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- Oct 3, 2019
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What makes a great knife? What separates the good knives from the great knives? Most would agree a few general common factors must be present not only as a pre-requisite but in abundance. These checkpoints include weight, size, blade grinds, blade finishes, blade materials, handle designs, handle finishes, handle materials, action, lockup, centering, ease of carry, practicality, price, and warranty/customer service. Additional factors include place of origin, company background/mission, pocket clip, design and effectiveness and whether or not the knife comes with one at all or a sheath.
Most pocket knife lovers pretty much agree the Sebenza could be thee yardstick which others are measured by. However, what happens when time+innovation catch up and even surpass the Gold Standard? We’ve all seen it happen in sports and the olympics when a swimmer or sprinter beats a previously held record. Thus I present the notion this day has come for the Sebenza in the form of ….drumroll please……a Benchmade. A Benchmade you say!? How can this be?!
Before getting into the why, a brief history and overview. I’ve been collecting/using over 9+years the majority of those with a Chris Reeve knife in the collection either for collection purposes or for real world use. I’ve nothing but good things to say of the company and in particular the Sebenza. One of my 1st 3-5 Knives was a Benchmade and probably owned 10-15 off and on throughout the collecting history. There are some very decent designs out there and a plethora at that especially going back over 10+ years. Like most, I’ve carried and used them at some point of another but for the most part, my collection never quite enjoyed Benchmade’s products to the point of making them longterm. In fact, upon receiving the Damascus Large Unique Graphic CRK, my initial thoughts were “holy smokes I’m never going back to another Benchmade again and the confirmation spike driven even further. In all fairness to Benchmade they do make a lot of good knives and also a handful of great knives too. Most of their designs are far from butt ugly and really work in the real world….
One such great knife is the Bailout. It’s often said the Poor Man’s Sebenza is the Bradley and the rich man’s Sebenza, the Slysz Bowie. The Anthem might be thrown in there as well but it is an integral so then you get into apple and oranges dilemma and the Anthem came has its own issues with it. Back to the timeline….I smiled in the pride and comfort of CRK ownership while simultaneously swearing off Benchmade. Quite possibly the actual words went something like “why in the world would anyone choose a Benchmade when one can get a Chris Reeve for a little or double more?” A few months pasted and then I had to eat my words, big time….
It all started with curiosity, (isn’t there something about killing the cat?) Perhaps they could say curiousity killed the Sebenza. As I sat back with Sebenza and Umnumzaan in hand with a somewhat knife smirk on the face I became perplexed by all the Bugouts flooding the dealers. I had seen the knife before and like most, it caught my eye in terms of aesthetics but Benchmade was no longer even a twinkle in my want-to-buy knife list. Plus the larger sized knives appeal to me more due to grip real estate and what one gets for the price paid. Yet month after month go by and still, there is that darn, pesky Bugout now in this combination and that combination and with these scales or those scales. Try the Gold Class Edition, try the new backspacers, upgrade with hardware modifications, and the list goes on. Finally when a non-plastic contoured handle version popped up, I took the plunge and laid the money down. About a week later the knife arrived and to my pleasant surprise, exceeded all expectations. The axis lock on this Bugout wasn’t like the other Benchmade axis locks I used to own years ago - this one was strong, tight, and surprisingly smooth and nimble too. I never imagined a Benchmade w/axis lock could feel this satisfying. Then of course the sweet -small Sebenza-esque-drop point blade and additional handle contours just felt right in the hand. My mind was changed. Yet it didn’t end there……
A few weeks later I received a Benchmade Bailout in a trade. It wasn’t my ideal choice for trading plus cash for a real nice midtech, yet when the knife arrived, it too surprised me with its practicality and performance. I ended up parting with the knife due to the flexible grivory handles (plastic) but loved the size. The tanto blade was unlike any other tanto beforehand except reminiscent of one such. A few months go by to half a year. Then a much more solid aluminum handle version came out and the rest is history. One night of one unboxing is all it took to change my perspective and beliefs about Benchmade folders. It was then that I realized a new era has been born.
So why the Bailout in particular? Well, because those qualities that make a great knife great which are present in the gold standard Sebenza are eerily similiar in the Bugout’s bigger brother. For the record I’ve owned at some point or another a Barrage, 531, 3550, AFO II, ElishaWitz design (forgot the model name now discontinued), Gold Glass and regular Griptilian, Nakamura, Emissary, 940, and many more. As far as brands and models across the spectrum, my collection has been littered with the likes of quality Kershaw’s, ZT’s, Spyderco’s, CRK’s, Hinderers, Shirogorovs, Boker, Protech, Microtech, Mikov, Rockstead, Gerber, Sog, Hogue, and the list goes on and on. I’d like to believe after 9yrs. I’ve enough experience to critically distinguish between “good” and “great” knives, custom knives not-withstanding.
