Benchmade 530 Pardue Design Problems

T

tatfiend

Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
417
Personal opinion so feel free to tell me I am full of it!

The BM530 Pardue has several design problems IMO that appear to derive from trying to make it about the thinnest Axis lock design possible. The thumb studs are too small and the mushroom heads narrow enough so that it wears on the thumb when opening repeatedly. Also the studs are a bit short in height and sit too close to the handle for easy engagement by the thumb. The concaved ends of the Axis Lock bar are also shorter and much less comfortable to grip when operating the axis lock than on other BM Axis lock knives.

I have ground away the handle next to the thumb stud on the side needed for right hand opening to give much better thumb stud access. The shape of the ground area is similar to the factory cutout on the scales of the 1000001 Volli and the 470 Emissary that allow easier access to the thumb studs. I am aware of the fact that the Pardue blade does open partly from full closed when the axis lock shaft is pulled to the rear, allowing easy flip opening the rest of the way, but I want all my axis lock knives to at least start opening with easy and comfortable operation of the thumb studs.

I do not have an easy solution to the uncomfortable to me concave heads on the axis lock operating shaft.
 
I agree with the shape of the axis lock. I really prefer the standard lock style. I've given some thought on just gluing something into the concave lock, not sure what though.

You can put a 960 axis bar into it if you dremel away the inside the scale just slightly, might not even have to do that on the regular 530 version but you do on the CF handled one. It works well, however this leaves you with no axis bar for your 960 now... I haven't figured out that problem yet.
 
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I'll just call you a Sally, I think the selling points are it being narrow... It's kinda like complaining that a road bike doesn't handle trails very well because it isn't constructed for it.
 
I like my 530 , the stud is a little uncomfortable, but if you just open the knife only when you need to it is fine. It may not be the best knife to repeatedly open , but it works fine for when I need to cut. The equal end handles kinda dig into my palm during certain hand grips, if the area near the lanyard hole was rounded off instead of being pointed it would be perfect for me. I still like it a lot for its slim light design, it is a great slicer.
 
I understand what you're saying but always figured these issues were sort of inherent in the overall design package. If you've modded them without losing the design advantages, we'd definitely love to see the result. :thumbup:
 
Skimo said:
I think the selling points are it being narrow... It's kinda like complaining that a road bike doesn't handle trails very well because it isn't constructed for it.
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Couldn't of said it better myself.. It's designed not to be a heavy duty user, for me, and this is what I would carry it for - a backup EDC (preferably stored in the waistband) and used for light work..

There are plenty of BM models that can take heavy abuse but this blade shouldn't be compared to those in any sense..

If the thumb-studs/axis lock are an issue just move on to another model that better fits your needs
 
FWIW my first BKC knife was the 530 and it got used a lot when I was in the trades. The smallish studs were not a problem and the scales were/are very sturdy. Good enough to slice a ton of painter's tape, open boxes, and score a bunch of sheetrock...It wasn't pretty in the end but never failed on me. My LE 1302 won't see the same abuse as the old one but has a permanent place in the collection.
 
my improvement suggestion are:
1st: a drop point blade ( no fan of spear point blades)
2nd: if the bump on the rear back handle would be removed, it would make my beloved 530 (my first benchmade too, jkarp) kuch more comfy to grip
3rd: please leave more room between handle and thumb lug ( i think it would even increase its ergos)
and last but not least: make it a bit bigger overall.

if this would become reality, this would be a killer 530 mk II.
But sadly benchmade dooes not refine their designs.
oh and also updlgrade it to m390 (god, i love that steel!). if so i'd be buying at least(!) 2 of them.

Der W.
 
Der W. said:
my improvement suggestion are:
1st: a drop point blade ( no fan of spear point blades)
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Interesting, that's my favorite part of the 530. I'm not too sure about a drop point on this model, might look a little weird with the handle.
 
