I went to check out the _________ in person and was surprised I was SO UNDERWHELMED..

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Dabakr

Joined
Mar 7, 2013
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I thought i shouldn't post this on the forum where it really should go because I am not really into trashing on a brand-especially one that is enjoyed-by I am sure-many on this forum as well.

However-In my quest to own 2-3 higher quality edc's and narrowing it down to Spyderco and Benchmade I found where BM were in the mini-Grips and the Barrage nitrous assist. So-before I spent my $75 t0 $120 (retail) budget I thought I should know as much as possible and I found a local store (REI) that stocks and carries BM, along with Gerber, crkt. So-After waiting a while I finally got the guy to amble on over. And finially take some interets too. Like, duh...the Barrage needs be opened carrfuly if your a neophyte and otherwise you can roll right ahead with those seedy cowboy dank stall maneauvers in the night. The [locked' ]glass fiber handle-sorry to say to all you men that have con to regard then as lovoi at fist site. But NOT MOI!!! No siree. and I handled in orde
1-mini-grip red

2-mini grip black

3-barrage.


I didn't like ANY. They all felt WAY too chintzy for $90.00- $120. That said i should admit right out I am not a fan of the grf-fiber handles. Not a big fan of 'super-light' either as I like to feel a little weight behind my slice. I was REALLY surprised at how light the barrage was. And while the blade was top quality and the fif&fin were excellent-the 'big selling feature'---the axis-lock was totally underwhelming in my opinion. Did it work perfectly? Yes it did so no complaints there. The sales guy in the store was nice but had to admit about mid-sale he was out of his league with the features/lock mech. assist vs.non-assist. I think i got interested on his OWN behalf and starte to pay attention to the knowledge I brought form the past 4-5 days here as well as countless youtube vids.

In the end-I suppose I an just chalk it up to my having bought the Ambtious and Persistence as my first 2 intro's to spyderco with my eye now on the Y2 or a Sage3 or Manix2. Like them ALL for different reasons. What I am now ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of is I am definitely NOT spending my first +100 on a BM as I was only impressed with blade and NOT build quality. To be sure I guess I should handle a BM g-10 but the spydercos out there from y2 to superleaf are seductive. Any thoughts from owners of both or only Sydy fans
 
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You need to use them to really appreciate them. It's like a Sebenza. Initial impression is "that's it?" but as you use it more you'll truly understand. It's a weird feeling. This is definitely true for my first Sebenza and my Spyderco Brad Southard Flipper. Taking them out of the box, they were just knives, but when I started to use them that's when I understood why they're worth so much money. Every time I use my Southard, I smile a little because how well it performs.

I loved my first Benchmade. It's what started this "expensive" knife addiction. I got a HK Scorch first and fell in love with it. Out of the box, it out performed my Leek and my Flash without effort. It came out of the box stupid sharp. I used it to do some minor whittling and paper cutting and it did everything I asked it to do. This was only a N680 steel. Then I dropped $200 on an Auto-Bedlam, and I fell in love again. It was one of the most beautiful and ergonomic knife that I've ever had at that point. I have a few more Benchmades now and I traded/gifted away most of my other ones. With Benchmades, you have to use them if you really want to understand the cost. It's just like what I said about a Sebenza or a Southard flipper. I love the minigrip, in terms of Benchmade knives they're the best bang for the buck. Sure the handle isn't impressive, but hell it's a working man's knife not a gentleman's folder so it doesn't need to be pretty.
 
I think you need to read the sticky thread at the top of this page titled "Questionable tag lines and shiny footprints". If you war to complain about another manufacturer, do it in their forum.
 
Benchmades are fantastic knives, no doubt. I've owned many over the last couple years but I ended up selling every single one. While the fit and finish and overall quality is there, none of them ever felt just right to me.

Whereas I can pick up my Persian or Khukuri and it just feels right. That feel in hand and during use is a big factor me when choosing knives and I never found it with any BM.
 
I wouldn't consider any of those knives indicative of Benchmade's general build or design quality.

Take a look at a 710 or similar, then decide if you like the company or not.
 
This isn't Spyderco specific so I'm moving this to the General forum.
 
You shouldn't base whether you like a companies knives after handling only two models.
I'm sure many companies would have two models you don't like.
You may not like Spderco's FRN models either.
Sound like you need to stick with a G-10 model. Spyderco, Benchmade, and several others companies have these.
 
