940 Custom Shop?

BenchMEDAL

BenchMEDAL

Joined
Mar 17, 2018
Messages
587
Questions for Benchmade:

  1. Why are there so few variations of the 940 available?
  2. Why have other models been made available in the “custom shop” but not the 940?
  3. Why hasn’t Benchmade introduced “limited” runs of unique blade steels with varying scale materials/colors for the 940 similar to what Spyderco does with their PM2? (Only S30V or 940V? Only green/purple aluminum, black G10 or carbon fiber?) Yes, I realize there are the REI & Shinola variants.

With all of the online articles touting the 940 as “one of the best” EDCs on the market, why are there so few options for this wonderful knife?

Spyderco’s PM2 is compared to the 940 quite often as another contender as “the best” EDC. They’ve created numerous under $200. variations to feed the need with total success (below is a photo of just a few). That said, why has Benchmade not done the same?

B0F30EA6-4BF0-4FB6-B367-7CCE56ABC8DA.jpeg

I’m curious to hear how others feel about the idea.

(I will now step off my soapbox.)
 
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I really want to try a 943. But I need a bright colored handle (I work in the woods). So here I wait...
 
BenchMEDAL said:
Questions for Benchmade:

  1. Why are there so few variations of the 940 available?
  2. Why have other models been made available in the “custom shop” but not the 940?
  3. Why hasn’t Benchmade introduced “limited” runs of unique blade steels with varying scale materials/colors for the 940 similar to what Spyderco does with their PM2? (Only S30V or 940V? Only green/purple aluminum, black G10 or carbon fiber?) Yes, I realize there are the REI & Shinola variants.

With all of the online articles touting the 940 as “one of the best” EDCs on the market, why are there so few options for this wonderful knife?

Spyderco’s PM2 is compared to the 940 quite often as another contender as “the best” EDC. They’ve created numerous under $200. variations to feed the need with total success (below is a photo of just a few). That said, why has Benchmade not done the same?

View attachment 1035250

I’m curious to hear how others feel about the idea.

(I will now step off my soapbox.)
Click to expand...

There are actually quite a few 940 versions that have been made.

940 aluminum handles in green, red,
black (943) some older ones in 154 cm and newer in s30v.

940 g10s in black (s30v) and black and blue 20cv

All kinds of cf 940s: 940-1 with s90v, the cf one with the red inlay (going gear exclusive), cf cabellas exclusive with wood bolster, smokey mountain knifeworks red 940 cf scales and red thumbstuds.

There’s probably more I can’t think of. This is probably why they don’t put it in custom shop, so they can keep making dealer exclusives.
 
There are 90+ different models/ variations of the 940 series. With about 7-8 somewhat available/ current production. I think custom shop would be fun, I could also see how it could take away from the exclusives/limited runs.
 
While I don’t mind disassembling a knife to clean or install new or custom parts, not everyone is willing to do so to customize their 940.

I’d like to see a custom shop where buyers could choose something similar to this:

Blade Steel: D2, S30V, M4, 20CV/M390

Finish/Coatings: Uncoated, Black DLC, Cerakote, Chromium Nitride

Handle Material: G10, Glass-filled Nylon, Micarta (*with a few colors to choose from, black, olive, orange, tan for each) and Titanium.

Back Spacers: Offer different colors: Grey, Black, Red, Orange, etc.

Thumb Stud: Offer thumb stud colors to compliment back spacers. (An up-charge of course).

Screws: Satin or Black

Clips: Offer the usual clips including the smaller Bugout clip.
*(Add the availability to coat clips with the above-mentioned finishes.)


** Add the following possible exceptions, or something similar:
  • Reserve S90V steel for the 940-1 model.
  • Reserve “carbon fiber & aluminum” scales for the current 940 models and exclusives.
 
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Codswallop said:
There are 90+ different models/ variations of the 940 series. With about 7-8 somewhat available/ current production. I think custom shop would be fun, I could also see how it could take away from the exclusives/limited runs.
Click to expand...

I’ve seen the occasional old-skool 940 with 154CM steel, the elusive red-aluminum scale 940, and of course the extremely limited gold-class damascus model, but I didn’t realize there were 90+ variants of the 940.

I am familiar with the 7-8 currently available models ranging in price from lowest $170. for the production 940-2 to highest $323.*ouch! for the SMKW exclusive 940DLC-1802.

IMHO, a palatable price range for a custom shop 940 is $170. to $230. Then perhaps Benchmade could keep the “exclusive deals” for higher-end 940s.
 
I would buy a couple for sure. I know it comes up from time to time and there's been a few teases here and there, but think there might be something to the hesitation due to eating into exclusive-run sales thing. That's one of the only things I could think of that would cause this to not already be there. I have to believe the 940 series outsells the Barrage & Crooked River series by quite a lot (but I could be wrong)... maybe not the Griptilian (?) but that's probably mostly attributed to its overall substantially more affordability status. I realize that sales alone are not the driving factor for the inclusion to the customizer club (probably?) but still am lacking to think of a better reason that the 940 wouldn't already be there, other than eating into contracts for specialized builds with other dealers.

OR... maybe it's the full size / mini combination currently exhibited in the custom shop and they're developing the 945 (or whatever they'd call it) to bring it to market simultaneously!? I think the first reason probably more likely, but hey... I'd have at least one of each on order if this were true.
 
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Just saw that too. The milling on the custom shop TI scales looks super cool. Spendy, but cool!
 
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