Benchmade 551BK-101 Gold Class Griptilian

[Airborne Falcon]

I want a 551BK 101 Gold Class so bad I can taste it ... but with a grinder in my future it is going to have to wait for awhile.

 

[Keyman]

I turned mine into Ritter Gold - a better blade coating & a better blade profile.
Same great M4 steel.

 

[Sonnydaze]

Traded a small Sebenza for this one:

my friend sort of convinced me I should never use it and save it as an investment.

Obviously, you and your friend are young. I'm not, and now I want to use everything I can get my hands on...while I still can.
Who are you saving it for? Your kids don't need your knives, and your widow will get duped out of everything in your safe for ten cents on the dollar. I see it happening all the time. Yes, I live in Florida where darned near everybody is old.
Sonny

 

[Sonnydaze]

you actually traded a sebenza for that

I kinda wondered about that myself.

 

[Sonnydaze]

Really? $150?

Can you think of another $150 knife with a M4 blade, thick solid carbon fiber grips that's made in America? Or anywhere?

How about my Spyderco Sprint Manix2 with CPM M4?
Sonny

 

[Sonnydaze]

I have handled the Grip on quite a few occasions, and don't like the scales. It seems like noone does. Maybe I'm wrong.
I don't like the walnut scales on the Bone Collector either. They seem too light in weight and in color. I do like Benchmade; I own quite a bit of BM folders and have for a long time.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I have handled the Grip on quite a few occasions, and don't like the scales. It seems like noone does. Maybe I'm wrong.
I don't like the walnut scales on the Bone Collector either. They seem too light in weight and in color. I do like Benchmade; I own quite a bit of BM folders and have for a long time.

You don't like the scaley feel on the scales (pardon the pun) or what? Because that is what anyone who has ever held the Griptillian, and hasn't liked them, has told me. "It feels like a snake skin in my hands!"

Personally, that's what I like about them.

Keyman .... I like it but it is difficult to tell much from the picture. What was your process, how did you get to that final product?

 

[Jesse B.]

you actually traded a sebenza for that

I kinda wondered about that myself.

Yes I traded a Sebenza for one. To be fair, it was a small, used, inherited, tanto-bladed Sebenza for a NIB limited Grip (with a fairly low serial number which is generally meaningless but personally meaningful). There's probably still some discrepancy in sheer monetary value but hey, to each his own.

 

[Keyman]

Keyman .... I like it but it is difficult to tell much from the picture. What was your process, how did you get to that final product?

I already had a Mini & a Large in the LE M4 models. So, I just traded the blade out and was left with this:

and this: