Benchmade Replacing Blades

Thanks guys. Not sure what I'm going to do. I have a huge nick in the blade and I really don't have the tools to fix it.

Do you think blade replacement costs would be about the same as purchasing the equipment needed to fix it? I don't remember how much they were now, but a while back I purchased the SharpMaker Diamond Rods to fix a blade that was messed up beyond what the medium stones could really manage. I figured just buying the rods would take care of it then and if it ever happened again. I now use an EP, but was able to fix some pretty bad chips on a S30 knife with the SM diamonds. My only complaint was that they wear fast, so I only used them for heavy work that would wear the medium rods to a point making the more aggressive cutting diamonds a more economical and practical option. They cut aggressively on even higher wear steels like S30, so I imagine they would cut even more aggressively on 440.

Even with the larger chips, I've been most successful sharpening on the same angles/same pressure as if there was not a chip, but just extending the duration of sharpening longer until the chip itself has been sharpened out. I'm not sure how many methods there are to it, but that's been successful for me personally. Not sure what size the damage you're dealing with tho...I imagine if the chip is too large that my method would simply remove too much metal :(
 
Do you think blade replacement costs would be about the same as purchasing the equipment needed to fix it? I don't remember how much they were now, but a while back I purchased the SharpMaker Diamond Rods to fix a blade that was messed up beyond what the medium stones could really manage. I figured just buying the rods would take care of it then and if it ever happened again.
The diamond SM rods are twice the cost of a blade replacement.

My only complaint was that they wear fast, so I only used them for heavy work that would wear the medium rods to a point making the more aggressive cutting diamonds a more economical and practical option. They cut aggressively on even higher wear steels like S30, so I imagine they would cut even more aggressively on 440.
Light pressure is required with the diamond rods. Using firm pressure will dislodge the diamonds from the nickel backing they are embedded in.

Even with the larger chips, I've been most successful sharpening on the same angles/same pressure as if there was not a chip, but just extending the duration of sharpening longer until the chip itself has been sharpened out. I'm not sure how many methods there are to it, but that's been successful for me personally. Not sure what size the damage you're dealing with tho...I imagine if the chip is too large that my method would simply remove too much metal :(
The Sharpmaker really isn't made for reprofiling, just maintaining and touching up. Even with the diamond rods, I had a bugger of a time trying to reprofile s30v. It might be due to the thickness of the fixed blade I was working on, but it was not a pleasant experience.
 
The diamond SM rods are twice the cost of a blade replacement.


Light pressure is required with the diamond rods. Using firm pressure will dislodge the diamonds from the nickel backing they are embedded in.


The Sharpmaker really isn't made for reprofiling, just maintaining and touching up. Even with the diamond rods, I had a bugger of a time trying to reprofile s30v. It might be due to the thickness of the fixed blade I was working on, but it was not a pleasant experience.

Yikes to the price! It's been years since I got them and I guess I either forgot the price or they went up. I've always used light pressure but they've worn nonetheless over the years (I think my use of them on ceramics may have increased wear.) I'd much rather use my EP to reprofile today (especially since the newer 120 SC stones came out) and agree it's a pain with a SharpMaker. But at that point in time I couldn't afford an EP so it was really what I had to work with and while it took quite a while, I think it ultimately came out pretty good for my limited sharpening technique. No idea how useful that is/isn't for others as my own skill is limited and I'm sure there are probably better tools and more advanced technique.
 
agree it's a pain with a SharpMaker. But at that point in time I couldn't afford an EP so it was really what I had to work with
Same here. Reprofiling my fixed blade s30v is what convinced me to start saving for an Edge Pro! I got lucky because someone gave me their Apex when they upgraded to the Professional.
 
Same here. Reprofiling my fixed blade s30v is what convinced me to start saving for an Edge Pro! I got lucky because someone gave me their Apex when they upgraded to the Professional.

