Benchmade 420 Resistor

[Stainz]

Santa was very good to me. I got a new mariner's knife - a Myerchin B300 Offshore Folder - despite my having sold my sailboat two decades ago. Santa recognizes a good value - especially 'sale' priced! I also, after a few years of drooling, finally got a Buck #172 Mayo TNT. Then - the shockers - Mrs. Santa had shopped my local pusher... I got two Benchmades - a 670 Apparition and a 6150 Auto Mini-Rukus... wow!

The first step was clip removal for the last three folders. Since the first two mentioned didn't have a small poly bag, I taped the screws in place and put the clip in their respective boxes. The second step was evaluation of my needs. The TNT is a 'keeper' - I can carry it in a shirt pocket. The 6150 - a 'switchblade' is a big question... it's deployment is 'scarey' fast. I love the knife - I have it's twin in a 615 and it's a keeper. That 670 Apparition is different - it's torsion spring 'helper' can be removed - I may try that. I don't consider pocket knives as anything but tools, as I can legally carry something 'louder' in my pocket.

The Apparition - like the Resistor - is an iteresting design. Monday may require a trek across town to a Yuppee sporting goods emporium, possibly still harboring some older BMs... maybe another Resistor or an Apparition?? The first action Monday will likely be a call to Benchmade - that Apparition, when the clip was removed, proved to be missing that side's two scale attachment screws! Thankfully, the two through bolts at the back of the blade held them in place.

The salesman insisted to my wife that the Apparition, marked $85.95, had a 'jigged water buffalo' handle. I have a Buck Custom Shop 110 (BG-42) made with such real scales - made before their price meteoric rise - the extra charge for those scales now is $115 - more than I paid for that entire custom Buck 110 or the Apparition! Believe me, there is a difference - the Apparition's scales are plastic. Salesmen are fun. They also like my wife far better - she get's great discounts!

The Christmas gift of the auto Mini Rukus has had one side effect - I won't spend time looking for an auto-Resistor, no matter how much I like my Resistor!

Happy New Year!

Stainz

 

[Que]

Stainz, that is a nice haul, especially the Mini Rukus.

While Santa passed my house by, the postman was very good to me yesterday. He delivered two Benchmades, a Barrage and a Osborne 950 RIFT. I'm a very happy camper and will be posting some initial impressions in the next day on both knives. Tomorrow I hope to do some more cherry-picking.

As to clips, last night I removed the clip from one of my most carried EDCs, a Kershaw RAM. The clip was mounted tip down from the factory and I found that the clip really screwed up my grip towards the back. I changed ends and it still was an annoyance, so I removed the grip altogether. I put the screws back into the knife and immediately realized my mistake. When tightened down they would remove thin rings of finish around the holes. I took the screws out and hit the rings with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black and I was back to square one again. The knife is now pancake flat and carrying it today in my left pocket (the pocket that I reserve solely for knives) it as if barely there.

I will leave clips on a knive if I don't find them to be an annoyance, but from now on I will not hesitate to remove them. With my Endura that I carried for years it wasn't an option as the clip is molded into and part of the handle. With my Copilot the clip served as a money clip. But, based on the way that I carry, I will not hesitate to remove the clip if it suits me. I sort of felt like removing the clip diminished the knife somehow, which is silly. Since I have no use for a clip and can put it back on if I wish, they are now strictly optional for me.

 

[Que]

Stainz. or anyone else, do you have any experience with the Shoki, Kuglera, Opportunist, or Dejavoo/Mini Dejavoo? I may have a shot at these knives as well as the Rukus/Mini as well as the Apparition.

 

[Que]

I ended up with the 610SBK Blackwwod Rukus and the 930 Kulgera. I probably would have preferred the Mini Rukus, but that wasn't to be found. The full size Rukus is big, very big, but it feel so darned good in the hand. I think I'm going to really like this one. The clip stays on this one as the handle is narrow an d it offers a purcahse when closong the knife.

The Kulgera is actually an exceptional knife. the look is elegant, or "gentlemanly" as I often heard it said, but when you open it there is a lot of blade. It's very stealthy in that respect much as the 940 is a lot of blade in a small package. Neither the 930 or 940 are knives that you are going to be chopping logs with, or cutting copper tube, but as an about town knife they offer a balde that you could depend on if things were to go worst case. The clip is off this one as it serves no purpose for me.

As a side benefit, the shop where I bought these knives and the Resistor and Gravitator (and one other) is giving a 25% rebate in store credit towards a firearms purchase, so I'm well on my way to my next shooting iron with some sweet knives to show for it.

 

[Stainz]

I'll check my local pusher re the 615 - hopefully Tuesday. He had a 672 I wanted to look at earlier in the month. My 610 is more of a 'bushcraft' folder, the 615 is more of a 'normal' pocket folder. Here is my 'Ruki' collection:

The 6150, bottom above, has a different shade of Olive Drab in it's scales - more brown than the regular 615. You can also see the protrusion of the blade lock just below the AXIS Lock. Another obvious indicator it's an auto - no thumb stud. It's growing on me!

The Kulgera looks nice on paper - I've tried to get my pusher to order a few.

BTW, Benchmade is top drawer - a call to them and some scale/handle screws, missing under the clip side on the 670, and some shorter clip screws for the now clipless side's screws on the 6150 are 'on the way'.

Stainz

 

[Que]

Today I stopped by that shop to turn in my 25% off knife rebates. The 25% rebate must be used for firearms and it will pay for a used Ruger P944T Special Edition. I'm a sucker for Ruger P Series pistols (I'm mostly an HK, Walther, Smith, Steyr, SIG guy) and the knife rebate will help me replace a few P's that I regretfully sold.

At any rate, I had to look in the knife case and two knives caught my eye, the Apparition and Mini Dejavoo. The Lum design of the Dejavoo really grabbed me so I chose it. I knew about the weak liner lock, but I also knew that there are easy fixes. Sure enough, that is one weak lock-up, but after five minutes of easy work it's a-okay. The Mini Dejavoo is one smooth knife. It require somed remedial work to get it right, but is well worth it.

I also looked at a small BM/HK auto and I was very unimpressed. It felt cheap and the blade deployed in a very weak and anemic manner. I really have no need for an auto (illegal to carry here) and with an AO like the Barrage an auto is almost a step back.

When I got back from the shop the postman had delivered my Blackhawk Garra II. A ZT 0400 is on the way along with a Blackhawk Crucible II and a BM Mini Presidio Ultra. That will do it for 2009 and my year end bonus.

I'm spending some time with the 630 Skirmish this evening and I think that will be the first one that I'll review. The supply is drying up on discontinued knives like the Skirmish so the info is timely.

 

[Que]

So there I was Wednesday night laying in bed trying to get to sleep when i thought to myself that I really should have a nice fixed blade. Being out of bonus money I decided to sell an unwanted rifle to fund the purchase (and add a Blur to my collection). I'm not so much a fixed blade guy previously having owned a Buckmaster 184 (a "gift" from a gun shop owner that I represented, later sold) and currently a Buckmaster 184 knockoff which is less than desirable. I decided that I wanted something more manageable in size, and refined. Having a folder Resistor the obvious choice was a fixed blade Resistor. I knew where to find one. This one is a first production run, 401/1000. A great blade in 154CM and G-10 scales. It's shown below next to the folder and with its sheath, which is probably a bit too heavy duty, but nicely built with a very positive engagement of the knife.

I am also considering a smaller Activator especially if I can find someone who makes a nice leather sheath for pocket carry.