Manix2 Backlock!

[Doc Dan]

It is great and I like the thicker blade stock on what is supposed to be a hard use folder. It has a bigger pivot, too. The whole knife is confidence inspiring. The thicker scales are more comfortable in hand when doing hard cutting, too.

Let me add that this was a happy purchase for me.

[elena86]

It is great and I like the thicker blade stock on what is supposed to be a hard use folder. It has a bigger pivot, too. The whole knife is confidence inspiring. The thicker scales are more comfortable in hand when doing hard cutting, too.

Let me add that this was a happy purchase for me.

You are a shameless enabler Doc but I have to wait until they release the one in CPM-Cu Wear with CF scales because they will release one don't they Doc ? :eek:

[abbazaba]

This knife was a great surprise for me. I picked one up second hand out of curiosity a while back and was blown away by the in hand feel. Really hoping for sprints like M4 and CF.

[anycal]

If I may, DLC M4! Or DLC anything? That would be wonderful.

At the end of the day, I will pick up the first sprint, exclusive, limited, or special flavor Spyderco decides to release.

[xceptnl]

I really want one of these as the Manix is one of my all time favorite Spydie families, but I will hold out for a sprint. I'm really wanting more K390, but Cruwear or Maxmet would be terrific combinations for this pattern too.

[speedkills]

Got one and love it, action on the open is nice and smooth, backlock is easy to press and blade free drops, thicker scales feel really good for me, waiting for some sprints now.

[VinylAddict]

Hi -

Long time Spydy owner, recently back looking to add a couple more to the collection after one of my old-timers seemed to have gotten legs and disappeared. :confused:

Joined the board to begin with a query about the Manix Back Lock version which has caught my eye. I do recall back some years ago that it had a back lock. I don't own any ball bearing lock knives and they aren't my favorite... I mainly have compression and back locks as my first choice, though I do own one liner lock.

My question is simple - it appears from searching the net that there seems to be a few happy owners of this knife, and found a few threads discussing it. But what is odd is that nobody took the time to write a user review about it! There are literally two reviews out on a Google search - I think one at BladeHQ and one at KnifeCenter. The user reviews are conspicuous in their absence - most of the popular knives of course will have many.

I saw the dealer / retailer reviews and youtube vids from GPKnives, others as well as from the many "full time" knife reviewers on YouTube. They too were very positive (as always and expected). Those are great, but I like to see user reviews in addition, it is always A) good indicator the product is selling well, and B) User reviews are usually where you find out the real pro / con as retailer and "fan boy" reviews are typically 99% about the positives and spend little time on the cons.

Anyway - why do you guys think this has so few user reviews? Even AMazon has zero. Did this knife really never take off and gain a strong following?

Thanks in advance.

[SG89]

it may be too boring for some people but it's a really great knife design-wise. it's black g10, s30v and backlock which some may find as boring. it's a workhorse though through and through

[VinylAddict]

I have trouble with the boring label - there are a lot of knives with g10, s30v-like and back locks that sell like crazy.... can you say Native 5 (although the Native is S35VN, it is very similar to S30V with many of the same characteristics - edge retention, corrosion resistance and sharpening)? There are many others too...

I have seen some lament the value proposition relative to other Manix 2 offerings - maybe some are having trouble justifying the $130-ish price tag when you can get the S110V version with G-10 for not much more? And the LW 110V for $20 less? Nothing kill popularity quicker than the wrong pricing. YMMV, if you don't agree I respect that. Even some of the YouTube fan boy reviews touched on the pricing... so this is not a novel idea.

Plus let's not kid ourselves, price drives sales more than anything else - many sit there for hours searching to save $5, or won't bite on one product line if another offers more or better value for 20% less $$, or similar analyses.... anyone who justifies that price is not a factor is automatically in the minority and probably not being honest in their assessment.

Then couple in a "unique" liner-less design that might appeal to some, but may leave others wondering? And then finally throw in a knife that diverges from the pack that all have BBL? Just thinking out loud.

THEN maybe lower on the list is the boring factor, but I don't think it is the driver IMHO... I think it is a combination of factors - and it's unfortunate.

Regardless, I am still thinking of buying it myself... it LOOKS like a well built knife in pics and on paper. I have never owned (or even held) a liner-less knife in G-10 with that thick of a slab - so I am going on faith with that.... but then again, the LW's are linerless and this has to be much tougher, no?

[steelcity16]

For me, id like to see a Cruwear sprint of this one. Then I'll be in for one. Not enough Cruwear out there (zero at the moment), and this one I feel needs a Sprint to garner interest. It's a tough sell with S30V. But if someone buys the Cruwear version mainly to grab a Cruwear knife, maybe they will like to form factor and pick up an S30V to go with it. I LOVE backlocks and I am now a HUGE Manix fan, but not with S30V and not black G10 (unless paired with a DLC coated blade in Cruwear, M4, 3V or something along those lines).

I think it deserves a place in the lineup, but I personally am not interested in the base model and would like to see some sprints and exclusives.