You ARE lucky! I must have spent 6 months looking for a used EP, but there were so few of them and as soon as they listed they sold! Looking back now I don't think I could go back to just a SharpMaker given it amazes me how much quicker and effective the EP is. (I'm really glad I never did anything with ZDP-189 until after I got the EP. If I had to reprofile that on a SharpMaker, I would probably have to pick a day to take off of work, order a pizza, and perform the same two movements so many times that I would start making the sharpening movements in my sleep!)
 
do customized BMs still get the lifesharp service . I was told its still covered under warranty nothing was done to the blade and the lock wasn't disassembled
 
The cost of a replacement Bustcrafter #162 blade? What does BM do with the damaged and tested knife blades?
 
do customized BMs still get the lifesharp service . I was told its still covered under warranty nothing was done to the blade and the lock wasn't disassembled


Spoke to Mica from Benchmade...Yes they will....Its Life sharp...
Not warrenty work
 
From this



to this.


Here it is.

I am a satisfied customer.

Thank you Benchmade

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Thought I would give this a bump...

So happy with what Benchmade did
 
I love Benchmade for this purpose.
You can also pay a little extra for an upgraded blade steel, (griptilian). I think 154CM is perfectly fine. If it's coated, it's pretty damn corrosion resistant too.
They've got 154CM, N680, S30V, and D2
 
I love Benchmade for this purpose.
You can also pay a little extra for an upgraded blade steel, (griptilian). I think 154CM is perfectly fine. If it's coated, it's pretty damn corrosion resistant too.
They've got 154CM, N680, S30V, and D2

Have BKC let you "upgraded" recently? Or are you referring to custom knife site that has 2 different blade steel to chose from?

Last time I checked, they don't do it in blade replacement request unless said steel is unavailable (M2, ATS34).
 
I love Benchmade for this purpose.
You can also pay a little extra for an upgraded blade steel, (griptilian). I think 154CM is perfectly fine. If it's coated, it's pretty damn corrosion resistant too.
They've got 154CM, N680, S30V, and D2

No, you can't. You can custom order a new one with a better steel, but you can't send in your regular Griptilian and get an upgraded steel.
 
No, you can't. You can custom order a new one with a better steel, but you can't send in your regular Griptilian and get an upgraded steel.

Thanks, LB for the confirmation.

But, having said that, wouldn't that be nice to swap blade for your Full/Mini Griptilian, and Barrage 580/583/585? Say for satin finish, $35 to 154cm, $45 for D2, $55 for S30V? 8)

Ultimately, I want to pay $55 for my Rift to swap to M390 blade :p


MFL
 
Thanks, LB for the confirmation.

But, having said that, wouldn't that be nice to swap blade for your Full/Mini Griptilian, and Barrage 580/583/585? Say for satin finish, $35 to 154cm, $45 for D2, $55 for S30V? 8)

Ultimately, I want to pay $55 for my Rift to swap to M390 blade :p


MFL
Wouldn't that be nice! Heck at this point, I think I'd be happy if they just upgraded the standard steel to Elmax... Then offer a Limited/Exclusive in M390!
 
I love Benchmade for this purpose.
You can also pay a little extra for an upgraded blade steel, (griptilian). I think 154CM is perfectly fine. If it's coated, it's pretty damn corrosion resistant too.
They've got 154CM, N680, S30V, and D2

If you have a Grip in the initial 440C, Benchmade will offer the upgrade (for a fee) to 154CM if the user so wants it or the knife requires it. They do not do this with the other steels. One of the reasons is because there are certain dealer exclusives using certain steels in which keeping that exclusive to the vendor is a priority (and fair). One example is the Cabella's D2 Grip. They are usually OK with allowing one to change from satin to coated or vice-versa, but certain finishes like Stonewashed which is exclusive to the Ritter Griptilian, are not offered. (Recently the customizing feature for the Grips allows the user to make customized models in a variety of steels, but again blade replacements will usually be correlated with the initial steel offered, if it is still available.)

Likewise, if you have a 710 in ATS-34 or 154CM and have the blade replaced, it will likely be D2 versus M390 or CPM-M4 (which are only replaced if the initial knife was one of those steels). I'm not sure what they are currently doing with M2HS blades right now for the knives they no longer have them in.