I'm the exact opposite. I thought the Griptillian's handles felt a little cheap, but the ergos were spot on, so I am willing to overlook any chintzyness. The thing that really annoys me about the Noryl GTX (I think thats what Grips and BM530s are made from) is the mold marks on the ends of the grips. I also found that I appreciate the Griptillian a bit more after getting a 530. Lightweight no longer equals cheap for me.

Delicas and Enduras looks and feels really cheap though. Don't get me wrong, I like alot of Spyderco's designs, but the Endura and Delica feel like $15 walmart knives to me. I've fondled a Delica a couple of times, but I can't justify paying $50 for it.
 
I own both the mini-Barrage as well as a full-sized M4 Grip and to this day don't really enjoy holding them. The FRN handles just turn me right off. The 940 on the other hand I can't seem to put down for very long. When I can put some $$ aside I'm going to get some nice scales to replace the stock Griptilian ones otherwise I may never truly enjoy the Grip. Not sure what to do about the mini-Barrage since it's a limited run blue scale version but I guess I'll hold onto it for now.

I have to admit that I own a lot more Spydercos due to much better feel in-hand...
 
Get an Adamas or Contego if you want some weight with your knife. I can sympathize with your impression, as cheap feeling handles are one accusation that's frequently leveled at some Benchmades, the Grip in particular. However, Benchmade has a solid reputation for a reason. They make a wide variety of good quality blades. No one is going to insist that you spend your money with them, but I would hesitate to write them off without more experience than what you've currently had.
 
Reading only the edited first post (no idea what was originally said), it seems pretty straight forward and not really critical of BM.

The OP didn't care for the Grips because they felt "chintzy". That comment has been made by lots of folks. I've got a Grip, I can understand the reaction, I just don't happen to have the same reaction. Heck the Grip has pretty much become a modern classic and well worth what they are sold for.

He was "underwhelmed" by the axis lock. It worked fine and did it's job, so possibly he was expecting something more or different. I could take some issue with the axis lock, but basically it is a darn good lock allowing for very easy (too easy?) opening and closing, but maybe not suitable for everyone or every situation.

Lastly he liked Spyderco better. Well, there certainly ain't nuttin wrong with that! I love Spyderco and have become a bit of Spydie addict.

I moved from BM to Spyderco several years ago for totally different reasons than the OP and have been quite happy about the decision.
 
I can relate.
However, I have had more Spydie disappointment upon inspection. I have moved away from them over time. And this is all down to personal preference.
Once I got my hands on some nice B.M.'s 710, 520 etc. I knew they were for me.
Cheers
 
Flame suit on. :D

I felt that way about the Busse Batac. I had been eyeballing it for months on the net and finally was able to get one in my hands at Blade West. I made my way to the booth and picked one up. What a BRICK! It just felt all wrong. The ratmandu and HRLM felt like scalpels next to it. Other people love them. Meh! ;)
 
I think you get your money's worth w/ either manufacturer. To me it's not "which is a better knife" or "which is a better value", it's "which do I prefer."

I prefer BMs.
 
I prefer Spyderco over BM.
However, BM makes some GREAT knives.
I'm not big on the noryl handles either though.
To me they feel cheaper than the FRN Spyderco uses.
It's just too thick and boxy and hollow for me.

However,
Check out some BM models with better materials - Like their Aluminum(940, 943, 470) or G-10 models(275, 950, 810). They will likely feel much better than the other models. I'm a sucker for Titanium, so check some of those out as well.
Spyderco for me is preferred because of the ergos, designs, and what you get for your money.
Take the Sage 3 for example - This is something you would see any other brand charge $150+ for because of materials, lock, and the flawless fit and finish. But it's $100.

Out of the ones you mentioned.. I would get them all lol.
The Sage 3 is light but it does have a little weight to it.
The other two are heavier.

Get which one appeals to you most.
But don't give up on BM all together. Pick up one of the other models(or at least handle one) and see if you like them.
You may not be a BM guy, but you may have just been checking out the wrong models for you.
 
I wasn't a fan of Benchmade on paper. Once I got a few they are my favorite knife maker. You have to factor warranty into the equation with high quality companies like BKC, Spyderco and KAI.

I didn't care much for the Spyderco R Nishijin. Doesn't mean it's not a fine knife. Just didn't do it for me. ;)
 
You can state what you think without being insulting. As a Spyderco fan, the model that underwhelmed me most was the paramilitary. In one word: small. I own several military's.
 
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