Blade Swap Tech Support Requested

[El Gato]

I am thinking I would like to take the Maxamet blade from my Manix 2 LW and swap it with the S30V blade from a C101GP2 Manix 2 with the full liners and G-10 frame. I would not mind sacrificing the FRCP LW frame to accomplish this swap if necessary. I have never ventured to do a blade swap and would appreciate tutorial advice and direction in doing so please. Is this something doable, or just another hare brained scheme?
I'm thinking the Maxamet blade combined with the ss lined G-10 frame would make a nice work knife. Thanks for any help and/or advice. :)

Dave

[Evil D]

You have to drill or grind out the rivets on the Lightweight. If you have a drill press it can be done carefully enough to save and not damage the handle and it's possible to reassemble it with the other blade with the right screws. Otherwise you can just sacrifice it and get the blade out and swap it in and just have a spare handle. I did the same with S110V and then a month later they released the blurple G10 version. If you wait you may see a production Manix 2 in this steel.

[bearfacedkiller]

More than one person has posted that they were able to carefully remove the blades and do a swap. You will have to pry a little but it should squeeze out. I will try to find the thread. It was on bladeforums.

[El Gato]

Thanks very much! I was hoping both of you might come on board here.
I do have the drill press and had a small home based gunsmithing business some years back so I'm not afraid to give this a try.
But it's always helpful to get advice from someone who has already blazed the trail.

I'm kind of hoping Sal would post and give me some hope that I might not have to do this at all. I can't help but think the Maxamet blade deserves an additional handle option along with the Light Weight version. Perhaps a "wait and see" approach might be a wise idea. :)

I believe fellow member Midwest Diesel Tech, recently did a blade removal from his Manix 2 LW, if I remember correctly, and I could look up that thread for that portion of the project. My main concern is removing the S30V blade from the linered G-10 handle frame, properly installing the Maxamet blade, and reassembling correctly. Should be simple enough, but having the guts to try it for the first time is the hard part. :D

Dave

[Evil D]

The first swap I remember was done by Madrookie here on the forum, if you search for his name you'll find the thread but he hasn't posted in a long time.

[El Gato]

The first swap I remember was done by Madrookie here on the forum, if you search for his name you'll find the thread but he hasn't posted in a long time.

I tried a search but couldn't find the thread. Of course CrapBucket cancelling out all the photos didn't help any, which is likely why I didn't find the thread. I found references to it but not the actual thread itself. I may have to go back and take a closer look to find it.

[Evil D]

The first swap I remember was done by Madrookie here on the forum, if you search for his name you'll find the thread but he hasn't posted in a long time.

I tried a search but couldn't find the thread. Of course CrapBucket cancelling out all the photos didn't help any, which is likely why I didn't find the thread. I found references to it but not the actual thread itself. I may have to go back and take a closer look to find it.

//forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... =2&t=63994

[bdblue]

I believe fellow member Midwest Diesel Tech, recently did a blade removal from his Manix 2 LW

When the S110V LW first came out nobody was able to get the blade out without drilling out the rivets, but I've read recently that someone was able to do it. I don't think disassembly/reassembly of the Manix 2 is that difficult but be careful with the plastic ball cage.

[El Gato]

The first swap I remember was done by Madrookie here on the forum, if you search for his name you'll find the thread but he hasn't posted in a long time.

I tried a search but couldn't find the thread. Of course CrapBucket cancelling out all the photos didn't help any, which is likely why I didn't find the thread. I found references to it but not the actual thread itself. I may have to go back and take a closer look to find it.

//forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... =2&t=63994

Thanks David. Pictures are all deleted and not much for text so I didn't find much. Must have been a good job though by the after comments.

[Evil D]

The first swap I remember was done by Madrookie here on the forum, if you search for his name you'll find the thread but he hasn't posted in a long time.

I tried a search but couldn't find the thread. Of course CrapBucket cancelling out all the photos didn't help any, which is likely why I didn't find the thread. I found references to it but not the actual thread itself. I may have to go back and take a closer look to find it.

//forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... =2&t=63994

Thanks David. Pictures are all deleted and not much for text so I didn't find much. Must have been a good job though by the after comments.

Ah crap stupid Photocrapit screwed everything. I'll see if I have pics of mine anywhere.

[toxophilus]

Here you go El Gato; //forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... =2&t=75369

Successfully did an S90V Manix CS blade into CF Manix scaled to give it a fresh appearance :cool:

My next one will be a blade swap between the gray LW Maxamet with a gray diamond Cruwear = LW Gray Cruwear / light gray diamond scaled Maxamet... will have to wait till after Elk archery season here in Colorado though :spyder:

[DougC-3]

Here you go El Gato; //forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... =2&t=75369

Thanks for this great thread ^^^ toxophilus and illackey, and thanks Evil D for your earlier work on this. I'm looking forward to trying a swap or two.