For the sake of this review/comparison, the Large Sebenza is used as is the aluminum handled Bailout (not the plastic handle version). For years I’ve observed and engaged in the Small vs. Large Sebenza debate and finally settled on the Large. It was the original size and design by Chris Reeve and for good reason, fits most hands from small to large, plenty of grip options, full perfect sized useable blade for pretty much everything one would wish for in a folding knife. It balances well overall weight and pocket real estate making for a pleasant carry and gives one the most bang for the buck. This too is why the Bailout surpasses the Bugout as you get more for your money in every way. If your preference is smaller knives like the Dragonfly or the CRKT Squid, then this knife probably isn’t for you. However, if you need a full sized-knife or even a larger knife that still meets that medium knife bracket, this one is an absolute winner.
The dimensions of the Bailout are what make this knife such a contender for the Sebenza. The actual dimensions can be easily found with a hit of the Google button but how about real world practicality? Both closed and open, the Sebenza and the Bailout are just about neck and neck. In both those cases the Sebenza edges out just by about 1/8’ in blade blade and overall length real estate. The handle grip openings (where the hand can be wrapped around comfortably) is nearly the same with the Bailout with backspacer/glass breaker/crusher. The overall dimensions of the Bailout design encapsulate the slim factor that is the Sebenza, letting the knife ride just as easy in the pocket. In fact the knife rides not only easier in pocket but deeper too. This is due to the trimmed down deep carry pocket clip that is just not as better than the original Chris Reeves’ pocket clip. While some Sebenza owners take issue with the stock pocket clip creating a hot spot in hand (why CRK switched the position angle of the model 31’s from the 21’s), the Bailout’s pocket clip disappears in hand due to its perfect position and smaller size.
The blade is also where the similarities continue between the Bailout and the Sebenza. In the micro view, one can see the dimensions near the tip are strikingly close. Perhaps a Tanto bladed Sebenza might be exact but don’t have a specimen to compare at this point in time. This is great news for those standard drop point lovers as you know you are getting a gold standard when the blade design near matches that of the standard drop point itself. When it comes to performance, the Bailout wins hands down. Not only is the blade stock thinner than the Sebenza but the grinds maximize the balance of thickness with the tanto style. This means it slices better than the Sebenza yet is also stronger due to flat vs. contoured grind. The added benefit of the tanto is you essentially get 2 piercing points which likely doubles the life of your tip, a tip that is already by nature super strong anyway. Speaking of strength, how can one beat M4 steel? The steal has been called super steel for a reason. One of a few qualms from others in the knife community is the conundrum of why Chris Reeve knives doesn’t offer super steels. S45VN might be considered an upgrade but the performance tests hardly match M4. When you start to throw down $300, $400, even $500 most of us would like our blades to last as long as possible.
review continues.....
Most pocket knife lovers pretty much agree the Sebenza could be thee yardstick which others are measured by. However, what happens when time+innovation catch up and even surpass the Gold Standard? We’ve all seen it happen in sports and the olympics when a swimmer or sprinter beats a previously held record. Thus I present the notion this day has come for the Sebenza in the form of ….drumroll please……a Benchmade. A Benchmade you say!? How can this be?!
Before getting into the why, a brief history and overview. I’ve been collecting/using over 9+years the majority of those with a Chris Reeve knife in the collection either for collection purposes or for real world use. I’ve nothing but good things to say of the company and in particular the Sebenza. One of my 1st 3-5 Knives was a Benchmade and probably owned 10-15 off and on throughout the collecting history. There are some very decent designs out there and a plethora at that especially going back over 10+ years. Like most, I’ve carried and used them at some point of another but for the most part, my collection never quite enjoyed Benchmade’s products to the point of making them longterm. In fact, upon receiving the Damascus Large Unique Graphic CRK, my initial thoughts were “holy smokes I’m never going back to another Benchmade again and the confirmation spike driven even further. In all fairness to Benchmade they do make a lot of good knives and also a handful of great knives too. Most of their designs are far from butt ugly and really work in the real world….
One such great knife is the Bailout. It’s often said the Poor Man’s Sebenza is the Bradley and the rich man’s Sebenza, the Slysz Bowie. The Anthem might be thrown in there as well but it is an integral so then you get into apple and oranges dilemma and the Anthem came has its own issues with it. Back to the timeline….I smiled in the pride and comfort of CRK ownership while simultaneously swearing off Benchmade. Quite possibly the actual words went something like “why in the world would anyone choose a Benchmade when one can get a Chris Reeve for a little or double more?” A few months pasted and then I had to eat my words, big time….
