Lightwave and 3D Max n00b has a question (applied to either program)

largo

I have been working with both programs and have had a lot of fun working with released meshes and using them and the set-ups they have been created with I have been slowing teaching myself how to use them.

My question is this (though for me it seems somewhat clearer on 3D Max's windows):
Is there a way to, for lack of the correct word, break apart a mesh? I don't want to go into outright kit-bashing, stealing from peter to pay paul, as it were. I am more trying to get an understanding for how the meshes are formed.

In Max I can bring up the layer information box and check on what is visible and so on, so it seems like I should be able to unlock that somehow and have the full ability to edit, but I am not seeing how.
I would think there is a similar thing on Lightwave.
Though, I have also noticed many meshes come as one unit while some are already separated into pieces...so maybe what I am trying to do is frowned upon one way or another?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide, even if it is a simple 'yeah, you don't do that on released works...'

IRML

yes the layers in LW are in the top right of the modeler window, but unless there are moving parts the layers are usually merged when modeling is finished

you can select polygons and use 'select connected' to select a whole part and then you can cut and paste that to a new layer or use 'hide unselected' to view it on its own

Rekkert

If what you are talking are different parts of the same model (for example, a starship nacelle and pylon), probably they aren't one mesh, but rather two meshes that "collide" with each other and give the impression of being connected.
If that is the case, they may be grouped together. You can check that by going to Group>>Explode on the top menu on Max, that'll break apart the group and leave you with all the individual meshes that composed it. (you can also use Group>>Open to just edit the individual parts of the group without destroying it, so that you may later close it and leave it as a whole again).
Not sure if that's very clear, or if it's what you were asking, but I hope it helps.