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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Mini Bugout
- Thread starter Brules1
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,697
Why not? BM hasn't done either scale yet on the full size Bugouts.
Also, you can dye the white scales to any color you please.
I'm sure they'll be tons more options down the road.
Also, you can dye the white scales to any color you please.
I'm sure they'll be tons more options down the road.
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,697
Myself included, I'll be picking up an orange Mini as soon as the first production run is gone.
I was a bit surprised by the colourways too (thought they'd do the classic satin/blue scales). I have a feeling (fingers crossed) they'll release new colourways down the road as they have with the regular Bugout. I'm not a fan of the orange (carried an orange Ritter for too long and want something different currently) and while I can dye the white scales I'd rather a satin blade if I pick one up. I don't think it will be long before brands are releasing aftermarket scales for them so I'm just biding my time for now.
As I say I'm over orange right now you go and post that!
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,697
Is this a first production run?? If not, where did you get it?
In all likelihood there is going to be a roaring trade in aftermarket scales. As such I’m not that fussed about the colour of the scales as I will swap them out for carbon fibre .... those orange thumb studs and standoffs however are something that bothers me more than the scales. Not being in the US, replacement thumb studs take months to get here. I’m not even sure I could get plain standoffs from Benchmade.
This! If you buy aftermarket scales you could likely buy a back spacer from the same vendor but the thumbstud may be harder part to sort out. If you buy aftermarket by the time you replace the scales, stand offs and thumb studs you've doubled the price of the knife. Gotta pay to play though!
stevejams
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 436
Although this has nothing to do with the discussion of scale colors, I would just like to state that I can’t believe they made a mini bugout. I’m not complaining, and by all means this is awesome, but I really find it very interesting that there is such a demand for “mini” versions of knives. In my opinion, most common folders are not so large that I would think “man, I wish this would be produced in a smaller size.” The folks at benchmade (or any knife company) must love the fact that they can produce a very average sized knife and then produce the same exact knife in a slightly smaller scale and still make the same money. Just my 2 cents, but again, no complaints. I will be ordering a mini bugout very soon, as well as other mini versions of knives. Damn knives taking all my money and stuff....
Although this has nothing to do with the discussion of scale colors, I would just like to state that I can’t believe they made a mini bugout. I’m not complaining, and by all means this is awesome, but I really find it very interesting that there is such a demand for “mini” versions of knives. In my opinion, most common folders are not so large that I would think “man, I wish this would be produced in a smaller size.” The folks at benchmade (or any knife company) must love the fact that they can produce a very average sized knife and then produce the same exact knife in a slightly smaller scale and still make the same money. Just my 2 cents, but again, no complaints. I will be ordering a mini bugout very soon, as well as other mini versions of knives. Damn knives taking all my money and stuff....
Though I can't say for sure, I'd caution to guess that blade length laws impact the decision to make the minis. Personally, I just like them. After carrying Mini Grips for years my Bugout feels big (not too big, just bigish) and had I known they'd release a Mini Bugout less than 2 months later I'd probably have waited. Guess BM just made another sale from me as well!
stevejams
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 436
that’s actually a great point, I never thought about that. I just think the whole concept is interesting. Also, you never know what the “right” size is until you feel it in the hand. I have a mini loco and feel that it’s perfectly fitted, without ever even handling a full sized version
Although this has nothing to do with the discussion of scale colors, I would just like to state that I can’t believe they made a mini bugout. I’m not complaining, and by all means this is awesome, but I really find it very interesting that there is such a demand for “mini” versions of knives. In my opinion, most common folders are not so large that I would think “man, I wish this would be produced in a smaller size.” The folks at benchmade (or any knife company) must love the fact that they can produce a very average sized knife and then produce the same exact knife in a slightly smaller scale and still make the same money. Just my 2 cents, but again, no complaints. I will be ordering a mini bugout very soon, as well as other mini versions of knives. Damn knives taking all my money and stuff....
I got one in just today and I love it.
As to your question, I could go into detail but I think a quick Google search on the dragonfly 2 would give you 101 reasons in favor of small knives, despite the enormously populair (and well deserved so) delica 4 being offered for about the same price.
I actually only own the df2 and while this argument doesn't work for small folders in general, there is definitely a demand for small folders that actually perform way above their similarly sized competitors. I can think of only a few more folders like this, unlike folders like a.. Let's say kershaw leek, which is definitely not a bad knife but it's clearly designed for specific tasks and level of use.
We already know the bugout actually performs excellent in a wide variety of tasks, now imagine that in the size of a dragonfly 2, sacrificing only the better ergos on the df2 but gaining benchmade s30v (which I think is one of the better treated s30v out there) over vg10, encased in the same (titanium I assume still?) liners and operated via the axis lock.
Sure the price is a bit higher on the mini bugout but in its spot in the market the price is easily justified for the above mentioned benefits.
Plus, the thing is cute as a button haha. Oh also, just like my le s90v pardue and I believe the fact it came surprisingly perfect out of the box. I'm half surprised, even grinds at 17 degrees I'm eyeballing, centering is perfect. Like not even that 'near perfect but if you look closely it leans a wee wee bit to the..' - stuff, it's actually deadcenter. I expected the pivot being dialed up to the point of stiffness due to that, but it actually. Drops. Shut. No blade play either.
I'm not even joking, I just checked whether it actually does or if I unconsciously used a wrist motion before but nope. This is by far the best benchmade I got out of the factory, not counting the fact which also came absolutely perfect, but considering the small light blade on the mini bugout I'm more impressed with the mini.
My 943 had great centering, perfect grinds, meh action. 940 centering great, action great, atrocious grinds.
Both bugouts came with okayish centering, slightly uneven grinds and getting those to drop shut without play took some tweaking, and one is still a hair off center but nowhere near what it was haha.
My lighting here is horrible but I could see if I can get a picture with it, a bugout and a 940 variant in this thread later on.
Im actually very surprised at this thing because I bought it because of simple curiosity, but in hand it immediately clicked why benchmade decided on making a mini variant. The well balanced all-around use design of the bugout leans itself extremely well to a smaller design compared to having it be sturdy but bad at slicing which id imagine a mini 940 to be, or the opposite like a leek which while precise due to its Wharncliffe design but ultimately frail for anything else, let's say.
If anything, in my book only the chapperal lightweight beats it when considering all factors, but I can think of myself carrying this sooner because its a damn fun little fidget thing too.
Chris, I must sound like I'm being paid by benchmade by now.
Don't blame me me if you're version varies from what I'm saying here. I think they send out the best one they had already to me haha.
I think the biggest factor in whether it's for you is dependant on the size of your hands.
Edit:
Alright alright, so benchmade offered me a bonus few bucks if I included some pictures so here is some more advertising:
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2017
- Messages
- 286
Black is fine, with an uncoated blade. An uncoated blade on the normal sized CF-Elite Bugout would also be great!
That would imply the choice in scale material was based on a preferred choice of color instead of practicality which I'm sure isn't the case! Perhaps I'm interpreting this wrong? I'm sure people wouldn't mind a black mini bugout in cf elite.
I'm actually fine with grivory on the mini while I disliked it on the regular bugout. Due to the smaller size I can't flex it unless I probably really clamp down, unlike the bugout scales.