VIDEO: Spyderco Manix 2 Hard Use test

Wow. :D Jim, rumor has it that the DoD is looking into the imminent collapse of the internet due to the surge in net traffic caused by your video. :eek: ;) :D
 
That was a little disappointing. I thought the Manix 2 was supposed to be really tough. Obviously that is beyond what anyone would use it for, but it's nice to know if pressed that the blade can actually withstand some abuse.

I really didn't think that a Griptilian would be significantly tougher than a Manix 2.
 
This is why I try not to associate folding knives with tough use, no matter what the marketing pitch is. It's why large fixed blades exist.
 
trix2004 said:
I expected little more from Manix .
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So did I. All that steel and engineering dead after not that much hard use. I really like that knife design too. It would be nice if the Spydercrew took this one back to the lab, and made it a little tougher. :( :(
 
Ankerson said:
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Thought the polymer cage-ball lock was supposed to be one of the strongest locking mechanisms out there!!! Apparently not:D
 
Ankerson, as always thanks for the video and thanks to whoever put up the knives. In all fairness to spyderco and folding knives everywhere there simply aren't many knives out there that will pass that kinda toughness test. I bet many on here would be surprised if their overbuilt tank tough knife was put through this exact test it would end the same.

In fact those would pass this test like the American Lawman did would be the slim minority with the overwhelming super majority of folders out there failing just as this knife did.

Even more surprising would be some of the bigger name knives out there that would fail just as this knife did, even some that are advertised specifically as hard use.
 
MikeC said:
Ankerson, as always thanks for the video and thanks to whoever put up the knives. In all fairness to spyderco and folding knives everywhere there simply aren't many knives out there that will pass that kinda toughness test. I bet many on here would be surprised if their overbuilt tank tough knife was put through this exact test it would end the same.

In fact those would pass this test like the American Lawman did would be the slim minority with the overwhelming super majority of folders out there failing just as this knife did.

Even more surprising would be some of the bigger name knives out there that would fail just as this knife did, even some that are advertised specifically as hard use.
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There are some that will though and that really is the point of these tests. :)

These 3 videos aren't the 1st folders that I have tested, the others I tested were beaten much harder and abused even more that the last 3 and yes they are on my YT page also. :)

So what I did was come up with a more realistic hard use test format that seemed to be more fair and not over abusive to the knives, these last 3 videos are in that testing format.
 
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Ankerson said:
There are some that will though and that really is the point of these tests. :)
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And that's the one that makes all the difference. Something like it's where the boys are separated from the men. No matter how much some people rant about the weakness of "pre-broken" knives, the fact remains that someone did design and make one that can take it.

Things can only get better from here.
 
I own a Manix 2 and just got another one in today. I am not an engineer, but am a gunsmith and took my latest Manix completely apart and now I have a better understanding of these buggers. First off, both my Manix 2 knives will withstand spine whacks just fine, BUT both mine have the backspacer adjusted so that I'm getting FULL engagement of the ball. Both also have ALL the screws loc tited in. The main thing to remember on the Manix 2 is that the backspacer against which the ball stresses during a spine whack test can be adjusted in such a way that the ball only partially engages. The knife will still seem to lock up fine, but put much pressure on the spine and the ball will slip out of engagement and thus the lock fails.

To exacerbate this problem, the "screws from both sides" design just makes for twice as many screws to loosen up in this knife. If I were Spyderco, I would have just used the screw arrangement like we see on the Endura 4 ect. so we'd cut the number of screws in half. Overall though, if you adjust the Manix 2 backspacer correctly and make sure your screws are not loose, I think the lock is quite strong, and not deserving of all the doubt it's been getting lately.

To me it's more of a production problem, Spyderco needs to make sure every Manix made has it's lock fully engaging, and perhaps figure out something with the screw arrangement, as they do like to loosen up and chances are most guys will then tighten them with no regard to that backspacer's position and create a lock up problem for themselves. It's just like the Buck Vantages with off center blades. I never met one I couldn't fix by loosening all the screws and moving the liners backward or forward a little and then retightening. Again, it was a production problem that could have sunk an otherwise fine knife design, as most people out there now are just not mechanically inclined enough to compensate for inconsistent assembly of otherwise high quality components.
 
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Very interesting. Thanks for the insight. :thumbup:

Marlinaholic said:
I own a Manix 2 and just got another one in today. I am not an engineer, but am a gunsmith and took my latest Manix completely apart and now I have a better understanding of these buggers. First off, both my Manix 2 knives will withstand spine whacks just fine, BUT both mine have the backspacer adjusted so that I'm getting FULL engagement of the ball. Both also have ALL the screws loc tited in. The main thing to remember on the Manix 2 is that the backspacer against which the ball stresses during a spine whack test can be adjusted in such a way that the ball only partially engages. The knife will still seem to lock up fine, but put much pressure on the spine and the ball will slip out of engagement and thus the lock fails.

To exacerbate this problem, the "screws from both sides" design just makes for twice as many screws to loosen up in this knife. If I were Spyderco, I would have just used the screw arrangement like we see on the Endura 4 ect. so we'd cut the number of screws in half. Overall though, if you adjust the Manix 2 backspacer correctly and make sure your screws are not loose, I think the lock is quite strong, and not deserving of all the doubt it's been getting lately.

To me it's more of a production problem, Spyderco needs to make sure every Manix made has it's lock fully engaging, and perhaps figure out something with the screw arrangement, as they do like to loosen up and chances are most guys will then tighten them with no regard to that backspacer's position and create a lock up problem for themselves. It's just like the Buck Vantages with off center blades. I never met one I couldn't fix by loosening all the screws and moving the liners backward or forward a little and then retightening. Again, it was a production problem that could have sunk an otherwise fine knife design, as most people out there now are just not mechanically inclined enough to compensate for inconsistent assembly of otherwise high quality components.
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Marlinaholic said:
I own a Manix 2 and just got another one in today. I am not an engineer, but am a gunsmith and took my latest Manix completely apart and now I have a better understanding of these buggers. First off, both my Manix 2 knives will withstand spine whacks just fine, BUT both mine have the backspacer adjusted so that I'm getting FULL engagement of the ball. Both also have ALL the screws loc tited in. The main thing to remember on the Manix 2 is that the backspacer against which the ball stresses during a spine whack test can be adjusted in such a way that the ball only partially engages. The knife will still seem to lock up fine, but put much pressure on the spine and the ball will slip out of engagement and thus the lock fails.

To exacerbate this problem, the "screws from both sides" design just makes for twice as many screws to loosen up in this knife. If I were Spyderco, I would have just used the screw arrangement like we see on the Endura 4 ect. so we'd cut the number of screws in half. Overall though, if you adjust the Manix 2 backspacer correctly and make sure your screws are not loose, I think the lock is quite strong, and not deserving of all the doubt it's been getting lately.

To me it's more of a production problem, Spyderco needs to make sure every Manix made has it's lock fully engaging, and perhaps figure out something with the screw arrangement, as they do like to loosen up and chances are most guys will then tighten them with no regard to that backspacer's position and create a lock up problem for themselves. It's just like the Buck Vantages with off center blades. I never met one I couldn't fix by loosening all the screws and moving the liners backward or forward a little and then retightening. Again, it was a production problem that could have sunk an otherwise fine knife design, as most people out there now are just not mechanically inclined enough to compensate for inconsistent assembly of otherwise high quality components.
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I understand the Loctite on the screws, but what/how did you adjust the backspacer to make sure you're getting "full engagement of the ball"?

If you or anyone else can let me know, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks guys.
 
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