Benchmade 111H2O

BA_Colt

BA_Colt

Don't make me slap you the kielbasa.
Joined
Oct 15, 2008
Messages
14,178
I recently bought a Benchmade 111H20. I sail and kayak on salt water and wanted a folder. orginal thread on knife parameters It is the partially serrated version with black scales. I carry a marlinespike that has a shackle key so I did not need a knife with a spike. I spent the other day sailing, winterizing, and whipping all lines on my friend's sailboat so the knife got a good workout. First off the knife has a good weight to it, and well balanced. The scales have an aggressive texture which could become uncomfortable if you spent time carving a spoon with it, but for line cutting and rigging it is great as they do not get slippery. I dunked it in the water a few times to see how good the grip is and never felt in peril of losing it overboard. The blade has good thickness and the serrated part cut through line and rubber reinforced tubing like warm butter. The factory edge on the plain part was even but not hair popping sharp. I touched it up freehand on a DMT diamond fine and it took a edge well. It has an ambidextrous thumb stud and opens smoothly with the stud or with a flick. I tested opening it with leather gloves on, neoprene gloves, dry then wet. I could always get it open and locked. Here is the only real con. The Axis lock. Opening it with the Axis lock and a flick worked maybe 60% of the time, and with gloves on around 30%. Also closing it with gloves on was troublesome. The lock however held the blade well and I am not afraid it will slip. I have added a lanyard and the lanyard hole is a good size. The pocket clip was a bit tight but with a little persuasion it works well now.

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Thanks bdt0307 and Pete1977 for the heads up on this knife.:D

Beth
 
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Thanks for the review. I'm really interested in this one. Can the clip be reversed so that it will carry on the left, tip up?
 
protourist said:
Thank you.
Nice fid by the way.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

My friend has a 27 Prearson. He takes me out sailing often but when he asks if I have my sail bag handy I know I will be working. I taught him how to do an eye splice the other day. He can handle a sailboat better than me. He carries a SAK Helmsman which I do not like so much. I should borrow it and do a review.
 
i would imagine a lanyard is a necessity & how about those cold hands? what is the steel in that b.m.?
thanks
dennis
 
I'm surprised you found the axis lock troublesome. Maybe just a little more practice on when to release the mechanism.
 
My problem with the Axis Lock is the slide button is small and not that proud from the scales. Bare handed it works well but when I had gloves on, dry and wet, I had trouble manipulating the lock. I do have small hands and I have a hard time finding gloves that fit, but one of the gloves I used to test the knife I modified (cut the excess from the fingers off and re stitch) to fit me well like a glove.
This is my first Axis lock so perhaps with practice it will be less troublesome.
 
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