Show us your Benchmades

[nate j]

One of the many incarnations of the Bugout.  This version features aluminum handles, a black M390 blade, and red anodized accents.

Pros:
- Overall F&F - very good, typical Benchmade.  Blade is slightly off center, but not enough to contact handle
- Action - very good, typical Benchmade axis lock, no play in open or closed positions, completely ambidextrous, doesn’t really lend itself to being flipped open but opens easily via thumb stud
- Handle texture - might be my favorite thing about this knife.  The straight lines radiating outward from the pivot enhance grip without being too aggressive, and are both tactilely and visually pleasing.  Nailed it, Benchmade.
- Lanyard hole - Benchmade succeeded here in including an attachment point that is available for those who want one and completely unobtrusive for those who don’t.  This should be par for the course, but too often manufacturers either fail to include a lanyard attachment point for those who might want one, or they include one but it interferes with getting a proper and comfortable grip on the knife.
- Blade shape - Simple flat ground drop point blade has good belly and usable point

Cons:
- Handle size/shape - The problem here is that the butt swell combined with the handle length of 4.2”.  I can barely get four fingers of my XL hand on the handle, and it isn’t as comfortable as it could be, though it might be a perfect fit for someone with small to medium size hands.  This could have been fixed by either scaling up the whole knife to more like 5.2” closed (Bugout Max, Benchmade?), or by eliminating the butt swell.

[Aloha]

Good looking knife. 

[m47mu74nt]

There's a while I let you down without any update on my quest to "getting [all/most of/some] the minigrips out there" (spoiler, I won't succeed this quest)

So here is a Cabela's exclusive D2 blade and tan handle 556BKSND2

[Aloha]

I'd imagine there are quite a few.  You can still have a lot of fun trying.  Nice addition. 

[m47mu74nt]

much more than i'll ever have  , but yeah, very fun to pursue and discover new models 

[m47mu74nt]

 

[Aloha]

 

[nate j]

I’m intrigued by the Weekender, but with the street price looking like $225, I probably won’t be getting one unless I find one deeply discounted.

Well, it happened.  I found one at a pretty significant discount.

I love the concept of this knife:  not one but two S30V blades, plus another useful tool.

Unfortunately, this design just falls short.

The handle is quite wide and oddly shaped, which makes it ride awkwardly in the pocket.  And as it comes sans pocket clip or sheath, loose in pocket is the default.

One might be forgiven for hoping (or even assuming) that the trade off for this extra width would be a supremely comfortable and ergonomic handle.  Sadly, however, this isn’t the case at all.  The points where the straight line of the back of the knife meets the arcs at either end may not appear particularly acute in pictures, but they are definitely sharp enough to be uncomfortable, and would no doubt create a nasty hot spot on my palm under sustained use.  My hands are larger than average, but not freakishly large.  This is the type of thing that makes me wonder how a design with this sort of flaw goes into full production without the problem being discovered.

With regard to the bottle opener, I didn’t have any test subjects handy, but Benchmade did a nice job making it easy to open and close, making it unobtrusive when closed, and including it in the design without adding any additional thickness to the knife.  When it comes to pocket tools, though, a dedicated bottle opener is a bit lazy.  For one thing, a bottle opener is an easy thing to improvise if you don’t have one.  For another, if you’re set on including a bottle opener, at least combine it with some other functions a la Victorinox.

Clearly a miss, Benchmade.  I know you can do better.


Weekender shown with Case Large Stockman (75 pattern) and Vic Deluxe Tinker for scale and comparison.

[eTripper]

[Aloha]

That weekender is cool.  Always with the bottle opener?  What gives?  Is there a universal reason why its always included? 

If these makers think buyers of such items are also beer drinkers they have to know most can improvise an opener.  With as much beer they think we drink we better know how to open one. 

A bottle opener for me is a waste as I dont drink beer.  Still a cool knife but I'd agree, lazy. 

[nate j]

Taggedout

3.5” of CPM-154 steel in a package that weighs just over two ounces and features Benchmade’s proven axis lock is impressive. 

The handle is heavily textured but not uncomfortable.  It appears that one of the ways Benchmade shaved weight was to forgo full length steel liners and instead opt for much smaller steel plates around the pivot and lock area.

