Talk me into a 940

Gurdygurds said:
Action question for you 940 folks. I can get mine to drop freely without blade play when the knife is locked up, but when the knife is CLOSED, it wobbles back and forth. Right now I have it set up tighter but I can pop it open easily and flip it closed with some wrist action. I do like the free dropping blade but not at the cost of having the blade flop back and forth when it's closed. I've done the loctite and adjust in crazy small increments. I'm curious if something else can get the blade to stay put when closed. Polishing washers? Some other trick?
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The somewhat "loose" blade is the price you pay for free falling smooth action with some Benchmades, unfortunately that includes the 940. Mine will jiggle a bit when closed and with the aluminum scales makes it more noticable, with the -2 version not as noticable. If after you have played/used it for several months, you may find all the weird problems seem to magically vanish.

Benchmades are an acquired taste and some people just don't like them with their funny quirks and features (Thanks Doug) but I absolutely love all of mine and wouldn't trade any of them.
 
I have never taken to the 940, no matter what configuration a particular seller might offer.
The 710, on the other hand, suits me very well.
I find it odd that the 940 is more expense that a larger 710 made of the exact same materials.
Guess the 940 is more popular.
 
G Gurdygurds my green aluminum 940 had the same action issues. Too tight and no free drop or free drop and bladeplay.

Polishing the washers on my spyderco ultrafine stone fixed the problem. Now it free drops with no bladeplay. Just only polish the side of the washer that touches the blade. Also phosphor bronze washers polish fast cause they are soft so don’t remove too much material.
 
Lapedog did yours have play when the knife was closed, open, or both? I'll have to use fine sandpaper but I'll give the washer polishing a go today. Anyone recommend what grit I should use? I posted in the mini 940 thread that I've been working on shrinking the blade down to three inches. Killed a few dremels bits and a skateboard in the process but it's getting there.
QUOTE="Lapedog, post: 18697116, member: 466467"] G Gurdygurds my green aluminum 940 had the same action issues. Too tight and no free drop or free drop and bladeplay.
Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr
Untitled by Six Pound Cat, on Flickr
Polishing the washers on my spyderco ultrafine stone fixed the problem. Now it free drops with no bladeplay. Just only polish the side of the washer that touches the blade. Also phosphor bronze washers polish fast cause they are soft so don’t remove too much material.[/QUOTE]
 
Use a very fine grit when you polish those washers, i use a fine stone myself. I polish them until a sizable flat is established. If you polish too much then you risk undersizing them.
 
I've never cared much for T1 scales, and the aforementioned 710 has been a reliable friend over the years. My long standing suggestion is to not compare the 940 with the 710. They might be similar in materials, but very different in handling. Both have been around forever, and are a testimony to their designers. The 940 in the pic above looks to be a good example!
 
Darkera said:
Kudos on the work but assuming it isn't a legal issue, does that 0.40" really make a big difference to you?
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I guess I assumed it was a legal issue, can’t think of another reason. Now I’m curious what state he’s in.
 
Nah not legal reasoning, just more of a preference thing. Also just a little project and to see if I could do it. Seems like others are interested in a slightly smaller, shorter blade length 940 as well. So no it doesn’t make a huge difference at all, but it was fun doing it. If I end up missing that half inch down the road I can pony up for a new blade.
 
Went to the local knife shop today out here in north Texas. The owner Carl is super cool letting me check out all sorts of knives and asking as I ask questions. I see a 940 sitting out on the counter and he says its his last one already promised to a customer. He lets me check it out, a great sample by the way, and then we get to talking. I showed him my 940 I had in my pocket and he says, "If you like Osborne designs check this out." He pulls the prototype for the 940 out of his pocket and hands it to me. Sweeeeet knife with micarta scales and his reverse tanto blade but also sported a compression lock. He was buddies with Warren Osborne with both of them being in the knife industry out here in Texas. Didn't have a lot of time, as the wife wanted to buy a painting at another store, but she was kind enough to buy me a little Solingen knife with the whale logo on it. I'll be back to this shop in the near future bugging Carl about his knives and for some Warren Osborne stories. It was a good day.
 
I love the benchmade 940 and how I could just keep replacing parts instead of buying a new knife like I will with my Rat 2 when it wears out. But I can't justify a price of 180$ when I cant even be guaranteed that the blade will be finished correctly. Also spyderco has some value knives that I think have better fit and finish at a lower cost. I can't shake that want for a 940, I find myself using a phrase that I always use to justify an expensive purchase "its a knife for life". But I think that this too shall pass and I will want something else.
 
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I couldn’t talk myself into a 940. If either, I would go for the 943. Just like the clip point better than reverse tanto. That said I have an 810 contego that took a spell to get to like then LOVE!

How’s this for an alternative: mini crooked river? I’m waiting for a used custom I snagged off the ‘Bay just this morning in 20cv.
 
sliceofaloha said:
If I’m in the market for a griptilian I’m liking knifeworks’ exclusive black micarta m390 at around $150. Still can’t pull that trigger.
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If you're in the market for a full sized Grip, it doesn't get any better than that KW exclusive. The DLT exclusive is really nice, too, but with carbon fiber scales.
 
I’m coming back to this question with another answer: buy an Osborne Gaucho instead! Benchmade bring back some classics!
 
colin.p you probably summed it up best. My 940 definitely has its "quirks and features". I thought I had the action dialed in but the blade is back to being a bit loose when closed. Turns out......I don't really care! This knife has some soul to it. Taste acquired sir. :thumbsup:
colin.p said:
The somewhat "loose" blade is the price you pay for free falling smooth action with some Benchmades, unfortunately that includes the 940. Mine will jiggle a bit when closed and with the aluminum scales makes it more noticable, with the -2 version not as noticable. If after you have played/used it for several months, you may find all the weird problems seem to magically vanish.

Benchmades are an acquired taste and some people just don't like them with their funny quirks and features (Thanks Doug) but I absolutely love all of mine and wouldn't trade any of them.
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I own several 940/943 knives, and all my go-to as a daily EDC. I am not hard on them (not that they can’t handle it), but IMHO, I’d say they’re more of a “gentleman’s EDC.”
- Slim in the pocket
- Lightweight
- Deep carry clip is a must
- Lightening fast to open/close
- Ergonomically perfect for medium/large hands

The aluminum scale models can get cold to bare-handle in the colder winter months, so they get rotated out until the spring or summer. My favorite is the Knifeworks 940-1501 I modified with parts from the SMKW 940DLC-1802 that another forum member no longer wanted. The 20CV steel maintains a razor sharp edge and is easy to touch up. Just my 2-cents.

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Codswallop said:
If you keep a eye on second hand market you can pick up a 940 for sub 140$ Without much issue. If it’s a model your unsure about go that route and you will likely break even on resale if you don’t like it. I’ve picked up two 940 models for 100 or less with very little-moderate use.
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Your fault, I picked one up 940BK (Green Al). It's just odd compared to my other folders, but I think I like it. In the hand it seems too small, light, thin, but then I open it and action is smooth the blade is no too small. My example was too free-fall, so I added 1 degree to the pivot, perfect. I'm going to run it in my rotation for a bit.
 
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