Why all the fuss about the Spyderco Manix2 XL S90V?

Hot off the truck! The grind lines aren't that bad. I'll get better pix later. Next to my TUFF, Now THAT has some grind line! I like it though.
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They have a team that applies those grind lines one by one at factory. It's a desireable feature.
 
2 shot said:
They can be polished out, if they came that way the price would be higher because of the time involved.
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The price is already high, so what is a couple more bucks for a better finish that will decrease the drag when making a cut? It seems like everyone wants to have a finely polished mirror edge for cutting ability, hairs, etc. yet are satisfied with the rest of the flat ground edge having serrations or prominent grinding marks that could probably be easily polished off. Sort of reminds me of an AK-47, it works, but not exactly a thing of beauty, but it is cheap to make and sell.
 
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GatorFlash1 said:
The price is already high, so what is a couple more bucks for a better finish that will decrease the drag when making a cut? It seems like everyone wants to have a finely polished mirror edge for cutting ability, hairs, etc. yet are satisfied with the rest of the flat ground edge having serrations or prominent grinding marks that could probably be easily polished off. Sort of reminds me of an AK-47, works but not exactly a thing of beauty, but it is cheap to make and sell.
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I think for the 200 bucks the big thing on this knife is the s90v. For 200$ you can get nicer knives, even from spyderco they have nicer in that range. Other brands also have what imo are better knives for 200$. If i was going to spend that kind of cash on a knife i wouldn't want the only difference between it and the standard model being the steel. Sure its got carbon fiber but for 2x the cash i just don't see the big deal.
Seems to me 95% of these will be safe queens and not see much use due to their limited availability.
 
Personally the grind lines don't bother me, they have nothing to do with what kind of steel it is , It's got to do with steel to a belt. Personally I have polished my own blades to remove scratches, by using water stones, and I have done this with ZDP-189 with no problems just layed the blade flat on a 1,000 grit stone, then 4000 , then 6,000. It removed the grind lines and made the surface smoother and It cuts better, but It doesn't look as good IMO as it did before with all the scratches and grind lines.

I have noticed however that every knife I have polished the blade on water stones, there are high points and low points in the blade, meaning you can't get a nice uniform finish the first go around unless you really want to spend some time on it, I use my knives so I will leave them as is with the low spots not being polished , until the secondary edge needs polished again. and Yes my stones were flat when I did this...
 
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sal
01-26-2007, 02:32 PM
IMO, stonewash finish on a knife blade is akin to primer on an auto.

It is the cheapest finish possible. It is used to deburr. It removes crisp grind lines.

sal
 
GatorFlash1 said:
The price is already high, so what is a couple more bucks for a better finish that will decrease the drag when making a cut? It seems like everyone wants to have a finely polished mirror edge for cutting ability, hairs, etc. yet are satisfied with the rest of the flat ground edge having serrations or prominent grinding marks that could probably be easily polished off. Sort of reminds me of an AK-47, it works, but not exactly a thing of beauty, but it is cheap to make and sell.
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Mirror edge doesn't necessarily make it cut better some steels actually cut better less polished (toothy). The grind marks don't increase drag when cutting. Look at the RJ Martin designed Kershaw groove and zing, he said the grooves improve cutting.
 
2 shot said:
Mirror edge doesn't necessarily make it cut better some steels actually cut better less polished (toothy). The grind marks don't increase drag when cutting. Look at the RJ Martin designed Kershaw groove and zing, he said the grooves improve cutting.
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Yea actually a highly polished edge can aid in pushing material away from the edge instead of pulling through it.
 
Motivated said:
Yea actually a highly polished edge can aid in pushing material away from the edge instead of pulling through it.
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A polised edge Is better for push cuts, but IMO it doesn't slice well, I like both types of edges and used to I would just sharpen my edges to highest polish I could and be done with it , now depending on my uses , which I've done this with every knife I carry now that was once mirror finished I will just hit it with a coarse stone and deburr, then strop a little bit , It has the bite of a toothy edge , but will still whittle hair , and push cut napkins, I haven't tried toilet paper, but It will slice a paper napkin no problem.
 
GatorFlash1 said:
Great picture, thanks. I sure like the looks of the handle shape with the jimping, very secure.
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Its was a pic of excitement. LOL the jimping is there, But no where near as aggressive as a Contego.

First impressions, looks good, Blade centered about perfect. Sharp, But not the sharpest Spyderco I've got ouy of the box. (factory edges mean little to me though). It opens smooth, Nano oil made it slightly better. Lock, Not as smooth as an AXIS, but it's nice.

pics coming.
 
Grind lines aren't going anywhere. This is how Spyderco chooses to finish their blades and it isn't just to reduce cost. PM2's, Millies, Enduras, to newer blades like the Domino all have grind lines. Would I prefer a mirror polish on a PM2 for example over the finish it currently has? No. It's a matter of preference and you simply not liking it doesn't mean it's so bad to other people also.

I'd pick it over painted on black coating, bead blast, and even mirror polish which will get scratched up in use... Grind lines help with that.... Unless you don't use your knives.
 
It's a big folder with the nice ball bearing lock and the CPM-S90V steel (tough and great edge retention) is full-flat ground so a great slicer. The peel ply CF scales are very grippy! They'll be sold out soon.
 
I'm looking at my Manix2 xl s90v right now. The grind lines are attractive to me, gives it additional personality. Yesterday I noticed a couple of very small blades nicks about 3/16" in from the tip. Don't know how I caused that but the knife is still ultra sharp and the nicks don't take from the beauty of the fine knife. Just surprised that the s90v gave up the nicks when I didn't think my use of it was too demanding.
 
Stand Straight said:
I'm looking at my Manix2 xl s90v right now. The grind lines are attractive to me, gives it additional personality. Yesterday I noticed a couple of very small blades nicks about 3/16" in from the tip. Don't know how I caused that but the knife is still ultra sharp and the nicks don't take from the beauty of the fine knife. Just surprised that the s90v gave up the nicks when I didn't think my use of it was too demanding.
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Please post a picture or two. That is interesting information.
 
RevDevil said:
I'm sorry, I read your post twice and i have no idea what you are asking or talking about. I asked myself the same question as you at the end there...



You don't really believe this do you? I hope no one else takes this seriously. Oh my.
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I should have gone into more detail in my original post.

What I meant to say is that most knife companies and knife makers don't polish out the grind marks because it is a more difficult steel to work with with—especially the polishing process takes longer.

This isn't a steel that is used very much in production knives anyway.

In fact the most I have seen it is in Spyderco sprint runs so far, and one regular production Spyderco fixed blade, the South Fork.

(If you are used to custom knives, then I see what you mean.)
 
Here is a smattering of my Spydercos showing the blade grind, if any.

My Millie M390 No prominent grind marks. That is pretty tough steel.





My Millie S30V




My Citadel, S30V



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My Embassy, S30V



 
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