benchmade 940 vs bugout

benchmade 535 bugout or benchmade 940 osborne?

  • Total voters
    78
  • Poll closed .
I own several 940 variants, with the 20CV & S90V versions earning most pocket time. I purchased the Bugout 535GRY-1 out of curiosity, but after one week of daily carry, sold it and never looked back.

My reasons?
  1. At 1.85 oz., the Bugout is so damn light I kept checking/patting my pocket to make sure I didn’t lose it! A positive that turned out to be a negative for me personally. The 2.44 oz. to 2.90 oz. weight of the 940 variants suit me perfectly.
  2. The Bugout’s blade is extremely thin when compared to the 940. (0.090” Bugout / 0.115” 940) As a slicer, the Bugout is fine, but IMHO, a daily carry knife should be able to handle all kinds of tasks from cutting to prying, and the ever most important, to shotgun that beer! I was seriously concerned the Bugout blade tip might snap when removing cardboard box staples with the 535, never mind punching a hole in a beer can. Ha!

But seriously, for small tasks, I blieve the Bugout is fine. It just didn’t feel like a solid knife to me, so off it went. Just my 2 cents.

The Knifeworks 940-1501 is the perfect balance for me. Between the 20CV slicer, 940 ergonomics and awesomeness of the reverse tanto blade, it’s my main go-to.
 
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BenchMEDAL said:
never mind punching a hole in a beer can. Ha!
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Worried about a beer can? You must keep your knives in the little protective sack it comes with.

I stabbed mine about 20 times through a big aluminum coffee/soup can which is WAY thicker than a beer can. For fun. No issue. Didn't even dull it.

People are worried about nothing over the bugout. Multiple hard use tests have been done. I've pried paint cans open, I've jammed it behind baseboard to pry the base off the wall I don't know HOW many times. It's a part time screwdriver. It's still solid.

I have two bugouts (one coated 535 with rogue scales and one stock) also rock the 940 as a work knife, I don't baby them like everyone here and on youtube (lol at the knife channels) and they're still rocking.
 
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Mikehunt said:
Worried about a beer can? You must keep your knives in the little protective sack it comes with.
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Ha, ummm nope. I just didn’t have the same confidence in the Bugout that I do with every one of my 940s Mikehunt. I want whatever knife I carry to handle the tasks that I throw at it, and not even think about it. Since I had worries with the Bugout, off it went. Again, this is merely MHO.
 
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I bought a Bugout first, put some Rockscale Design scales on it. It's GREAT. A few weeks ago I got a 940 as well, and swapped out the clip for a Bugout deep carry clip. It's also great, and it's smaller in person than it looked in photos to me.

  • The Bugout's thinner blade is a better slicer.
  • The 940's thicker blade is stouter and better for harder tasks.
  • I like the full backspacer on the 940 - in some of my shorts the way the knives sit my keys will find my way between the scales of knives without backspacers (like the bugout) and get into the cutting edge, which isn't great for the edge obviously.

Yesterday I carried my Bugout. Today I have my 940. I like both. If I could have just one, I'd go with the Bugout w/the aftermarket scales.

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Get them both. I bought the Bugout first then wanted to see what all the hype was about concerning the 940 so I bought one of those.

The bugout seems to be useful for everyday work stuff and making lunch, spreading cream cheese on a bagel etc. The 940 works for breaking down boxes and the tougher stuff.
 
You can’t go wrong with either. Find a local store that carries both and go handle them both and see what feels better. For me I can tell if I’ll like a knife in the first 3 seconds of handling it
 
rexromic said:
940 is so much better knife,probably the best Benchmade ever!
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You might be right but the Bugout is giving it a run for the money.

I used to think the 940 was a horrible knife. I hated it. Then I got my hands on a gold class version. What a great knife!
Ends up my problem was the aluminum scales. I think a G10 version would work well for me.
 
BMCGear said:
I've owned both. I like both. I would lean towards the 535GRY if I didn't have one. You can upgrade the scales and still be in the ballpark of a 940 (slightly more expensive) but the blade shape of the Bugout slices so well.

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The Bugout with the Flytanium scales is 3.15oz, heavier than the original 940.

