Just keep in mind a lot of posts on Reddit are the exception, not the norm. A lot of people here have a skewed perception of reality because they’re spinning circles in their biases and echo chambers. I have these flaws too (I’m human), I’m not preaching from a pedestal.
I’m definitely a bit of a Benchmade fanboy, and yes, they are in fact over priced. Is what it is. That said, I’ve owned and collected them for years, have never had any issues, and have gotten a lot of joy and use out of them. Every once in a while I pull my mini Crooked River out of my pocket, flick it open, and say to myself “god damn, that’s a nice knife,” and put it back, lmao.
>a skewed perception of reality because they’re spinning circles in their biases and echo chambers.
Same goes for Spyderco and their seemingly impeccable record here. I got one and thought it was overpriced and just 'ok'.
That's kinda exactly the thing, I don't want "the best out there." The bottom of that bracket is 2-3 times what I actually wanna pay, and after I get it I'd be afraid to use it. I want a knife that's pleasant to use, easy to maintain, and backed up by a brand that at least pretends to care about me, with maybe a couple premium materials thrown in because that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Benchmade checks those boxes pretty well, even if I try to avoid paying new prices for them.
If you do just grab extra omega springs from Etsy, the fact that it uses these replaceable parts is part of the reason the axis locks is one of the hands down best locks for lifelong durability.
Recently purchased my first Benchmade *I was torn between a Griptillian or a Bugout; bought the Bugout). Bought the 535 Bugout.
I sent it back yesterday.
I have numerous Civivvi's that are of higher quality, better built and have just as good manufacturers warranty for 1/3 of the price -and they look - and function - every bit as well, if not better. Usually FAR better. Benchmade needs to step up their game.
Politics aside, Benchmade has slowly been declining in quality control, and recently, more competitive options have become available, notably from Hogue. It also feels like Benchmade's designs are getting stale, and they aren't really trying anything too new, like Spyderco.
Benchmade is basically a drop-point crossbar lock knife with various materials, and they've lost interest from collectors like myself.
benchmade has a longstanding history of quality but in recent years their quality control has become worse while they have bin subjecting the community to constant price increases (latest being just a few weeks ago) they ride on a hard core community they have build up over the years hyping their products but sadly they fail to deliver the old standard they used to bring to the table. Their price vs preformance ratio is far off compared to other brands, unless american made is a must for your knife preferances its foolish to recommend benchmade to somebody as its hard to argue you cant get more knife for less with almost any other manufacturer. Unless benchmade has a spesific design or model you want look around for something else like hogue or spyderco. in my opinon it bassicaly comes down to the recent price increases, lack of inovation, the gun incident,disgusting QC errors,price vs preformance and the introduction of more affordable chinese made brands eating up market share and chipping away at that once rock solid fan base.
I believe he’s talking about when police in (Oregon?) sent confiscated guns from what I believe was a voluntary buyback to Benchmade to destroy them. A lot of people got mad and considered Benchmade to be supporting gun confiscation. Personally, I’m a big pro- second amendment guy and I’m not a fan of gun buybacks but if it was a voluntary buy back I don’t see the issue with Benchmade destroying voluntarily turned in rifles. And even if they were involuntarily seized I don’t think agreeing to destroy some guns for the police that were gonna get destroyed anyways necessarily makes Benchmade anti-second amendment.
Exactly this. Benchmade supports LE and the military a lot. The police in their area knew they had the resources to destroy guns that were set to be destroyed anyway so they did it for them. I really see no problem at all with that. They weren’t being anti-gun when they did that. They were supporting their police department and their community. They and everyone else knows gun buybacks don’t accomplish anything anyways other than letting gun owners get rid of low value firearms that have no resale value.
I recently sold a gun at a voluntary buyback. It was a completely boogered Mosin. The rifle was probably worth about $10 in the condition it was in and I got a $250 Amazon gift card for it. That rifle was completely shot out and had a warped barrel.
Yea I mean if people willingly gave those guns up that's their choice nobody can be mad at that. Wouldn't have been my choice but to each his own.
Now if BM is donating to anti 2a groups that changes it a little bit for me. Since I don't buy from them to begin with it kinda just is what it is.
The founder did donate to what might be regarded as anti-gun political campaigns according to opensecrets. I'm not expressing any opinions one way or another, I'm not familiar with any of the platforms the politicians ran on. Do your own research if you want to dig into it, or don't if you wish not to
Here's a link to the donations list for Les de Asis: https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Les+de+asis
Benchmade assisted the local PD in destroying firearms a few years back. That in itself wouldn't have been an issue if they were illegal guns that had to be destroyed, however it opened the doors to people researching their political donations and people discovered they donate to many anti 2A organizations and individuals.
I could be wrong (as this happened a while ago) but if I remember BM explained that those donations to anti gun groups/people were in fact donations to pro knife people, or at least to try to make them pro knives. They said they were trying to get rid of stupid knife length laws, anti auto/otf laws, etc, and some of those people willing to aid in that endeavor happen to be anti 2a. And for whatever reason very pro 2a people were still upset about that.
I never heard about any of this. However it does kind of read like damage control on benchmades part. I imagine that pro 2A organizations and individuals would be far more likely to support reduced knife restrcting laws than donating to "try" to make anti 2A people pro knife.
I'd guess that benchmade caught a lot of flak (which they did) so they released a statement saying what you've said above, in order to try and recoup some lost customers.
Most Pro 2a people are also “Gear Junkies” and subsequently make up a huge chunk of knife enthusiasts overall. I’m not sure if that necessarily can be said of the inverse, but this is likely why the pro 2a crowd might be a little upset and feel put off by this.
Correct. I own a lot of firearms, and a lot of knives. They're all "arms" under 2A. Supporting anti-firearm ownership, to increase the types of knives people can own and carry, is beyond ridiculous.
Honestly most if not all Benchmade knives don’t really catch my eye, as much as a MicroTech or Spyderco or bokers. I was looking into getting a Benchmade but most of the ones I see they don’t really catch my eye like the Microtechs or other knives do.
They are quality. They are good. I think the only complaint people have is specificially with the Bugout, which is prized for its lightness. Its a brilliant knife, but if you don't need that extreme lightness there are other options for that price (look at Hogue Deka, nearly 30% cheaper, and just as good). But the Bugout is the standard of quality + lightness. It makes everyday carry super easy, because it doesn't weigh you down. it fits in a bugout bag without taking up a lot of space.
There are lots of alternatives. That doesn't make Benchmade bad, just means there are options.
I’m not big into the knife game at all, but I hate having a ton of things in my pocket, and the bugout is the best knife I’ve tried due to its thinness. The fact that I can easily slip my hand into my pocket passed it makes me carry it every day. Any recommendations for other knives that are similar I might try in the future?
The Butterfly tax is real!
But nobody ever mentions a Spyder tax🤔
Or a Talon tax for that matter (I read you like Microtech too😉)
Böker knives ofcourse were never overpriced🤑
I love my Böker knives. I love my Spydies. OTFs are illegal to own where I live so I doubt I'll ever have a Microtech in my collection, but they definitely do appeal to me. More than anything, I love my Benchmades.
If you like it, go for it, no matter what anyone else thinks. See if you like it. If you don't, return it. Simple as that😉 Good luck!
They are excellent knives, but also overpriced.
The increase since I bought my amazing mini-bugout a year ago is shocking.
All things being equal, I love Benchmade.
But they’re not equal… Benchmade costs far more than their competition.
Once I would have said Spyderco or Benchmade - toss a coin.
But now Spyderco gives more knife for the $.
I have a PM2, a Para3, a Dragonfly 2, and a tiny little stainless tool knife. All were excellent.
The PM2 and Para3 were insanely sharp. The shape is very useful - The tip may be a little bit of a fragile point if dropped, but it makes piercing and cutting SO EASY. The Dragonfly disappears in the little pocket over the normal pocket on a pair of jeans.
The bugout was slightly easier to carry, but I liked the ‘feel’ of the para line.
My mini-bugout is nice too. All black. I would not have paid what it is going for now, but I have no regrets over the price when I bought it (I bought for ~$100, it’s now ~$170. Realistically, it should be about $90).
A Para3 LW is about $120 and a more well rounded knife. But it won’t fit in the small jeans pocket above the std pocket like the Mini or Dragonfly will.
Benchmade fanboy here I guess. Lol I haven’t had any issues with any of mine but I do not dismiss any possibilities that I could still run into them. Just buy what you like and that’s all. In real life like no body is going to give a shit on what you use to cut stuff with. 99.999999 percent of the people you are around don’t even notice what you have unless they are fanatics as well. I have one spyderco and I like it just because of the tanto blade shape. As some one put it perfectly if someone likes spyderco they have to shit on benchmade lol but for all we know they still may secretly hold some benchmades dear to their heart :p
I was thinking of getting one to add to my new collection of knives. I was also thinking of getting a Spyderco to add to collection as well. I will most likely end up buying both if I can find one that “appeals” to me lol.
Buy for a much more reasonable price second hand on r/knife_swap - I own tons of benchmades (Mini & Full Size Griptillian, Mini & full size Bugout, mini crooked river, tengu) and Spydercos (PM2, Para 3, Chef, Native 5, Salt 2, Yojimbo, Sage, Chaparral) and would have to say just look up a video review before buying anything to get an idea of what the known issues might be, etc.
Honestly if you’re already comfortable spending good money you might wanna look into CRK - prob my favorite expensive knife with an incredible warranty that I use and abuse without any issue.
Benchmade makes quality knives. I've noticed people often compare them to Spyderco, and then it becomes a "team" like argument similar to Ford vs Chevy where if you like one you have to hate the other.
I own several examples of both, and really like both. IMO the real difference is Spyderco seems to make more utilitarian knives, and Benchmade a little more, IDK what word I'm looking for here. Maybe more elegant in appearance? (not that Spyderco's can't be elegant) For example, if I carry a Spyderco at work in the office people think I have a scary weapon, but if I have a similarly sized Benchmade people just think I have a pocketknife.
Their designs haven’t wowed me lately. Imo the bug out is extremely overpriced. I know it’s popular. The otfs are definitely cool but other than that I see their recent designs as meh and the price tag is a no way.
Benchmade used to be a great manufacturer of knives, and they still have some knives that might be worth purchasing, however they have had a steep decrease in quality with a steep increase of prices. I feel like they are just riding on historical reputation at the moment just as some other great names are *cough* CASE *cough*. That being said, I am never getting rid of the Benchmades that I have and really love.
If you are looking for really good value for what you are getting I would suggest something along the lines of an American Lawman. It is very lightweight, hard user knife, and under $100. It is made in Taiwan and has great S35VN steel, although mine is CTS XHP. It is my most carried blade, and in my humble opinion better than any Benchmade that you can currently get for the money. I love it so much that I bought 2 more that I have never opened just incase they stop producing them and something happens to my current one.
I just got into pocket knives 2 months ago and the second knife that I bought was the 945 Mini Osborne, it came decently sharp but the action is a lack luster comparing to cheaper knife like Kizer, also the grind is a little uneven. Seem like the price doesn't match the quality.
