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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
3550 vs mini infidel?
- Thread starter ndaholic
- Start date
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- May 25, 2006
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- 3,982
I've owned both and prefer the Pardue 3550. It's much simpler in design and fit my hand better. The Mini Infi was a nice looking knife and fun to play with, but the 3550 was the design that won me over...and another that I regret selling...but where I used to live I couldn't carry it legally. So for me in form and function it's the Pardue 3550.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2001
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- 5,442
BTW - for those that want a larger knife, here's the original Pardue custom version that the 3550 was based on. This is a beautiful knife.
Wow, very nice!
I like that.
Those handles look like they have a very good grip.
Cypress
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2009
- Messages
- 1,742
I owned both, but still have the 3550. It's a classic Benchmade auto, and way more robust than it looks. Mine has been with me for over a decade and been in the ocean for days, on top of snow-capped mountains, and abused beyond reasonable limits. I even had to have it rebladed at one point because I sharpened so much blade material away. 154CM is my second favorite steel by Benchmade (S90V wins), and can take a SCARY edge, especially in the geometry offered by the 3550.
The Mini-Infidel was fun to play with, but scared the average person when deployed. Also, I never once thought "Man, I sure am glad this thing has a double-edged chisel grind." The MI requires cleaning on an almost monthly basis if you carry/use it every day, and that's no peach. The six (!) sear springs are TINY and require being pre-loading during assembly. The knife is definitely something to have in a collection, but for actual use, it has no place in my pocket. If you are set on an OTF knife, the Microtech Ultratech is the better option.
The Mini-Infidel was fun to play with, but scared the average person when deployed. Also, I never once thought "Man, I sure am glad this thing has a double-edged chisel grind." The MI requires cleaning on an almost monthly basis if you carry/use it every day, and that's no peach. The six (!) sear springs are TINY and require being pre-loading during assembly. The knife is definitely something to have in a collection, but for actual use, it has no place in my pocket. If you are set on an OTF knife, the Microtech Ultratech is the better option.
I owned both, but still have the 3550. It's a classic Benchmade auto, and way more robust than it looks. Mine has been with me for over a decade and been in the ocean for days, on top of snow-capped mountains, and abused beyond reasonable limits. I even had to have it rebladed at one point because I sharpened so much blade material away. 154CM is my second favorite steel by Benchmade (S90V wins), and can take a SCARY edge, especially in the geometry offered by the 3550.
The Mini-Infidel was fun to play with, but scared the average person when deployed. Also, I never once thought "Man, I sure am glad this thing has a double-edged chisel grind." The MI requires cleaning on an almost monthly basis if you carry/use it every day, and that's no peach. The six (!) sear springs are TINY and require being pre-loading during assembly. The knife is definitely something to have in a collection, but for actual use, it has no place in my pocket. If you are set on an OTF knife, the Microtech Ultratech is the better option.
Well I purchased the mini with the BK blade for $255. I am eventually getting the 3550 too just because I think it's great. With guns and knives my philosophy is you can never have to many. Thanks for the advice and help guys! BTW, why do you say the Microtech is better? Just curious?
Cypress
Gold Member
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- Jun 22, 2009
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- 1,742
It's a stronger mechanism that isn't as bothered by pocket lint or dirt. You also have many more blade and steel options on the Microtechs. I had a CTS-204P single edge and it was infinitely more useful as a cutting tool than the Mini Infidel (my opinion).
Sharp (no pun intended ha ha) looking knife. I like the Benchmade lifesharp program, does Microtech have something similar? Good warranty? What is the model number of the one in that picture? Cost? I can't spend more than I did on the Infidel. I've always bought Benchmade so I'm not familiar at all with Micro. Thanks!