Benchmade Mini-BArrage

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blackjackdan08

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Aug 22, 2009
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Question..anyone ever use and have a review for the BM mini barrage, also is the blade on this knife to thin and brittle..or is it a beefy blade..
 
The blade on the Mini Barrage makes a for a very good EDC knife. Its the perfect combination of not too thick to where it doesn't cut worth a darn and not too thin. It has a nice flat grind and its 154 cm which is a good tough steel that will hold an edge for quite a while. If you're ok with the Valox scales I say go for it. It also has a secondary lock which really adds a good measure of security. The knife is actually a little beast. I used one for a long time as my "small, beefy folder". The full length liners are very tough and the combination of the Axis lock and the secondary lock really complete the package. Also, if you want (like I did) you can take out the coil spring so its not assisted opening and it will function perfectly.
 
I picked up the LE version with the G-10 scales and think very highly of this knife. It's small enough to go anywhere with a strong and wide blade. In everything from chores in the kitchen to opening packaging over this last few months it has not shown any sign of dulling just yet.

Best part is it's just as fast as an auto and perfectly legal to carry here in N. Cali.

If you can find one with the G-10 it's a while lot more knife for just a little more money. :)
 
My buddy has this barrage, its used but only never has been re-sharpened...looks like in excellent condition..no signs on any wear on the blade, very little on the handle..he wants 55 bucks for the knife..so i am thinking about it..
 
I bought one at work when we closed them out awhile back. It's very well-built, a little bigger than a Mini-Griptilian, and seems like it would be a near-perfect EDC knife. 154CM, so it's a fairly good steel. Yes, the handle is a little strange, but you get used to it.

I've just grown to not like the AXIS-Assist. I like being able to flick my AXIS lock knives open/close. You can't do that thanks to the detent needed to keep the assisted open from going off unintentionally. A minor issue, but it's enough that I've just never really carried it, preferring my Mini-Grip when I want something around the same size with an AXIS lock.
 
the handle is a bit bulkier but less has less grip than a griptilian. The blades are fairly similar. I liked mine until i took it apart. Now its in a pile.

As for $55 for it, thats cheap.
 
blackjackdan08 said:
Question..anyone ever use and have a review for the BM mini barrage, also is the blade on this knife to thin and brittle..or is it a beefy blade..
Click to expand...

Here's a review that I did in November 2009. Since then, I have given the 585 to my girl friend, and I am using the Caly 3 for office EDC. The 585 blade is not thin and brittle.


1st Impressions: BM Mini Barrage 585 vs. Spyderco Caly 3

Just received a Caly 3 G10 today, and it’s my first Spyderco knife. Been carrying the BM 585 for several weeks, and I have three other BM knives, one folder, two fixed. First impressions:

Caly 3 is slightly lighter, thinner (flatter with or without the clip), has a low-ride clip, and it’s slightly wider, so, for me, it carries a bit better clipped to a pocket or loose in the pocket, which is the primary reason I bought it. I prefer the BM catalogue because it specifies the thickness of their knives, which is a key specification.

The Caly 3 handle not quite as hand filling as the 585 handle, but probably good enough for my intended purpose, low profile EDC, opening packages, preparing food. However, the choil for my index finger is very close to a very sharp blade. I really like the Caly 3 jimping though.

Published specs for length of both knives are correct. Both blades are roughly 3” and both handles are roughly 4”. The blade on the Caly 3 is about 1/10” longer and the cutting edge is about 1/10” shorter, so the blade length is a wash.

The observable machined surfaces of the Caly 3 are slightly better (smoother), giving the impression of a slightly better finished knife. The G10 scales of the Caly 3 also give the impression of slightly higher quality than the molded plastic scales on the 585, but I have no complaints about the 585 scales. At street price, the Caly 3 is a more expensive knife.

The Spyder hole seems to work as least as well as BM thumb studs, and the Caly 3 “deploys” about as well as a knife with an unassisted BM Axis lock. Out of the box, the Caly 3 mechanism seems to be a bit rougher than the BM 585, but it works well enough. I am comfortable with the Caly 3 back lock.

585 problems:

1. Delivered with a blade that was loose side to side. Adjusted the pivot screw twice, but it came loose within a day or two. Two emails to Benchmade asking whether to Locktite the pivot screw or return the knife have gone unanswered, leaving a very poor impression of BM customer service. If I keep this knife, I will probably Locktite the pivot screw. So far, the Caly 3 doesn’t have this problem and neither does my BM Mini Rukus.

For now, I’ve tightened the pivot screw and taped it down, and the pivot screw hasn’t come loose in a week. After tightening the pivot screw, I noticed a slight amount of vertical play in the blade that’s not present in the Mini Rukus.

2. Out of the box, the BM 585 was not very sharp, but good enough to open packages and slice apples, so I haven’t sharpened it yet. By comparison, the Mini Rukus was sharp, and the Caly 3 is VERY sharp. Of my two BM fixed knives, one was sharp (201), one wasn’t (Nim Cub II).

These are minor problems that can be fixed, and I can always phone Benchmade customer service if they don’t respond to email sent to BM Customer Service. However, it shouldn’t be necessary, and I will think twice before mail ordering another BM knife.

The assisted opening on the 585 works very well. However, I am not that enamored with assisted opening, and I have tightened the pivot screw, so that the blade opens with only slightly more enthusiasm than a standard Axis lock and the blade has no side-to-side play. The assisted opening blade still pops up like fresh toast, which makes me wonder whether it’s abusing the locking mechanism, so I tend to ease it open. The complexity and long-term reliability of the assisted opening mechanism and blade lock concerns me too, but it does seem to work well.

Concerns about the Caly 3:

1. Scales are riveted to the liners, so they can’t be removed for cleaning if the knife gets dunked in salt water.
2. I have heard that the Caly 3 pivot is a bushing-less design, so I am wondering whether this might become a problem down the road.

One balance, I think they are both good knives with similar uses. I plan to use both knives for a while and keep the one that works the best for me, and I will update this post if my impressions change. So far, the Caly 3 seems to be the likely keeper.
 
I had a mini barrage which I liked however I found it to be too thick for EDC. I carry in rear pocket beside my wallet. The mini grip is much thinner and easier to carry.
 
I have a minibarrage. it's comfortable to hold, good blade shape. The assisted opening is very fun to play with. I don't carry mine because it's very fat in the pocket. I like something thinner when i carry a knife with a pocket clip. It gets my thumbs up but i prefer to carry something else.
 
I like mine pretty well, but agree with the above posters that it's a bit thick and the smoother scales don't provide as much grip as others. Had I not gotten mine on closeout for just under $50, I'd have passed on it. The assisted opener is fun, though.
 
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