Just got my Manix 2 S110V but not happy.

[toyman9600]

I just got a Manix 2 with S110V steel. While I've very happy with the blade and find it very easy to thumb flick it open, I'm really unhappy with the amount of force need to pull the lock back to close it. I placed the knife on a weight scale to try and gauge how much force it was taking to work the ball lock and discovered it took nearly 4 lbs of force to move the unlock mechanism. Is this normal? I've seen other people on YouTube who appear to work the lock with 1 finger. I can't get mine to work that easily. I read a few messages that suggested that the lock eases up after a time. I spent an hour working the lock open and close and I don't see much of a difference in force needed. (Although I have to admit my the skin on my thumb has toughened up a lot more than the lock has eased up.) I don't feel any ratcheting in the mechanism, so I don't think the lock is binding up at all. It's just feels like I'm fighting an incredibly over sized spring. Anyone else have this problem?

[farnorthdan]

I have two, one is super stiff after lots of use, the other came very easy to disengage, really I think its just a crap shoot. Send it back and try another.

[sal]

Hi Toyman,

Don't know how to answer that question. 4 lbs is a lot of force. The lock is designed to require 2 fingers for unlocking.

BTW, Charlynn said she shipped your knife out yesterday.

sal

[gbelleh]

Yeah, all my Manix 2s are pretty stiff to unlock. I can't really close them with one finger.

[toyman9600]

I'm afraid that when I try to close it one handed, I wind up gripping it so tightly that the finger tips of my third, fourth and fifth fingers drift close to the blade path. Not happy feeling the blade just pass miss finger tips.

[SG89]

I have a small hand and it took practice to close it one handed. Now I just close it by disengaging the lock and close it against my leg. Much easier for me that way

[Shockwave]

Bummer about the lw Manix2. Mine has been my favorite to play with, even more than my para2. It does take a little effort to close but I use 2 fingers and let the bottom of the knife rest in the palm of my hand. It instantly gravity drops every time. So fun to play with. I open it with the lock all the time to, it's almost magic the way it deploys. Out of the box it flicked effortlessly. I've also used it a bunch and cut some old rubber hose I needed for tree staking just fine the other day.

[3rdGenRigger]

I can do mine with just my thumb, but only barely...it's definitely hard. It's a lot easier and faster for me to use my finger and thumb in combination.

[Razzle]

Manix's always benefit from snipping a few rings from the coil spring, IMO. I only own Manii with remove able springs.

[TheOutdoorNerd]

My brother the body builder said "I'm not strong enough to open this" when I showed him my Manix.

It's stiffer than I would like, but it does loosen up over time, and it can be flicked open with the Spydie hole, so you don't need to use the lock to open it.

I don't know if my fingers got stronger, or if the lock got looser, but it doesn't bother me now. I'm not as strong as my brother, so I think it's more finesse than strength ... "brute finesse" :)

[farnorthdan]

Except the M2 s110v is pinned not screwed.

[michaelm466]

It'll also loosen up over time the more you use it, you could also leave it partially open do the spring is a bit compressed for a few days as well.

[SpeedHoles]

I grip the clip with my back fingers, for closing 1-handed and keeping the blade swing clear... using thumb and index finger to operate cage.

1-finger operation is not consistent enough for me to do it by instinct. Sometimes slippery fingers prevent it.

[toyman9600]

I really wanted to love this knife, but after two days of trying to work the lock hoping it would start to ease up without even the slightest improvement, I've decided to return it. I really think Spyderco has got to reexamine the size of the spring used on this knife. It's downright painful to repeatedly open and close this knife.

[TomAiello]

My s90v was like that. A couple drops of oil and a hundred or so "open and close" actions and it was just right.

[palonej]

It is NOT an Axis lock and does require 2 fingers to disengage, but it is very easy after you play with it for a while. Someone above explained it perfectly......butt of knife in palm and pull the lock with 2 fingers.
Shame you gave up on one of the most fun locks in the line up......pretty good cutter also!!!
Sometimes instant gratification expectations are not realized.....takes a bit of learned technique.
Put a little time in and get used to it and you'll love it.
Joe

[bearfacedkiller]

If your not happy, return it. Easy peasy. Some do seem stiffer than others. I think it will break in over time. If it were to break in after only a day or two I would question its durability. I do expect to be able to open and close a knife for years. Since none of us can see your knife to know how stiff it really is then only you can decide if it needs to be returned. I hope you get it worked out. :)

[APS]

I found that it was much easier for me to unlock my lightweight Manix after I added some texture to the smooth back of the handle. It kept the knife from trying to slide down with the force of the thumb push. After I did that I was able to unlock with just the thumb. I used a wood burning tool on one and a strip of guntape on the other.

[Spydergimbo]

I always use two fingers to unlock, I also do so with my Griptilian. I think that's the way it's supposed to be done and it feels natural to me. I heard that opening the Griptilian with one finger may be the reason for the famous broken omega spring. I feel that the bearing cage of the Manix could also break on the long run if opened with one finger only as it puts much more stress on it.

[abbazaba]

Love that knife, but mine took a while to break in as well. I can now do it by pulling only one side with my thumb, but rarely do now that I'm used to pulling both sides. I agree that the spring could probably be lighter and give a more pleasurable impression without sacrificing lockup.