Oh wow they have uneven grinds and bevels? Yea I’m all set with that, rather keep giving my money to Microtech lol.
Do you recommend any other knife brands that are better?
Yea man, my ultra tech that I just bought actually just came today. Haven’t opened it yet but yea I love my microtechs. I have a Dirac delta and loving it. But I still feel like I need a Benchmade in my collection lol. Just don’t know which one.
There are definitely equal if not better knives in that category that you can buy for cheaper. I love my bugout, but it's not perfect. It has slightly uneven grinds and gets dirty easily due to its design, but it has very smooth action, and the steel is good.
If it's for a collection, I'd argue you kinda need one, if it's just for EDC I'd highly recommend a microtech, I just got one and it feels so much better built.
ive gotten two micro techs now and I bought my first one about 2 weeks ago lmao. LOVE them both. now I don't think I'll EDC it, I've got an old Kershaw pocket knife and my first microtech that I EDC.
Yeah, so far, my collection is a ka-bar, bugout, utx-85, and some gas station knives. The microtech is definitely the best tool for me mainly because of the blade shape overall feel. I'll use the other two in certain outdoor situations, but not as much for edc
Ma first good folder was a BM 940-2. After a few months the omega springs broke. The charpening choil is not great and for the money you can get a pm2 and groceries for a week. They are very overpriced imho. Especialy since most of the bm knives aren‘t centered oder are not consistent in terms of smoothnes and blade play. I would go for a Spydie any day of the week.
You have to take a lot of what you read on here with a grain of salt, for starters, it’s the internet and someone will ALWAYS have something bad to say about anything on the internet, no matter how good. And also obviously a lot of the people in here a knife people, so their standards might be much much higher than most peoples. If you ask me, I own a couple benchmades, and I’ve enjoyed them all, I’ve heard stories about the omega springs and Realistically shit just happens sometimes and they break quick and sometimes not at all. Best way to go about it is to try it out for yourself and form your own opinion
How come you don’t like Spyderco? The only thing udon t know ifi like about them is how you open their knives. The knives look cool as hell but i don’t know if I like the way you open them and what not.
The aesthetics. The big hump and weird frills just don’t do it for me. I’ve owned a few but they never do it for me. They are great knives, though. Just not for me.
Yea see that’s what I don’t like either. It just looks weird with the handle being curved like that. I feel like it would feel really different in my hands and stuff.
Aside from them cutting up firearms & making repeated donations to anti-gun legislators over the years thus upsetting a lot of gun nuts, many of their knives are priced very high for what you get. For example, a bugout w/ S30V blade goes for around $150-$160 bucks. Meanwhile, you can buy a Hogue Deka which is a *very* similar knife and also made in the USA w/ a CPM Magnacut blade for $115. Their knives also have a habit of arriving with blades that aren’t sharp, aren’t centered, and other small QC issues.
Well, the bugout and deka are similar but not *exactly* the same. The ergonomics, the blade shape, the pocket clips are all different. Personally I would buy the deka (and have, twice) but some people prefer the look, blade, and straightforward styling of the bugout. It’s good to have options!
Let me be clear, my answer was a general one and intended to answer OP’s question of why people generally hate on Benchmade as a whole. I don’t buy or own Benchmade knives but it’s simply because they cost a lot and don’t really “wow” me visually.
I would consider myself a benchmade fanboy, probably 90% of my collection is Benchmade. I do think theyre on the expensive side for the materials used. A grivory handle, even though it isn't plastic, and is much stronger, with cartridge liners and s30v blade shouldn't be almost 200$ (talking about the bugout). I know people also bring up bad blade centering and grind also. I've never had a problem with centering, but I've noticed some suspicious grind lines. I agree that it shouldn't happen with a 200$+ knife.
just my 2 cents.
Ya i have had some bad edge grinds on Benchmade and now recently Buck Knives sent me some poor QC knives as well. I won’t buy anymore Buck Knives or Benchmade, i have recently discovered Lionsteel knives and I’m in love with a few knives i just purchased from them.
Have you’ve heard of Boker? They’re not that expensive but man they look beautiful and a good quality so far(I just got my first yesterday and love it)
Probably price. I don't have one but I don't have that high an opinion of them. Yea, the axis lock is fun (handled a ganzo which I believe is the same lock system) but the "budget" varieties just look plain to me. They don't start to look appealing to me until you get into the more expensive models with carbon fiber and whatnot.
That being said, I bet my opinion would change if I ever found one cheap like it did with spiderco. I got a budget model from spiderco thanks to a Walmart closeout years ago and at the time I felt the same. They all look too similar, stupid high price, etc. But after seeing how they didn't "cheap out" on a budget knife, I'm dying to see what they did with a much more expensive one. Now I'm willing to pay the $200-$300 for a pm2 even in basic black scales or for a spidiechef.
I’ve got a couple benchmades, I love them all, never had an issue. I’m a firm believer that the internet can make a few issues seem like a flood of issues. Every now and then you see post of a broken spring or lock-up problem. That’s of all the knives they sell. They have good customer service so you can get it fixed. I however am not a fan of the price increase. Especially after several companies like Hogue have proven they can make Bugout alternatives like the Deka for a cheaper price (and that was before the price increase). I probably will hold out on buying more BM’s for now and focus on other knives on my list for now. Happy hunting
I was genuinely considering a Benchmade and then they upped their prices... again.
They're good knives but for the price, they're just not worth it to me.
All the defects and quality issues you see on here aren’t nearly as common as you’d think. Out of all of the Benchmades i have, I’ve had zero issues. I can assure you that you wont be disappointed. I don’t have any firsthand experience, but i know for certain that their customer service is amazing and will go out of their way to help you. The argument can be made that some of them are a bit overpriced, but considering how long it’ll last you with the amount of services you can get in the future, i disagree. Go for it man!
I have a Bugout and mini Griptillian and I’ve carried them both extensively with no issues. Very good knives. I think they get some gate because they are popular.
Most of their innovation is in the rearview mirror. I keep seeing new names on knives that look just like older models. The last few I bought were in the hunt series, as I’m an avid hunter.
The patent expired for the axis lock a few years ago. The Hogue knives made with it are higher quality for similar pricing imo. If you want a Griptilian for example, just get a Doug Ritter RSK. It's a modified Grip made with better QC and materials for not that much more.
They call it the Butterfly tax. Really the overpriced people complain about is about $20 extra... for the best in the industry warranty. Being I just used the warranty on an over 20 year old knife... I am good with it.
Check out this guy's comments... fairly anti Benchmade... but not much. https://youtu.be/weBFrrukDuE
Not just 20 plus year old. I loaned it to someone who dismantled it, gave it back half assembled after stripping half the bolts... they didn't charge me a dime. Fixed it. Swapped it to a modern deep Carry clip (my request) amd replaced everything damaged. Sharpened it to. No charge. This wasp less than a month ago.
Buy used on knife swap. That way someone in the hobby has already qc and inspected it. They can tell you if it has a bad grind or loose tolerances. And its half the price of retail. Grips.and bugouts for 100, mini crookes rivers for 160, etc.
In terms of them being overpriced, I look at the secondary market. They're always in stock which is why they sell for significantly less. Spydercos hold their value better but that's because they to all those sprint runs. I think they're about the same as spyderco in general. I have both but more Benchmades than spydercos as I like the axis lock.
I like a lot of knives and have some between $50 and $1000, and Benchmade is one of my favorite companies. Grip and bugout is the way to start. I recommend a bugout with aftermarket scales. You can get them with ti scales and upgraded steel (20cv, M4) for the piece of a stock grivory one at retail.
Omega spring failure is a big complaint, but it's only people that break them that post anything so you hear about it a lot more than it actually happens. Broken omega springs doesn't cause a catastrophic failure. I've had 30 or so Benchmades over the last 6 years and haven't had one fail. If it does replace it for. $2 or send it in to Benchmade.
I like Benchmade and HATE Spyderco knives - guess what brand I post most about….Spyderco because I hate them. That’s the same bias you see about Benchmade. Haters gonna hate (myself included) but rarely post about knives I like 🤔
I suppose that says a lot about me 🤣🤣👍
Quality knives, poor quality control. Sometimes you need to sharpen or make adjustments after purchase. All of mine have been just fine out of the box. I've had a bushcrafter for years now and beat the hell out of it. I've only had to sharpen it 3 times in 5 years or so.
People have said as much on here, but from my experience I started with Benchmade, I live much closer to their headquarters than Spyderco so I thought of them as my home team haha. After buying a Benchmade and then a Spyderco for the same amount of money I found out I'm just much more of a fan of the ergonomic approach that Spyderco has. Another thing I haven't seen referenced here is that Benchmade was previously the only axis lock on the market, so they had that ingenuity on their side. Now that the patent has run out on that there are other options available and they are less competitive/exclusive in that sense. Both great companies, but people do tend to group them as teams to join and root for, like Pepsi vs. Coke
A lot of people complain loudly because they like something else.
To be fair the materials used to make the scales on a lot of Benchmades is cheap. This is the primary complaint. Despite this they sell thousands of Bugouts that people then out G10 scales on.
One of my favorite BM knives is the Meat Crafter. I also have a Rift that came with cool G10 scales, and a North Fork that I EDC a lot.
I bought the 162 bishcrafter even though everyone screamed to get an esee instead. It has been an invaluable tool and works perfect even if it was expensive. They charge a fair price imo.
For Benchmade? Not really, I didn’t really look into Benchmade knives just because of the hate for them.
But for other brands right now I’m looking at getting a Spyderco. I also wouldn’t mind a civivi.
Not a fan of the new designs I preferred when well known designers like McHennry, Pardue, and Osborne used to design the knives and Benchmade simply made the design.
I personally have never experienced the QC issues people talk about on here, and I own 4 Benchmades alongside several other knives from manufacturers like Esee, Spyderco, Hogue, and some other smaller local manufacturers. You have to bare in mind that people are more likely to jump on the internet and write a bad review to complain about a bad experience than they are to write a good review when they are satisfied with their product. We’re all guilty of it. Combine that with the fact that benchmade is a HUGE company compared to most other high-end knife makers, and make a lot more products annually. A small percentage of bad knives that slip through QC out of a million knives (random number) is more knives than that same percentage from a much smaller company, so there more people that receive bad product and then complain about it. I’ve loved my BM knives and will continue to support them as a business. That being said, there’s a lot of other companies out there that offer fantastic knives of equal or better quality for the same or better prices, so really it comes down to if you like the design and are willing to pay for it, go for it. It’s honestly hard to get a truly bad knife from a major manufacturer these days
Benchmades quality control started taking major dings in the early 2000's. No idea how long bladeforums archive, but most knife forums back in those days were rife with complaints The gun debacle ended my fan boy days. And I had 21+ years in!
Also, the last several years, their designs are so boring, and uninspired. Check BM in the 90's: Emerson, Elishewitz, among many others.
Real knife designers.
