong than a big, heavy, tough beast like the CS.

Of course, if you could get one that wouldn't self-destruct, that'd be great too :)
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
But when I keep reading people saying 'thanks for the video, I no longer trust my Manix 2' or 'I was going to buy a Manix II but now I'm going to pass' it just makes me shake my head.
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I agree. I didn't see a reason in this video to avoid the Manix II either, unless you insist it can do the same thing the CS AL can do.
But conversely, the M2 can do things the AL can't. So really, people should get their priorities straight. Or get both knives. ;)

And as far as customers being the reason the design changed, well that doesn't make this an Obama knife. It is still a great knife.
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Again, agreed, and in that sense my analogy was bad. My personal opinion (and that's all it is) is that the Manix was not improved by the incorporation of the CBBL, or the thinning of the blade. They could have just used the new steel and be done, and you would have a (arguably) better knife.
But it's not an Obama knife by any stretch, and I didn't mean to say that, just that 'Change' isn't always better.

But they can't make everyone happy and some people like the old one better while quite a few like the new one better. Like Sal likes to say 'not bad, just different.'
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I know, but the problem is that way too many people just want something new, and they will (knowingly or not) actually settle for something that is less good than what was there before. IMHO, the M2 is a good example of this compared to the M1, but even if in your eyes the M2 is better, you will know what I mean. Development always continues, but not all developments are driven by the search for objective improvements. Some are driven by sales targets, and once you've sold all the M1's you're gonna sell, you need to alter it. If that might mean using a lock that is over-engineered, and less tried and tested than the previously used one, so be it.
Doesn't make the CBBL bad. Just - IMHO - less reliable, less tough. Still good enough for most tasks, but there you are.
 
A.P.F. said:
Well, I thank this thread for pushing me off the fence about the Manix 2. I just ordered the Manix 2 along with the Foliage Green CTS-HXP. I have yet to see a compelling reason to suspect that the design is not sound, or that the knife will fail to perform in the vast majority of situations. If I have even the slightest problem with these knives, I will let you all know.
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You won't be sorry. It's a striking knife, beautifully made, obscenely sharp, it has the smoothest action I have ever felt on any folder ever, and is more than tough enough for any task you might reasonably ask of it. I carry it a lot, and trust it for what I intend to use it for. :thumbup:

Good luck finding one, btw. There are some on Ebay, but you will bleed for it. I was incredibly lucky to score mine for $120, don't know how that slipped through. The same seller has a few more but now only sells at Buy-out for around $190.
 
jill jackson said:
It seems to me the B/M and Spyderco cut a lot deeper and easier than the CS models when cutting up the 2x2. That also subjected them to more side force as they were used to pry-force larger pieces away at the bottom of the cuts.
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The Manix has a 15 degree per side factory edge on it, that helped a lot. :)

But then both the Manix and the BM had chips in the edges once I was done. ;)
 
If I want to carry a knife that cuts extra well it's Spyderco or Benchmade for me and if i want a hard use knife it's a ZT0300, but more than likely I will just use a fixed blade for the rough stuff.
I had a Spartan and it locked up like a vault, but I never carried it because it wouldn't fit a belt sheath. (which I like on a big folder) The Recon 1 would be a better knife for me in that line. But, I don't need it really. Still it's a good deal for the money IMO.
 
Ankerson said:
The Manix has a 15 degree per side factory edge on it, that helped a lot. :)

But then both the Manix and the BM had chips in the edges once I was done. ;)
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AUS8A is noted for being a tough steel, isn't it? Even if it doesn't hold an edge like the newer stainless steels.
 
jill jackson said:
If I want to carry a knife that cuts extra well it's Spyderco or Benchmade for me and if i want a hard use knife A ZT0300, but more than likely I will just use a fixed blade for the rough stuff.
I had a Spartan and it locked up like a vault, but I never carried it because it wouldn't fit a belt sheath. (which I like on a big folder) The Recon 1 would be a better knife for me in that line. But, I don't need it really. Still it's a good deal for the money IMO.
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Once I reprofile the edge on the Recon 1 it will cut a lot better. :thumbup:

The Striders edge I leave at 20 degress per side because of my use for that knife.
 
jill jackson said:
AUS8A is noted for being a tough steel, isn't it? Even if it doesn't hold an edge like the newer stainless steels.
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Oh it's extremely tough steel when it's done right. :)

No, it doesn't hold an edge as long as some others, but there is always a trade off.
 
Now we wait and see if one of the other knife companies steps up and matches or exceeds the Tri-Ad Lock. I think we will see by next year something super strong and new. Maybe from more than more than one company?
 
jill jackson said:
Now we wait and see if one of the other knife companies steps up and matches or exceeds the Tri-Ad Lock. I think we will see by next year something super strong and new. Maybe from more than more than one company?
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Well I think Lionsteel made a substantial improvement over the framelock by adding the Rotoblock. I've always felt that it is possible for liner-and framelocks to have the locking liner pushed back to the unlocked position, even if it was unlikely (especially because the hand assists in keeping it closed).
The Rotoblock absolutely guarantees that the locking liner will not budge. It may buckle, but it will still hold the blade in place.
It's just a bit cumbersome to engage (I imagine, haven't handled it yet), but worth it if you need to use the knife in a fixed blade capacity.
 
jill jackson said:
Now we wait and see if one of the other knife companies steps up and matches or exceeds the Tri-Ad Lock. I think we will see by next year something super strong and new. Maybe from more than more than one company?
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That would be really cool wouldn't it. :D :thumbup:

I still have to retest my ZT 0301 in the new testing format yet, then the CS Black Rhino and Rajah 1.
 
jill jackson said:
Now we wait and see if one of the other knife companies steps up and matches or exceeds the Tri-Ad Lock. I think we will see by next year something super strong and new. Maybe from more than more than one company?
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If that happens, then that may be one of the benefits of Ankerson's tests. :thumbup:

PS: ELUs will be the beneficiaries of that!
 
I just shot the ZT 0301 video. :D

And as a surprise and as a control video I shot one using the CS Voyager just to show how far we have come being the Voyager is a regular lock back. It didn't fail, but the knife developed a ton of up and down blade play due to the over strikes. :thumbup:

So in effect the knife passed, the lock didn't fail and it was still in one piece but it was wrecked in the process...

I won't be testing anymore standard Lock Backs... ;)
 
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