Owning both, I honestly don’t see how anyone arrives at the conclusion the Bugout is on the 940’s level. It’s a better a slicer and slightly lighter but that lightness comes with a couple huge penalties. The stock Bugout is a structurally fragile knife. In my book the 940/940-2/940-1 is just better. A lot better, that is unless your EDC routine consists primarily of slicing apples.
 
mr2blue said:
I like both, but I would want replacement scales for the Bugout, which takes the cost to over $200: Then if I compare the the 940-1 Carbon Fiber with S90V at under 3 oz. I start to lean toward the 940
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The 940-1 is 2.4 oz, the original aluminum scale 940 is 2.9. The 940-1 is far better than a scaled Bugout, IMO.
 
I suggest you find a used 940 for as cheap as you can, and then grab a Kabar Dozier for 18-20 dollars as well. The Dozier is so good and so inexpensive it may make you wonder why you have the 940.
 
<quote>Ends up my problem was the aluminum scales. I think a G10 version would work well for me.</quote>

Ditto. I had one too. Liked it a lot. Didn't want to mess the aluminium scales though so let it go. Now, with G10/Micarta/Carbon Fibre scales ... I'd have it again :)

Not had a bugout (yet) but it is on my to-buy list (with all the rest). I'd probably take it with aftermarket scales though (if possible).

Never had any issues with the benchmades I have (AFCK, 701, 705, 42) ... only wish I'd had the good sense to pick up the lockbar version of the afck after I got the linerlock version. (oh well). live and learn.

Joe.
 
I have a few variations of the 940, and dozens of knives. I live in Alaska and carry the 940s knife almost 100% of the time while I'm working on my property. However, I am considering the bugout or future mini bugout variances as an in town/EDC .

I will watch to see what BenchMade offers in the future.
 
I own both, and have carried both. Right now the 940 is in the safe and the Bugout was just in my pocket.Does that answer your question? Haha

Really though, I feel that with G10 scales the Bugout would be tough to beat. But the 940 is forever a classic. Just buy both.
 
I have dozens of the highest quality user pocket knives on the market. What gets the most pocket time is the Small CR Inkosi with Insingo blade and Rockstead Hizen. But the BM 940 and 940-1 has no peer when it comes to ergonomic, quality, and ambidextrous ease of use. The 940 with Ti blue screws, pivot, and split arrow upgrades is perfect. The Bugout is far behind the alternatives such as a host of Spyderco knives such as the Para 3, Sage 5, and even the UK Pen Knife with S110V.

The 940 design by Warren Osbourne was engineered to be used everyday on a horse ranch in a rural setting. It’s strong enough to meet hard cutting tasks and with a strong sharp tip for piercing. The Bugout is more of an urban EDC, also made by Benchmade, with the same outstanding lifetime warranty. If I had one, I would upgrade the handle slabs.

The 940 and Bugout knives are just not in the same category.
 
Who dug this one up?
The choices have changed so much; that a new thread would make sense...
 
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Bob Denman said:
Who dug this one up?
The choices have changed so much; that a new thread would make sense...
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GOOD POINT!!!!! (update to 2022 choices...) That's exactly where I am at with this: I'm trying to decide between the Osborne 940-1 (carbon fiber scales / S90V steel) at 2.4 oz (69g) at REI currently for two-ninety funny-money buckaroos or the Bugout 535-3 also with CF scales and S90V steel, at 2.0 oz (57g) also at REI coming in at two-eighty fake smackers (I have lots of REI dividend bucks just staring me in the face daring me to buy something stupid). I have LOTS of EDCs and to me (most of the time) an EDC is just a handy pocket fidget tool with the added benefit of taking care of business if needed. Neither has under a 3" blade so neither should be considered urban carry (I have a Spyderco Urban G10 Damasteel for that!). I'm leaning towards the 940-1 because nothing else in my EDC rotation is like that knife whereas the 535-3 seems kind of generic. So that tells me that yes, a Camry is more practical than a Tundra but a Tundra can be way more useful (and fun?). Bottom line, which one gets the girl. Actually I think I answered my own question here, it's going to be the 940-1, if I want practical then I have a Buck 112 slim that will work, it's USA made, urban (mostly) legal and if I lose it or break it I'm only out thirty dineros (however thirty 'real' dineros as opposed to three-hundred fake ones). Hmmmm, I am an idiot.
 
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