A couple of Benchmades

[American1776]

Just received a pair of Benchmade Strykers. They go well with my 539.

Anyone else a fan of Benchmade?

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Anyone else a fan of Benchmade?

Yes, of course. They make a LOT of nice knifes. The one I own at present is an Emerson-design "tanto"-blade auto. Not legal for carry around here, but a VERY solid, safe well-built knife. Worth owning just to say, "See, this is what a GOOD auto looks like."

 

[crazyphil]

I have a Benchmade Apparition. It is Benchmade's first "assisted"
opening knife. They call the mechanism the Optimiser. A Warren
Osborne design along with Mel Pardue. 3.4" blade of D2 steel. The
handle is G10, 4.4" closed. Weighs 4.5 oz. Shown here 3rd from left.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Congratulations to the OP. Been a BM fan for years, probably have 30+.

 

[eb07]

Axis lock only for me

 

[holo]

I. Have a mini ritter with Wilkins custom scales in my pocket my work knife is a 903 I love the axis lock 730 Ares is my camping knife

 

[Absalom]

.....
Anyone else a fan of Benchmade?

My Benchmade-fabricated Emerson CQC-7 has been through a lot with me. I got it back in the mid-1990s when Ernest Emerson briefly contracted with Benchmade to make these before he went into mass manufacturing himself. I've got an Emerson-made one too, and personally, I think the Benchmade version is better quality.

Here pictured with a Gerber 06 Auto which is fortunately legal here and which I carry in cold weather outdoor situations where I anticipate dexterity issues operating a manual knife.

 

[Marshwheeling]

One measure of their quality is that Pawn America gave a relative $80.00 for the $115.00 Mini Barrage he stole from me to buy drugs. Fortunately, I have another Mini Barrage as well as a Griptilian. They are both pretty expensive for me, but are considered entry-level in the world of upscale knives.

I love the Axis lock, preferring it by a huge margin over frame lock, liner lock or backlock knives. I keep reading that Benchmade's quality control and fit and finish are slipping, but I haven't tried to buy one recently, so wouldn't know.

I also read that they have gotten pretty expensive compared to what you can get from other makers, but that's not a sandbox I play in, so it doesn't affect me.

My Benchmades have proven to be excellent, durable knives.

 

[6518John]

Benchmade Torrent

Every day carry. Just pulled out of my pocket.

 

[eb07]

My EDC and the story that goes with it:

I bought my first Benchmade a 14200SBT in Early 2008. I became an axis lock fan boy and used it for everything and it became my daily carry.

I lost it October of 2008 in a desert wash on my 4 acre property when it came out of my pocket at night while we were having a party ( I had a huge fire pit in the yard and about 10 friends over).

I originally I though I lost it in the state trust land out in front of my house while quail hunting that evening before nightfall or maybe in the house itself. I had many whiskeys that night and my memory was foggy as was all the other attendees memories and a lot of speculation occurred as to where I might have lost it. It drove me nuts for two weeks.

I looked and looked finally giving up. Replacing it with a BM 530 and moving on.

There was a storm and flash floods went crazy one night in what they called a 20 year storm and and the wash on the property ran pretty deep... a couple of times. This happened September of 2009 over a year after I lost it:

I then bought another house an hour away in July of 2010 so I rented out that home to some close friends.

In August of 2010, 22 months after I lost it, I got a phone call from my friend stating they were walking the wash (above), saw a very small piece of metal sticking out (the pocket clip) and low and behold it was my lost Benchmade.

It was so caked with dirt and rocks it would not open. As you saw from above it was underwater. Not once but multiple times over the 22 months during the monsoons.

So I rinsed it off with soap and water, then tore it apart and cleaned it with steel wool and oiled it up and reassembled it. Put it on the sharpener and it was ready to go.

Some galvanic corrosion scars were all that's left of it's 22 month outdoor excursion. Thankfully I live in low humidity Arizona or it would have been a lot worse.

So here I am 8+ years later and going on the 6th anniversary of it's recovery and I just wanted to share it's story as I still carry and use it daily.



Then last year (2016) the omega springs started getting weak ( I assume due to the galvanic corrosion from being outdoors and hard use) so... off to Benchmade customer service.. 9 business days from when they received it until I got it back.

Replaced all internal parts, sharpened her up like a razor, and gave me a nice new low ride pocket clip I requested.

 

[garddogg56]

Love Benchmades.I have one of the first Strykers from 1998 she's still in my EDC ROTATIONS in ATS34 steel with titanium frame..One of my other Benchmades is my riding knife made for Harley.

 

[les.b]

I have about 5 or 6 benchmades, and this one is my favorite. I've had it over twenty years:



Edit: I just remembered that this one is called the "Mini Reflex". I see that it has went up in price over the years. Several retailers sell it for a discount, at about $182.00. Suggested retail is $215.00. When I got mine over twenty years ago, they were around $100, maybe a little less.

All of mine are auto openers except for one Balisong.

Wonderful knives, and they stand behind their product.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Texas Star]

Mine's a Model 710. Had it about 15 years. I wear it in a belt pouch.


Here lately, it's replaced my Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn, partly because it isn't as much like a dagger, legally, and doesn't read Combat Folder on the blade.


It 's also lighter and handier than my Puma Whitetail, a Buck Model 110 variant.


If I had more money, I'd own more Benchmades.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have a auto 5000 that I got in 2004. I carried it in Kosovo and in Afghanistan. It is still my EDC.

 

[JayCeeNC]

The Benchmade Stryker and several other knives and cutting tools are in the military supply chain.
I picked up a Stryker in Iraq in 2004 and carried it there and in Afghanistan. I still use it.
My every-day-carry is a Benchmade Torrent with partially serrated blade.

 

[rbrbrb6]

A good friends' cousin designs autos for Benchmade and was able to let his cousin buy two new autos at his price. My friend asked me which one I wanted since I already have several of their autos so we both decided on the new front open Pagan model. I have owned Micro-tech front openers before but this is my first from Benchmade. I have to say I t is a smoother action than the Micro-tech even though it is a large knife.

 

[rbrbrb6]

A good friends' cousin designs autos for Benchmade and was able to let his cousin buy two new autos at his price. My friend asked me which one I wanted since I already have several of their autos so we both decided on the new front open Pagan model. I have owned Micro-tech front openers before but this is my first from Benchmade. I have to say it is a smoother action than the Micro-tech even though it is a large knife.

 

[jdlii]

My EDC Benchmade with one of its companions.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Here's a quick list of models I have. Will try and add to it and post pics this weekend.

10505 DP (N690), 9050-701 AFO, 615 Blackwood Mini-Rukus, 615SBK Blackwoods Mini-Rukus, 740 Dejavoo, 201 Activator, 640 PE, 741 Onslaught, BM42, BM51, BM790 Subrosa, 610 Blackwood Rukus, 550 HG, BM62, 275BKSN Adamas, 760 LFTi, BM67, BM63, BM62, 710-3, 15050-2 Bone Collector, 162 Bushcrafter, 581 Barrage, 761 M390 Ti, 590BK Boost

 

[culito]

My EDC Benchmade with one of its companions.

I have two Benchmade Rukas and will be getting more. These knives feel great in your hand and pocket for a large knife.