Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

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toocool006
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Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#1

Post by toocool006 »

Hey y'all,

I recently came across this awesome maker who is doing caged ceramic bearings as aftermarket products for bearing knives:

https://www.skiffmadeblades.com/collections/bearings

I've got some in a non-spyder that I was able to get confirmation on sizing from a buddy, but I am wondering if anyone has already done this mod for a mantra 2 or is able to accurately measure the factory bearings for potential replacement if the sizing might line up? I have a modded mantra 2 that is one of my favorite knives and would love to see if I can smooth out the action just a bit.

Thanks for any insight y'all can provide :D
~andrew
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Abyss_Fish
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#2

Post by Abyss_Fish »

Ooh I didn’t know stuff like that existed. I’ll probably get some for myself :). I’d recommend nabbing some calipers and measuring yourself, you can get good enough ones on amazon for not much.
Lightly insane.

Current spydie collection: Watu, Rhino, UKPK Salt G10 bladeswap, Yojimbo 2 Smooth G10 Cru-Wear, Manix lw “mystic” 20cv, SmallFly 2, Waterway, Ladybug k390, Caribbean
Current favorite steels: sg2/R2, lc200n/Z-FiNit, 3v
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aaronkb
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#3

Post by aaronkb »

Really want this
Sumdumguy
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#4

Post by Sumdumguy »

I was thinking about this today. Has anyone measured their Mantra's bearings? I can't find my calipers or I'd do it.

I haven't had any issue with the factory bearings...

But, better bearings are better!
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."

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brancron
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#5

Post by brancron »

Bumping this to see if anyone in the know might be able to chime in!
cjk
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#6

Post by cjk »

I have old eyes and an inexpensive set of digital calipers, so consider these measurements approximate:

outer diameter around .338" / 8.52 mm
inner diameter around .185" / 4.75 mm
bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm

pivot diameter around .175" / 4.45 mm

I switched the calipers between inches and mm and measured twice.
I assume all the stuff is metric and you can probably round to 8.5mm, 4.75mm, 1mm, and 4.5mm.
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#7

Post by Jjsim »

cjk wrote:
Mon Feb 28, 2022 10:00 am
I have old eyes and an inexpensive set of digital calipers, so consider these measurements approximate:

outer diameter around .338" / 8.52 mm
inner diameter around .185" / 4.75 mm
bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm

pivot diameter around .175" / 4.45 mm

I switched the calipers between inches and mm and measured twice.
I assume all the stuff is metric and you can probably round to 8.5mm, 4.75mm, 1mm, and 4.5mm.
Hello CJK, thank you for sharing the bearing dimensions for mantra 2 :smiling-cheeks I have a quick question about the "bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm" are you talking about the diameter of the ball or the thickness of the "cage"? I hope you can remember this to help me because I bought a spyderco mantra 1 from used and the bearings were replaced for washers by the previous owner, I would like to put the knife back on bearings but I don't have the original ones.. Thanks in advance :grin-smiling-eyes
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#8

Post by Michael Janich »

Dear Jjsim:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#9

Post by cjk »

Jjsim wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 4:07 am
cjk wrote:
Mon Feb 28, 2022 10:00 am
I have old eyes and an inexpensive set of digital calipers, so consider these measurements approximate:

outer diameter around .338" / 8.52 mm
inner diameter around .185" / 4.75 mm
bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm

pivot diameter around .175" / 4.45 mm

I switched the calipers between inches and mm and measured twice.
I assume all the stuff is metric and you can probably round to 8.5mm, 4.75mm, 1mm, and 4.5mm.
Hello CJK, thank you for sharing the bearing dimensions for mantra 2 :smiling-cheeks I have a quick question about the "bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm" are you talking about the diameter of the ball or the thickness of the "cage"? I hope you can remember this to help me because I bought a spyderco mantra 1 from used and the bearings were replaced for washers by the previous owner, I would like to put the knife back on bearings but I don't have the original ones.. Thanks in advance :grin-smiling-eyes
The diameter of the ball bearings.
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#10

Post by Jjsim »

cjk wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 7:54 am

The diameter of the ball bearings.
Thank CJK :hugging-face
So would these Skiff bearings be perfect for mantra 1 and 2 ?
https://www.skiffmadeblades.com/collect ... mm-16-ball
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#11

Post by Jjsim »

Michael Janich wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 6:59 am
Dear Jjsim:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike
Thanks Sir Janich! I'm a big fan of your knife designs :cheap-sunglasses
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#12

Post by dull&blunt »

Believe me when I say it's worth the money to at least attempt to make them work in your Mantra.

