Benchmade factory edge- are they all this bad? And edge reprofile advice please

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venemous

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Apr 7, 2014
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So, I just checked the bevel angles on my new 585 mini Barrage. Got the bevel flat on my desk like I was going to sharpen it and used a level app on my phone. 19.5 degrees on one side and 33 degrees on the other. Is this normal for Benchmade? I would think for a $100 knife there would be better quality control of the factory grind. I can see the sides being off by a degree or 2, but 13.5? No wonder this thing can barely slice paper out of the box.

Needless to say, I'm going to reprofile the edge. Where do you guys like blades like this? It's fairly thick for its size, but it's a high flat grind. I was thinking I would do it at 15-17 dps, but would kind of like to see how crazy sharp I can get it, maybe 12-13 dps? The blade will likely only ever see light use (paper, food, occasional rope/cardboard around the house, etc). I don't mind having to strop/touch up the blade every couple days. Opinions?
 
PICTURES please.

I have never had a BM with those weird angles.
 
I don't know how accurate phone level apps are, especially when measuring what must be a very narrow edge bevel on the 33-degree side. I usually like edges 15 DPS, but on yours I would probably go for 20 DPS, concentrating on getting the bevels even.
 
Photos please as I haven't seen a BM off like this. And if this is indeed the case, you should send it in, rather than try and re-profile it.
 
I just got my first Benchmade last week - a Mini Griptilian. The factory edges were the sharpest I've ever seen on a new knife. It came out of the box shaving sharp. I stropped it some and clipped it in my pocket. I've been carrying it ever since.
 
uxo2 said:
PICTURES please.

I have never had a BM with those weird angles.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to get a decent picture. Between my phone camera and the insufficient lighting in my office it's proving tough to get a clear picture. It's pretty obvious near the tip that the edge angles are very different.
 
Also if you could, use the level on a knife whose edges you know are even... I'd be interested in the results to see how well this app works.
 
Had that happen with a 710. I currently have three BM 710 D2. All plain edge, one with the black blade coating. 2 of them were great out of the box. One however had the blade ground as described by you. Although I did not measure the angles, they were bad enough that I picked up the diamond rods for the Sharpmaker.
 
To my understanding, usually, most factory edges are going to be slightly uneven in angle to keep the bevel height itself pretty even, and to account for small inconsistencies in the differences of the grind on each side. A 100% even angle will generally result in a bevel width that is variable with the tip area sometimes being a bit longer. While I've seen angle variation on the few hundred Benchmades I have owned, I've personally never encountered anything near that extreme of an angle deviation. I'm not saying it didn't happen by any means, but I am noting that this is unusual to see on a Benchmade IMO.

Do you have an EdgePro or WickedEdge in which you can verify these angles? The usage of the 'Sharpie Test' with my EP is how I get a very, very accurate idea of the exact angle(s) and I think it would give you an accurate assessment of the angle (and would help determine the best course of action from here).

Is the 585 the one in 154CM or M390 steel? If M390, it's a great candidate for a very thin edge, IMO. My M390 Benchmades at about 15 degrees per side cut like a scalpel, but have exceptional edge strength and resist deformation with even moderately harder usage unlike most other steels I have on other folders. Most of my 154CM Benchmades stay in the ballpark of 20 degrees a side, give or take a little. Some people take the edges lower, but I personally find that to be my sweet spot between cutting performance and edge longevity on most of my 154 BMs.

I don't think 154CM at 12 degrees a side would do very well, and I think cardboard's abrasiveness and hitting a cutting board when cutting through food would deform the edge at a speed that would get annoying pretty fast, but I could be completely wrong as I'm by no means an expert on sharpening.
 
Ok, went home at lunch and set up my edge pro clone. Using a sharpie I matched the stone to the angles on both sides at the mid point of the blade. Got 23.8 degrees and 30.5 degrees. Not quite as far off as my first attempt said, but still a heck of a difference. To test the calibration of my setup I tried a knife with a known edge angle that had been sharpened on my buddies worksharp @ 20 degrees. That read 19 on 1 side and 20.7 on the other so I believe the app (and the sensor in my phone) to be accurate enough.

I was also able to determine that the angle markings on my particular edge pro clone are 5 to 8 degrees more obtuse than the claimed angles. Good to know.

I tried again to take pictures, but for the life of me I can't get it in focus enough to see the bevels worth a damn. Here's the best one I got, can see the difference at the tip. It's most obvious there, but with the knife in hand I see it along the entirety of the edge.
 
venemous said:
I was also able to determine that the angle markings on my particular edge pro clone are 5 to 8 degrees more obtuse than the claimed angles. Good to know.
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The true angle of sharpening on a clamped system is going to vary based on the position of the knife, thickness of the blade and width of the blade. The angle markings should only be used as a reference.
 
I purchased a 940-1 yesterday from a local store and was very satisfied by the quality of the edge. It shaves and slices phone-book paper with ease. The grind is even.

Excellent fit and finish. It's unfortunate you did not have such luck, =/.
 
I've purchased about 5 new BM's this year from reputable dealers. None have had bad edges. They have all had great edges and have been hair shaving sharp.
 
every benchmade i've owned and i own at least a dozen or so had 58+ degree inclusive angles. never that far off from each other, but always in need of a reprofile to turn back into a cutting tool....

not based on a scientific study but benchmade rates the worst factory edges of dozens of brands and lot of knives that i own...consistently.
 
An angle cbe is a really useful tool to have for determining angles.
 
jbmonkey said:
every benchmade i've owned and i own at least a dozen or so had 58+ degree inclusive angles. never that far off from each other, but always in need of a reprofile to turn back into a cutting tool....

not based on a scientific study but benchmade rates the worst factory edges of dozens of brands and lot of knives that i own...consistently.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say "worst" as that entirely depends on application but they are generally thick and/or steep!

Having the edges at two different angles shouldn't be causing it to not cut, though. As an extreme, look at a chisel grind or asymmetrical bevel setup- when done right they still cut great.

Easy day- fix it or send it back in.
 
Several of my Benchmades have come with uneven bevels, most often it's down the length of the blade not from one side to the other. All of the ones I own have come only reasonably sharp with steep bevels that look like they were done on a slab of concrete. The factory edge Benchmades ship with are absolutely awful compared to their direct competition, and even when compared to much cheaper knives! I love the Axis lock but however they are putting edges on needs to be seriously reworked.
 
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