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- Jul 23, 2015
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Good afternoon BFFs (Bladeforums friends!), here for your consideration are a Native Chief and a Manix 2 back-lock. I have modified the ergos on both, and reground both around .012" behind the edge, improving their cutting ability substantially. They have scotchbrite satin finishes. There is a lot of info here, so please bear with me, but I want to give full disclosure so you can make an informed decision. That being said, here is a TLDR: if your hands are shaped exactly like mine and you intend to do hard cutting without using the finger choil, you might want to give these a hard pass. Otherwise, you are in for a treat with them.
On the chief, I removed the middle finger bump, as I found it uncomfortable in the standard grip. I also chamfered the scales for extra comfort.
On the Manix 2, I reprofiled the handle to be closer to a PM3, and did the same to the blade. It could almost be considered a back-lock PM3 at this point. Also, the scales were awfully blocky to start off with, more so than a lot of Spydercose (which are already often very blocky), so I chamfered them also. Using the finger choil was quite uncomfortable due to the blockiness of the scales at the choil, but I have dramatically chamfered them in that spot to make choil use feel much more natural.
I spent quite a bit of time tweaking the lock bar tension on the Manix 2 so that it would actually be thumb flickable (it will take some practice to get it right, but the factory Manix 2 back lock is notorious for being "unflickable") and yet still have solid lock up.
I am a little sad to let these go because they are (in my opinion) just about perfect in every way, but with only a few hard cuts into thick cardboard, I learned very quickly that my hand size and shape is not compatible with these knives, as it slightly depressed the lock on hard cuts, causing slight wiggle in the blade. It's not enough to cause a lock failure, but enough that it annoys me.
I tried to increase the lock bar tension, and while it resolved the issue somewhat it, almost made the knife a two hander it was so stiff, and that is also something I am not interested in, so I put it back to flickable with good lockup. It still wiggles in hard cuts in hammer grip though. Never in choked up grip using the finger choil, though. And I never have this problem with my Endura, so I thought it might be the lack of a David Boye dent. I added a slight indentation to the Manix 2, but that didn't really fix it either. So unfortunately these two Golden lockbacks have been relegated to wall magnet storage months ago, and as such it is time to face the facts, and pass them along to someone else who will actually use them for all the wonderful cutting ability they will provide.
Both S30V. Super deep carry clip included with the Chief, and removable grip tape on the Manix 2 pocket clip.
I am offering the Native Chief for SOLD, and the Manix 2 for Withdrawn ,or if they both ship to the same location, $--- for the pair of them. Both less than the price of the factory knife, despite being (again, in my opinion) vast improvements thereof. Box and papers included for each.
Price is via PayPal G&S (I will provide the email address in private messaging) and includes expedited shipping with full tracking and insurance.
First "I'll take it" gets priority. Upon payment, please also confirm your shipping address.
Thank you for looking!
On the chief, I removed the middle finger bump, as I found it uncomfortable in the standard grip. I also chamfered the scales for extra comfort.
On the Manix 2, I reprofiled the handle to be closer to a PM3, and did the same to the blade. It could almost be considered a back-lock PM3 at this point. Also, the scales were awfully blocky to start off with, more so than a lot of Spydercose (which are already often very blocky), so I chamfered them also. Using the finger choil was quite uncomfortable due to the blockiness of the scales at the choil, but I have dramatically chamfered them in that spot to make choil use feel much more natural.
I spent quite a bit of time tweaking the lock bar tension on the Manix 2 so that it would actually be thumb flickable (it will take some practice to get it right, but the factory Manix 2 back lock is notorious for being "unflickable") and yet still have solid lock up.
I am a little sad to let these go because they are (in my opinion) just about perfect in every way, but with only a few hard cuts into thick cardboard, I learned very quickly that my hand size and shape is not compatible with these knives, as it slightly depressed the lock on hard cuts, causing slight wiggle in the blade. It's not enough to cause a lock failure, but enough that it annoys me.
I tried to increase the lock bar tension, and while it resolved the issue somewhat it, almost made the knife a two hander it was so stiff, and that is also something I am not interested in, so I put it back to flickable with good lockup. It still wiggles in hard cuts in hammer grip though. Never in choked up grip using the finger choil, though. And I never have this problem with my Endura, so I thought it might be the lack of a David Boye dent. I added a slight indentation to the Manix 2, but that didn't really fix it either. So unfortunately these two Golden lockbacks have been relegated to wall magnet storage months ago, and as such it is time to face the facts, and pass them along to someone else who will actually use them for all the wonderful cutting ability they will provide.
Both S30V. Super deep carry clip included with the Chief, and removable grip tape on the Manix 2 pocket clip.
I am offering the Native Chief for SOLD, and the Manix 2 for Withdrawn ,
Price is via PayPal G&S (I will provide the email address in private messaging) and includes expedited shipping with full tracking and insurance.
First "I'll take it" gets priority. Upon payment, please also confirm your shipping address.
Thank you for looking!
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