Mantra 2 - buy or pass

[99Dirk]

So while shopping for a birthday present (brothers 50th), I came across a Mantra 2 (NOS) at a local retailer. Price was $215, I think.

I'm a fan my Southard and was tempted to pick up the Mantra for myself, having already picked out my brother a different model (he likes smaller knives).

Should I go back or pass, it didn't flip well for me (assume crushed washers or I may have been touching lock bar)? Any experience with the Mantra 2 to help sway me in going back and giving it a chance?

[skeeg11]

My favorite EDC. The flipping action may not be effortlessly glass smooth, but after you get used to it, it will fire every time....at least for me anyway. Others may have a different experience, tho. Not the sliciest, but a very serviceable general purpose blade with a decent tool steel. Kind of like a rugged paring knife. The titanium framelock on mine is a safe 50%. No blade play whatsoever. Slides in and out of pocket with minimal wear on your pocket. What it does best is "carry" which is what an EDC should do. Now most will not get very excited about that, but it is the most unobtrusive pocket knife I own. As such, it gets the most pocket time of all my knives. The only time I don't carry it is when surf fishing.

[Airlsee]

I've been carrying mine for the last week or so, including tonight...

The one I have flips perfectly and is an absolutely fantastic EDC. My only complaint is the thick grind on such a narrow blade, but...after having it reprofiled, it's a scalpel and all the pocket knife I ever really need. I highly recommend!

[99Dirk]

I've been carrying mine for the last week or so, including tonight...

The one I have flips perfectly and is an absolutely fantastic EDC. My only complaint is the thick grind on such a narrow blade, but...after having it reprofiled, it's a scalpel and all the pocket knife I ever really need. I highly recommend!

I wondered about the grind. Did you reprofile or send it out? Thinking the M4 could take some time to thin down.

[Airlsee]

I miscommunicated...I had it re-ground to around .008" BTE by Alex Steingraber after picking up one of his fixed blades...I sharpen it at 15dps.

Before sending it to Alex I reprofiled it to 15dps...that was not the performance I was looking for or expecting from the profile of the blade.

--

[GarageBoy]

I love the blade shape, long cutting edge, and the slim carry profile. Flipping action is okay, detent could be stiffer (?). I almost wish there was a mantra 1.5 (no flipper, slightly taller blade that allows a thinner grind, thumb hole)

[Airlsee]

[Sharp Guy]

Mantra (original) is one of my favorites and I wouldn't hesitate on the Mantra 2.

Mine didn't flip too well to begin with either and it was more due to a flat detent ball. Washers weren't the issue. I replaced the detent ball and opened up the detent hole a little and it flips great

[cjk]

I have a Mantra 2. I also have a Ikuchi. My impressions of the two is that the Ikuchi does everything better. Cheaper too.

[Skidoosh]

I really wanted to like the Mantra 2, it is a very refined design. My issues were that it flipped to lock up only about 50% or less. I suspect it is due to less mass at the tip of the blade. I would love to try a Mantra 1. The handle materials and design are beautiful but it just didn't work for me. Sage 5 LW in M4 does work for me.

[Airlsee]

Push in on the flipper tab...don't pull down.

As long as your finger is not on the lock bar, this works.

[Evil D]

I wanted the 2 but only have the 1. I do have a Southard, and without even handling the Mantra 2 I can say without a doubt it's a better slicer than a Southard. The Southard is a bit of a tank for how small it seems in pics, it's pretty thick all over. This is another Taichung model that could definitely have used a stronger detent, but mine flips with the push button method very reliably, less so with light switch method. My Southard on the other hand almost has too strong of a detent, it flips reliably with either method but you practically can't open it with the thumb hole (I know the hole is small and more for trademark use but the Nilakka for example has a very small hole and opens quite well).

[99Dirk]

I'm still debating, leaning towards the purchase though. Will go back and see if the push technique works better than the light switch flip.

[skeeg11]

Push technique works 100% for me. Mine does not have a weak detent, but even if it did, it would be pretty much be irrelevant with the push technique as far as flipping goes.

[freeman7]

Mantra is my most carried knife for the reasons noted above. I like it so much I have NIB spare just in case.