Are the Heckler & Koch Ascender folding knives worth buying?

I haven't handled that model specifically, but I do own an HK 14210. I was blown away by the fit and finish, and it's one of my faves that keeps finding it's way into EDC rotation.

So, my experience with Benchmade's HK series has been very positive.

Then again, at that MSRP, there's plenty of other options out there. I don't know what those actually retail for.
 
The Ascender is nothing like HK 14210.
That is a US made Snody design with AXIS lock.
This one is .........not so much.

I have had some luck with 9CR13.
It's just like AUS-8 with a little more carbon and costs the same.

I have not handeled the new HK line so I don't know what it's like.
 
HK doesn't actually make knives - they just get someone else already in the business to do it. It's been going on for a hundred years.

Sometimes it works ok - but the list of less than great names on the market is overwhelming. Smith and Wesson seems to top it - a large number of models, great quality for flea market prices. The whole concept seems to center on selling the brand name more than establishing an actual reputation for intrinsic worth or originality. That's called marketing.

Just like Surefire selling knives, or Jeep making duffel bags, radios, etc., you wonder what's the point other than to extract money from another consumer.
 
HK knives are manufactured by Benchmade so there must be a level of quality control.
 
nim145 said:
HK knives are manufactured by Benchmade so there must be a level of quality control.
Click to expand...

Boker and other manufacturers do OEM work for HK, they are not exclusively made by Benchmade! The knives the OP posted about are not made by Benchmade!
 
3Guardsmen said:
Boker and other manufacturers do OEM work for HK, they are not exclusively made by Benchmade! The knives the OP posted about are not made by Benchmade!
Click to expand...

3Gardsmen, it is Benchmade. Benchmade came out with another line of HK's made in China & US. Mostly China. They do not stack up to the quality of the AXIS & Snody HK's. Those HK's are top quality even compared to some of Benchmades best. Osbourne designed a few of the older line of HK's.
The Nytrous system is in that line also. All very well made.

This new line (old line still available as catalog item) is mostly an in house Benchmade product line of foreign manufacturer. The Benchmade that the OP asks about is part of that line and new on he market.
C1
 
Let's be be clear that a company can subcontract work to China and still get good quality by simply monitoring production processes and paying to get it. Lot's of us are communicating quite well on this forum as a direct result. After all, knives have come from Germany, Japan, Italy, Britain, and others as well for decades, each country in turn putting out junk for a mass marketer gleaning the public for impulse dollars.

It's about the branding - will HK keep after Benchmade, et al, to maintain their image of quality?

At this point we should get responses from actual owners and their impressions, like the OP asked. That would decide the official country of origin as listed by law.
 
Condition 1 said:
3Gardsmen, it is Benchmade. Benchmade came out with another line of HK's made in China & US. Mostly China. They do not stack up to the quality of the AXIS & Snody HK's. Those HK's are top quality even compared to some of Benchmades best. Osbourne designed a few of the older line of HK's.
The Nytrous system is in that line also. All very well made.

This new line (old line still available as catalog item) is mostly an in house Benchmade product line of foreign manufacturer. The Benchmade that the OP asks about is part of that line and new on he market.
C1
Click to expand...

I still think 3G is correct in that these were not made by Benchmade. H&K probably wanted to expand its line and as you know a cheap black bladed tanto with serrations actually sells really well. Not so much to us but the general public / mall ninjas eat them up. BM probably outsources these knives and just monitors production and distribution.

As for the OP. The 14351 uses 9Cr13 which IIRC is the chinese version of AUS 8. And is also uses G10 which is a nice improvement over Zytel, Valox, and all of those plastic like materials. For $40 you seem to get a decent value and if the design appeals to you go ahead and pick one up.
 
Condition 1 said:
Benchmade Products model 14351

If this is not a Benchmade, is the Red Box line not a Benchmade?
Is the HK AXIS designs Benchmade?
How about the HD line?
Click to expand...

Nim145 and Condition1, I stand very corrected!:o Thanks for the research, Condition1!:thumbup: I thought that the HK knife the OP posted about was made by (or for) a completely different manufacturer/company. Thanks for the assist, Tjsulli790 :thumbup:, but it looks like I led you wrong.

Regards,
3G
 
Condition 1 said:
Benchmade Products model 14351

If this is not a Benchmade, is the Red Box line not a Benchmade?
Is the HK AXIS designs Benchmade?
How about the HD line?
Click to expand...

