? About the DLT Exclusive BM Grip

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Mrgauth

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Mar 12, 2016
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Okay, have always wanted a Grip but the cheap feel of the regular always kept me away. Then the DLT model drops with m390 and CF and that thing is really calling my name. But, I have a question I must have an answer to before I can consider it. Blade play. I have handled a few of the cheap ones in stores and just about all of them with a lose enough pivot to flick open had side to side play.

Don't suppose anyone has bought one of these and can testify to this or not?

The cost is up there but not out of line for knives with these materials but I cannot spend $230+ and have something like blade play. Maybe that side to side is normal for these and should not be worried about but I have a mental block when it comes to pocket knives and blade play. Once a knife of mine gets it it is delegated to the junk pile.

Anyone got one of these?
 
There's a few folks that have posted about theirs in the Benchmade specific forum. When you buy it, place a note to check for blade play and the like. DLT will check for you before they send it out. Potential problem avoided.
 
Man, don't expect a good centering or no blade play.

I have 5 Grips, all have play and are uncentered to varying degrees

My 3 minis are all horribly uncentered with two touching the scales

My Adamas has perfect centering and no play

My Contego has crap centering and blade play when flickable

My two 707s have play

My two 586 Barrages are perfect

I have like thirty Benchmades by this point and the centering/bladeplay gamble is a total crap shoot. Don't buy BM's for perfect fit.

You buy them for the fun and fantastic lock, the excellent finish, excellent heat treat, and legendary warranty support. Those mofos will back you up.

I'd say buy the knife because m390 and carbon fiber are awesome and the Grip is an incredible knife, regardless of its tendency to have poor centering and, in my opinion, a noticable but acceptable amount of side to side play
 
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I've never had an issue but I always ask to check for blade play and make sure the blade's centered in the notes.
 
I have one of the DLT exclusives and it is freakin' sweet.

It has no blade play and is perfectly centered. And it arrived that way!
 
You shouldn't have a blade play issue with the CF scales and steel liners. The regular grips are more prone to side play due to the FRN handles. Just ask the folks at DLT to check it. They are solid dealers, and will do it for you.
 
Most of the examples I have examined in the shop have had solid centering and little to no blade play. I am happy to check over anyone's order if they leave a request in the order comments. Our shipping department is good about getting inspection request knives over to one of us to be checked out before shipping.
 
I have two Grippies, CM154 (hate the steel:poop:) and a Cabella's in D2. You can easily adjust the pivot; both are as perfectly centered as my eye can tell. As for the feel of the grips, while that's a matter of individual preference, they're actually made from an extremely tough composite and well-suited to the application IMHO: light, corrosion-proof as anything you'll find, inexpensive to manufacture, very close tolerances.
 
Don't forget they also have the 20CV/G10 models that are a bit less pricey (full size around $180, and mini around $165). M390 and 20CV are Very close in composition, so much so that many folks consider 204p/M390/20cv to be akin to one another aside from manufacturing methods and company.
All are "Particulate" distribution formed, similar to the CPM process, but since each method is proprietary, each foundry had to come up with their own process.
 
Most Benchmade models with the axis lock have a little bit of play, usually just a little side to side, infrequently a tiny bit of up and down, but I have never seen one with enough play to be remotely unsafe.

That said, most quick opening knives I have had as a whole have a little side to side play, unless they use bearings. The line between smooth, almost frictionless opening and inducing play is very fine. I've also seen very few locks that employ a bar style lock that you pull to release (think Axis, plunge, etc) that don't have a little vertical play, even when the lock is rock solid (no wiggle or even risk of slippage). Both kind of seem to be the nature of the beast coupled with imperfect tolerances for affordability. The knives are in no way bad, they are just different due to design. I love my Axis lock knives.
 
Jordan@DLT said:
Most of the examples I have examined in the shop have had solid centering and little to no blade play. I am happy to check over anyone's order if they leave a request in the order comments. Our shipping department is good about getting inspection request knives over to one of us to be checked out before shipping.
Click to expand...

DLT is excellent when it comes to inspecting what walks out of their door. I always have them look over ANY production knife that I buy (not just Benchmade). I have the Knifeworks Exclusive Grip (I'm not a CF fan when it comes to scales, or I would've went with their version) and it is flawless. Benchmade stands behind their product and DLT is as reputable as they come; buy with confidence!
 
I've had several Grips in both sizes over the years. All were excellent as far as centering and lock up except one. I sent it in for Lifesharp service and it came back just as nice as my other Grips.
 
Every benchmade I own came with a bit of blade play. Every single one is good now. Part of it...get a benchmade... tighten a bit and loctite. And that's that
 
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