[SG89]

Regardless, I am still thinking of buying it myself... it LOOKS like a well built knife in pics and on paper. I have never owned (or even held) a liner-less knife in G-10 with that thick of a slab - so I am going on faith with that.... but then again, the LW's are linerless and this has to be much tougher, no?

so what is the number 1 thing preventing you from having bought it already? lack of reviews, price, linerless thick g10? if it's price preventing you from buying it that's understandable. if it's lack of reviews or not sure if you'll like the thick g10 you'll have to have one in hand to form your own opinion

[mattman]

It's a Manix 2, which has a spectacular rep already, combined with the EDM machined lock from the Native, which is also faultless in operation, it's a little thicker, with some minor sculpting of the scales, a little lighter with the linerless construction... Released right around the Sliverax (? Not sure, but that's when I got mine...).

So I speculate two things...

1. Not enough *major* differences for anyone to concern themselves with a full-on hard use review (cause if all the similarities)

2. Overshadowed by the Sliverax hubbub?

Idk... Just speculation.
Gonna go get mine out of the box, and put it in the pocket, though!

[VinylAddict]

Regardless, I am still thinking of buying it myself... it LOOKS like a well built knife in pics and on paper. I have never owned (or even held) a liner-less knife in G-10 with that thick of a slab - so I am going on faith with that.... but then again, the LW's are linerless and this has to be much tougher, no?

so what is the number 1 thing preventing you from having bought it already? lack of reviews, price, linerless thick g10? if it's price preventing you from buying it that's understandable. if it's lack of reviews or not sure if you'll like the thick g10 you'll have to have one in hand to form your own opinion

As mentioned above it is a combination of things - same for me. When it first came out, my first reaction was "give it some time to see how it takes hold" Then it was "OK, I have enough 30v-ish type knives, let's see if they configure it with another steel / configuration or Sprint run" (I own a PM 2 in 30V, and just ordered a Shaman yesterday - plus already have two 35VN's, plus a number of VG-10's). Then it was.... you get it....

Priorities, so many choices, sometimes the trigger finger is not as itchy and the pull is not automatic. For instance, I finally decided to dive in on the Shaman - but it did not lack the reviews as much as the Manix 2 BL does... I actually got the Shaman in SE... needed to supplement two knives that found legs in the last year that were both SE's.... (including my beloved Police SE SS that I got many, many years ago when I was on my honeymoon (wife bought it for me).

Anyway you should know it's never that simple :-)

[VinylAddict]

Gonna go get mine out of the box, and put it in the pocket, though!

Hope you don't plan on putting too much else in that pocket LOL. :D

Seriously, it does look like a fine knife. All my sensibilities tells me it is exactly what I think it is, just wanted to test the waters with some of the satisfied customers to see if any sentiments have changed.

If I do pull the trigger, I will just live with the fact it is not one that is top of the heap desirability / popularity-wise, and just get it because I recognize what a unique and nice product it is. I do woodworking, camping, hiking, backpacking, yard work.... so it'll find use.

Honestly, I really thought this one was going to be a hit. I bet price point has a lot to do with it when you can justify a Manix 110SV for around the same $$... just my thinking though.

[SG89]

when in doubt, buy it lol

[VinylAddict]

By the way, here is another one with the same DNA as the Manix 2 BL that has always intrigued me a little:

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C41GFGR5/1108

It is also linerless G-10, and from what I have read also have nice thick G-10 slabs.... this is very similar to the Manix 2 BL. Then again it does throw in S90V which gives it some additional attraction for those looking for a change in steel from the mainstream.

This one is a Knife Center exclusive, but this seems to have caught on a little more than the Manix 2 BL did - it has 19 reviews on Knife Center where the Manix BL only has one. Not that number of reviews are the final / end all indicator of sales, but they still a good indicator in most cases.

[vivi]

I'll buy one if they make the full size version :)

[VinylAddict]

Yeah, I 've heard the XL sentiment a few times... it would seem the liner-less G-10 would make even more sense on bigger knives for the implied weight savings without giving up strength? I mean, lets face it, those thick G-10 slabs HAVE TO be more stable / durable than FRN, and having a middle ground between FRN and G-10 lined seems to make sense. How many times have I felt like LW and G-10 lined were on the two extreme ends of the spectrum.... and that something between would be ideal...

Yet, the G-10 liner-less languishes a little in obscurity... there must be something I don't know. (wouldn't be the first time).

Why aren't there more liner-less G-10 offerings? Familiarity? We tend to equate G-10 to lined... there has to be a reason it is not more mainstream other than tradition or perception though?

[mattman]

Why aren't there more liner-less G-10 offerings?

They're coming... They just switched the Native to linerless as a running change. I believe there's more coming...

[VinylAddict]

Why aren't there more liner-less G-10 offerings?

They're coming... They just switched the Native to linerless as a running change. I believe there's more coming...

Yes, I linked that Native 5 liner-less G-10 in about two posts ago...look up! :D

... as far as the Manix 2 - let me ring home my cost example I mentioned earlier - I am sitting here wanting to get one - the best price I can find on the S30V Manix 2 BL is $142. YET, I can still find a Manix 2 BBL S110V for $140. The BBL 110V is also only 4.2 oz with skeletonized liners. I think I am proving to myself my own assertion as to why the Manix 2 BL is not a big seller... price point!!!!

I seem to recall this struggle a couple of months back - but now the struggle is enhanced because the Manix 2 BL had a price increase everywhere I can find it, yet the Manix 2 110V I can still find at the old price. Hmmm.....