Manbug blade swap

jackknifeh · #1

I just got the Manbug with ZDP-189. I don't know what it is at Spyderco but EVERY knife I've gotten with ZDP has been razor sharp. Other knives have been sharp but I haven't seen the consistancy I have with the few ZDP knives I've gotten. No matter, just an observation. I really think I want to put the ZDP blade on my G-10 Manbug. I have never taken a knife apart that has the FRN as a single piece. I've looked at it and I don't see any difficulty. I think I will have a blade, lock bar and spring. To put it back together I think I could shove the spring into the handle, put the lock bar in place and hold it with the screw then push the lock bar and put the blade in place and the pivot pin and screw. Does this sound correct? If not, why and how is it done?

Should I keep the lock bar paired with the blade? I've heard this can be important to eliminate blade play and make sure the locks engage perfectly. Right now both are perfect and I hate blade play. I don't want the ZDP blade on the G-10 Manbug bad enough to end up with any play on either knife.

Putting the G-10 knife back together should be no problem. I assume it's just like other lockback knives.

Or, should I forget it? :)

Jack

DeathBySnooSnoo · #2

I don't know about the lockbar pairing...but I took my Stretch apart, and while it isn't difficult to get back together, it can be a little bit finicky. With a manbug and all those little pieces...I don't think that I would be doing it. But I wish you luck! :D

DCDesigns · #3

Hey jack, I have done some swapping with d'flys. You dont have anything to worry about, should turn out fine without having to match the lockbar. I would only bother doing that if it did not lock up satisfactorily. Then swap the bar. However, the lockbar could be different for the g10 v the FRN, food for thought! -DC

Goeri · #4

I have dismanteled and reassembeled my ladybug without to many difficulties.
A nice trick is to hold the lock-bar in the "open" position with a tie wrap or a rubber band to reassemble the knife.

jackknifeh · #5

Goeri wrote:I have dismanteled and reassembeled my ladybug without to many difficulties.
A nice trick is to hold the lock-bar in the "open" position with a tie wrap or a rubber band to reassemble the knife.

Ok guys. Sounds like the frankensteination is on. Now I have to schedule time in my busy schedule. :rolleyes:

Jack

Fred Sanford · #6

I always swap the lock bars if the blade steel is different. If you're swapping two VG-10 blades then no, you do not need to swap the lock bar unless there is an issue with the quality of the lockup with the different blade.

In your case you need to swap the lock bar since the blade steels are different. If I'm correct I think the lock bar in the ZDP-189 knife is harder than the lock bar in the VG-10 model.

jackknifeh · #7

Swap complete. I had to swap the lock bar along with the blade. It was because the lock bar wasn't flush with the liners when the blade was open. The lock bar that was originally in the G-10 knife didn't seat properly in the notch in the tang of the ZDP blade.

The lanyard tube must be flared during assemble because it was VERY tight in the G-10. I tried to not remove the scale but I couldn't get the pins to line up with the holes when putting the thing back together. When doing this the spring is already in place and the force applied to the lock bar and the back spacer made it hard to get everything lined up. Finally I gave up and removed one scale from the lanyard tube. Then the knife goes back together in a minute or so. Getting the pin through the lock bar on the FRN handle was a little trying but it went in. These FRN, one-piece handle lockback knives are not much problem. Of course that's based on my extensive experience of one knife. :) I may have gotten lucky. It may have been easier to put the lock bar in before the blade but I put the blade in first. Then I could have held the lock bar pressed with a cable tie (as someone suggested) and installed the blade.

Anyway, I have a Manbug, G-10 w/bolster, ZDP-189 blade knife. I'll call it a MGGYZP.

Jack

God'sMyJudge · #8

pics please!

jackknifeh · #9

God'sMyJudge wrote:pics please!

I assume you want pictures showing the blade stamps since the knives look the same at first glance. I don't have a camera that will take focused, close up pictures. Sorry for the poor quality but this is the best I can do.

The attachment Manbug, G-10,Z-FRN,VG, closer.jpg is no longer available

Jack

God'sMyJudge · #10

works for me! thanks, i want to do this now, too!