Manix2 CPM S110V

pnsxyr said:
I don't think it was your batch...I sharpened a BD1 LW for a friend and literally ran it through a few pieces of cardboard and that in itself killed the scary sharp edge. A M390 blade could probably do that exact process say 100 times more before seeing that sort of loss in sharp. I think a Delica I have in AUS-6 gives more edge retention. I'm not sure what Spyderco was thinking there given their base VG-10 is a great steel as-is (as was their 154 when they used it.)

And I'm with you on S30V. While not a terrible steel, it never quite lived up to what was claimed of it and so it raises the question if price is justified. Most S30V knives I have are good, but no better than CPM-154 and so it's made me question if a price difference is justifiable. Kershaw has seemed to recently shift a lot of knives from S30V to their Sandvik steels which I think some give almost as good performance and at a very reduced price.

It seems steels like ELMAX, CTS-XHP, and S35VN are the steels that S30V was claimed to be. And while a lot of people say S35VN is not that different from S30V, I think the bump in toughness allows S35VN to see hardness levels that S30V would be more prone to issues with chipping/other damage, so to me S35VN is a nice improvement and more justifiable in price than S30.

I've only been EDCing a M390 knife for a short while, but I too am really impressed by performance, and was surprised how much easier it was to sharpen over other steels that give it's sort of retention/wear resistance. It's definitely a great steel for folders!
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VG-10 will only be seen on Japanese knives. The Manix is made in Golden. 154CM is pretty similar to BD-1 and VG-10. The reason BD-1 was chosen was it's ability to take a very fine edge and take it easily. The other reason was the fact that it is actually one of the most corrosion resistant steels on the market. I didn't jump on the original LW because of BD-1, but was all over S110V and am really liking it.

Kershaw did not switch from S30V to 14C28N. They were using 13C26, and upgraded across the board to 14C28N, and occasionally "upgrade" a knife with S30V and very rarely they actually had some ZDP-189. 14C28N is an exclusive to Kershaw steel. You won't see it with any other knife. Now ZT is using ELMAX and M390 as their upgrade, with S30V being used quite a bit as the standard. I think the 0200 still uses 154CM as its base steel. In terms of abrasive edge retention, S30V is quite a bit better than the Sandvik steels, VG-10, and BD-1. Take that for what it is, an isolated test looking at one performance criteria of a knife. I personally do not have and BD-1, but would take VG-10 and probably 14C28N over S30V due to S30V's lower edge stability in my experience.
 
So my S110V Manix came in a couple days ago but I didn't actually pick it up from the post office until last night. What a fine specimen I got it. The grind is perfectly even and the blade is dead center. It's insanely sharp too! The ball bearing lock is not stiff and is very easy to disengage. The lockup is super solid with not a single hint of blade play. The only thing was the pivot was too tight and the blade didn't open as easily as I would have liked. So I loosened it a tad and now the blade swings open and closed so smoothly. It just glides out and the lockup is still just as solid. It's pretty much perfect in every way. I absolutely love the color too. Very handsome. Overall I'm really pleased with the fit and finish. Now I just have to use it to see what the craze is about S110V!
 
nccole said:
VG-10 will only be seen on Japanese knives. The Manix is made in Golden. 154CM is pretty similar to BD-1 and VG-10. The reason BD-1 was chosen was it's ability to take a very fine edge and take it easily. The other reason was the fact that it is actually one of the most corrosion resistant steels on the market. I didn't jump on the original LW because of BD-1, but was all over S110V and am really liking it.

Kershaw did not switch from S30V to 14C28N. They were using 13C26, and upgraded across the board to 14C28N, and occasionally "upgrade" a knife with S30V and very rarely they actually had some ZDP-189. 14C28N is an exclusive to Kershaw steel. You won't see it with any other knife. Now ZT is using ELMAX and M390 as their upgrade, with S30V being used quite a bit as the standard. I think the 0200 still uses 154CM as its base steel. In terms of abrasive edge retention, S30V is quite a bit better than the Sandvik steels, VG-10, and BD-1. Take that for what it is, an isolated test looking at one performance criteria of a knife. I personally do not have and BD-1, but would take VG-10 and probably 14C28N over S30V due to S30V's lower edge stability in my experience.
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On point.
 
nccole said:
VG-10 will only be seen on Japanese knives. The Manix is made in Golden. 154CM is pretty similar to BD-1 and VG-10. The reason BD-1 was chosen was it's ability to take a very fine edge and take it easily. The other reason was the fact that it is actually one of the most corrosion resistant steels on the market. I didn't jump on the original LW because of BD-1, but was all over S110V and am really liking it.

