Chaparral carbon handles vs. Manix2 carbon handles

[archangel]

So I own a Chaparral for quite some time now, and i really love the look and feel of the steel liners combined with the great texture of the carbon handles. When I first saw the KC exclusive Manix2 with the same combination, I immediately fell in love with it. Especially given that the lightweight M2 that I already owned did not warm my chuckles that much when playing with it. So I sold it and ordered the KC M2, and I couln't wait to have it in my hands.

It arrived about 3 weeks ago. It really looks good. But it does not look and feel as good as the Chaparral does. There is much less texture on the handles - the surface is almost flat. Much slicker than the Chaparral.

You guys who own other Golden Spydies with carbon handles: What are those like? Did you make the same experience?

[mattman]

The "basket-weave/twill" cf texture has only come on a few models, and those models have all been from Taiwan...

Sage 1
Gayle Bradleys
Chaparral 1

Golden cf is generally a peel-ply texture.

[archangel]

Uuuh... did not know these are different by spec. Thanks mattman. So this slickness is normal?

Then I'd vote for Golden adapting the twill cf texture. It really feels better, gives a better grip too. All just imho.

What do others think?

[Liquid Cobra]

Yes typically Golden produces peel ply textured carbon fiber but on the Manix you have they went with a smooth finish.

I prefer peel ply over smooth carbon fiber.

[mattman]

I like the twill, over the peel-ply, for *my* moderate needs...

I haven't handled the smooth version of this Sprint, so I'll reserve any "judgement" till I do get a chance.

Also, I think there is a new, "finer", peel-ply on an upcoming model... Can't recall which one, but Eric talks a little about it in a Shot Show video...

I'm sure someone will recall better than I can, at the moment.

[Evil D]

I believe we basically have 3 CF "finishes", the basket weave, smooth/polished, and peel ply. Peel ply may be the least handsome to some people but the texture is downright sticky in my hands, far better grip than similar peel ply G10 (though I'm very curious about this new micro peel ply G10 coming out).

The problem is you can't please everyone. I want the peel ply for grip, others complain that it shreds their pockets. Personally I didn't find basket weave offered any better grip than polished, but it does look pretty cool.

[toxophilus]

The Manix 2 CF texture feels exactly like the CF on my Caly 3's CF; I appreciate the added jimping around the Manix scales (liners) which aides in getting a solid/secure grip when using it :)

[shimage]

The Taichung factory has access to some laminated materials you don't see from other factories. The basket-weave CF is just a single layer on top of G10 (like it is on the GB 1/2/air and the sages and some others, as mentioned). This bothers some people, but not me. I hate peel-ply, so if I get a knife that's screw construction and peel-ply I always sand off the texture and polish it, but I only carry small knives that don't really need the grip.

[The Deacon]

I believe we basically have 3 CF "finishes", the basket weave, smooth/polished, and peel ply. Peel ply may be the least handsome to some people but the texture is downright sticky in my hands, far better grip than similar peel ply G10 (though I'm very curious about this new micro peel ply G10 coming out).

The problem is you can't please everyone. I want the peel ply for grip, others complain that it shreds their pockets. Personally I didn't find basket weave offered any better grip than polished, but it does look pretty cool.

Four, at least. There's also CF with machined patterns in it, like the "argyle" pattern on the CF Sage 3 and the fluted CF in the 40th Ann. Native. Five, if you make a distinction between gloss and matte finished smooth CF.

[Evil D]

Oh yeah. I forgot about those. I had a feeling I was leaving some out.

[TomAiello]

I like the Chap CF the best. I have the Sage 3 CF and I honestly prefer the G-10 version of that knife. I have the Manix2 and I find it more slippery than the Chap.

Interestingly, the M2 is a knife I'm more likely to crank down on and the Chap is a knife I'm more likely to be using in a more delicate situation, so I think I might prefer to have the Chap CF on the M2 and vice versa. I don't think I'd find the "slippery" factor to matter much on the Chap, but it sometimes does on the M2.

[awa54]

Probably the nicest compromise is the laminate on the Sage 5, though it isn't a pretty as the other G10/CF laminates, it does have a great balance of smoothness and grip. The Manix exclusive would have been better in peel-ply IMO, especially considering the fact that the scales *are* peel-ply, just turned so the texture is facing the liners... I do think that the sanded texture of the KW Manix scales have a bit more grip than the perfectly smooth ones on my Caly 3, probably due to the lightly sanded finish.

[adancingmonkey]

I really like the chalky feel of the KW manix 2.

[archangel]

Okay, so I guess there's a market for the smooth peel-ply handles, although I find them too slick. Every Jack has his Jill. :)