I've never disassembled a regular G-10 Manix 2 and think I could also use some advice about it. Are there any pitfalls other than being careful with the ball cage? I vaguely remember a couple of threads from two or three years ago, I think, going into detail about possible problems, but I can't find them. I think Jacknifeh talked about this. I'll continue to search and hopefully find a thread not ruined by photo$uckit.

Found this viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44179&p=589708
Sounds pretty simple.

edit: typo

[Evil D]

It's probably one of the more challenging knives to get back together IMO. There are some great videos about it on YouTube. Just be very careful with the spring, it's easy to send it flying across the room never to be seen again.

[El Gato]

Thanks very much to everyone who has offered assistance so far. I believe I am getting a handle on how to go about making this swap happen and it appears to be doable for me. Each post has added something of value and it's all much appreciated. Please keep the information coming, as all of it is helpful. I knew I could count on everyone here to help, and as usual everyone with experience and information is willing to share.
Thanks again, and if anyone has more to share please do so. :)

Dave

[Midwest Diesel Tech]

I was going to give an update on my manix 2. Just to refresh mine was ran over by a Volvo d13. I removed the Torx for the blade no problem. I gently inserted a micro flat head on each side and applied very little pressure. It popped. Boy did it pop. What I didn't notice was a very tiny hairline fracture that traveled from the lanyard hole all the way up the handle to the lock. The lock was fractured. When it spun out I had a few choice four letter words. The handle holds that lock in place. Be very careful not to damage it. I'm now left with a blade and the ball bearing. With out the lock lever it's no longer operational. Looks like the only options I have now are in project bin. Either going for a small fixed blade or push dagger. Good luck and be careful.

[toxophilus]

It's probably one of the more challenging knives to get back together IMO. There are some great videos about it on YouTube. Just be very careful with the spring, it's easy to send it flying across the room never to be seen again.

TIP; When disassembling/re-assembling do it in a large ziplock bag, that way if the spring gets away from you the bag captures it

[DougC-3]

accidental post

[VashHash]

Also don't take short cuts when you take it apart. I snapped the tail off the cage doing that once.

[razorburn]

You have to drill or grind out the rivets on the Lightweight. If you have a drill press it can be done carefully enough to save and not damage the handle and it's possible to reassemble it with the other blade with the right screws. Otherwise you can just sacrifice it and get the blade out and swap it in and just have a spare handle. I did the same with S110V and then a month later they released the blurple G10 version. If you wait you may see a production Manix 2 in this steel.

I have done a Spyderco FRN Manix 2 blade swap before and the one misconception is that you can drill out the rivet.From my experience - with the knife closed, clamped in a vise,and the vise bolted down to a milling machine - drilling is a near impossible task as the rivet is not centered and will spin on you and bend your entire drill bit...........I have not tried it with a vise unbolted but it maybe possible.

What I have tried is the knife in a vise bolted down and using 1/8" end mill in a milling machine, succeed in slowly cut the rivet down.

I started a tread on Bladeforums
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/man ... s.1258078/

I know a lot of the pic are gone but there still are a few.I will repost them soon

[Evil D]

You have to drill or grind out the rivets on the Lightweight. If you have a drill press it can be done carefully enough to save and not damage the handle and it's possible to reassemble it with the other blade with the right screws. Otherwise you can just sacrifice it and get the blade out and swap it in and just have a spare handle. I did the same with S110V and then a month later they released the blurple G10 version. If you wait you may see a production Manix 2 in this steel.

I have done a Spyderco FRN Manix 2 blade swap before and the one misconception is that you can drill out the rivet.From my experience - with the knife closed, clamped in a vise,and the vise bolted down to a milling machine - drilling is a near impossible task as the rivet is not centered and will spin on you and bend your entire drill bit...........I have not tried it with a vise unbolted but it maybe possible.

What I have tried is the knife in a vise bolted down and using 1/8" end mill in a milling machine, succeed in slowly cut the rivet down.

I started a tread on Bladeforums
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/man ... s.1258078/

I know a lot of the pic are gone but there still are a few.I will repost them soon

It is probably far easier to mill/grind off the top of the pin then drill it. When I did mine I knew the handle was going to be a loss so I just used a Dremel and a sanding barrel and ground the heads off. I tried to drill one out with a hand drill but it was never going to happen. I know Madrookie used some type of drill press but I don't recall if he drilled or used a milling bit. I do know a hand drill is pretty much impossible lol.