My experience:
Yes, Benchmades in ATS-34 chip easily. No, ATS-34 doesn't always do that. I am convinced Benchmade has gone too far in the direction of edge-holding at the cost of toughness.
I snapped the point on my AFCK so long ago that I don't remember it, doing nothing terribly tough. Most of the AFCKs, Leopards, and Spikes that I have seen carried by friends and knife-store customers had similar damage. I'd call it epidemic. Edge chipping and loss of serrations are not that uncommon, either.
My own knives in ATS-34 have performed quite differently, which I feel may be because they are slightly softer. Though they have shown good edge-holding, I have had no chipping even on a large "combat machete" that I used to cut hardwood, coins, and even aluminum barstock. The barstock caused some edge deformation but not chips. Also, my ATS-34 feels and sounds very different when sharpening compared to Benchmade's.
Conclusion: Same steel, so the difference must be in the heat treatment (yes, the geometries differ, too, but the bevels themselves area ground at the same angles and by the same methods, provided I have sharpened the Benchmade). My guess is Benchmades are "too hard" for most users' demands. Benchmade themselves says they stress edge-holding very strongly... perhaps too much so?
They can still be some darn fine knives (including my favorite), of course. Just if I had my druthers they'd be softer or in a different steel.
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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)