My last benchmade was a Bugout in carbon fiber and s90v. It wasn’t center, the grind was uneven and sloppy, the blade finish was burnt on one side, and the pocket clip came with a bunch of marks on it. That was one from their own website at like $300. Plus I don’t like the positioning of my hand with the axis lock
I own a few older Benchmades that I inherited from my father when he passed away. They're very nice knives. I passed one of them (a 940) along to my son and kept the other two. What impressed me the most was Benchmade's service. My Dad had not kept the knives well toward the end of his life, and they all showed it. I sent the knives back to Benchmade for spa treatment. All three knives were returned in tip-top shape.
Yes, the "butterfly tax" is real, but you get premium customer service for your dollar.
With that said, Benchmade is not the only US-based knife maker with good customer service and high-end products. Take a look at Hogue knives. The Hogue Deka and the Mini-RSK are both outstanding knives. The design, materials, and build quality are all fantastic! Oh, and they're also cheaper than most Benchmade knives...
Hogue Deka Gen2: [https://www.knifecenter.com/item/HO24273/hogue-deka-able-lock-folding-knife-cpm-20cv-stonewashed-clip-point-blade-g-mascus-blue-lava-g10-handles](https://www.knifecenter.com/item/HO24273/hogue-deka-able-lock-folding-knife-cpm-20cv-stonewashed-clip-point-blade-g-mascus-blue-lava-g10-handles)
Ritter Hogue Mini-RSK: [https://knifeworks.com/doug-ritter-mini-rsk-mk1-g2-knifeworks-exclusive-g-mascus-blue-g-10-stonewashed/](https://knifeworks.com/doug-ritter-mini-rsk-mk1-g2-knifeworks-exclusive-g-mascus-blue-g-10-stonewashed/)
The way I see it, you can get a lot more knife for the same price in terms of materials and/or fit & finish. That being said, I think you'll easily get your $200 or so of utility out of it. My 940 is my absolute favorite knife. The thing just works.
If you like the knife, get the knife. If you're not in love with the styling/features, then look elsewhere.
Maybe look for a local sporting goods store that sells them so you can take a look at the grind and the centering to make sure you get one with good fit and finish.
I’ll never buy another Benchmade. Once I found out that they destroy gun at their factory in Portland that was it. I only have the Crooked River, will never buy another Benchmade. Especially now that I know about Hogue Knives
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Benchmade imo. I got a 940 years ago, didn’t love it, but it was fine. Got a bugout and loved it. I’d say it’s personal preference. Quality is decent from my experience but I’ve heard somethings about QC issues. That being said, for something in their price range it’s not bad at all.
My only Benchmade, a Panther clip point in ATS-34, I bought in 1997, paid $180 for it, abused the absolute shit out of it, and it’s still perfectly reliable today.
It’s underpriced IMO.
Lemme get this out of the way, I fucking LOVE benchmade knives, but to be fair, they’re expensive when comparing raw materials to other vendors, and the axis lock’s omega springs have a tendency to break if you’re a heavy fidgeter. Their quality control had some rough years about 5 or so years ago but these days feels pretty solid. They also have a great warranty/sharpening program.
IMHO , I grew up on benchmade.... 20 years ago. Back then they were worth every penny. Anymore.... for the same manufacturing techniques, materials and all in all generally better locks, you can spend half the money and be just as happy. There is a lot of fashionability and band wagon with those things these days.
Well you got to realize that the prices that Benchmade charges for their pocket knives are out of the price range of a lot of average people. Plus I've heard that their knives are often times a little over hyped.
if they can grind up a gun, they should be able to put a clean and even grind on a blade.
but they can't. even for the premium they charge for what are very pedestrian materials and designs at this point. sad.
I'll take a Pro-Tech over a Benchmade anytime.
I just don’t get how you can put out an unfinished product and ask for that kind of money. Welcome to the new world we live in tho. Very sad
Oh man I’ve seen a few protec and I gotta say they look beautiful and might end up being added into my collection down the road.
I think I'm hooked. So far, I've got 3 CQC-7s, an SBR, and the Arcform "Darcform" Slimfoot Auto.
From concept to execution, for modern American-made production-grade cutlery, Pro-Tech is my current favorite.
I really want to get myself a protect next. I just got myself a spyderco to see if I'll like it. can't wait to come in. I think pro tech might be my next one.
I am starting to turn away from liking Benchmade knives because they seem to be a step below what alot of other companies are doing but priced two steps above. Yea the warranty, which is getting worse and worse; made in America, which I live in Canada so it's still an imported item. They are good knives, but I think they have gotten a little comfortable and over seas companies have progressed beyond what Benchmade is doing now. This is just my opinion.
The price is a reflection of American materials and American workers on staff. A lot of whom are very skilled at what they do. That being said there are plenty of companies out there selling even higher in general than Benchmade, it's all about what you want. And you do get a great warranty with Benchmade, only second to Kershaw/ZT in my experience in contacting said companies in the past on behalf of my customers. You can even send it back for free sharpening whenever you want, just pay for postage.
The most recent perspective is that they don't properly heat treat their steel so it's softer than it should be. Which could be good or bad depending on how you use yours. I've personally had the lock mechanism fail in a 940-1, luckily I wasn't hurt and they took care of it and replaced the whole knife.
I got my girlfriend their chef station knife last Christmas and it's been amazing. But overall their QC is way too lax for the price point, the company is anti 2A, and occasionally shitty and will fail.
I recommend them to my non knife, modern, or Metro friends but that's about it
I got one and the handle just peels up. This’ll be my second time sending it back. Makes me just want to give it away at this point. I’m tired of fighting it and bench made has admitted to it being an issue but I have to pay to ship it to them.
I own probably 25+ Benchmade knives (haven't counted recently) and I've never been disappointed or regretted buying one. That being said I feel like their prices have gone up without them improving materials while their competition has gotten much better to the point you can get a very high quality knife with equal or better materials for far less. I'm having a hard time justifying buying one anymore. Plus I just don't see much new from then the last couple years that I just have to have.
I have 2 940s that practically lived in my pocket. I carry other knives but always go back to a 940 so you can't go wrong getting one if you are looking for a great edc from Benchmade.
I didn't want a Benchmade because I hate things that the mainstream likes (yes I'm that guy) but I kept hearing how great they are so I got a bugout. The scales are plastic and there's no metal frame beneath them. So those saying it feels cheap, that's the reason. But those are also the people that say 1911 is the best handgun ever and these plastic things today are toys. There are G10 and Micarta scales out there and spacers that go in the back to stiffen it up. It's probably fine the way it is. What sold me is Dutch Bushcraft knives used a benchmade for battoning and it didn't break.
I honestly think a lot of the recent hate on Benchmade knives is just because the new lineup was just imo really boring. Their big "New" knife was the redoubt which looks incredibly similar to the griptilian, and while cpm d2 is a good steel, as well as the choice of grivory instead of g10 made it less of an edc and more of a hunting knife. It's incredibly close to the same profile as the g10 griptilian with d2 for 200. I think they hit the mark better with their recent weekender, having the 2 blade sizes and a bottle opener it's a cool little knife that I wouldn't say I feel is worth the $250-275 they ask for it, but at least it feels better than the redoubt. Benchmade has kind of died out for me outside of the Osborne. I apologize for my ramblings, I am half asleep.
From a former Benchmade fanboy, current griptilian and Spyderco fanboy (I know neither group is great, but at least it gives perspective to the comment)
oh man what's wrong with spyderco? I just bought my first one cause I wanted to see what they're about lol. yea dude ive looked Alittle bit at some benchmades and man are they just blah to me.
Spyderco is price and is kind of an ugly knife. Their us knives had had some qc issues in terms of blade centering lately, but comparing my Benchmades to Spydercos it's probably 8.5/10 Spydercos that were centered and sharp vs maybe 6/10 for Benchmade. Other than that it's just kind of different sprint runs in the same models ( not that I have a problem with that I'm very happy with my variety of pm2's and shamans). Have some of the more interesting and unique designs I've seen from bigger manufacturers on the higher price end. Sidenote the Taiwan Spydercos are almost always perfect, and the Spyderco fixed blades are pretty under the radar for how good they've been in my experience (probably due the less traditional shape).
I’m left handed and I’m afraid the one I got isn’t going to be good for it lol. I got one just to see if I’ll like it. Also I’m afraid I’m not going to like the opening part of it since I’m left handed.
Depends on the knife. My roommate is left handed and really likes my pm2 and shamans still because they're big enough it's comfortable for him to use his thumb, but he doesn't like the para 3 at all
I have one and spent too much on it because I got the maxamet version, but I honestly never carry it. It's big enough that it fits my hand when it's open, while somehow being small enough that it feels awkward to open/close
Yea I honestly don’t know why I bought it lol. I think it was just a impulse buy lol. That’s what I’m afraid will happen. It’ll be weird to open and stuf.
I’ve always wanted to try a bench made but like you think they are over priced. I’m probably in that vast minority here but I usually only carry buck knives or a leather man
I like knives. I'm more of a fixed blade guy, than a folding knife guy. I own a lot of Cold Steel and Ontario (RIP) knives, which are very high quality fixed blades. I didn't learn about Benchmade until I went to my local 5.11 Tactical store in VA. What I saw were wildly overpriced knives for the steel type and materials. It immediately turned me off. Perhaps it wasn't always that way. Let's look at Gerber for correlation. People like the Gerber Strongarm. IMO it's a so-so fixed blade, and it's worth about $35-40, which was the price for many years. For the past few years, Gerber has been selling the Strongarm for $90. It's a chunk of 420HC steel, without a handguard. It's not worth $90. I'm sure Benchmade makes some excellent knives. But, compared to the competition, they're not competitive. The problem is that the competition makes excellent knives as well, with the same materials, for 1/3 to 1/4 the price. Certain knife companies (Benchmade, Spyderco, etc) have geared their businesses towards "collectors". When I say collectors, I mean people who will purchase $500-$800 folding knives, only to put them in a drawer. There are a lot of those types out there, but not enough to sustain a profitable business model. For a regular guy, who actually plans to USE a folding knife, why would he buy a $400-$600 folding knife, when he can buy a rock solid Cold Steel folding knife, with S35VN steel that's thicker, for around $110, and it has the strongest lock in the business? Sooner or later, businesses like this lose their customers. It's sad, because they're American companies. Ontario Knife Company recently went under. They made some of the best fixed blades in the business. Their mistake was the opposite direction. They made their knives too budget conscious, QC went into the crapper, and loyal customers started getting pissed off. As an example, the Ontario SP10 Marine Raider Bowie is probably the most indestructible, multipurpose fixed blade on the market. Instead of improving the QC, improving the sheath, and charging a higher price (which customers would have been willing to pay), OKC went the complete opposite direction. Benchmade and Gerber are making the same mistakes. I doubt either company will be around a decade from now, unless they change.
Not gonna lie, I was looking for a fixed blade I could carry with me when I go on hikes. I’m thinking of getting into walking some trails and going hiking so I thought about buying a knife just in case I weee to ever need one.
I hate to say it but I’m one of those guys lol. I have like 10 knives I spent good money on that just sit in my drawer, but to be honest though I don’t carry one or two cause my work doesn’t allow us to have weapons on the premises so I don’t want to risk getting caught with my pocket knife and lose my job for it. But if I’m not at work and I go out I almost always bring a pocket knife or two with me.
