Alternative to Benchmade 531

[Demel]

I was messing around with the 531 at REI and I don't believe that is a $100+ knife. What's a knife that has that same style but a more reasonable price?

[Corwyn]

Ganzos are nice knives that clone Benchmade to heck and back: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/44097

[Aloha]

I got the 710 and its not a bad knife at all.  If we figure in the price paid then the knife is really nice.  I have never held the Rift so I cannot say if its a great clone but it was money well spent.  The knife came with an amazing edge, the one knife I have not did any work to. 

The lock was a bit wonky but a slight adjustment to the spring and its was good to go. 

Handle scales are nice with good fit and finish. 

Sorry I cannot answer your question directly but if you are looking to get a clone then Ganzo maybe a good choice. 

[Demel]

I'll take a look into them. Thanks. The handle on the bemchmade felt way to cheap for a higher end knife. Blade steel was 154cm if memory serves right. Nothing special. I'm not sure why it is priced so high. anyway. I'll check out a couple Ganzo knives.

[NKlamerus]

Love my Ganzo as well.

[Kampfer]

I was messing around with the 531 at REI and I don't believe that is a $100+ knife. What's a knife that has that same style but a more reasonable price?

What do you think it worths?

[Corwyn]

I have a Ganzo 712 (Benchmade 860 Bedlam copy) and a Ganzo 727 (Ontario RAT1 copy).
Both came in razor-sharp, no major flaws, perfect lock-up, smooth opening.

The wood on the 727 had a minute chip and the 712 clip broke off but they were both before they got to me so not sure how abused they were.

Really great knives for the price. Like them far more than the Tekuts and Enlans and on the same level as the Sanrenmus. I also find them close to the same level as the Chinese-made Spydies...

[Demel]

I was messing around with the 531 at REI and I don't believe that is a $100+ knife. What's a knife that has that same style but a more reasonable price?

What do you think it worths?

Because it has a decent steel, around the $50-55 range.


Edit: there are other factors, customer service, quality of build, longevity. Usually those things are found with usage. Based on my first impression, it felt like a mid range knife. Definitely not in the same category as my Native or Vulcan, and they retail cheaper

[Kampfer]

You are paying maybe $50 just for the axis lock.

[skidoosh]

You could look at other used benchmades-grips come up used all the time. I personally would have an ethical problem buying a ganzo. What is the main use of the knife?

[Demel]

You could look at other used benchmades-grips come up used all the time. I personally would have an ethical problem buying a ganzo. What is the main use of the knife?

Main usage? Cutting things. Nothing hard core. What is unethical about Ganzo?

[skidoosh]

You could look at other used benchmades-grips come up used all the time. I personally would have an ethical problem buying a ganzo. What is the main use of the knife?

Main usage? Cutting things. Nothing hard core. What is unethical about Ganzo?

The blatant rip-off of intellectual property and pirating of ideas.

[dks]

Like LM getting inspired by Gerber (OHO) or Schrade/Case by the Buck 110   

[Corwyn]

You could look at other used benchmades-grips come up used all the time. I personally would have an ethical problem buying a ganzo. What is the main use of the knife?

Main usage? Cutting things. Nothing hard core. What is unethical about Ganzo?

He means that about half of their designs are more or less copied after other people's. I don't mind much as they always improve on designs (the 712 has a better lock, better size and a better opening system than the Bedlam, the 727 has a better lock, better blade and better scales than the Rat all that at a far lower price).

Also for me Benchmade or Ontario don't mean a thing... they are just cutting tools. Although to be honest I don't think I'd get one of their Spyderco copies... I love and respect Spyderco too much...

[kaput]

The blatant rip-off of intellectual property and pirating of ideas.

I have to agree here. "Inspiration", that's a stretch. These people making these knock-off knives give zero smurfs. They even call it the lock-axis, sound familiar?

But to each their own. 

[dks]

Is the axis lock a registered trade mark worldwide?

[Corwyn]

I'm with our resident rat here... so the back lock, liner lock, frame lock are patented as well?

To each, his own... if Ganzo can make a better knife and sell it at 10% of the price and brand it as Ganzo, good for them. Who wants to buy it, will, who doesn't will get the original or just look at pictures and sob with crocodile tears...

[dks]

Hamster !!

It is obvious that many models from many companies look like or just copy other models.

Ganzo, Navy are famous for that, but this happens with many others, including companies in the West. The internet allows us to buy products that were not supposed to leave a specific country.