Benchmade opted for a thumb hole in lieu of a thumb stud.  They managed to implement it without introducing any unsightly humps or bumps in the blade, and it works just fine.

[colt 1911]

Taggedout

3.5” of CPM-154 steel in a package that weighs just over two ounces and features Benchmade’s proven axis lock is impressive. 

The handle is heavily textured but not uncomfortable.  It appears that one of the ways Benchmade shaved weight was to forgo full length steel liners and instead opt for much smaller steel plates around the pivot and lock area.

Benchmade opted for a thumb hole in lieu of a thumb stud.  They managed to implement it without introducing any unsightly humps or bumps in the blade, and it works just fine.

Nice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nate j]

Taggedout

3.5” of CPM-154 steel in a package that weighs just over two ounces and features Benchmade’s proven axis lock is impressive. 

The handle is heavily textured but not uncomfortable.  It appears that one of the ways Benchmade shaved weight was to forgo full length steel liners and instead opt for much smaller steel plates around the pivot and lock area.

Benchmade opted for a thumb hole in lieu of a thumb stud.  They managed to implement it without introducing any unsightly humps or bumps in the blade, and it works just fine.

I’ve been giving this thing some carry time, and I’m impressed.

The wide, flat-ground blade starts at only 0.09” thick and comes down thin behind the primary bevel.  This isn’t a “hard use” folder, but it cuts like a laser!

[Aloha]

That sound good to me.  I like my folders to be laser cutters.  I want to slice thru ripe tomatoes with ease.  My fixies can handle to harder tasks. 

[Spartan19]

Check out the latest! Found this bugout for a great deal at the local gun store, these bugouts really impress me, fantastic blades!

[m47mu74nt]

hard not to carry it 

[Aloha]

I bet.  Its very  . 

[Spartan19]

hard not to carry it 

  very nice!

[m47mu74nt]

Those Osborne models are pretty also!

[Spartan19]

Those Osborne models are pretty also!

Yes indeed! Still a great design all these years later.

[nate j]

I posted this previously in a different thread, but here’s a BM Puukko…

[m47mu74nt]

looks very good 

[Aloha]

I agree, they did a good job on the Leuku as well. 

[Spartan19]

Love those pukos!

[Aloha]

I ended up with a couple I'm happy to say.  This one is a favorite, Benchmade 183 in S30V.  Its a big boy but I like that. 

[HarleyXJGuy]

A Grip with a Spiderhole!

 

[gustophersmob]

My 555-1 mini grip with the 20cv blade and g10 scales.

Don’t care much for the black blade, but it was used at a great price. Got it off BF 2 years ago and the seller threw in the 85 dated old cross pioneer I have with it. Quite the deal for $100.

[nate j]

My 555-1 mini grip with the 20cv blade and g10 scales.

Don’t care much for the black blade, but it was used at a great price. Got it off BF 2 years ago and the seller threw in the 85 dated old cross pioneer I have with it. Quite the deal for $100.

Very nice, and you definitely got a great deal!


I’m with you on the black blades though.

Unless perhaps someone is legitimately in covert ops?  Idk


I prefer my steel naked.  :-)

[Aloha]

VERY nice deal.  Black blades are not a deal breaker for me.  I think your 555 looks terrific.   

[nate j]

BM Anonimus

I’ve been on the hunt for one of these for a while, and finally scored one at what I felt was a reasonable price.

Fit and finish are as expected from Benchmade.

Handle is comfortable, and accommodates my XL hands with room to spare.  The subtle ridges improve grip but aren’t overly aggressive.

Balance is perfect, right on the first finger.

I also really like the sheath.  It seems to be excellent quality, and holds the knife firmly and securely (passes the shake test) with no wiggle or rattle, but not with such a death grip as to make it difficult to draw.  It’s a pet peeve of mine to pay good money for a decent knife, and then have the sheath be some cheap crappy afterthought.  I also don’t relish buying a knife, and then having to spend more money on an aftermarket sheath to make it actually carryable & usable.  A good sheath is important; if I’m going to carry a fixed blade in the field, I’m counting on the sheath to protect me in the event of a fall.   This means it must (1) hold the knife securely enough that won’t fall out, or be accidentally knocked out or jarred loose, and (2) be of such materials and construction that the knife can’t puncture, cut, or be driven through the sheath.  Kudos to Benchmade for providing a quality sheath worthy of the blade!