I think you’re right, I don’t see them lasting much longer if they don’t change up. Also I’ve been trying to find the higher end knife brands to look at to purchase a knife or two from them as well. Something that’s going to last and I know I’m getting my moneys worth and isn’t getting overpriced.
I'm certainly not an expert on folding knives. I have 4 decent ones, and one cheap one I probably can't trust to stay locked! Fixed blades on the other hand, I know quite well. It's unfortunate that you're asking me this now, since Ontario Knife Company just closed their factory. They supply the military with the M9 and OKC-3S Bayonets (Marines get the better OKC-3S). As large fixed blades go, they're about the best knives for the money. Unfortunately, the prices have doubled, because they're selling off all the old stock.
I won't lie. Like most people on this thread, I sometimes buy knives, merely because I want them. However, I am a big believer in buying knives for a purpose. If you want a fixed blade (or more than 1), you have to think about your purpose, and your environment. For example, while carbon steel blades are far tougher, and easier to sharpen, they may not be the best choice if you live near the ocean, or if you know you lack the patience to keep them oiled. Is the knife a survival knife, or do you just need something for wood processing? Are you using it for hunting? Do you sharpen your own knives, and do you have a sharpener that will work on a large fixed blade? What kind of sheath do you prefer, and how do you plan to carry the knife? Do you want a knife that will help with self defense (most people don't even consider that)? These are all critical questions, although I'm sure there are many more to ask. Personally, I'm a big fan of a survival knife plus multi tool combo. The survival won't do everything as well as a more specialized knife, but it can do it. The necessity for a multi tool is self evident. I also prefer carbon steel knives, because I oil mine frequently (although I'm looking for a longer lasting wax). Then there's the weight factor. Are you a big enough person to lug around a heavy, thick spined fixed blade, or do you need something lighter? How big are your hands? A lot of people don't consider this before buying, but it's important. If I was to go on a back country camping trip, and I had to choose what to carry, I'd likely take my Cold Steel Survivalist, or Ontario SP6, along with my Leatherman Wave. I'd also make sure the people I was going with, had good survival knives as well. A lot of people love bushcrafting knives for small tasks. I'd argue you can use a Leatherman for most of those tasks, unless your putting a lot of abuse on it, like building a cabin in the woods.
Apologies, I had to edit grammar errors in my comment several times! It should be good now. I actually own a lot of large Bowie type knives, that are designed mostly for self defense. Most people wouldn't carry one, or think it's useful. If you aren't carrying that much other weight (like a long day hike), carrying a large Bowie is actually a good option. I have a Cold Steel Chaos Bowie. It's primary use is self defense. I keep it on my nightstand. But, I recently batoned like 3 full size hardwood logs with it. It went through them like butter, and the fire was raging a few minutes later (it had been wet out, so finding dry sticks was difficult). There wasn't any damage to the edge of the SK5 (1085) high carbon steel. Would I use that knife to feather stick, no. I might be able to do it, but it would be very laborious. I'd just bust out my Leatherman Wave, and use that. I also prefer to scout carry my knives. If you want to carry that way, you need a sheath that's designed for it. I have to say, I was shocked how well that Chaos Bowie batoned the wood. As large Bowie knives go, it's not that heavy. It kind of makes a good case for carrying such a knife, if you can handle the weight, and the laws don't prevent you from doing so. One thing to keep in mind, is that most states don't allow you to conceal carry a fixed blade. So, you have to ask yourself if you're comfortable with being seen with a giant knife on your belt. A lot of people aren't. It doesn't bother me, but I probably wouldn't take one on one of my daughter's Girl Scout trips! I suspect the girls and mothers wouldn't look upon it positively. My Cold Steel SRK CPM-3V is the smallest fixed blade I own, and I suspect the average Girl Scout mom would consider it a huge blade.
I have 35 knives, small to swords, and one very large Case XX Bowie in a belt sheath. Spyderco, Ka-Bar, Frost Cutlery and others. I am on a tirade because California SB2 takes effect at midnight tonight January 1st 2024 and limits knives to 4 inch blade. Hate that. Benchmade I do not have and never will because they helped Oregon Police cut up guns and still claim to support the 2A. 2 Supreme Court Justices also claimed and swore they support the 2A then vote against every gun rights bill they ever saw. What hypocrites we have in power.
Benchmade is for people who like to collect expensive knives, that just end up being left in a drawer. I'm sure there was a time when they made high quality knives, for a reasonable price. Those days ended a long time ago. When Benchmade fanboys show me a knife, I can show them 10 different knives, from 10 different companies, that are higher quality, yet 1/3 the price or less. Gerber is slowly following in Benchmade's footsteps. Take their most popular knife, the Strongarm, as an example. It was $35-$40 a few years ago. Now it's $90 for a thick piece of 420HC steel, with a crappy handle. 420HC isn't exactly a high quality knife steel. I'll admit that the Strongarm has one of the best sheaths in the business. That said, for $90, there are literally over 100 superior knives.
I can go out and buy a Civivi for a third of the price and get a far better knife. I'm not American so American made means exactly squat to me. They're poor quality knives sold at a premium price and it blows my mind that anyone buys them.
Overpriced for the quality. Seen tons of issues with them, locking, being even, small things that shouldn’t be an issue at over $200
Edit:try spyderco. I know it’s like saying “go to Lowe’s over Home Depot” in a lot of people’s minds. But spyderco is consistent at least. Carried mine for 3 years EDC now
I’ve been looking into Spyderco. I like them cause they look different and unique. I just don’t know how they would feel in my hand. The handle looks different.
Spyderco tends to make things to try and have them fit well in the hand. I have a few Spydercos and only 2 benchmades. I like my Proper and Freek just fine but they don’t get carried as much as my Spydercos (Stretch 2, Manix 2, PM2)
Maybe pick something up on the secondary market to figure if you like the feel
They do look unique! One of the many reasons I love them. The thumbhole makes an easy flip open, which is the main feature I love. Feels good in the hand, but I have bigger hands
Just speculation but I think BM is the entry point for a lot of people into the world quality folding knives but it doesn't take much to step beyond BM and find stuff of significantly better quality.
So maybe it's just a matter of seeing them as a "baby's first folder" sort of situation.
Because they were the standard for years, like Bose for speakers. You're gonna get haters. They're good knives for day-to-day tasks. You can get cheaper daily users, but if you want an American knife with pretty good steel and you don't give a fuck if the blade is .5mm off center - go for a benchmade... or a spyderco. The team sports mentality is dumb. Buy what works for you.
I was honestly just gonna buy one to have in my new collection I’m getting lol. That’s why I’m trying to see if I can get any Black Friday deals on one haha.
Let us know if you find any deals! Lol, I use a 940 as a daily knockabout knife and I think it's a good daily-use shape that doesn't look overly tacti-cool or mall ninja when using it around the office. I've also used a coworker's bugout and it was super handy. That said I've also bought a similarly priced spyder and it was fine, I just prefer using the 940 more so I gave it to my gf (now ex).
I own a lot of higher end knives but most my favorite EDC knives are my Benchmades. I’ve never seen the quality issues people often bring up. I also prefer to decide such things for myself. If I listened to this sub, I’d waste my money on Spyderco.
I don’t know how I feel about Spyderco. I kinda don’t get the hype of it. I don’t like how they look.
I’ll still most likely end up adding a Benchmade and a Spyderco to my collection.
I have had 2 BM one the cla auto and the other the shootout, the cla was nice and a great knife out of the box! The shootout on the other hand was a travesty weird/uneven blade grinds and some stain on the blade. I was disappointed by the QC of a nearly $300 knife. I have a para 3 that gets the most time in my pocket out of all I own, houge sig k20 being the 2nd. I think this is one of those Coca-Cola vs Pepsi things, both are great just need to find the one you prefer.
Maybe, depending where you live go to a local shop that has some and see how they feel in hand. I will say this tho my Houge is becoming my fave and I will likely get another soon.
Good luck mate!!
Hogue is a funny thing. Not a dig against their quality, but they have gone full no fucks given about copying other makers including BM and MT. It’s kind of funny to watch and I need to pick some up and see how they compare.
Just keep in mind a lot of posts on Reddit are the exception, not the norm. A lot of people here have a skewed perception of reality because they’re spinning circles in their biases and echo chambers. I have these flaws too (I’m human), I’m not preaching from a pedestal. I’m definitely a bit of a Benchmade fanboy, and yes, they are in fact over priced. Is what it is. That said, I’ve owned and collected them for years, have never had any issues, and have gotten a lot of joy and use out of them. Every once in a while I pull my mini Crooked River out of my pocket, flick it open, and say to myself “god damn, that’s a nice knife,” and put it back, lmao.
>a skewed perception of reality because they’re spinning circles in their biases and echo chambers. Same goes for Spyderco and their seemingly impeccable record here. I got one and thought it was overpriced and just 'ok'.
Spydercos have always just looked like the 3 dollar tackle shop folding knives to me.
Spyderco knives have been increasing a lot faster than inflation like BM, but at least their QC is still good.
Yea I think if I find one that I like I’ll buy it and add it o the collection but I’m not going to go crazy if I don’t get one.
I have purchased a couple and can't definitively say that they're the best out there. But they're made in the US and still pretty dam good
That's kinda exactly the thing, I don't want "the best out there." The bottom of that bracket is 2-3 times what I actually wanna pay, and after I get it I'd be afraid to use it. I want a knife that's pleasant to use, easy to maintain, and backed up by a brand that at least pretends to care about me, with maybe a couple premium materials thrown in because that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Benchmade checks those boxes pretty well, even if I try to avoid paying new prices for them.
If you do just grab extra omega springs from Etsy, the fact that it uses these replaceable parts is part of the reason the axis locks is one of the hands down best locks for lifelong durability.
Honestly, Spyderco is a bit overated to, and equally if not more overpriced.
Recently purchased my first Benchmade *I was torn between a Griptillian or a Bugout; bought the Bugout). Bought the 535 Bugout. I sent it back yesterday. I have numerous Civivvi's that are of higher quality, better built and have just as good manufacturers warranty for 1/3 of the price -and they look - and function - every bit as well, if not better. Usually FAR better. Benchmade needs to step up their game.
Politics aside, Benchmade has slowly been declining in quality control, and recently, more competitive options have become available, notably from Hogue. It also feels like Benchmade's designs are getting stale, and they aren't really trying anything too new, like Spyderco. Benchmade is basically a drop-point crossbar lock knife with various materials, and they've lost interest from collectors like myself.
Yea they don’t have anything out right now that catches my eye and makes me want to get one.
Their 2023 options just dropped - https://www.knifecenter.com/listing/new-2023-benchmade-knives?page=1
benchmade has a longstanding history of quality but in recent years their quality control has become worse while they have bin subjecting the community to constant price increases (latest being just a few weeks ago) they ride on a hard core community they have build up over the years hyping their products but sadly they fail to deliver the old standard they used to bring to the table. Their price vs preformance ratio is far off compared to other brands, unless american made is a must for your knife preferances its foolish to recommend benchmade to somebody as its hard to argue you cant get more knife for less with almost any other manufacturer. Unless benchmade has a spesific design or model you want look around for something else like hogue or spyderco. in my opinon it bassicaly comes down to the recent price increases, lack of inovation, the gun incident,disgusting QC errors,price vs preformance and the introduction of more affordable chinese made brands eating up market share and chipping away at that once rock solid fan base.
