American Knife of the Year - Benchmade Narrows

It definitely falls into the point of diminishing returns category very easily....
 
ScarFoot said:
I‘d buy a 4th VECP before I gave the same money for a narrows.
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Me too, by milles.
Problem is, before you can buy a vecp, you have to find one first, and that isn't easy. Some relish the search and wait time, others, like me, don't care for it for 1 minute so if the item isn't in stock at major retailers, then it doesn't exist.
 
Floatingby said:
Me too, by milles.
Problem is, before you can buy a vecp, you have to find one first, and that isn't easy. Some relish the search and wait time, others, like me, don't care for it for 1 minute so if the item isn't in stock at major retailers, then it doesn't exist.
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This is true. Fortunately my favorite local shop got a pile of them in last year and they don’t have internet sales so I picked up three over the course of 4 months or so. Now I just need the plain scaled version.
 
The Narrows has shown up at local stores. Yes, it is very narrow. There is not much traction on the handle, and the narrowness just makes that worse. It strikes me as inferior to a Bugout or Bailout.

BTW, my hands are medium small.
 
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Spillproof said:
(Psssst. Ain't nobody in this thread carrying a Mora)
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I don't know about carrying, I don't carry fixed blade much and when I do it's either one I made myself or a Grohmann Canadian, but I have a companion in my tackle box and another in my bugout bag, does that count?
 
I’ve only seen pictures, but the blade bears a striking resemblance to my original Ritter mini-Griptillian.
 
Another Shepherd said:
The Narrows has shown up at local stores. Yes, it is very narrow. There is not much traction on the handle, and the narrowness just makes that worse. It strikes me as inferior to a Bugout or Bailout.

BTW, my hands are medium small.
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So you've never actually used/carried one?

Been carrying/using the Narrows everyday for the last 3 weeks & love it! They knocked it out of the park with the new design. Carries like nothing else, like nothing. Best light to moderate use slicer I've used! I have XXL size hands & have no issues with use/hotspots
 
I got a Narrows and sold it a week later. Overall I did like the knife and I think they hit the nail on the head for what they were trying to do, but in the end the non-existent "detent" was a deal breaker for me. I could wrist flick the knife fully open without touching the lock. That's not to say I bought it to be a fidget knife, but every time I opened it I was just disappointed by the feel. The grind was pretty standard Benchmade (not even, jacked up tip) but once that was fixed it was a great slicer. It came off center and extremely gritty but a disassembly and cleaning remedied both of those issues. Posting the video from my sale to show the wrist-flick, and you can also see that just in positioning my finger for a reverse flick I nudged the blade out a little bit.

https://imgur.com/a/fIExclK
 
Ilikesharpstuff said:
I got a Narrows and sold it a week later. Overall I did like the knife and I think they hit the nail on the head for what they were trying to do, but in the end the non-existent "detent" was a deal breaker for me. I could wrist flick the knife fully open without touching the lock. That's not to say I bought it to be a fidget knife, but every time I opened it I was just disappointed by the feel. The grind was pretty standard Benchmade (not even, jacked up tip) but once that was fixed it was a great slicer. It came off center and extremely gritty but a disassembly and cleaning remedied both of those issues. Posting the video from my sale to show the wrist-flick, and you can also see that just in positioning my finger for a reverse flick I nudged the blade out a little bit.

https://imgur.com/a/fIExclK
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I get that its not for everyone. Just a heads up, you can wrist flick all Benchmade Axis folders
 
I am hooked. I like everything I hear about this knife. The price is high and in line with with US production cost as well as initial tool up. This is not made in China where where there is a multitude of super factories already set up and ready to produce a wide variety of knife designs using low cost labor. It seems to be produced using automated machines according to this youtube video. The US needs more state of the art factories and I am glad to see it being done in the US.


If you want a top notch quality American made thick hand filling Benchmade knife at a low price that doesn't go overboard on weight the Benchmade Presidio 2 series is a super value.

I like the fact that this thing is relatively large (medium large) yet thin and light enough to carry in your pocket without feeling it. It is also very corrosion resistant from what I see in the video. It should be even lighter with the pocket clip removed.
 
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I handled one, and it's a finer, ultra-sleek knife. If any of you members are poor, you should chime in and say "the Narrows is way over-priced". That way we all know you are poor and broke. If you cannot afford a tank of gas for your car, please declare loudly that gas is "SO EXPENSIVE".

Good knives cost more that Mora's.

And so many people pointing out that The Narrows isn't a hard-use folder, that it won't stand up to heavy tasks- REALLY? Like I'd take a 2 ounce knife to baton a mountain of pine? It's a lightweight gentleman's folder, of course it won't pry nails out of a railroad tie! That's what Mora's are for!
 
Malty Falcon said:
I handled one, and it's a finer, ultra-sleek knife. If any of you members are poor, you should chime in and say "the Narrows is way over-priced". That way we all know you are poor and broke. If you cannot afford a tank of gas for your car, please declare loudly that gas is "SO EXPENSIVE".

Good knives cost more that Mora's.

And so many people pointing out that The Narrows isn't a hard-use folder, that it won't stand up to heavy tasks- REALLY? Like I'd take a 2 ounce knife to baton a mountain of pine? It's a lightweight gentleman's folder, of course it won't pry nails out of a railroad tie! That's what Mora's are for!
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Man, you sound really mad that people think it’s overpriced. Does it go without saying that I’ll bet there are folks that think it is overpriced that have a higher gross income than you? It’s ridiculous to assume everyone that doesn’t think the price matches a knife is “poor”, unless you think spending money frivolously is indicative of wealth. Bet you I can find people below the poverty line with iPhones and the latest playstation.
 
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