The soul of the C101PGY2 Manix 2 Lightweight is its flat-ground Carpenter CTS Maxamet tool steel. Its leaf-shaped profile flows seamlessly into the lines of the handle while providing both a forefinger choil and an understated thumb ramp. Both these areas feature strategic jimping (textured grooves) for a secure grip and support a forward grip for increased control during detailed cutting tasks. The blade's 14mm Trademark Round Hole makes one-handed deployment with either hand swift and positive.
The Manix 2 Lightweight's handle is injection molded from gray fiberglass reinforced copolymer (FRCP) and includes Spyderco's distinctive Bi-Directional Texturing pattern to ensure a secure grip in all environmental conditions. The lightweight FRCP handle reduced the overall weight of the knife to a mere 3 ounces--42 percent lighter than the G10 handled Manix 2. A reversible wire clip provides convenient left or right-side tip-up carry and an oversized lanyard hole allows the easy attachment of fobs and lanyards.
Linking the blade and handle is Spyderco's patented Ball Bearing Lock mechanism. This high-strength lock consists of a ball bearing nested within a durable textured polymer "cage." When the blade is deployed, a spring-loaded steel plunger drives the ball bearing forward to wedge between a ramp on the blade and an "anvil" in the handle's steel insert. Drawing the caged ball bearing to the rear releases the lock and allows the blade to close smoothly while keeping your fingers safely away from the sharp edge. Smooth, strong and easily operated, like the rest of the knife's features, the Ball Bearing Lock is also completely ambidextrous.
Carpenter CTS steel's Maxamet is a super-hard high-speed powdered tool steel possessing properties that transcend conventional high-speed tool steels approach those of cemented carbides, the ultra-hard materials used to machine other steels. When Carpenter developed this amazing alloy, they sent samples to various companies in the knife industry to evaluate as a blade material. Although many tried, Spyderco was one of only a handful of companies to successfully develop the specialized methods necessary to machine, heat treat and grind this demanding material to yield reliable, high-performance knife blades.
Maxamet's remarkable alloy composition includes: Carbon: 2.15%, Manganese: 0.30%, Sulfur: 0.070%, Silicon: 0.25%, Chromium: 4.75%, Cobalt: 10.00%, Vanadium: 6.00%, and Tungsten: 13.00%. This sophisticated mix of elements, combined with the advantages of powdered metal technology, give it an extraordinary balance of wear resistance and toughness at high hardness levels.