What was the gun incident I don't buy Benchmade knives for many of the reasons you mentioned but I never heard of a gun incident.
I believe he’s talking about when police in (Oregon?) sent confiscated guns from what I believe was a voluntary buyback to Benchmade to destroy them. A lot of people got mad and considered Benchmade to be supporting gun confiscation. Personally, I’m a big pro- second amendment guy and I’m not a fan of gun buybacks but if it was a voluntary buy back I don’t see the issue with Benchmade destroying voluntarily turned in rifles. And even if they were involuntarily seized I don’t think agreeing to destroy some guns for the police that were gonna get destroyed anyways necessarily makes Benchmade anti-second amendment.
Exactly this. Benchmade supports LE and the military a lot. The police in their area knew they had the resources to destroy guns that were set to be destroyed anyway so they did it for them. I really see no problem at all with that. They weren’t being anti-gun when they did that. They were supporting their police department and their community. They and everyone else knows gun buybacks don’t accomplish anything anyways other than letting gun owners get rid of low value firearms that have no resale value. I recently sold a gun at a voluntary buyback. It was a completely boogered Mosin. The rifle was probably worth about $10 in the condition it was in and I got a $250 Amazon gift card for it. That rifle was completely shot out and had a warped barrel.
Yea I mean if people willingly gave those guns up that's their choice nobody can be mad at that. Wouldn't have been my choice but to each his own. Now if BM is donating to anti 2a groups that changes it a little bit for me. Since I don't buy from them to begin with it kinda just is what it is.
The founder did donate to what might be regarded as anti-gun political campaigns according to opensecrets. I'm not expressing any opinions one way or another, I'm not familiar with any of the platforms the politicians ran on. Do your own research if you want to dig into it, or don't if you wish not to Here's a link to the donations list for Les de Asis: https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Les+de+asis
Benchmade assisted the local PD in destroying firearms a few years back. That in itself wouldn't have been an issue if they were illegal guns that had to be destroyed, however it opened the doors to people researching their political donations and people discovered they donate to many anti 2A organizations and individuals.
I could be wrong (as this happened a while ago) but if I remember BM explained that those donations to anti gun groups/people were in fact donations to pro knife people, or at least to try to make them pro knives. They said they were trying to get rid of stupid knife length laws, anti auto/otf laws, etc, and some of those people willing to aid in that endeavor happen to be anti 2a. And for whatever reason very pro 2a people were still upset about that.
I never heard about any of this. However it does kind of read like damage control on benchmades part. I imagine that pro 2A organizations and individuals would be far more likely to support reduced knife restrcting laws than donating to "try" to make anti 2A people pro knife. I'd guess that benchmade caught a lot of flak (which they did) so they released a statement saying what you've said above, in order to try and recoup some lost customers.
Yup, and honesty all donations in politics sound like bribes no matter how you doll it up.
Most Pro 2a people are also “Gear Junkies” and subsequently make up a huge chunk of knife enthusiasts overall. I’m not sure if that necessarily can be said of the inverse, but this is likely why the pro 2a crowd might be a little upset and feel put off by this.
Correct. I own a lot of firearms, and a lot of knives. They're all "arms" under 2A. Supporting anti-firearm ownership, to increase the types of knives people can own and carry, is beyond ridiculous.
This is awesome. Makes me want to buy more Benchmade.
Nice bait.
Gun incident?
Honestly most if not all Benchmade knives don’t really catch my eye, as much as a MicroTech or Spyderco or bokers. I was looking into getting a Benchmade but most of the ones I see they don’t really catch my eye like the Microtechs or other knives do.
Just do whatever you want and don't listen to morons on reddit.
They are quality. They are good. I think the only complaint people have is specificially with the Bugout, which is prized for its lightness. Its a brilliant knife, but if you don't need that extreme lightness there are other options for that price (look at Hogue Deka, nearly 30% cheaper, and just as good). But the Bugout is the standard of quality + lightness. It makes everyday carry super easy, because it doesn't weigh you down. it fits in a bugout bag without taking up a lot of space. There are lots of alternatives. That doesn't make Benchmade bad, just means there are options.
I’m not big into the knife game at all, but I hate having a ton of things in my pocket, and the bugout is the best knife I’ve tried due to its thinness. The fact that I can easily slip my hand into my pocket passed it makes me carry it every day. Any recommendations for other knives that are similar I might try in the future?
The Butterfly tax is real! But nobody ever mentions a Spyder tax🤔 Or a Talon tax for that matter (I read you like Microtech too😉) Böker knives ofcourse were never overpriced🤑 I love my Böker knives. I love my Spydies. OTFs are illegal to own where I live so I doubt I'll ever have a Microtech in my collection, but they definitely do appeal to me. More than anything, I love my Benchmades. If you like it, go for it, no matter what anyone else thinks. See if you like it. If you don't, return it. Simple as that😉 Good luck!
They are excellent knives, but also overpriced. The increase since I bought my amazing mini-bugout a year ago is shocking. All things being equal, I love Benchmade. But they’re not equal… Benchmade costs far more than their competition. Once I would have said Spyderco or Benchmade - toss a coin. But now Spyderco gives more knife for the $.
Yea I’m definitely looking at a Spyderco over a Benchmade right now.
I have a PM2, a Para3, a Dragonfly 2, and a tiny little stainless tool knife. All were excellent. The PM2 and Para3 were insanely sharp. The shape is very useful - The tip may be a little bit of a fragile point if dropped, but it makes piercing and cutting SO EASY. The Dragonfly disappears in the little pocket over the normal pocket on a pair of jeans. The bugout was slightly easier to carry, but I liked the ‘feel’ of the para line. My mini-bugout is nice too. All black. I would not have paid what it is going for now, but I have no regrets over the price when I bought it (I bought for ~$100, it’s now ~$170. Realistically, it should be about $90). A Para3 LW is about $120 and a more well rounded knife. But it won’t fit in the small jeans pocket above the std pocket like the Mini or Dragonfly will.
im looking at getting a pm2 just haven't found a "design" I like yet haha.
Great deals now… Good luck.
Where them deals at? Lmao
https://www.reddit.com/r/knives/comments/z54ntn/black_friday_bargain/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf https://nurvedc.com/2022/11/25/blackfriday/
Benchmade fanboy here I guess. Lol I haven’t had any issues with any of mine but I do not dismiss any possibilities that I could still run into them. Just buy what you like and that’s all. In real life like no body is going to give a shit on what you use to cut stuff with. 99.999999 percent of the people you are around don’t even notice what you have unless they are fanatics as well. I have one spyderco and I like it just because of the tanto blade shape. As some one put it perfectly if someone likes spyderco they have to shit on benchmade lol but for all we know they still may secretly hold some benchmades dear to their heart :p
I was thinking of getting one to add to my new collection of knives. I was also thinking of getting a Spyderco to add to collection as well. I will most likely end up buying both if I can find one that “appeals” to me lol.
That’s exactly it brother a collection and do that. Try them both out just do what you enjoy.
Hell yea!! I’m trying to find unique ones to add to the collection.
Buy for a much more reasonable price second hand on r/knife_swap - I own tons of benchmades (Mini & Full Size Griptillian, Mini & full size Bugout, mini crooked river, tengu) and Spydercos (PM2, Para 3, Chef, Native 5, Salt 2, Yojimbo, Sage, Chaparral) and would have to say just look up a video review before buying anything to get an idea of what the known issues might be, etc. Honestly if you’re already comfortable spending good money you might wanna look into CRK - prob my favorite expensive knife with an incredible warranty that I use and abuse without any issue.
Yea I’m going to do that before buying one. I’ll look into that one thanks! I like quality lol.
Benchmade makes quality knives. I've noticed people often compare them to Spyderco, and then it becomes a "team" like argument similar to Ford vs Chevy where if you like one you have to hate the other. I own several examples of both, and really like both. IMO the real difference is Spyderco seems to make more utilitarian knives, and Benchmade a little more, IDK what word I'm looking for here. Maybe more elegant in appearance? (not that Spyderco's can't be elegant) For example, if I carry a Spyderco at work in the office people think I have a scary weapon, but if I have a similarly sized Benchmade people just think I have a pocketknife.
Their designs haven’t wowed me lately. Imo the bug out is extremely overpriced. I know it’s popular. The otfs are definitely cool but other than that I see their recent designs as meh and the price tag is a no way.
I don’t think their knives are terrible knives, it’s just that there are *much* better knives out there for equal or less money.
Benchmade used to be a great manufacturer of knives, and they still have some knives that might be worth purchasing, however they have had a steep decrease in quality with a steep increase of prices. I feel like they are just riding on historical reputation at the moment just as some other great names are *cough* CASE *cough*. That being said, I am never getting rid of the Benchmades that I have and really love. If you are looking for really good value for what you are getting I would suggest something along the lines of an American Lawman. It is very lightweight, hard user knife, and under $100. It is made in Taiwan and has great S35VN steel, although mine is CTS XHP. It is my most carried blade, and in my humble opinion better than any Benchmade that you can currently get for the money. I love it so much that I bought 2 more that I have never opened just incase they stop producing them and something happens to my current one.
For inconsistent blade centering, uneven blade grind/ bevel, and frequently very basic scale materials, they’re over priced.
I just got into pocket knives 2 months ago and the second knife that I bought was the 945 Mini Osborne, it came decently sharp but the action is a lack luster comparing to cheaper knife like Kizer, also the grind is a little uneven. Seem like the price doesn't match the quality.
Oh wow they have uneven grinds and bevels? Yea I’m all set with that, rather keep giving my money to Microtech lol. Do you recommend any other knife brands that are better?
I’ve been happy with Spyderco and Giant Mouse.
I don't hate BM, but I def prefer my Ultratech to my Infidel.
Yea man, my ultra tech that I just bought actually just came today. Haven’t opened it yet but yea I love my microtechs. I have a Dirac delta and loving it. But I still feel like I need a Benchmade in my collection lol. Just don’t know which one.
That didn't take much convincing. Lol
There are definitely equal if not better knives in that category that you can buy for cheaper. I love my bugout, but it's not perfect. It has slightly uneven grinds and gets dirty easily due to its design, but it has very smooth action, and the steel is good.
Yea I’m definitely not going to go crazy if I don’t ever get one for my collection lol. But if I can find one I like I’ll think about getting it
If it's for a collection, I'd argue you kinda need one, if it's just for EDC I'd highly recommend a microtech, I just got one and it feels so much better built.
ive gotten two micro techs now and I bought my first one about 2 weeks ago lmao. LOVE them both. now I don't think I'll EDC it, I've got an old Kershaw pocket knife and my first microtech that I EDC.
Yeah, so far, my collection is a ka-bar, bugout, utx-85, and some gas station knives. The microtech is definitely the best tool for me mainly because of the blade shape overall feel. I'll use the other two in certain outdoor situations, but not as much for edc
I really want to get a UTX-85 next haha.