Kershaw did not switch from S30V to 14C28N. They were using 13C26, and upgraded across the board to 14C28N, and occasionally "upgrade" a knife with S30V and very rarely they actually had some ZDP-189. 14C28N is an exclusive to Kershaw steel. You won't see it with any other knife. Now ZT is using ELMAX and M390 as their upgrade, with S30V being used quite a bit as the standard. I think the 0200 still uses 154CM as its base steel. In terms of abrasive edge retention, S30V is quite a bit better than the Sandvik steels, VG-10, and BD-1. Take that for what it is, an isolated test looking at one performance criteria of a knife. I personally do not have and BD-1, but would take VG-10 and probably 14C28N over S30V due to S30V's lower edge stability in my experience.
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Kizer Cutlery has some knives made in China that use VG-10. They also import S35VN for some of their other knives.

Southern Grind use 14C28N in their Bad Monkey.

I've only seen ZT 0200 with 154CM. ZT uses S35VN in 0550.
 
RamZar said:
Kizer Cutlery has some knives made in China that use VG-10. They also import S35VN for some of their other knives.

Southern Grind use 14C28N in their Bad Monkey.

I've only seen ZT 0200 with 154CM. ZT uses S35VN in 0550.
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I had heard of some VG-10 going to China, couldn't recall the circumstance though. I was specifically addressing that Spyderco's VG-10 will only make it on Japanese knives. Sal would not insult them just to get some VG-10 on a US knife. Is Southern Grind associated with KAI? That is a surprise to me, as I have seen many times that 14C28N is a Kershaw exclusive, and that seems to consistent besides your example. Also, is the 550 still using S35VN? I thought Gen 2 went ELMAX along with the deep carry clip.
 
nccole said:
I had heard of some VG-10 going to China, couldn't recall the circumstance though. I was specifically addressing that Spyderco's VG-10 will only make it on Japanese knives. Sal would not insult them just to get some VG-10 on a US knife. Is Southern Grind associated with KAI? That is a surprise to me, as I have seen many times that 14C28N is a Kershaw exclusive, and that seems to consistent besides your example. Also, is the 550 still using S35VN? I thought Gen 2 went ELMAX along with the deep carry clip.
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I don't know of any business associations and/or relationships between Southern Grind (Georgia) and KAI (Oregon).

All the Gen 2 ZT 0550 are S35VN. There was a 0551 which was all Elmax.
 
nccole said:
I had heard of some VG-10 going to China, couldn't recall the circumstance though. I was specifically addressing that Spyderco's VG-10 will only make it on Japanese knives. Sal would not insult them just to get some VG-10 on a US knife. Is Southern Grind associated with KAI? That is a surprise to me, as I have seen many times that 14C28N is a Kershaw exclusive, and that seems to consistent besides your example. Also, is the 550 still using S35VN? I thought Gen 2 went ELMAX along with the deep carry clip.
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Fantoni, Viper, Muela, Ontario, Microtech have used 14c28n, and customs in it pop up here and there
 
Not sure if 14c28N is exclusive (I guess not if everyone and there mama uses it now) but it was created for Kershaw at their request.
 
Just letting you guys know a blade swap will work. The diameter of the pivot hole in the blades are the same. Unfortunately I did ruin the FRN sales when I was drilling the rivets out so no frn s30v knife for me. :(

Here is my new G10 S110V awesomeness!
 
FDE said:
Just letting you guys know a blade swap will work. The diameter of the pivot hole in the blades are the same. Unfortunately I did ruin the FRN sales when I was drilling the rivets out so no frn s30v knife for me. :(

Here is my new G10 S110V awesomeness!
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Super jealous. I only own 1 manix though and I'm not ready to destroy one knife for the enhancement of another XD.
 
That is awesome! But I don't hate the FRN so much that it would be worth all that.

But kudos to you for performing the experiment and answering the question.
 
nccole said:
VG-10 will only be seen on Japanese knives. The Manix is made in Golden. 154CM is pretty similar to BD-1 and VG-10. The reason BD-1 was chosen was it's ability to take a very fine edge and take it easily. The other reason was the fact that it is actually one of the most corrosion resistant steels on the market. I didn't jump on the original LW because of BD-1, but was all over S110V and am really liking it.

