It does look like an amazing knife but why use a black coating on the blade, wouldn't a stone finish or non coated version be better? This black coating with look terrible 15 years from now, all scratched and messed up. When I buy a gold class I pay that kind of money to get a very durable knife that will look perfect and feel perfect through my life. To me gold class is synonymous to heirlooms pieces... they have to look perfect all the time, coating will just not cut it for me
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I just got my 550BK-101 a couple days ago. My first pass thoughts:
Compared to the plastic handled Griptilians, which are quite ergonomic, these carbon fiber handles just exude cool and quality and are much stiffer laterally than the plastic-ey Valox or whatever.
At about $265 delivered, this knife is IMO overpriced by about $100 compared to a custom knife. I know Carbon Fiber is expensive, and the machining they do to turn out the cool faceted visuals and the improved grip (vs. flat/smooth) is another manufacturing step... yet still, it's pricey for what is still a production knife, even if this is a low quantity run (250? ... mine is #44... whoo hoo).
I consider this a "user"... and indeed, to get CPM M4, for whatever reason Benchmade feels like they need to give it a black coating. I assume this is because so many goofballs would get rust specs on M4 and send in for a warranty claim. The current black coating is rough compared with Benchmade's smooth teflon-feeling coatings of a few years ago. And it WILL look crappy soon enough if you actually use this knife, that's the nature of the typical black coating game... YMMV, but this is in user class for me personally. I mean, why else have a blade of CPM M4 unless you are going to benefit from using this fine cutting steel?? No reason for CPM-M4 on a show piece. Might as well have a 440 series or CPM154.
My knife arrived needing some break-in. It is rough feeling and "slow" on opening despite the bronze pivot washers. I haven't broken it apart yet to see what's going on, but if the blade has the rough black coating on blade next to pivot washers, that'll solve one mystery... and a bit of judicious sanding will solve permanently, along with a bit of CRK's fluorinated grease.
The axis lock is running a bit rough in it's channel, and again, I'm sure I can clean up the action, but shouldn't have to if they want $250 (street price) for this "Gold" class production knife. Spending more than this on a "Benchmade" (e.g. the $400 to $800 damascus stuff) is not logical to my brain, considering what I can get from higher-end production houses (CRK) or a true custom maker.
Overall, this knife is a keeper, and feels in-hand like a really big upgrade from the plastic handled Griptilian, a major transformation, yet it remains a user in my book, and is overpriced.
I'd definitely be interested in a run of S30V or even D2 with G10 scales.
To paraphase Punch: "Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances."
I took my chance... and I think I can clean it enough to make it a keeper, albeit at a price.
