Spyderco Mantra 2 Folding Knife - Titanium Handle with PlainEdge, Full-Flat Grind, CPM M4 Steel Blade and R.I.L - C203TIP

I have trays full of Spyderco knives but I had always over looked this knife. I supposed the blade shape wasn't what I "liked" or expected.Then several realizations hit me all at once :I have always loved M4 steel from my first sample (I have five now); this Mantra has M4 blade steel.I like knives with pointy thin tips; this knife has that so I would find a lot of use for the tip.Titanium has always had a place near the top of my list for knife handles ( and for other equipment). VERY strong, light and fatigue resistant.The amount of blade length for such a small handle means this knife is a superior design in most knife peoples view.I find the Spyderco Wire Pocket clip to be super for my use.I need to have this knife in my pocket !I have one now and have carried it most days for the last month. I LOVE this knife.The appearance still catches me off guard but dang when I am handling it and using it and when it is ridding in my pocket it leaves nothing to be desired ! ! !Sure it might hesitate when flicking it once in a while. I adjusted the pivot and that improved it.It is interesting to note that the little "Spyder hole" is actually quite useful to continue opening the knife once one gets it part way open by moving the flipper tab. It is almost like part of the design is : by pressing the flipper tab like a light switch and finishing opening it with the hole then it is discreet to open and quiet but by pressing straight in on the tab like a push button, build up a little force, then . . . POP it flys open like a usual flipper knife. This still takes a bit of break in and practice but with a little time it is predictable.I'm super glad I bought this knife.PS: I took off one star on craftsmanship because the pivot area should have been polished for the lock bar ball to ride on rather than the file like surface it had from the factory. I took it apart and polished this surface.

I have carried this knife for 2 weeks now and I love it. It's so light for its size i forget its even there. The pocket clip works great, the knife holds an edge well. It got very sharp with the wicked edge sharpener down to 5 micron. I am using G96 on it to prevent it from rusting...great prod**update ...I ran this knife through the washer on accident and oh boy was it rusty next day..however g96 got it looking new..here is the bad part. The bearings got dirty very easily and now the blade doesn't open good at... I took it apart and cleaned but no luck it scratched the washer and now its rough feeling. Also the frame lock had dirt stuck it and the blade didn't lock...i almost lost a finger i was very lucky...Also worth noting I used it at the construction site a few times and the m2 steel is not a good choice chips ez...not my basis on changing my rating from 5-1 at all..i understand steels.

The flipper on this knife does not reliably work. I own much cheaper flippers that work 100% of the time. For this amount of money, I expect awesome reliability. I am returning it.

Great knife, its reliable and for general EDC usage the edge lasts for a long while. I love carbon blades but this goes straight to rust so probably worth watching. The flipper feel isn't real consistent, lockup is just right for me but I feel it should open fully a lot more smoothly and easily for the price. Going to take it apart later and polish/grease everything to see if that helps.

super strong lockup. It feels so much stronger and precise than my benchmade. The steel is absolutely phenomenal but be careful about rust. Awesome knife. Also it is true action is stiff when new but it smooths up with time.

Yeah, it's a Spyderco "flipper" knife, but it has a framelock for the blade. That means it will always have some tension on the blade from the frame. If you want to have the bearing smooth opening, buy something else, but when the bearings in it break, this knife will still be going and going,,, Beautiful steel too, have to oil, but that's one of the reasons you get a knife like this, to fiddle with.

Push the flipper like a button and this knife fires reliably every time. (Don’t try to flip it down like a light switch).To the person who said “bad bearings”, this knife runs on bronze washers, not bearings. And if you run it through the washing machine (or just use it for awhile), those washers will need a touch of lube to keep the action smooth, as do all folding knives.You bought a blade made of M4 steel. Don’t complain about it rusting: Except for the much more expensive Maxamet steel (which also rusts), M4 holds an better edge than any other steel on the market, and the tradeoff is that it is not stainless.Keep this blade oiled, or better yet, stain it with hot apple cider vinegar and then oil it, and it will serve you well.

For slim refined edc, Spyderco hit the nail on the head. I chose the Mantra 2 because I liked the blade shape and wanted to test drive it for a while before picking up a Mantra. The choice of blade steel may not suit those who prefer stainless, my blade is already building a slight patina. I personally love M4, having previous experience with other knives with the same steel. Flipping action was slightly stiff out the box but has since broken in very nicely. I found that push button works better then light switch to make the blade fly out. I've put on my own edge and it smokes through cardboard and phone book paper. In pocket, it carries awesome, love the wire clip. The grip is comfortable with no hot spots. There is no gimping on the knife other than the lock bar disengagement area. Blade was centered perfectly. All in all this knive is keeper for me.