Spyderco Manbug Salt

[eamo]

the manbug salt has caught my attention - does anyone have one ?
If so, is it a usable size ? I'm looking for a rustproof knife i can leave in my buoyancy aid.

my main questions are whether it'll easily cut neoprene, 8 to 10 mm rope and plastic about 2mm thick, and if it is a usuable size, i've small enough hands so from looking at youtube i don't think it's too small but would appreciate some advice.

[Etherealicer]

I don't own a Manbug, but several Dragonfly II. Whenever I tested the Manbug, I always thought the handle was a bit too small. The Dragonfly is only slightly larger but has a bit of gripping area on the blade, so you can fit the whole hand.

Just do a google image search: Manbug vs Dragonfly

[kirk13]

I don't own a Manbug, but several Dragonfly II. Whenever I tested the Manbug, I always thought the handle was a bit too small. The Dragonfly is only slightly larger but has a bit of gripping area on the blade, so you can fit the whole hand.

Just do a google image search: Manbug vs Dragonfly

What Beat said!

I have a Ladybuy in H1. In the hand it's not massively longer than a Vic Classic,although a lanyard of some sort makes it much more usable. It cuts great,but at retail,it's a lot of money for a small knife. The Dragonfly is a much better proposition

[eamo]

thanks guys - i want a sheepsfoot / blunt tip as i will be keeping it in my bouyancy aid. i'm also 1/2 considering the saver salt but it's on the upper end of the size i want and nearly twice the price of the manbug ($75 vs $48) - i can go the extra few dollars though.

[eamo]

Just do a google image search: Manbug vs Dragonfly

i did - and unless the guy reviewing had huge hands it is really tiny, i beginning to think it's too small for what i want 

[Etherealicer]

Just do a google image search: Manbug vs Dragonfly

i did - and unless the guy reviewing had huge hands it is really tiny, i beginning to think it's too small for what i want 

I have medium sized hands, and I find the Manbug too small.

I saw the sheepsfoot blade too, love it. I would love a Dragonfly with that blade-shape but a Manbug is too small for me. As it stands now, I would rather buy a serrated Dragonfly and blunt the tip than buy the Manbug.

[shark_za]

It does look cute, would love to see that next to my Atlantic Salt   

[shark_za]

This is a good video on the subject.

The cutting edges are the same, the DF is a 3/4 finger vs the Manbug being a 2/3 finger knife.

[eamo]

It does look cute, would love to see that next to my Atlantic Salt   

  tell me more about the atlantic salt ? thinking it's a bit big for what i want, but like to hear your opinion. Now thinking saver salt

[shark_za]

I use my Pacific Salt a lot more than the Atlantic Salt that leads a sheltered life in my car.
The edge on the Pac-Salt is quite rounded as it is and quite safe for most tasks. 

The Atlantic Salt is very ergonomic, the option of choking up on the choil is there but the normal hand position with thumb on the jimping is so solid.
Cutting ropes and neoprene is a doddle with the serrated H1. The serration geometry protect the soft H1 and its cuts for quite some time.  (I don't see this hardness some people report as its still easy to sharpen)

Get a Manbug and test it for us.

[eamo]

Get a Manbug and test it for us.

well, see thats the problem, the plan is it sits in my PFD unused and unrusting  . . . . but if i need it then i got problems so i suppose i'd have to test it 
i think i'm leaning more towrds the saver salt but it's a lot of money for something that may find itself sinking to the bottom of the sea.

[Gerhard Gerber]

I've been messing with my own mind recently, so impressed with the Byrd Meadowlark 2 that I figured I need to buy the closest Spyderco with slightly better steel.
Closest in size.....
That brought me to the Delica, never held one so I was unsure about the ergos.....
......Which made me look at the Salt series again.  That's a problem because I like the Atlantic and I can get it at a good price, but I believe it's too big.

Given my preference in locks, I even looked at one of the Natives.........and then decided to just give up and enjoy the Meadowlark 

[Etherealicer]

I've been messing with my own mind recently, so impressed with the Byrd Meadowlark 2 that I figured I need to buy the closest Spyderco with slightly better steel.
Closest in size.....
That brought me to the Delica, never held one so I was unsure about the ergos.....
......Which made me look at the Salt series again.  That's a problem because I like the Atlantic and I can get it at a good price, but I believe it's too big.

