Manix XL Abuse

[vivi]

Inspired by robishere's "Grindability" thread, I decided to show how S30V has behaved in my experience.


https://youtu.be/hl3n-BtLoaI

The Manix XL was reprofiled by hand to the 10-12 degree per side range. Then I used the sharpmaker to add a microbevel. I used the 15 degree slots and the brown stones. No further refinement.

It could cleanly shave day old stubble prior to filming.

After all of this abuse.....it could still cleanly shave day old stubble.

Needless to say, I have not found S30V chippy at all. While I don't normally go around batoning my Manix and stabbing cans, I do routinely perform light chopping with it like in this video. Sometimes I'm out hiking and there's some briars growing across a seldomly used trail, or I'm camping and need to trim back a bit of undergrowth to make a good spot for my tent.

Like I mentioned at the end, there are a lot of new steels on the market since S30V made its debut in production knives. It no longer has any hype behind it. But it's still a balanced blade steel with great performance.

[Sjucaveman]

I've split round oak between 2-3 inches through knots and all with a shaman in s30v with no edge deformation or chipping. I think claims of its chippyness are exaggerated.

[crazywednesday]

Nice video.

[Doc Dan]

I really like that M2 XL. Mine had a lock that was simply too hard to use so I got rid of it. I will probably buy another one, though.

I think the idea of S30V being chippy is internet (urban) legend. I can see how some edges might have minor chipping with a factory edge that was burnt, but not after the knife was sharpened and that metal removed. I think S30V is a real good steel.

[tps3443]

Great video Vivi! This just goes to show, a knife stays razor sharp a lot longer than “the first few cuts haha”

Here’s my excuse to try out S30V! I love this all blacked out. I have never used S30V, I didn’t think it was the steel to chip either.

[tps3443]

S30V is way tougher than my S110V. You won’t catch me stabbing cans! Haha, it’ll look like a spydie edge afterwards.

[vivi]

Great video Vivi! This just goes to show, a knife stays razor sharp a lot longer than “the first few cuts haha”

Here’s my excuse to try out S30V! I love this all blacked out. I have never used S30V, I didn’t think it was the steel to chip either.

Nice choice. The DLC models are as rust proof as you'll get without looking at the Salt line. Plus they look slick :)

[knivesandbooks]

Man, I want the Manix 2 xl.
I remember when I was buying up all the s110v g10 models to have the full set, I was bummed when I found out they didn't/don't make the M2 XL in the series.

I'll have to get it eventually to compare to the Military and Police 4. But with the XL Caribbean in the works...

Also, s30v is great stuff. One of my favorite steels. It's like old reliable to me.

[tps3443]

Man, I want the Manix 2 xl.
I remember when I was buying up all the s110v g10 models to have the full set, I was bummed when I found out they didn't/don't make the M2 XL in the series.

I'll have to get it eventually to compare to the Military and Police 4. But with the XL Caribbean in the works...

Also, s30v is great stuff. One of my favorite steels. It's like old reliable to me.

I’m in that same boat about buying everything in S110V lol.

I just love the color for some reason I guess.

[tps3443]

I know steep angles are amazing. But, I actually tamed my Military down some. I want it’s edge to be kinda durable, I was doing some chopping today. So 17.5 DPS should be a lot tougher I think. I dunno I think that thin edge looks kinda cool too.

[Doc Dan]

I love the midnight blue/blurple color. I would love to have other steels in this, or a similar color. However, as far as S30V goes, I think a lot of the internet reports about chipping and bad things are a bunch of meadow muffins made up by people who want to sound knowledgeable or trolls stirring up trouble.

[jpm2]

I love the midnight blue/blurple color. I would love to have other steels in this, or a similar color. However, as far as S30V goes, I think a lot of the internet reports about chipping and bad things are a bunch of meadow muffins made up by people who want to sound knowledgeable or trolls stirring up trouble.

Or it could have been bad factory edges that crumbled away until enough metal was removed.

This happened to me with one s30v blade and was the only new knife I ever thought about sending back. I decided to just keep grinding away and it started to get better. It took about 1 full mm of edge removal to get it stable.