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I wanted the 530 Pardue when I first looked into getting a BM. I got talked into getting a 710 first. A few years after I purchased the 710 I went and bought a 530, I just love the design. It's light, thin and small enough to fit in my pocket without getting in the way. Having said that, I don't carry mine. I like the design so much that I don't want to mess mine up, so my 710 stays in my pocket. I'm seriously considering getting another 530 to replace my 710 and then keep the other 530 pretty. I know I'm a little crazy for not wanting to mess up a "cheaper" BM over my 710, but I just can't help myself. I have no problems with the 530's design "drawbacks". Personally I think it is perfect.

Shaun
 
My 530 has become a favorite. The thumb studs as small as they are , work well for me and I can flip it open with no wrist help at all. Even pointing straight up. Opens like an assisted. Minimal pressure on the axis lock makes operation easy (for me). One hand operation is a cinch. It took awhile for me to get used to the thinness and light weight but it's all good. Chacon a son gout.
 
jkarp_53 said:
I'd like to see pics of your mod please.
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I don't have any pictures right now, I'd have to take both knives apart and switch the things around again. Basically this works because the 530 and 960 have exactly the same liners. I always knew the 960 liners belonged to a different knife. Why else would they be jimped yet they're completely enclosed by the scales. I realized they belonged to the 530 at some point. Anyway, the issue is the 960 lock bar is just slightly longer than the 530 lock bar. I forget what the measurements were, it's just a few thousandths, but it's enough that you can put a 960 bar in a 530 but not a 530 bar in the 960. The other issue, at least with the CF handled version is the regular axis lock bar, like the 960, has a wide flange under were the spring seats. The flange is wider than the part you put your fingers on. The 530 bar doesn't have a wider flange under the spring, it's just the same width as the axis slot. On the CF version, they obviously didn't clearance the inside of the scale for a wider flange like every single other benchmade knife. So basically you just have to dremel it away a little bit in the inside of the liner. Nothing that can be seen after you put the knife together.
 
From an ergonomics point I prefer the 940 that I just received. Only .050" thicker than the 530. IMO be ideal if the aluminum body/scales were replaced with CF or G-10 as the finish on the aluminum wears if uses as an EDC knife.
 
tatfiend said:
From an ergonomics point I prefer the 940 that I just received. Only .050" thicker than the 530. IMO be ideal if the aluminum body/scales were replaced with CF or G-10 as the finish on the aluminum wears if uses as an EDC knife.
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The 530 is more on par with the 960, which is even thinner than the 940 and has a slightly shorter blade. 960 is a beautiful everyday carry and basically the exact same size as the 530. It's .378 thick vs .370. If you like the 530 and the 940, you'll love the 960.

FYI, there have been several versions of the 940 in carbon fiber.

:)
 
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Of course the 960 is a discontinued model like the CF 940. Benchmade has too many configurations that have been limited production or discontinued after a relatively short time IMO.
 
Skimo said:
I'll just call you a Sally, I think the selling points are it being narrow... It's kinda like complaining that a road bike doesn't handle trails very well because it isn't constructed for it.
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I agree with skimo on this one totally.
he knife to me is a dress knife .......... not a work horse.
530LE002.jpg
 
I may be a "sally" but my original post was merely trying to point out that some relatively minor changes that Benchmade could easily do would improve the ergonomics of the 530 knife significantly IMO. Are we all supposed to consider BM so perfect that their designs cannot be improved upon? I was the QA rep on a manufacturing companys engineering change order approval board long enough to know that virtually all products can be improved if manufacturers want to do so.
 
djdawg said:
I agree with skimo on this one totally.
he knife to me is a dress knife .......... not a work horse.
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It's also useful as an ultralightweight backpacking knife if you don't need a massive chopper
 
virtually all products can be improved
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This is true ......... I personally dont like everything about any one knife. I can think of ways to improve every knife I have.
Any knife maker cant please all the people all the time.
If I dont like something I either change it , live with it or sell it.
This knife for me ............I wish it had a Titanium deep pocket carry clip :cool:
Even if I will not probably ever use it .......LOL
 
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