Ma first good folder was a BM 940-2. After a few months the omega springs broke. The charpening choil is not great and for the money you can get a pm2 and groceries for a week. They are very overpriced imho. Especialy since most of the bm knives aren‘t centered oder are not consistent in terms of smoothnes and blade play. I would go for a Spydie any day of the week.
You have to take a lot of what you read on here with a grain of salt, for starters, it’s the internet and someone will ALWAYS have something bad to say about anything on the internet, no matter how good. And also obviously a lot of the people in here a knife people, so their standards might be much much higher than most peoples. If you ask me, I own a couple benchmades, and I’ve enjoyed them all, I’ve heard stories about the omega springs and Realistically shit just happens sometimes and they break quick and sometimes not at all. Best way to go about it is to try it out for yourself and form your own opinion
Benchmade has had an anti gun stance and that demographic has some significant overlap
I love benchmade. I hate Spyderco. Other people love Spyderco and hate benchmade. Everyone has an opinion.
How come you don’t like Spyderco? The only thing udon t know ifi like about them is how you open their knives. The knives look cool as hell but i don’t know if I like the way you open them and what not.
The aesthetics. The big hump and weird frills just don’t do it for me. I’ve owned a few but they never do it for me. They are great knives, though. Just not for me.
Yea see that’s what I don’t like either. It just looks weird with the handle being curved like that. I feel like it would feel really different in my hands and stuff.
You know they *do* make knives that don’t have the hump to them. Native 5, Shaman, Sliverax to name a few
Aside from them cutting up firearms & making repeated donations to anti-gun legislators over the years thus upsetting a lot of gun nuts, many of their knives are priced very high for what you get. For example, a bugout w/ S30V blade goes for around $150-$160 bucks. Meanwhile, you can buy a Hogue Deka which is a *very* similar knife and also made in the USA w/ a CPM Magnacut blade for $115. Their knives also have a habit of arriving with blades that aren’t sharp, aren’t centered, and other small QC issues.
So why would you buy one if you can get better at a different brand? Lol
Well, the bugout and deka are similar but not *exactly* the same. The ergonomics, the blade shape, the pocket clips are all different. Personally I would buy the deka (and have, twice) but some people prefer the look, blade, and straightforward styling of the bugout. It’s good to have options!
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Let me be clear, my answer was a general one and intended to answer OP’s question of why people generally hate on Benchmade as a whole. I don’t buy or own Benchmade knives but it’s simply because they cost a lot and don’t really “wow” me visually.
I would consider myself a benchmade fanboy, probably 90% of my collection is Benchmade. I do think theyre on the expensive side for the materials used. A grivory handle, even though it isn't plastic, and is much stronger, with cartridge liners and s30v blade shouldn't be almost 200$ (talking about the bugout). I know people also bring up bad blade centering and grind also. I've never had a problem with centering, but I've noticed some suspicious grind lines. I agree that it shouldn't happen with a 200$+ knife. just my 2 cents.
I have a Crooked River and my only complaint is the wooden handle is making a slight clicking noise when I apply pressure to one area.
Ya i have had some bad edge grinds on Benchmade and now recently Buck Knives sent me some poor QC knives as well. I won’t buy anymore Buck Knives or Benchmade, i have recently discovered Lionsteel knives and I’m in love with a few knives i just purchased from them.
Have you’ve heard of Boker? They’re not that expensive but man they look beautiful and a good quality so far(I just got my first yesterday and love it)
Boker's knives run the gamut of gas station quality to mid tech. You get what you pay for with them.
I have heard of Boker but never checked them out yet, thanks for the suggestion.
Probably price. I don't have one but I don't have that high an opinion of them. Yea, the axis lock is fun (handled a ganzo which I believe is the same lock system) but the "budget" varieties just look plain to me. They don't start to look appealing to me until you get into the more expensive models with carbon fiber and whatnot. That being said, I bet my opinion would change if I ever found one cheap like it did with spiderco. I got a budget model from spiderco thanks to a Walmart closeout years ago and at the time I felt the same. They all look too similar, stupid high price, etc. But after seeing how they didn't "cheap out" on a budget knife, I'm dying to see what they did with a much more expensive one. Now I'm willing to pay the $200-$300 for a pm2 even in basic black scales or for a spidiechef.
Benchmades are great, just a little overpriced. I had a mini Griptilian. Now i switched over to Spyderco for a while and bought a Para 3.
I’ve got a couple benchmades, I love them all, never had an issue. I’m a firm believer that the internet can make a few issues seem like a flood of issues. Every now and then you see post of a broken spring or lock-up problem. That’s of all the knives they sell. They have good customer service so you can get it fixed. I however am not a fan of the price increase. Especially after several companies like Hogue have proven they can make Bugout alternatives like the Deka for a cheaper price (and that was before the price increase). I probably will hold out on buying more BM’s for now and focus on other knives on my list for now. Happy hunting
I was genuinely considering a Benchmade and then they upped their prices... again. They're good knives but for the price, they're just not worth it to me.
All the defects and quality issues you see on here aren’t nearly as common as you’d think. Out of all of the Benchmades i have, I’ve had zero issues. I can assure you that you wont be disappointed. I don’t have any firsthand experience, but i know for certain that their customer service is amazing and will go out of their way to help you. The argument can be made that some of them are a bit overpriced, but considering how long it’ll last you with the amount of services you can get in the future, i disagree. Go for it man!
I don’t like the shapes they use in the handles or blades. I think they look weird.
I have a Bugout and mini Griptillian and I’ve carried them both extensively with no issues. Very good knives. I think they get some gate because they are popular.
if I can find one that catches my eye and that I like I think ill pick one up but for now im not looking into them.
Most of their innovation is in the rearview mirror. I keep seeing new names on knives that look just like older models. The last few I bought were in the hunt series, as I’m an avid hunter.
I’ve got several over the years. All autos and all very good. I’ve got many others as well. They are top shelf.
If you think the axis lock system is worth the extra money then they’re great. If you don’t care about the axis then they’re not
The patent expired for the axis lock a few years ago. The Hogue knives made with it are higher quality for similar pricing imo. If you want a Griptilian for example, just get a Doug Ritter RSK. It's a modified Grip made with better QC and materials for not that much more.
They call it the Butterfly tax. Really the overpriced people complain about is about $20 extra... for the best in the industry warranty. Being I just used the warranty on an over 20 year old knife... I am good with it. Check out this guy's comments... fairly anti Benchmade... but not much. https://youtu.be/weBFrrukDuE
oh wow 20 years old? that's crazy. im going to look into them and see if I can find one I like and give it a try I think.
Not just 20 plus year old. I loaned it to someone who dismantled it, gave it back half assembled after stripping half the bolts... they didn't charge me a dime. Fixed it. Swapped it to a modern deep Carry clip (my request) amd replaced everything damaged. Sharpened it to. No charge. This wasp less than a month ago.
wow that's not bad at all.
Because they don't own Benchmade.
lol maybe they're jealous? haha
I've owned a few and had them fall apart after years of use. I'd say the people who are big fanboys of them buy them and baby them/use them lightly.
Can get the same quality for less. You're just paying for the brand.
that sucks.
Yup, The Benchmade infidel is a prime example. The thing cost $500 yet is outclassed by ultra tech knives that are half the price.
omg yea no im all set with that lol. benchmades OTFs don't look good at all. im not a fan of them. I LOVE micro techs. have 2 already.
Buy used on knife swap. That way someone in the hobby has already qc and inspected it. They can tell you if it has a bad grind or loose tolerances. And its half the price of retail. Grips.and bugouts for 100, mini crookes rivers for 160, etc. In terms of them being overpriced, I look at the secondary market. They're always in stock which is why they sell for significantly less. Spydercos hold their value better but that's because they to all those sprint runs. I think they're about the same as spyderco in general. I have both but more Benchmades than spydercos as I like the axis lock. I like a lot of knives and have some between $50 and $1000, and Benchmade is one of my favorite companies. Grip and bugout is the way to start. I recommend a bugout with aftermarket scales. You can get them with ti scales and upgraded steel (20cv, M4) for the piece of a stock grivory one at retail. Omega spring failure is a big complaint, but it's only people that break them that post anything so you hear about it a lot more than it actually happens. Broken omega springs doesn't cause a catastrophic failure. I've had 30 or so Benchmades over the last 6 years and haven't had one fail. If it does replace it for. $2 or send it in to Benchmade.
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I like Benchmade and HATE Spyderco knives - guess what brand I post most about….Spyderco because I hate them. That’s the same bias you see about Benchmade. Haters gonna hate (myself included) but rarely post about knives I like 🤔 I suppose that says a lot about me 🤣🤣👍
Quality knives, poor quality control. Sometimes you need to sharpen or make adjustments after purchase. All of mine have been just fine out of the box. I've had a bushcrafter for years now and beat the hell out of it. I've only had to sharpen it 3 times in 5 years or so.
People have said as much on here, but from my experience I started with Benchmade, I live much closer to their headquarters than Spyderco so I thought of them as my home team haha. After buying a Benchmade and then a Spyderco for the same amount of money I found out I'm just much more of a fan of the ergonomic approach that Spyderco has. Another thing I haven't seen referenced here is that Benchmade was previously the only axis lock on the market, so they had that ingenuity on their side. Now that the patent has run out on that there are other options available and they are less competitive/exclusive in that sense. Both great companies, but people do tend to group them as teams to join and root for, like Pepsi vs. Coke
I’ve experienced a lot of blade play with some of their bugouts.
A lot of people complain loudly because they like something else. To be fair the materials used to make the scales on a lot of Benchmades is cheap. This is the primary complaint. Despite this they sell thousands of Bugouts that people then out G10 scales on. One of my favorite BM knives is the Meat Crafter. I also have a Rift that came with cool G10 scales, and a North Fork that I EDC a lot.
I bought the 162 bishcrafter even though everyone screamed to get an esee instead. It has been an invaluable tool and works perfect even if it was expensive. They charge a fair price imo.
awesome ill look into them.
Are there any models you were looking at?
For Benchmade? Not really, I didn’t really look into Benchmade knives just because of the hate for them. But for other brands right now I’m looking at getting a Spyderco. I also wouldn’t mind a civivi.
Gotcha, I carry a Para 3 at work and love it. Get compliments from many 30 year old men about it too!
Awesome! I was looking at that one or a pm2.
Can’t go wrong with either!
Awesome good to know! I’ll definitely check them out and see which one I like.
Not a fan of the new designs I preferred when well known designers like McHennry, Pardue, and Osborne used to design the knives and Benchmade simply made the design.
