If you've got a version of Max with Graphite tools, you can do this: select a 5-edge vert, a 4-edge vert, and a 3-edge vert. If you mesh has a 6-edge, 7-edge, etc vert, select those too. Basically do not select a 2-edge vert and select the rest. Go to modify selection in the graphite tools, click the drop down, select edge…