I purchased Skiff's bearing for my Dice despite that model not being listed on the compatibility chart. It was the BEST money I've ever spent on any knife upgrade. The Dice uses the same bearings as the Domino, the plastic ones that run on washers. If those are the bearings in your Mantra, get the Domino sized ones.

Something else to consider:
Skiff's bearings worked in my Dice without the washer.
Taco Bearings also offers upgraded bearings for the Domino, but they run on a washer like the stock bearings (Taco includes a new set if I remember correctly).
https://tacobearings.com/
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#13

Post by Jjsim »

Hi Dull&Blunt, thank you for your response :smiling-halo I posted a message before your answer on the post but since I am new on the forum my messages must be checked by a moderator..
I was actually saying that I was planning to buy Skiff bearings, this model: https://www.skiffmadeblades.com/collect ... mm-16-ball . Because according to CJK's measurements it would be the perfect model but I still have a doubt because I don't know if our friend CJK is talking about the diameter of the ball or the thickness of the plastic cage when he says that the thickness measures 0.41 (1mm) inch so I don't really know :thinking
But I'm sure that the bearings of the mantra 1&2 are not the same as the Dice, Domino and Southard because the pivot diameter is bigger and the ball of the bearing too :smlling-eyes
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#14

Post by cjk »

"bearing diameter .041". / 1.04 mm" = Diameter of one ball
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#15

Post by cjk »

Jjsim wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:00 am
cjk wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 7:54 am

The diameter of the ball bearings.
Thank CJK :hugging-face
So would these Skiff bearings be perfect for mantra 1 and 2 ?
https://www.skiffmadeblades.com/collect ... mm-16-ball
I have no idea as I have not tried those or any aftermarket bearings.
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#16

Post by Jjsim »

Ok thank you very much CJK for your patience and kindness :smiling-halo
I'm going to order the bearings from the Skiff link that I posted, we'll see.
They are equivalent to your measurements :cheap-sunglasses
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#17

Post by dj moonbat »

Jjsim wrote:
Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:04 am
Ok thank you very much CJK for your patience and kindness :smiling-halo
I'm going to order the bearings from the Skiff link that I posted, we'll see.
They are equivalent to your measurements :cheap-sunglasses
Sweet! I was thisclose to ordering these myself. Now I'll have some advance recon. Thanks for your willingness to investigate.
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#18

Post by dull&blunt »

Please post back here and let us know about your results! I would love to add a Mantra 1 to my collection one day so I'm very interested.
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#19

Post by Sharp Guy »

Jjsim wrote:
Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:00 am
Thank CJK :hugging-face
So would these Skiff bearings be perfect for mantra 1 and 2 ?
https://www.skiffmadeblades.com/collect ... mm-16-ball
[/quote]

Those should work ok as long as thickness isn't an issue

I took my Mantra apart and measured everything. The measurements I got were close what CJK previously posted. What concerned me was the OD. They have to fit in the recess on each side of the handle. From the dimensions on the Skiff's website those bearings are a little smaller in diameter. So they should be ok.

One thing I noticed is that the ball bearings on the Mantra washers are tiny. They seem a lot smaller than .041". I forgot to put the calipers on them and already put the knife back together. The ball size shouldn't really matter anyway as long as the overall thickness of the whole assembly is close to what's currently in the Mantra

I went ahead and ordered a set for my Mantra but I'm not sure they'll be much of an improvement. For me the big improvement was adding a ceramic detent ball because the original had a big flat spot on it. I also tuned the detent on it. So it's really good as is. We'll see how the different bearings work. I ordered a set of the Taco bearings for my Southard and they didn't improve anything. I ended up taking them out and now they're sitting in one of my knife cases.
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Sharp Guy
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Re: Aftermarket Bearings for Mantra 2?

#20

Post by Sharp Guy »

The Skiff bearings arrived today.

Mantra bearings on left, Skiff bearings on right...

Image

I was a little concerned that the Skiff bearings might be a little too thick. It turns out they're actually about .005" thinner

I went ahead and installed the new bearings. I had to tighten the pivot all the way to center the blade. I usually tighten the pivot on the original bearings. So the centering thing might be normal. I hadn't really noticed it before. So hard to say

Anyway, the bearings work fine but they're honestly not any better than the originals. They might even be a very slight step down. They're really close. I've said all along that the bearings and action in my Mantra were pretty good. So trying to improve on them was a long shot.

@Jjsim the Skiff bearings you ordered are suitable replacements. However, I think you might need the original washers to make them work
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