9052 vs 5000

[GermanyChris]

OK When I was a soldier I was give a 9052 by a group guy and I carried it during three tours in Afghanistan I lost left it on in the parking lot of the auto craft shop after repairing a lower radiator hose on my CJ5 in late 2003. I've not had the free money to replace the knife in the years since but now I sorta do. I've bought many CRKT's looking for the replacement for that benchmade auto and nothing has seemed to fill the gap. The PX recently had Benchmades on sale for 30% off so I bought a 522SBK for $66 which which pushed my desire for another Benchmade auto to the forefront of my mind. My 522 while "cheap" is pretty awesome I've already dug a few holes, cut some wire pallet keepers, and done the usual plastic cutting with it but t's still not filling the gap that that 9052 did. My question is do I buy the auto verson of the awesome knife that I own or do I relive a time in my life I'd like to remember and forget at the same time? The knife will be useed to pry, dig holes, scrape, whittle a bit, and cut everyday things.

 

[crom]

I can't comment on the 9052 as never having handled one, but a close friend has the AXIS auto you mention in tanto configuration. It's an absolute tank of a knife. I sharpen it for him, I have no idea what he's doing with it but it always comes to me more dinged and beat looking than last time. Pull back on the AXIS bar and it fires, sort of slow but it still kicks. My one gripe, I tried adjusting the side to side play out and I couldn't get it right without impacting the function of the blade deployment. If it were me, I'd save my money and buy the regular model with the studs, it's still going to open fast, still going to be a bullet proof knife, but much cheaper.