Anyone own a Benchmade Pika II?

Status
Not open for further replies.
JTR357

JTR357

Gold Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
14,039
This looks like a nice knife.Knifeworks has it here for only $25.95..I'm looking for another lightweight folder for the warm weather.I had my eye on the Al Mar featherweight Eagle,but it's a little above what I have at the time($87)

Just looking for some opinions about this knife.I like the fact that it has a four way pocket clip placement.How are the ergos?How's that Chinese steel hold up?Any issues I should know about?

Thanks in advance for any & all helpful input:)
 
stay away from this one bro. you can buy a way better knife for the same price. i ordered one of these and the quality was very bad, even for made in china standards.

honestly, any of the made in china Byrd knives made by Spyderco would be many times better and they are at the same price. the quality of these are those of 50 dollar knives and they have a great variety.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/byrd_knives/

once i reccomend are ...

byrd flight in g10 only 25 bux
05gp.jpg

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SPBY05GPS


and byrd crossbill(there is a fully serrated version also) also 25 bux, both blow the pika out of the water!
by07gp.jpg

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SPBY07GP
 
Thanks for the tip buddy:thumbup:I never bought a BM redbox before & was wondering on the quality.I have that Byrd G10 Crossbill & love it.

Thanks again!Take care:)
 
a couple good folders i have received lately have been some crkts in the 50 dollar range. the large size aluminum handle crkt carson m21, the crkt hissatsu, and the crkt carsom m4 are some of my newer knives that i can vouch for as superb deals.
 
3mptin3ss said:
a couple good folders i have received lately have been some crkts in the 50 dollar range. the large size aluminum handle crkt carson m21, the crkt hissatsu, and the crkt carsom m4 are some of my newer knives that i can vouch for as superb deals.
Click to expand...

I can see we have the same taste in knives:)I had my eye on the carson m4 also.I really like the hissatsu too,but can't see using it for anything practical(except killing:D)
I think I'm just gonna save a few more bucks & get that featherweight Al Mar Eagle I've been eying for quite awhile now.Full size 4" AUS blade with a backlock & only weighs about 2 oz.;):thumbup:


Totally off topic-I keep saying my next knife is going to be a Bark River Aurora with the amboynia(spelling?) handles,but I'm such a folder junkie:o:D
 
Last edited:
I have the Pika and a couple of the Byrds. The Pika is all right but its very stiff and I can not just flick it open. My Cara Cara on the other hand flicks open very easily but not so easily that it might open in the pocket. I dont regret getting the Pika, but it doesnt get carried much.
 
I got the Pika here off the exchange forum.It's not a bad knife,but i wished i'd kept my money.Many other even cheaper China and Taiwan knives are much stronger and better.I didn't use it enough to judge the steel.It's definately future trading material.
 
piglipsticker said:
I got the Pika here off the exchange forum.It's not a bad knife,but i wished i'd kept my money.Many other even cheaper China and Taiwan knives are much stronger and better.I didn't use it enough to judge the steel.It's definately future trading material.
Click to expand...

Piglipsticker,There's no comparison with China made & Taiwan made knives IMO.I have some great Taiwanese made knives,like the Boker Magnum series for instance.Good Strong Folders:thumbup:
 
I really like the origanal Pikas, they were very nice solid folders. I am not a big fan of the new Pikas, the handle feels cheap. The Titanium Pikas are cool.
 
JTR357 said:
Piglipsticker,There's no comparison with China made & Taiwan made knives IMO.I have some great Taiwanese made knives,like the Boker Magnum series for instance.Good Strong Folders:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Yes,Taiwan has always been better,but the mainland boys are catching up fast.Double check your Boker Magnum folders,i believe that line is from Red China.
 
I had both the large and the small pika II.I ended up getting rid of both.
The large did not come very sharp out of the box.I worked on it for 20
minutes with a sharpmaker and could get no improvement.took it back to
my dealer and he had to totally re-profile the edge.It took him about 15 minutes on profesional equipment.He said it was not ground correctly from the factory.I gave this knife to my son-in-law and after six months the clip
is bent very badly. I gave the small one to my supervisor.He likes it but he
told me that the clip has busted off!
I have one of the orignal Pika's (made in Taiwan) and it is a VERY good
knife.No issues with this knife at all.