Benchmade's 440C is great steel, but their 154CM is a nice upgrade. IMO going from a 440C blade to a 154CM blade has more pronounced performance gains than going from 154CM to S30V or D2.
 
If you have a Grip in the initial 440C, Benchmade will offer the upgrade (for a fee) to 154CM if the user so wants it or the knife requires it. They do not do this with the other steels. One of the reasons is because there are certain dealer exclusives using certain steels in which keeping that exclusive to the vendor is a priority (and fair).
There is no fee for the "upgrade." It is just the cost of the blade swap. The reason they do it is because the standard steel for the Griptilian is 154CM. Standard steel gets swapped for standard steel. If the standard steel is upgraded at some point, then when you swap blades, you'll get the then-current standard steel. Sending in a 440C Grip for a blade swap and asking for a 440C blade in return will get you... a 154CM blade. No "fee" for an upgrade. It's just the standard cost of a blade swap.

Example: My beloved Rift in 154CM. If I swap blades now, it will get 154CM. If they come out with a limited run in M390, my Rift will get swapped to... 154CM. If they give the Rift the customize options like the Grip and Barrages, swapping blades will get me a 154CM blade. If Benchmade upgrades the standard steel to s30v and I swap blades, my 154CM Rift will become a s30v Rift.

This isn't hard to figure out. Just call them and they'll explain it.
 
There is no fee for the "upgrade." It is just the cost of the blade swap. The reason they do it is because the standard steel for the Griptilian is 154CM. Standard steel gets swapped for standard steel. If the standard steel is upgraded at some point, then when you swap blades, you'll get the then-current standard steel. Sending in a 440C Grip for a blade swap and asking for a 440C blade in return will get you... a 154CM blade. No "fee" for an upgrade. It's just the standard cost of a blade swap.

Example: My beloved Rift in 154CM. If I swap blades now, it will get 154CM. If they come out with a limited run in M390, my Rift will get swapped to... 154CM. If they give the Rift the customize options like the Grip and Barrages, swapping blades will get me a 154CM blade. If Benchmade upgrades the standard steel to s30v and I swap blades, my 154CM Rift will become a s30v Rift.

This isn't hard to figure out. Just call them and they'll explain it.

You are reiterating what I just said...I may not have worded my thoughts orderly and I apologize if that is the case.

The "cost of the blade swap" is the fee I was referring to. Benchmade does not replace blades for free regardless of changes in steel. Replacing a 440C blade with a 154CM blade and replacing a 154CM blade with a 154CM blade is the same price, but there is a "blade replacement fee" for this unless something unusual happened warranting the replacement for free under warranty (rare). Last I checked this fee was $25 for satin and $35 for coated, with the large majority of their knives.

And the switching of blade replacements correlating exactly with upgrades in standard steel is not immediate as you are saying. If the standard steel of the Rift gets upgraded to S30V and you send it in for a blade replacement, it may be a 154CM blade until that stock is exhausted, which can sometimes take a while and why my post did not reflect exact steels with certainly (example: M2 710 HSSR blades were in stock for replacement for something like 3-4 years after production ended).

If a knife is about to have a blade replaced in that transitional stage, the owner should verify the steel with Benchmade if it matters. As the 440C Grips stopped years ago, it's almost certain all of their supply of 440C blades are exhausted although I cannot speak to this with 100% certainty as I am not Benchmade.

And as I previously noted in my last post and in your post, they do not do this with other steels on the Grip as Benchmade does not upgrade base knives with base steels in situations other than the above-mentioned change of the base steel on the knife.
 
This thread has brought me hope of saving a favorite knife.

I was a fool and used it for everything at work.
Cutting cardboard...Straps..Plastic and kevlar

Lesson learned..
Use a Box knife with replaceable blades for cardboard and shipping straps.

It left this morning back to Benchmade for a new blade.
This time Satin and plain edge.
When it returns. A standard EDC it will be.
Cutting food ,opening a letter, cutting the tape on a box or if needed a selfdefense tool.





Let my shame be a learning lesson for you.
and yes..This is what happens when you wear out serrations.

Ill post pics of it when it comes back.
looks like you used your knife correctly lol
 
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