Talk me into a 940

G

Gurdygurds

Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Messages
521
So only recently have I become aware of the benchmade 940. Was never interested in anything other than mini grips. I see one video on a 940, which leads to numerous reviews, including a handful of long term reviews and all of the sudden I find myself strangely attracted to them. The look, the size, the blade shape, everything is attractive to me. I've been shopping for a sheepsfoot mini grip, but now I'm wondering if I change direction and go for a 940. Can you kind people help a brother out with your knowledge and experience, and take me into, or OUT OF getting a 940??
 
Just buy one, you won’t know if it’s as great as you think until you try it. It’s a great and functional knife. If your a knife addict you just need to get what draws your attention.
 
Love it ... Great handle to knife ratio... Had the green then got the dash 1. Sold the green ... Edc the 940-1
 
Keep em’ coming people! I’d definitely go green if I got one. The funky color combo is part of the allure. Never have I considered a knife like this. What the hell is happening?!
 
Super light for a suit pocket / dress knife . . . at least the carbon fiber handled one is.
It's pretty small for that kind of use as well (not too small) for the handle length it has about as much blade as can be fit in the handle.
The axis lock is fun and the pivot in mine swings really free; never any hesitation or binding . . . I can't say that for all my Benchmades.

The 940 is certainly not my Grail but for most folks I think it is a real winner and it has a good stout tip if you need that kind of thing to get out of a jamb.
Over all I really like the blade shape.
It's a good friendly knife that you won't leave at home because it is too large or too heavy.
I am super glad I bought mine. I'm happy with the price I paid.

Here you go; here is another thread for thought and a photo of mine with some of my other most carried knives at this link>>>>>
 
There are some knives that I love so much they are keepers for life worth modifying, heirloom class. My 940–1501 is a edc keeper worth modifying to my definition of Grail. It has been said already, but is worth repeating, it's handle to blade length ratio is excellent. It was my lightest weight pocket knife until I got a Bugout, and hangs in all my shirt pockets just fine. I do wish it had a thinner, or hollow grind to make it a better slice, but big Chris or Josh can do that for me (along with eliminating the thumb studs in favor of a fuller hole). When showing my 940 to the kids and the grandkids I told them it was a 21st century take on the traditional pocket knife dating back to the last century. The steel upgrade is why I got the –1501. Had it not been available, I would have gotten a 940–2, but there's no accounting for taste right :).
 
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I have a 940 and 943 I never carry. The Bugout pretty much ruined the mini grip, 940 series, and 484 for me.

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I had one but traded it away years ago, and thought about how much I missed it on occasion. Well, my wife surprised me with a 940 for Xmas, and now I realize why I missed it. There’s just something about it that’s hard to explain...elolegant, lightweight, yet sturdy and very useful.
 
Out of. Several months ago (like you) I developed an irresistible attraction to the 940, so I ordered one with the green aluminum scales. When I got it, I was crushed. The scales had a feeling that was the tactile equivalent of nails being drawn across a chalkboard and far more importantly, the blade was so radically off-center that it was about one human hair-width short of being in direct contact with the presentation side scale. Great BM QC! I sent that dog straight back to the vendor, bought another brand and I’ve been happy with the replacement ever since.

I know us customers can play at centering the BM blades and that BM puts out instructions on how we should go about doing that, but I think that’s BS. Making sure the blade is centered is BM’s responsibility and not mine. I’m the customer, I’m paying damn good $$ for the knife (which some call “the butterfly tax”) and the knife is supposed to be delivered to me with the blade already centered. I’m not doing unpaid volunteer work to do what should have been done by the BM factory employees in the first place. That was my first, last and only attempt at owning a 940.
 
The 940 was released if I recall correctly in the late 90s think about that for a second this knife still hits on top ten lists and top knives to own lists for close to 20 years!
So why is that? Its just a great all around knife that hit all the right notes and did it before a lot of other companies so it has a history. Sure I believe all companies now have something to compare to the 940 and for some they might like those better. The axis lock is hard to beat in my opinion and sets it ahead of the rest because of it.
Now the knife itself is one of those that bridges the gap in a lot of ways, for those that prefer larger knives like the length of it and how it performs like a large knife but then love how it feels in pocket. For those of us that prefer the small knives it again disappears in pocket and carries similar to a small knife but again has large knife performance. I have bought and sold off the 940 several times and I miss it when I don't have one to put into rotation and inevitably buy it again. So I would say just buy one have a bit of history in your pocket and enjoy it.
 
Can't talk you into it, as it has never appealed to me... I'd be far more likely to purchase a 943.
 
Had one. Got DOAT scales & blue Ti screw kit for it. Changed pocket clip. Gave it my spa treatment. Kept it for years. Carried it a few times. Fun to deploy. Damn thing always looked like it would just snap in two. Sold it. Do not miss it. I'd rather the full sized sheepsfoot grip w/ DOAT scales.
 
I own probably between 20-30 knives. If I lost all of them for some reason, the only one I would buy again is a 940 (maybe a Bugout, too.) If you enjoy light, thin knives, it's great. It's also a workhorse. It can handle a lot more than people give it credit for.
 
Gurdygurds said:
So only recently have I become aware of the benchmade 940. Was never interested in anything other than mini grips. I see one video on a 940, which leads to numerous reviews, including a handful of long term reviews and all of the sudden I find myself strangely attracted to them. The look, the size, the blade shape, everything is attractive to me. I've been shopping for a sheepsfoot mini grip, but now I'm wondering if I change direction and go for a 940. Can you kind people help a brother out with your knowledge and experience, and take me into, or OUT OF getting a 940??
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I cannot convince you of a 940. I have a 940-1 and Its not very efficient at much. It's only for simple cutting tasks. Blades thick behind the edge and long. It's not bad, but I don't see any reason to get one over a grip.

Its not a very tall grind so the more you sharpen it the more it will have metal gone and increase thickness behind the edge. Big brown bear has one that's been sharpened half way down. Looks crazy.
 
I’ve had the 940-2 for about a week now and I love th hell out of it. I’ve only had the mini grip until now. It’s not a slicer by any means but it is def a user and seems more suitable for heavier tasks. I’d get the -2 if I were you and weren’t sure if I wanted it, better bang for your buck to start.

I used it like crazy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, popping zip ties and opening the kids toys and breaking down cardboard and all with the factory edge. It still cuts like a damn champ. The spade blade profile helps to get into tighter spaces yet offers enough behind the edge to give it more, dare I say it, “power” :D Overall, I’d buy this knife twice.
 
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I’m no gentlemen and have no need of a gentleman’s folder. That being said I love the 940. It’s the sexy little big knife that could.

Last year I was two miles back into a canyon and become temporarily separated from my fixed blade. The 940 did a fantastic job of skinning elk quarters.

You should buy one.
 
I was eyeing the 940 for a while and ended up getting a 940-3 (943?). I loved the green scales of the 940 but I must admit it was a bit of a shocker to see the purple back spacer! A total deal breaker for me, I'm not sure what the decision was behind its inception let alone continuing it over the years, but clearly many people like it.

It's a great knife. Deployment is incredible, blade:length ratio is impressive, it is light and feels good in the hand (I love the texture of the scales) etc. I feel like the drop point might have been the better option, but I have many drop point blades and figured I would try something new (reverse tanto). I really like this knife either way.
 
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