I would suggest going with a BYRD from Spyderco (no issues with 3
of them) or Save your money a little while longer and get a BM "GRIP"
 
piglipsticker said:
Yes,Taiwan has always been better,but the mainland boys are catching up fast.Double check your Boker Magnum folders,i believe that line is from Red China.
Click to expand...

I only have a couple of Magnums & they're older.I know they're from Taiwan.

Sadly you're right about the mainland boys
 
I have the Mini-Pika II with Glass reinforced plastic handle.

Here is my full review, including an assessment of the edge retention of the steel.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523331&highlight=mini-pika

It is a lockback, and like most lockbacks does not "flick open" real easily. The handle has steel liners, so it is quite solid. If you want something to flick open, try a framelock like the Monochrome.

The steel performs well and the blade shape is as lovely as it is useful. I like the little thing and it is in my rotation for EDC.

Frank R
 
Why bother with the knockoff when you can get the original?

It can be had for only $50 and you'll be supporting the originator of the design.
 
Last edited:
knarfeng said:
I have the Mini-Pika II with Glass reinforced plastic handle.

Here is my full review, including an assessment of the edge retention of the steel.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523331&highlight=mini-pika

It is a lockback, and like most lockbacks does not "flick open" real easily. The handle has steel liners, so it is quite solid. If you want something to flick open, try a framelock like the Monochrome.

The steel performs well and the blade shape is as lovely as it is useful. I like the little thing and it is in my rotation for EDC.

Frank R
Click to expand...

knarfeng,:thumbup:Thanks for the great review:)That's exactly what I was looking for.Still undecided though.I think if I bought it,I'd probably end up trading it.:o


carrot,I had an Endura & sold it.It was a little too bulky for my taste.Also I have a Pacific Salt that resembles the Endura a lot,but with H-1:thumbup:I'm not saying H-1 is better than VG10,but it's nice to have knife that can not rust.
I like have a variety of different/unique looking blades.
Thanks for the suggestion though ;)

BTW,My Endura was ZDP-189,but it was a combo edge.That's why I sold it.
 
Last edited:
Wow , you guys must have gotten a bum run of Mini Pika's.

I am not a Benchmade fan at all and the knife impressed me since I've bought it. No , it's not a flipper' , it's a lockback - not too many lockbacks make good flipping knives - at least not until they are well worn in.

Mine came razor sharp OOTB , lockup is very solid despite not much holding the knife in place other than the handle material. It is somewhat easy to put a new edge on her as well.

All in all for the money , I think my Mini Pika2 is a great knife.
 
I picked one up on a whim a couple of weeks ago. Mine has no play when it is locked up which is good. But the edge on the blade was CRAP!! I was begining to think that they used a radius cutter on it then tried to fix it. Took me some time to put a new edge on it but now it's like a razor. Yes, I know they are from China but you'd think Benchmade would keep a little better eye on what they are putting their name on and selling.
 
I've had the original Mini-Pika for a while and it's a great, great knife that I like. It has a way too thick blade and too obtuse edge angle from the factory, otherwise it works a treat, and the low-ride pocket clip is nice.

I got the Pika II for my bro and he has liked it. Though it does feel flimsier in the hand, has a weak pocket clip, a no-name-steel, hollow-grind (preferred the flat grind on Pika I) and uglier handle, I like it's overall feel, spyderhole, four-way clip etc.

I'd say go for the mini-pika II, the big one is just too big.
 
I just bought a regular Pika. It's labelled "china" and has First Production on the blade. The OOTB sharpness just isn't there. It's smooth but not flickable (I can keep my thumb in the whole from closed to open so that doesn't matter to me.) Solide lock-up, no play.

Haven't carried it yet, but maybe I don't expect enough from a $40 knife? From this thread I guess I'm glad I didn't jump on a mini-pickaII a few months ago.
 
carrot said:
Why bother with the knockoff when you can get the original?

It can be had for only $50 and you'll be supporting the originator of the design.
Click to expand...

No sir. That is not the original from which the mini-Pika II takes its blade shape.

This is the original source for the blade shape:
http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=806-701

I have a Delica. The blade shape is significantly different from that of the min-Pika II. The blade shape the mini-Pika II is most similar to is the AFCK.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top