It all started with curiosity, (isn’t there something about killing the cat?) Perhaps they could say curiousity killed the Sebenza. As I sat back with Sebenza and Umnumzaan in hand with a somewhat knife smirk on the face I became perplexed by all the Bugouts flooding the dealers. I had seen the knife before and like most, it caught my eye in terms of aesthetics but Benchmade was no longer even a twinkle in my want-to-buy knife list. Plus the larger sized knives appeal to me more due to grip real estate and what one gets for the price paid. Yet month after month go by and still, there is that darn, pesky Bugout now in this combination and that combination and with these scales or those scales. Try the Gold Class Edition, try the new backspacers, upgrade with hardware modifications, and the list goes on. Finally when a non-plastic contoured handle version popped up, I took the plunge and laid the money down. About a week later the knife arrived and to my pleasant surprise, exceeded all expectations. The axis lock on this Bugout wasn’t like the other Benchmade axis locks I used to own years ago - this one was strong, tight, and surprisingly smooth and nimble too. I never imagined a Benchmade w/axis lock could feel this satisfying. Then of course the sweet -small Sebenza-esque-drop point blade and additional handle contours just felt right in the hand. My mind was changed. Yet it didn’t end there……
A few weeks later I received a Benchmade Bailout in a trade. It wasn’t my ideal choice for trading plus cash for a real nice midtech, yet when the knife arrived, it too surprised me with its practicality and performance. I ended up parting with the knife due to the flexible grivory handles (plastic) but loved the size. The tanto blade was unlike any other tanto beforehand except reminiscent of one such. A few months go by to half a year. Then a much more solid aluminum handle version came out and the rest is history. One night of one unboxing is all it took to change my perspective and beliefs about Benchmade folders. It was then that I realized a new era has been born.
So why the Bailout in particular? Well, because those qualities that make a great knife great which are present in the gold standard Sebenza are eerily similiar in the Bugout’s bigger brother. For the record I’ve owned at some point or another a Barrage, 531, 3550, AFO II, ElishaWitz design (forgot the model name now discontinued), Gold Glass and regular Griptilian, Nakamura, Emissary, 940, and many more. As far as brands and models across the spectrum, my collection has been littered with the likes of quality Kershaw’s, ZT’s, Spyderco’s, CRK’s, Hinderers, Shirogorovs, Boker, Protech, Microtech, Mikov, Rockstead, Gerber, Sog, Hogue, and the list goes on and on. I’d like to believe after 9yrs. I’ve enough experience to critically distinguish between “good” and “great” knives, custom knives not-withstanding.
For the sake of this review/comparison, the Large Sebenza is used as is the aluminum handled Bailout (not the plastic handle version). For years I’ve observed and engaged in the Small vs. Large Sebenza debate and finally settled on the Large. It was the original size and design by Chris Reeve and for good reason, fits most hands from small to large, plenty of grip options, full perfect sized useable blade for pretty much everything one would wish for in a folding knife. It balances well overall weight and pocket real estate making for a pleasant carry and gives one the most bang for the buck. This too is why the Bailout surpasses the Bugout as you get more for your money in every way. If your preference is smaller knives like the Dragonfly or the CRKT Squid, then this knife probably isn’t for you. However, if you need a full sized-knife or even a larger knife that still meets that medium knife bracket, this one is an absolute winner.
The dimensions of the Bailout are what make this knife such a contender for the Sebenza. The actual dimensions can be easily found with a hit of the Google button but how about real world practicality? Both closed and open, the Sebenza and the Bailout are just about neck and neck. In both those cases the Sebenza edges out just by about 1/8’ in blade blade and overall length real estate. The handle grip openings (where the hand can be wrapped around comfortably) is nearly the same with the Bailout with backspacer/glass breaker/crusher. The overall dimensions of the Bailout design encapsulate the slim factor that is the Sebenza, letting the knife ride just as easy in the pocket. In fact the knife rides not only easier in pocket but deeper too. This is due to the trimmed down deep carry pocket clip that is just not as better than the original Chris Reeves’ pocket clip. While some Sebenza owners take issue with the stock pocket clip creating a hot spot in hand (why CRK switched the position angle of the model 31’s from the 21’s), the Bailout’s pocket clip disappears in hand due to its perfect position and smaller size.
The blade is also where the similarities continue between the Bailout and the Sebenza. In the micro view, one can see the dimensions near the tip are strikingly close. Perhaps a Tanto bladed Sebenza might be exact but don’t have a specimen to compare at this point in time. This is great news for those standard drop point lovers as you know you are getting a gold standard when the blade design near matches that of the standard drop point itself. When it comes to performance, the Bailout wins hands down. Not only is the blade stock thinner than the Sebenza but the grinds maximize the balance of thickness with the tanto style. This means it slices better than the Sebenza yet is also stronger due to flat vs. contoured grind. The added benefit of the tanto is you essentially get 2 piercing points which likely doubles the life of your tip, a tip that is already by nature super strong anyway. Speaking of strength, how can one beat M4 steel? The steal has been called super steel for a reason. One of a few qualms from others in the knife community is the conundrum of why Chris Reeve knives doesn’t offer super steels. S45VN might be considered an upgrade but the performance tests hardly match M4. When you start to throw down $300, $400, even $500 most of us would like our blades to last as long as possible.
review continues.....