The problem is that what is acceptable, legally and ethically varies from country to country and various people will also adjust what they feel, depending on the country in question, meaning that politics (a no-go area here) enters the decision making process, on ethics. Many see their jobs going to country X, or see that country as a threat to them, so they will not like anything coming out of that country. A friendlier country will get a softer treatment.

This forum, being Canadian, rather than US owned (Canadian CEO) tends to have a lot more international ideas/beliefs. Even BF, which is US based accepts the fact that knife makers will copy each other to some extend, and that other non western areas can produce good products, as seen by various threads on e.g. SRMs, Rough Rider etc., which used to be a forbidden topic a few years ago.

[skidoosh]

Following your logic what is true in one country cannot be condemned in another? Is there any standard of universal truth or is it just whatever a country deems ok?

[dks]

You can condem whatever you want.
 Just do not expect the whole world to agree with you or feel that other people will not have serious problems or issues with other, accepted, practices in your country that can be a lot worst than making a knife that looks like another.

Even people of the same country do not agree with each other.

The more varied the forum, the harder it is to get everybody agreeing.

Even something basic, like "killing people is wrong" has been justified by various nations and groups as being right.

[Demel]

Very I interesting. Knockoffs are common in every area of business. Knives are no different. I won't feel bad buying a Ganzo "version" of a Benchmade, because IMO the Benchmade isn't worth the cash. I bought  legitimate Spyderco because it was worth it. So it really depends I guess. Any how, I'll look into them. 

[mikekoz]

You could look at other used benchmades-grips come up used all the time. I personally would have an ethical problem buying a ganzo. What is the main use of the knife?

Main usage? Cutting things. Nothing hard core. What is unethical about Ganzo?

The blatant rip-off of intellectual property and pirating of ideas.

   I have no problem if a company makes a knife, or tool that resembles another brand, but if it is an exact copy, I think it is unethical. I bet those of you who do not see a problem with it would feel differently if it was your product that was being copied. I cannot comment on the Barrage and Ganzo since I do not own either. I have heard some good thing about Ganzo knives and some have compared them the Ontario Rat also. I own the Rat, and have seen the Ganzo knife that some claim is a copy of it, but it looks a bit different to me.

[Demel]

Mod can you fix the title to: Alternative to Benchmade 531

Thanks

[kaput]

Interesting its been mentioned twice that a benchmade rip-off would be acceptable but a spyderco dupe would not? Is this brand loyalty or is it because spydercos can be less expensive to begin with?

Curious

[Demel]

I don't mind spending money on a knockoff anything. But after handling the 531 it did not feel like a $140 (REI price) knife. I bought the Spyderco Tenacious and now I have a native. Although the native is twice as expensive, I have noticed the difference in usage. I handled  the Griptillian and the mini Grip. I WOULD pay $100 for one of those blades, especially with D2 steel. So all in all I take it on a knife by knife basis. I like the style of the 531, and if there is a Ganzo that has a similar style for a fraction of the price then I would consider it. I also saw a couple of Cold Steels with the same style as well. I hope that makes sense.

[Demel]

Here is one I found. Same style much better price

[Corwyn]

Interesting its been mentioned twice that a benchmade rip-off would be acceptable but a spyderco dupe would not? Is this brand loyalty or is it because spydercos can be less expensive to begin with?

Curious

Same for me. Not only do I think Benchmades are overpriced ( seriously the Bedlam is 250 bucks) I wouldn't pay that for one in a million years... I could get a second hand Sebenza for that money... or 5 second hsnd Delicas...

Not only do I have great brand loyalty to Spyderco... awesome innovative products at fair prices.

But above all I am sick with Spyderco copies... it is so copied eveywhere ot makes me sick... you can't even buy second-hand Spydies or from Amazon any more ... although I might get a Hungarian clone to try out... I'm not going to shell out 150 usd just to check out something I might never use. I know Ganzo isn't branding them Spyderco and using a different lock it just reminds me too much of that smurf...

[Aloha]

Interesting its been mentioned twice that a benchmade rip-off would be acceptable but a spyderco dupe would not? Is this brand loyalty or is it because spydercos can be less expensive to begin with?

Curious

I think brand loyalty does play a part in what knock offs some will buy.  I don't have an issue with my Riff knock off at all.  If the quality was off or the cost was closer to the real thing then I'd probably just get the real one.

Question, When Esee split or whatever happened with them and RAT did one knock off the other?  The price point sure is different.     

[zoidberg]

Mod can you fix the title to: Alternative to Benchmade 531

Thanks

I was wondering if someone would notice that one.

[Gerhard Gerber]

Bemchmade made me smile.....all about the cheap thrills this time of (this) month (particularly)