Given my preference in locks, I even looked at one of the Natives.........and then decided to just give up and enjoy the Meadowlark 

A bit off topic but according to the BladeHQ Blade Show Video the Native will get a big brother (Shaman) and at least 3 little brothers (compression lock, backlock and slippie).

[Etherealicer]

Question? How warm is the water you are in... colder water == stiffer fingers ====> bigger knife

well, see thats the problem, the plan is it sits in my PFD unused and unrusting  . . . . but if i need it then i got problems so i suppose i'd have to test it 
i think i'm leaning more towrds the saver salt but it's a lot of money for something that may find itself sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Well, buying a knife that turns out to be too small and not working for what it was intended is even more expensive.

It often seems wasteful to have expensive gear as back-up or in a FAK where it never sees action. However, comes the day you need it, probably means something has gone bad and in situations like this having the gear that works can make a difference.
I have modified KAI scissors in my FAK that cost well over 100$, and apart from some testing, have and hopefully never will be used. They sit right next to a Spyderco rescue (another knife I have never used).

[kirk13]

I've been messing with my own mind recently, so impressed with the Byrd Meadowlark 2 that I figured I need to buy the closest Spyderco with slightly better steel.
Closest in size.....
That brought me to the Delica, never held one so I was unsure about the ergos.....
......Which made me look at the Salt series again.  That's a problem because I like the Atlantic and I can get it at a good price, but I believe it's too big.

Given my preference in locks, I even looked at one of the Natives.........and then decided to just give up and enjoy the Meadowlark 

I ended up picking up three first gen Meadowlarks earlier this year(I should have just went straight to Spydie Ambitious ),the combo blade as well as but PE ans SE rescue models. There's some real bargains to be picked up on Amazon

Won't help Eamo and his growing collection though

[Gerhard Gerber]

I have a Persistence, my only real Spyderco, and that also doesn't make the cut/

For that reason I have my doubts about the Natives......

I love the Manix, probably light enough but also bulky....

I think my favourite Spyderco would be a direct copy of the Meadowlark but with liner-less plastic handles, yellow combined with H1 or blue combined with VG10 

What I don't get is why a big guy like me can't live with a medium sized knife..... 

Might have something to do with the fact I can't make peace with a knife clipped to my pocket.  I even modified the Meadowlark's clip.......they all seem to hook and extract themselves 

[eamo]

Won't help Eamo and his growing collection though

bunch of enablers 

[zoidberg]

Did you decide yet?   

[zoidberg]

 

[eamo]

Did you decide yet?   

well, i've decided that the man bug is too small. And that you all are a bunch of enablers.

That leaves me with the saver salt as the other models are too big for what i want.
Then theres the question of whether i want to drop $80 on something just cos ultimately i'm too lazy busy to wash my current knife after each use.

I use this one and it does what i want it to - but it is prone to rusting as i said


so i'll see . . . . . . 

[zoidberg]

Yeah clean ups a mere.

[eamo]

posted in other threads but forgot to update this one - heres what i did get

[zoidberg]

Nice one!!      Let us know how it works out.

[ThePeacent]

that's a very utilitarian knife, especially around the water or humid environments. A good decision that you made, IMO 
I also love the yellow handles of the Salts and the H1 steel is glorious to me, 



hope that you enjoy yours as much, and even get the Salt illness     

[eamo]

I can't afford the salt illness ! ! 

[pfrsantos]

I can't afford the salt illness ! ! 

I'll take that statement with a grain of salt...

 

[pfrsantos]

that's a very utilitarian knife, especially around the water or humid environments. A good decision that you made, IMO 
I also love the yellow handles of the Salts and the H1 steel is glorious to me, 

hope that you enjoy yours as much, and even get the Salt illness     

Was about to tell eamo to wait for you to come along. I see that's been taken care off.

 

[eamo]

I can't afford the salt illness ! ! 

I'll take that statement with a grain of salt...