Kershaw did not switch from S30V to 14C28N. They were using 13C26, and upgraded across the board to 14C28N, and occasionally "upgrade" a knife with S30V and very rarely they actually had some ZDP-189. 14C28N is an exclusive to Kershaw steel. You won't see it with any other knife. Now ZT is using ELMAX and M390 as their upgrade, with S30V being used quite a bit as the standard. I think the 0200 still uses 154CM as its base steel. In terms of abrasive edge retention, S30V is quite a bit better than the Sandvik steels, VG-10, and BD-1. Take that for what it is, an isolated test looking at one performance criteria of a knife. I personally do not have and BD-1, but would take VG-10 and probably 14C28N over S30V due to S30V's lower edge stability in my experience.
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I realize ATS-34, ATS-55, and VG-10 are Seiki knives, but is there any reason the Manix has to be a Golden product? Spyderco produces knives in at least four different countries and they make nice knives coming from all of them. I honestly can't say I prefer any specific origin for their knives given their Taiwan products really changed my outlook on overseas knives (more specifically, the Ti Sage.) They have brought out so many cost-friendly knives in VG-10 that give respectable performance across the board that I wish the Manix LW had a comparable steel as it is an awesome design.

I respectfully disagree that BD1 that performs anything like VG-10 or 154CM. It is perhaps one of the worst performing steels in terms of edge retention I have ever worked with as a few cuts of cardboard and the razor edge was gone. BD1 is closer to AUS-6 Spydies I have in terms of edge retention, and IMO is inferior to that (or at least this is for the specific BD1 I've worked with in the event heat treatments have changed.) I consider VG-10 and 154CM as being closer to ATS-34 than they are BD1 (and CPM-154 being in a different class from both) The 0200s are using CPM-154 IIRC. I personally find higher-hardness CPM-154 outperforms virtually all S30V and is closer in comparison to many of the exotic steels.

Spyderco doing the Manix LW in 110V is really neat even though I imagine sharpening will be a pain. The plus being that they have excellent service and I have no hesitation sending a knife to them to refurbish if I cannot sharpen it myself, as every bit of interaction I have had with them has been a pleasure, and they've always come through for me. I'd like to see them do a steel kind of between the two though, as the Manix LW is IMO a fantastic EDC as there aren't many knives of this size that are this light (and I dont personally care for heavier knives.
 
That's pretty neat, but I have to say, I'm more than pleased with the FRN handles. The light weight and ease of carry in thin shorts make them ideal for summer carry!
 
FDE said:
Just letting you guys know a blade swap will work. The diameter of the pivot hole in the blades are the same. Unfortunately I did ruin the FRN sales when I was drilling the rivets out so no frn s30v knife for me. :(

Here is my new G10 S110V awesomeness!
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Think of it as, well...an organ donor. :eek: :D :) :(
 
wire edge said:
That's pretty neat, but I have to say, I'm more than pleased with the FRN handles. The light weight and ease of carry in thin shorts make them ideal for summer carry!
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True! I'm not an FRN hater in any way. I love how light it is to carry. That's why I have one in each flavor now!

I'd also like to make a note that it would be possible the do this without completely destroying the frn handle. I made one slip with the drill bit and made a nick in the frn. I knew it would always bug me so so I gave up on trying to save the frn scales.
About it being a donor; I also used the black ball bearing cage from the frn model because I prefer the look over the clear one originally in the g10 knife.
I didn't want to "destroy" a perfectly good functioning knife to do this swap BUT in the past I've justified Wilkins g10 scales to improve a griptillian so I can certainly justify this.
 
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Just got mine in the mail. It's timing was perfect, I was cutting down a lot of thick cardboard boxes and it did very well. A quick touch up on a Spyderco brown ceramic and it's back to hair popping. I really like the feel and size of this one, and I also like the FRN handle. The regular Manix is just too large for me, but this is just right.

This knife - to me - is like a large Calypso 3. Another one of my favorites. Spyderco hit a home run here with me, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for another or a CF variant (dreaming, I know). This is the first knife I've bought in a long time that might give my Gayle Bradley a run for pocket time.
 
Jastab said:
I ordered mine today, along with a sharpmaker. Can't wait to get it! !
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I took mine to the Sharpmaker tonight and honestly, I had a little bit of trouble with it.
I think the burr rolled, or something, up near the tip because 75% of the edge is razor sharp but the last 25% is significantly less sharp.

Oh well, I'm gonna throw it on the EPA on Mon or Tues, so I should be able to get it worked out.
 
FDE said:
Just letting you guys know a blade swap will work. The diameter of the pivot hole in the blades are the same. Unfortunately I did ruin the FRN sales when I was drilling the rivets out so no frn s30v knife for me. :(

Here is my new G10 S110V awesomeness!
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Thank you for your sacrifice! I actually grown to like the weight of my LW more than the regular G10 version. It's mind blowing how light the knife is. However, after seeing the picture... it's tempting.
 
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