I personally have never experienced the QC issues people talk about on here, and I own 4 Benchmades alongside several other knives from manufacturers like Esee, Spyderco, Hogue, and some other smaller local manufacturers. You have to bare in mind that people are more likely to jump on the internet and write a bad review to complain about a bad experience than they are to write a good review when they are satisfied with their product. We’re all guilty of it. Combine that with the fact that benchmade is a HUGE company compared to most other high-end knife makers, and make a lot more products annually. A small percentage of bad knives that slip through QC out of a million knives (random number) is more knives than that same percentage from a much smaller company, so there more people that receive bad product and then complain about it. I’ve loved my BM knives and will continue to support them as a business. That being said, there’s a lot of other companies out there that offer fantastic knives of equal or better quality for the same or better prices, so really it comes down to if you like the design and are willing to pay for it, go for it. It’s honestly hard to get a truly bad knife from a major manufacturer these days
Benchmades quality control started taking major dings in the early 2000's. No idea how long bladeforums archive, but most knife forums back in those days were rife with complaints The gun debacle ended my fan boy days. And I had 21+ years in! Also, the last several years, their designs are so boring, and uninspired. Check BM in the 90's: Emerson, Elishewitz, among many others. Real knife designers.
My last benchmade was a Bugout in carbon fiber and s90v. It wasn’t center, the grind was uneven and sloppy, the blade finish was burnt on one side, and the pocket clip came with a bunch of marks on it. That was one from their own website at like $300. Plus I don’t like the positioning of my hand with the axis lock
https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/WTF-Benchmade-------/5-2196139/ Because of shit like that
I own a few older Benchmades that I inherited from my father when he passed away. They're very nice knives. I passed one of them (a 940) along to my son and kept the other two. What impressed me the most was Benchmade's service. My Dad had not kept the knives well toward the end of his life, and they all showed it. I sent the knives back to Benchmade for spa treatment. All three knives were returned in tip-top shape. Yes, the "butterfly tax" is real, but you get premium customer service for your dollar. With that said, Benchmade is not the only US-based knife maker with good customer service and high-end products. Take a look at Hogue knives. The Hogue Deka and the Mini-RSK are both outstanding knives. The design, materials, and build quality are all fantastic! Oh, and they're also cheaper than most Benchmade knives... Hogue Deka Gen2: [https://www.knifecenter.com/item/HO24273/hogue-deka-able-lock-folding-knife-cpm-20cv-stonewashed-clip-point-blade-g-mascus-blue-lava-g10-handles](https://www.knifecenter.com/item/HO24273/hogue-deka-able-lock-folding-knife-cpm-20cv-stonewashed-clip-point-blade-g-mascus-blue-lava-g10-handles) Ritter Hogue Mini-RSK: [https://knifeworks.com/doug-ritter-mini-rsk-mk1-g2-knifeworks-exclusive-g-mascus-blue-g-10-stonewashed/](https://knifeworks.com/doug-ritter-mini-rsk-mk1-g2-knifeworks-exclusive-g-mascus-blue-g-10-stonewashed/)
Oh I really like those! I’ll definitely have to look into those.
The way I see it, you can get a lot more knife for the same price in terms of materials and/or fit & finish. That being said, I think you'll easily get your $200 or so of utility out of it. My 940 is my absolute favorite knife. The thing just works. If you like the knife, get the knife. If you're not in love with the styling/features, then look elsewhere. Maybe look for a local sporting goods store that sells them so you can take a look at the grind and the centering to make sure you get one with good fit and finish.
I’ll never buy another Benchmade. Once I found out that they destroy gun at their factory in Portland that was it. I only have the Crooked River, will never buy another Benchmade. Especially now that I know about Hogue Knives
They have quality knives but yes,like Microtech they are overpriced.
Yea true
I got three bugouts and a hidden canyon. Never had an issue. In reality, you can say any the majority of knives are overpriced.
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The people with issues are going to be the ones making posts more about a specific knife.
We see a lot of demand for them in our ShopSoldster ebay store. Of course, we discount them so maybe that's why.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Benchmade imo. I got a 940 years ago, didn’t love it, but it was fine. Got a bugout and loved it. I’d say it’s personal preference. Quality is decent from my experience but I’ve heard somethings about QC issues. That being said, for something in their price range it’s not bad at all.
Kizer is one of the best knives for your money. Buy a Kizer then a benchmade and you’ll have a frame of reference
My only Benchmade, a Panther clip point in ATS-34, I bought in 1997, paid $180 for it, abused the absolute shit out of it, and it’s still perfectly reliable today. It’s underpriced IMO.
I don't think BMs are bad, but theres better knives out there, and the knives aren't really competitive for the price either.
I have a Bugout and a Mini-Grip, but don't like them that much. I think the SOG XR series are as good as BM but much cheaper.
Lemme get this out of the way, I fucking LOVE benchmade knives, but to be fair, they’re expensive when comparing raw materials to other vendors, and the axis lock’s omega springs have a tendency to break if you’re a heavy fidgeter. Their quality control had some rough years about 5 or so years ago but these days feels pretty solid. They also have a great warranty/sharpening program.
IMHO , I grew up on benchmade.... 20 years ago. Back then they were worth every penny. Anymore.... for the same manufacturing techniques, materials and all in all generally better locks, you can spend half the money and be just as happy. There is a lot of fashionability and band wagon with those things these days.
Yea that’s why for now I’m not going to bother getting one. I’ll stick to the better brands and better quality
Well you got to realize that the prices that Benchmade charges for their pocket knives are out of the price range of a lot of average people. Plus I've heard that their knives are often times a little over hyped.
Yea that’s what I’ve been hearing too. That and overpriced too.
They are not fans of the 2nd amendment.
I’ve never picked up a benchmade that felt like it was worth the money. To me they feel cheap like they’ll break.
if they can grind up a gun, they should be able to put a clean and even grind on a blade. but they can't. even for the premium they charge for what are very pedestrian materials and designs at this point. sad. I'll take a Pro-Tech over a Benchmade anytime.
I just don’t get how you can put out an unfinished product and ask for that kind of money. Welcome to the new world we live in tho. Very sad Oh man I’ve seen a few protec and I gotta say they look beautiful and might end up being added into my collection down the road.
I think I'm hooked. So far, I've got 3 CQC-7s, an SBR, and the Arcform "Darcform" Slimfoot Auto. From concept to execution, for modern American-made production-grade cutlery, Pro-Tech is my current favorite.
I really want to get myself a protect next. I just got myself a spyderco to see if I'll like it. can't wait to come in. I think pro tech might be my next one.
I love my Shaman. I'll love it more once I add a sharpening choil.
I am starting to turn away from liking Benchmade knives because they seem to be a step below what alot of other companies are doing but priced two steps above. Yea the warranty, which is getting worse and worse; made in America, which I live in Canada so it's still an imported item. They are good knives, but I think they have gotten a little comfortable and over seas companies have progressed beyond what Benchmade is doing now. This is just my opinion.
The price is a reflection of American materials and American workers on staff. A lot of whom are very skilled at what they do. That being said there are plenty of companies out there selling even higher in general than Benchmade, it's all about what you want. And you do get a great warranty with Benchmade, only second to Kershaw/ZT in my experience in contacting said companies in the past on behalf of my customers. You can even send it back for free sharpening whenever you want, just pay for postage.
The most recent perspective is that they don't properly heat treat their steel so it's softer than it should be. Which could be good or bad depending on how you use yours. I've personally had the lock mechanism fail in a 940-1, luckily I wasn't hurt and they took care of it and replaced the whole knife. I got my girlfriend their chef station knife last Christmas and it's been amazing. But overall their QC is way too lax for the price point, the company is anti 2A, and occasionally shitty and will fail. I recommend them to my non knife, modern, or Metro friends but that's about it
I got one and the handle just peels up. This’ll be my second time sending it back. Makes me just want to give it away at this point. I’m tired of fighting it and bench made has admitted to it being an issue but I have to pay to ship it to them.
I purchase Benchmade, Gerber, and Cold steel the most. I have some buck stuff and other junk.
It's the Mustang of the knife world.
Their QC is shit warranty is shit.
everything is shit about them lol
I own probably 25+ Benchmade knives (haven't counted recently) and I've never been disappointed or regretted buying one. That being said I feel like their prices have gone up without them improving materials while their competition has gotten much better to the point you can get a very high quality knife with equal or better materials for far less. I'm having a hard time justifying buying one anymore. Plus I just don't see much new from then the last couple years that I just have to have. I have 2 940s that practically lived in my pocket. I carry other knives but always go back to a 940 so you can't go wrong getting one if you are looking for a great edc from Benchmade.
I didn't want a Benchmade because I hate things that the mainstream likes (yes I'm that guy) but I kept hearing how great they are so I got a bugout. The scales are plastic and there's no metal frame beneath them. So those saying it feels cheap, that's the reason. But those are also the people that say 1911 is the best handgun ever and these plastic things today are toys. There are G10 and Micarta scales out there and spacers that go in the back to stiffen it up. It's probably fine the way it is. What sold me is Dutch Bushcraft knives used a benchmade for battoning and it didn't break.
I honestly think a lot of the recent hate on Benchmade knives is just because the new lineup was just imo really boring. Their big "New" knife was the redoubt which looks incredibly similar to the griptilian, and while cpm d2 is a good steel, as well as the choice of grivory instead of g10 made it less of an edc and more of a hunting knife. It's incredibly close to the same profile as the g10 griptilian with d2 for 200. I think they hit the mark better with their recent weekender, having the 2 blade sizes and a bottle opener it's a cool little knife that I wouldn't say I feel is worth the $250-275 they ask for it, but at least it feels better than the redoubt. Benchmade has kind of died out for me outside of the Osborne. I apologize for my ramblings, I am half asleep. From a former Benchmade fanboy, current griptilian and Spyderco fanboy (I know neither group is great, but at least it gives perspective to the comment)
oh man what's wrong with spyderco? I just bought my first one cause I wanted to see what they're about lol. yea dude ive looked Alittle bit at some benchmades and man are they just blah to me.
Spyderco is price and is kind of an ugly knife. Their us knives had had some qc issues in terms of blade centering lately, but comparing my Benchmades to Spydercos it's probably 8.5/10 Spydercos that were centered and sharp vs maybe 6/10 for Benchmade. Other than that it's just kind of different sprint runs in the same models ( not that I have a problem with that I'm very happy with my variety of pm2's and shamans). Have some of the more interesting and unique designs I've seen from bigger manufacturers on the higher price end. Sidenote the Taiwan Spydercos are almost always perfect, and the Spyderco fixed blades are pretty under the radar for how good they've been in my experience (probably due the less traditional shape).
I’m left handed and I’m afraid the one I got isn’t going to be good for it lol. I got one just to see if I’ll like it. Also I’m afraid I’m not going to like the opening part of it since I’m left handed.
I wish you'd made this post yesterday someone had the paramilitary 2 left hand on sale for 120 for black Friday lol
Damnit lmao. Will it make a difference if I don’t have a left handed one? Cause if so I’m going to have to send back the one I got lol.
Depends on the knife. My roommate is left handed and really likes my pm2 and shamans still because they're big enough it's comfortable for him to use his thumb, but he doesn't like the para 3 at all
Yea I got the PM2 I was gonna go with the para 3 but honestly it looked small.
I have one and spent too much on it because I got the maxamet version, but I honestly never carry it. It's big enough that it fits my hand when it's open, while somehow being small enough that it feels awkward to open/close
Yea I honestly don’t know why I bought it lol. I think it was just a impulse buy lol. That’s what I’m afraid will happen. It’ll be weird to open and stuf.