I wonder how many knife buyers would remove 1mm of brand new edge instead of sending it back and complaining how chippy it was?

[Bloke]

Cool clip Vivi, but I did cringed a little when you put lateral force on the pivot. :rolleyes:

[awa54]

I went a lot harder than that with my S30V sabre grind Manix 2, using it to chop down a stand of 1" to
2.5" prickly ash trees. There was lots of chopping and cutting in to hardwood with a twisting motion to make space to continue the cut. There was no damage to the edge at all, though I did need to tighten the pivot a bit after clearing brush with it for over an hour.

As long as you don't use it as a hammer or pry bar the Manix is up for serious work!

[vivi]

Cool clip Vivi, but I did cringed a little when you put lateral force on the pivot. :rolleyes:

Haha, the pivot on the MXL is pretty beefy. I think the blade would take damage before the pivot does. The loc-tite held firm, still zero play.

I went a lot harder than that with my S30V sabre grind Manix 2, using it to chop down a stand of 1" to
2.5" prickly ash trees. There was lots of chopping and cutting in to hardwood with a twisting motion to make space to continue the cut. There was no damage to the edge at all, though I did need to tighten the pivot a bit after clearing brush with it for over an hour.

As long as you don't use it as a hammer or pry bar the Manix is up for serious work!

For some reason I thought all the saber ground Manix 2's were 154CM, and when they switched to S30V they went FFG outside of stuff like the 4V sprint. Didn't realize they made a saber ground S30V version.

[tps3443]

that Is similar abuse that I subject my PM2 with. It amazes me how these knives manage to still hold a center blade, and a solid lockup with no play. I do not know how it’s possible.

My Military apparently didn’t have enough threadlock and would become uncentered after just a few flicks, and loose too.

But, after put some thread lock 242 on the pivot screws and adjusted to perfect center without play. It has been perfect at maintaining that somehow.

I dunno how they do it lol

[vivi]

I will say, be careful if you're going to baton or hammer a locked folder through wood. The only Spyderco folder I broke, well....that's how I managed to do it. :o 100% my fault. That's why I put the "Don't try this at home" disclaimer in my video. Did my Manix hold up just fine? Sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if doing the things I did here would eventually damage any folding knife.

[tps3443]

I will say, be careful if you're going to baton or hammer a locked folder through wood. The only Spyderco folder I broke, well....that's how I managed to do it. :o 100% my fault. That's why I put the "Don't try this at home" disclaimer in my video. Did my Manix hold up just fine? Sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if doing the things I did here would eventually damage any folding knife.

That Manix ball bearing lock is tough as nails. I think BladeHQ tested them, and that lock held about 500+ pounds before it exploded the knife! You could easily use (2) of those to stab in to a wood wall and climb with.

The Spyderco Compression lock only supported about half the weight the ball bearing lock could sustain. Although, when the Compression lock finally force closed due to so much weight, it was still functional at least.

The Manix is tough. Very tough.

[jpm2]

I will say, be careful if you're going to baton or hammer a locked folder through wood. The only Spyderco folder I broke, well....that's how I managed to do it. :o 100% my fault. That's why I put the "Don't try this at home" disclaimer in my video. Did my Manix hold up just fine? Sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if doing the things I did here would eventually damage any folding knife.

How did it break?
I've hammered knives through a variety of stuff and broke a couple blades, damaged a liner lock causing some vertical play but never broke a lock.

[vivi]

I will say, be careful if you're going to baton or hammer a locked folder through wood. The only Spyderco folder I broke, well....that's how I managed to do it. :o 100% my fault. That's why I put the "Don't try this at home" disclaimer in my video. Did my Manix hold up just fine? Sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if doing the things I did here would eventually damage any folding knife.

How did it break?
I've hammered knives through a variety of stuff and broke a couple blades, damaged a liner lock causing some vertical play but never broke a lock.

I was batoning a ZDP Endura through a log. Really going at it, with the lock engaged to boot. The same one I reground to a saber grind and posted in the thread about edge angles.

Thought I was testing the edge durability, instead I ended up testing the lock. I have a video of the break on my PC. It was definitely abuse, and not something I'd ever seriously do with my folders.

The edge held up just fine though, which impressed me.