I didn't say it wasn't a Benchmade. I said they aren't "Benchmade made" in house products. I think we are all perhaps confused by what you mean by "it's a Benchmade". It's an outsourced knife that Benchmade sells, you can call it whatever you want.
 
I like the look of these knives - very close in design to the old 970 Emerson/Benchmade collaboration models, but don't know anyone that has one as yet so don't have an opinion of their quality.

Given these are the first Benchmade produced non-Snody designs AND are made overseas the jury's out on how good they are, time will tell soon as they start hitting the Forums - and I've noticed they're already on eBay.

If they're as good as my 14205 and 14210 models, which I have to doubt, I might get one myself to see.

Good posting so far.

Joe K.
 
tirod3 said:
Let's be be clear that a company can subcontract work to China and still get good quality by simply monitoring production processes and paying to get it. Lot's of us are communicating quite well on this forum as a direct result. After all, knives have come from Germany, Japan, Italy, Britain, and others as well for decades, each country in turn putting out junk for a mass marketer gleaning the public for impulse dollars.

It's about the branding - will HK keep after Benchmade, et al, to maintain their image of quality?

At this point we should get responses from actual owners and their impressions, like the OP asked. That would decide the official country of origin as listed by law.
Click to expand...

Went to Benchmade's official site and the knife is labled "Country of Origin, Imported" Imported from where they do not say. So like you have said I think persons that actually have this knife should chime in, and they may have because, I have only read the first page of this thread.

Edit: It seems there is only one page and this is a very old post sorry. It also seems that others are giving their "opinions" so it is only reasonable that I should be able to also"!!!---Spyderco has most their knives outsourced. Is it their own factories in the many countries they have them made??, who knows! Are the ones made in other countries inferior to the ones made in the US. I believe some of the best knives made come from Japan, Spyderco or not. It all boils down to the main company haveing absolute control on their specs and making these countries adhere to those specs. This hype "if it's not US made it is not the best" simply false. Find me a comparable US knife that compares to knives made by Seki Cut or Moki. Dollar for dollar you get a much better knife from these compaines in Japan than the same type of knives made in the US. Call me non patriotic or a person that does not support US products if you will. But that is not true. I buy quality that is proven no matter what country. I have a dresser top full of knives. Made from all different countries. I own a Kershaw half ton. Thirteen dollar knife. 8cr13 steel may not be the best but sufficient for what one buys this knife for. Great fit and finish. Great feel in the hand. I own a Fallkniven U2, Moki lockback with wood insert, Almar Osprey, and many other imports manual and automatic. Then I own benchmade mini grip, Kershaw cyclone, Kershaw OD-1, Benchmade large Axis black handle is the only name they give it, N680 steel, Bark river mini tusk, Great eastern sleeveboard 1095 carbon steel blades, and many others from the US. All these knives are wonderful kives. US made or not.

Well I am getting off course but I think you get my point. The last US made knife I bought was a USA made lock back. I believe it was the Prince. It was the smallest one that came with a sheath is what I wanted. The fit and finish was so bad and the blade wobbled. I was disheartned by buck. Because when I was young, when you bought a buck knife it was the best. You cannot even find their stockman line of knives, and if you do I am not sure they make them in the US anymore. Those good old Buck Stockman knives in the past were so well made and not knowing the steel I can only say they were very hard to get an edge on but when you did they held it and they took a razor sharp edge. Buck is now competing with the Fad knives of the day and also they are coming up with some clasic type knives. I do not know there quality because it will be a long time before I buy another buck knife. It seems some of their single blade locking knives on the top of the line are getting good reviews so maybe that will be my next try at a Buck made knife. I really wished you could get their stockmans of old that were true quality knives.

I quit now. I just get a little rattled when so many people think just because, "if it is not US made"--- it is an inferior product. This is so far from the truth you could not even measure the distance. Maybe I am wrong about the "general census about non USA made knives" and am venting for no reason. For those that carry the same centiment as me, my appoligies. For those that disagree I offer no apology.

Again sorry for the long wind. But I cannot say things in two lines like so many others seem to have the talent for. Sorry. Maybe it is becaue I get to far off topic, so I will try to correct myself in the future.

Regards,

Daniel
 
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