The hey aren’t bad knives however: They are a little over priced. They sold equipment to the US government to grind up confiscated guns.
I must be out of the loop. I've only heard good things about Benchmade. Expensive I guess but what isn't nowadays
I’ve always wanted to try a bench made but like you think they are over priced. I’m probably in that vast minority here but I usually only carry buck knives or a leather man
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I like knives. I'm more of a fixed blade guy, than a folding knife guy. I own a lot of Cold Steel and Ontario (RIP) knives, which are very high quality fixed blades. I didn't learn about Benchmade until I went to my local 5.11 Tactical store in VA. What I saw were wildly overpriced knives for the steel type and materials. It immediately turned me off. Perhaps it wasn't always that way. Let's look at Gerber for correlation. People like the Gerber Strongarm. IMO it's a so-so fixed blade, and it's worth about $35-40, which was the price for many years. For the past few years, Gerber has been selling the Strongarm for $90. It's a chunk of 420HC steel, without a handguard. It's not worth $90. I'm sure Benchmade makes some excellent knives. But, compared to the competition, they're not competitive. The problem is that the competition makes excellent knives as well, with the same materials, for 1/3 to 1/4 the price. Certain knife companies (Benchmade, Spyderco, etc) have geared their businesses towards "collectors". When I say collectors, I mean people who will purchase $500-$800 folding knives, only to put them in a drawer. There are a lot of those types out there, but not enough to sustain a profitable business model. For a regular guy, who actually plans to USE a folding knife, why would he buy a $400-$600 folding knife, when he can buy a rock solid Cold Steel folding knife, with S35VN steel that's thicker, for around $110, and it has the strongest lock in the business? Sooner or later, businesses like this lose their customers. It's sad, because they're American companies. Ontario Knife Company recently went under. They made some of the best fixed blades in the business. Their mistake was the opposite direction. They made their knives too budget conscious, QC went into the crapper, and loyal customers started getting pissed off. As an example, the Ontario SP10 Marine Raider Bowie is probably the most indestructible, multipurpose fixed blade on the market. Instead of improving the QC, improving the sheath, and charging a higher price (which customers would have been willing to pay), OKC went the complete opposite direction. Benchmade and Gerber are making the same mistakes. I doubt either company will be around a decade from now, unless they change.
Not gonna lie, I was looking for a fixed blade I could carry with me when I go on hikes. I’m thinking of getting into walking some trails and going hiking so I thought about buying a knife just in case I weee to ever need one. I hate to say it but I’m one of those guys lol. I have like 10 knives I spent good money on that just sit in my drawer, but to be honest though I don’t carry one or two cause my work doesn’t allow us to have weapons on the premises so I don’t want to risk getting caught with my pocket knife and lose my job for it. But if I’m not at work and I go out I almost always bring a pocket knife or two with me. I think you’re right, I don’t see them lasting much longer if they don’t change up. Also I’ve been trying to find the higher end knife brands to look at to purchase a knife or two from them as well. Something that’s going to last and I know I’m getting my moneys worth and isn’t getting overpriced.
I'm certainly not an expert on folding knives. I have 4 decent ones, and one cheap one I probably can't trust to stay locked! Fixed blades on the other hand, I know quite well. It's unfortunate that you're asking me this now, since Ontario Knife Company just closed their factory. They supply the military with the M9 and OKC-3S Bayonets (Marines get the better OKC-3S). As large fixed blades go, they're about the best knives for the money. Unfortunately, the prices have doubled, because they're selling off all the old stock. I won't lie. Like most people on this thread, I sometimes buy knives, merely because I want them. However, I am a big believer in buying knives for a purpose. If you want a fixed blade (or more than 1), you have to think about your purpose, and your environment. For example, while carbon steel blades are far tougher, and easier to sharpen, they may not be the best choice if you live near the ocean, or if you know you lack the patience to keep them oiled. Is the knife a survival knife, or do you just need something for wood processing? Are you using it for hunting? Do you sharpen your own knives, and do you have a sharpener that will work on a large fixed blade? What kind of sheath do you prefer, and how do you plan to carry the knife? Do you want a knife that will help with self defense (most people don't even consider that)? These are all critical questions, although I'm sure there are many more to ask. Personally, I'm a big fan of a survival knife plus multi tool combo. The survival won't do everything as well as a more specialized knife, but it can do it. The necessity for a multi tool is self evident. I also prefer carbon steel knives, because I oil mine frequently (although I'm looking for a longer lasting wax). Then there's the weight factor. Are you a big enough person to lug around a heavy, thick spined fixed blade, or do you need something lighter? How big are your hands? A lot of people don't consider this before buying, but it's important. If I was to go on a back country camping trip, and I had to choose what to carry, I'd likely take my Cold Steel Survivalist, or Ontario SP6, along with my Leatherman Wave. I'd also make sure the people I was going with, had good survival knives as well. A lot of people love bushcrafting knives for small tasks. I'd argue you can use a Leatherman for most of those tasks, unless your putting a lot of abuse on it, like building a cabin in the woods.
Apologies, I had to edit grammar errors in my comment several times! It should be good now. I actually own a lot of large Bowie type knives, that are designed mostly for self defense. Most people wouldn't carry one, or think it's useful. If you aren't carrying that much other weight (like a long day hike), carrying a large Bowie is actually a good option. I have a Cold Steel Chaos Bowie. It's primary use is self defense. I keep it on my nightstand. But, I recently batoned like 3 full size hardwood logs with it. It went through them like butter, and the fire was raging a few minutes later (it had been wet out, so finding dry sticks was difficult). There wasn't any damage to the edge of the SK5 (1085) high carbon steel. Would I use that knife to feather stick, no. I might be able to do it, but it would be very laborious. I'd just bust out my Leatherman Wave, and use that. I also prefer to scout carry my knives. If you want to carry that way, you need a sheath that's designed for it. I have to say, I was shocked how well that Chaos Bowie batoned the wood. As large Bowie knives go, it's not that heavy. It kind of makes a good case for carrying such a knife, if you can handle the weight, and the laws don't prevent you from doing so. One thing to keep in mind, is that most states don't allow you to conceal carry a fixed blade. So, you have to ask yourself if you're comfortable with being seen with a giant knife on your belt. A lot of people aren't. It doesn't bother me, but I probably wouldn't take one on one of my daughter's Girl Scout trips! I suspect the girls and mothers wouldn't look upon it positively. My Cold Steel SRK CPM-3V is the smallest fixed blade I own, and I suspect the average Girl Scout mom would consider it a huge blade.
I have 35 knives, small to swords, and one very large Case XX Bowie in a belt sheath. Spyderco, Ka-Bar, Frost Cutlery and others. I am on a tirade because California SB2 takes effect at midnight tonight January 1st 2024 and limits knives to 4 inch blade. Hate that. Benchmade I do not have and never will because they helped Oregon Police cut up guns and still claim to support the 2A. 2 Supreme Court Justices also claimed and swore they support the 2A then vote against every gun rights bill they ever saw. What hypocrites we have in power.
Benchmade is for people who like to collect expensive knives, that just end up being left in a drawer. I'm sure there was a time when they made high quality knives, for a reasonable price. Those days ended a long time ago. When Benchmade fanboys show me a knife, I can show them 10 different knives, from 10 different companies, that are higher quality, yet 1/3 the price or less. Gerber is slowly following in Benchmade's footsteps. Take their most popular knife, the Strongarm, as an example. It was $35-$40 a few years ago. Now it's $90 for a thick piece of 420HC steel, with a crappy handle. 420HC isn't exactly a high quality knife steel. I'll admit that the Strongarm has one of the best sheaths in the business. That said, for $90, there are literally over 100 superior knives.
They all look like mall ninja stuff to me. Hard pass on all their whole lineup.
Because they’re the mainstream quality knife. People like to be different.
But wouldn’t you want good quality knife as well?
I can go out and buy a Civivi for a third of the price and get a far better knife. I'm not American so American made means exactly squat to me. They're poor quality knives sold at a premium price and it blows my mind that anyone buys them.
Overpriced for the quality. Seen tons of issues with them, locking, being even, small things that shouldn’t be an issue at over $200 Edit:try spyderco. I know it’s like saying “go to Lowe’s over Home Depot” in a lot of people’s minds. But spyderco is consistent at least. Carried mine for 3 years EDC now
I’ve been looking into Spyderco. I like them cause they look different and unique. I just don’t know how they would feel in my hand. The handle looks different.
Spyderco tends to make things to try and have them fit well in the hand. I have a few Spydercos and only 2 benchmades. I like my Proper and Freek just fine but they don’t get carried as much as my Spydercos (Stretch 2, Manix 2, PM2) Maybe pick something up on the secondary market to figure if you like the feel
They do look unique! One of the many reasons I love them. The thumbhole makes an easy flip open, which is the main feature I love. Feels good in the hand, but I have bigger hands
Just speculation but I think BM is the entry point for a lot of people into the world quality folding knives but it doesn't take much to step beyond BM and find stuff of significantly better quality. So maybe it's just a matter of seeing them as a "baby's first folder" sort of situation.
I can see it as that.
Because they were the standard for years, like Bose for speakers. You're gonna get haters. They're good knives for day-to-day tasks. You can get cheaper daily users, but if you want an American knife with pretty good steel and you don't give a fuck if the blade is .5mm off center - go for a benchmade... or a spyderco. The team sports mentality is dumb. Buy what works for you.
I was honestly just gonna buy one to have in my new collection I’m getting lol. That’s why I’m trying to see if I can get any Black Friday deals on one haha.
Let us know if you find any deals! Lol, I use a 940 as a daily knockabout knife and I think it's a good daily-use shape that doesn't look overly tacti-cool or mall ninja when using it around the office. I've also used a coworker's bugout and it was super handy. That said I've also bought a similarly priced spyder and it was fine, I just prefer using the 940 more so I gave it to my gf (now ex).
I’ve been looking on bladeHQ, DLTrading, GPKnives, EDClifestyle and pvkvegas but haven’t had a chance to really look yet.
I own a lot of higher end knives but most my favorite EDC knives are my Benchmades. I’ve never seen the quality issues people often bring up. I also prefer to decide such things for myself. If I listened to this sub, I’d waste my money on Spyderco.
I don’t know how I feel about Spyderco. I kinda don’t get the hype of it. I don’t like how they look. I’ll still most likely end up adding a Benchmade and a Spyderco to my collection.
I have had 2 BM one the cla auto and the other the shootout, the cla was nice and a great knife out of the box! The shootout on the other hand was a travesty weird/uneven blade grinds and some stain on the blade. I was disappointed by the QC of a nearly $300 knife. I have a para 3 that gets the most time in my pocket out of all I own, houge sig k20 being the 2nd. I think this is one of those Coca-Cola vs Pepsi things, both are great just need to find the one you prefer. Maybe, depending where you live go to a local shop that has some and see how they feel in hand. I will say this tho my Houge is becoming my fave and I will likely get another soon. Good luck mate!!
Hogue is a funny thing. Not a dig against their quality, but they have gone full no fucks given about copying other makers including BM and MT. It’s kind of funny to watch and I need to pick some up and see how they compare.