- Joined
- Mar 7, 2002
- Messages
- 181
Nobody asked for it-but here it is!!!!
Benchmade Ambush Review
This is a review of the full-size (4in. blade) Benchmade Ambush, one of their new Taiwanese manufactured models. (I got this from Gary Moore, at Moore Custom Cutlery, a fine fellow to deal with.) The Ambush is designed by Mel Pardue, the famed custom maker whos collaborated with Benchmade on several other designs.
While Im not an avid Benchmade fan, Ive owned several, of various vintages, throughout the years. To this day, a Sentinel is a particular favorite EDC for me. This is, however, my first foreign-manufactured Benchmade. As such, I was curious to see what compromises had been made to build the knife to such a reasonable (~$55) price point.
Looking over the spec sheet, an obvious compromise is the blade steel; AUS 8 instead of the more familiar, and costlier, 154CM. This is a reasonable choice for a utility blade, holding an edge reasonably well and remaining generally stain-free. The blade is about .110 thick, not flimsy, but not comparable to the somewhat heavier stock used on most of Benchmades American knives, and certainly not comparable the the .140 stock used on my Microtech SOCOM Elite, which is roughly the same overall size as the Ambush. The blade was very sharp upon delivery.
The handle is made of cast aluminum, and here is where another compromise comes to light-the usual Benchmade hard anodizing appears (and its not specified in the catalog, so perhaps Im wrong) to have been replaced by powder-coating, or perhaps a high-tech paint. Whatever it is, it doesnt appear to be as durable as the usual anodizing, and certainly isnt comparable to the military specification anodizing used by makers like Microtech. Scratches and nicks seem inevitable if the knife is used hard.
I suppose knives built to a price are defined by their compromises, and that cant be avoided. Compromises in blade steel and finish are understandable, but one area where Im always leery of budget knives is in their locking systems. Locking liners on inexpensive knives usually use thinner liners than more expensive knives, and Ive avoided several appealing knives on this basis alone. (I dont know about you, but it doesnt help my budget to go to the hospital and have fingers reattached, even if I saved $50 on the knife I used to cut them off.) The Ambush uses the patented Rolling Lock, formerly used with various degrees of success by R.E.K.A.T. While theres been some discussion about failures with these past knives, its implementation in the Ambush seems solid and reassuring. A button (similar in appearance to the AXIS button, but placed closer to the lower edge of the handle and on only one side {the obverse} of the knife) unlocks the blade by moving about 1/8 to the rear. Used in conjunction with the rolling lock is Benchmades In-Draft system, which provides a blade detent to hold the blade closed. This system uses a pin in the blade and spring action of the liners, sort of a modified system thats used to create a blade detent in a locking-liner knife.
Whew, enough of the specs, eh? Hows it work?
The knife carries well for its size. Its reasonably flat, reasonably light and comfortably beveled on every edge and angle. Ive found it a genuinely comfortable knife to carry.
Locking, as mentioned, seems solid. The lock engages with a solid snap, and is solidly locked open during my (reasonable) tests. Disengaging the lock is positive, and hard to do accidentally. I think the Rolling Lock (at least in this incarnation) is a viable alternative to other locking systems. The only concern I have is its susceptibility to dirt and debris fouling the mechanism, and a decisive finding on that topic is going to take a few months worth of pocket lint, Id imagine.
If closing the knife is well thought out, opening the knife isnt. The In-Draft system, touted by Benchmade as providing the most secure blade detent available or some such, is far too secure. The knife has a pronounced hesitation at about half-way open, and its enough to actually throw the coordination of your thumb completely off-at first, I actually would lose the thumb stud, and a couple of times almost caught the edge of the blade as I tried to keep the blade moving. The In-Draft also makes inertial opening (flicking the knife) nearly impossible without serious effort. At that, I can only succeed in opening the knife that way about half the time. As Im used to opening most of my knives this way, I find this a serious drawback. While the hesitation seems to slowly be reducing over time, Im not sure if this is because Im getting used to it or if the mechanism is actually working in a little bit. Either way, I could live without it.
One thing that I was thoroughly surprised about was the fit and finish of the knife, given its Taiwanese origins. Blade grind, symmetry, blade centering, edge geometry and everything else is absolutely up to Benchmades usual standards. I honestly dont think that a knife knut, handed this knife without any markings, could tell that it was not an American made Benchmade. I have to admit I expected far more compromises in these areas, and was not expecting the level of fit and finish this knife displays. Does this mean that, given the right materials, Benchmade could actually make knives that compete with their American production with their overseas factories? As much as I hate to say it, if this knife is any indication, the answer is definitely a yes.
Overall, I think the Ambush is good buy for the money. Its materials keep it from being quite up to the level of the American Benchmades, and thats possibly by design I would buy it again for a good utility EDC.
Ive been helped by reviews others have posted in the past, and I hope this review can help someone interested in this knife.
Larry
Benchmade Ambush Review
This is a review of the full-size (4in. blade) Benchmade Ambush, one of their new Taiwanese manufactured models. (I got this from Gary Moore, at Moore Custom Cutlery, a fine fellow to deal with.) The Ambush is designed by Mel Pardue, the famed custom maker whos collaborated with Benchmade on several other designs.
While Im not an avid Benchmade fan, Ive owned several, of various vintages, throughout the years. To this day, a Sentinel is a particular favorite EDC for me. This is, however, my first foreign-manufactured Benchmade. As such, I was curious to see what compromises had been made to build the knife to such a reasonable (~$55) price point.
Looking over the spec sheet, an obvious compromise is the blade steel; AUS 8 instead of the more familiar, and costlier, 154CM. This is a reasonable choice for a utility blade, holding an edge reasonably well and remaining generally stain-free. The blade is about .110 thick, not flimsy, but not comparable to the somewhat heavier stock used on most of Benchmades American knives, and certainly not comparable the the .140 stock used on my Microtech SOCOM Elite, which is roughly the same overall size as the Ambush. The blade was very sharp upon delivery.
The handle is made of cast aluminum, and here is where another compromise comes to light-the usual Benchmade hard anodizing appears (and its not specified in the catalog, so perhaps Im wrong) to have been replaced by powder-coating, or perhaps a high-tech paint. Whatever it is, it doesnt appear to be as durable as the usual anodizing, and certainly isnt comparable to the military specification anodizing used by makers like Microtech. Scratches and nicks seem inevitable if the knife is used hard.
I suppose knives built to a price are defined by their compromises, and that cant be avoided. Compromises in blade steel and finish are understandable, but one area where Im always leery of budget knives is in their locking systems. Locking liners on inexpensive knives usually use thinner liners than more expensive knives, and Ive avoided several appealing knives on this basis alone. (I dont know about you, but it doesnt help my budget to go to the hospital and have fingers reattached, even if I saved $50 on the knife I used to cut them off.) The Ambush uses the patented Rolling Lock, formerly used with various degrees of success by R.E.K.A.T. While theres been some discussion about failures with these past knives, its implementation in the Ambush seems solid and reassuring. A button (similar in appearance to the AXIS button, but placed closer to the lower edge of the handle and on only one side {the obverse} of the knife) unlocks the blade by moving about 1/8 to the rear. Used in conjunction with the rolling lock is Benchmades In-Draft system, which provides a blade detent to hold the blade closed. This system uses a pin in the blade and spring action of the liners, sort of a modified system thats used to create a blade detent in a locking-liner knife.
Whew, enough of the specs, eh? Hows it work?
The knife carries well for its size. Its reasonably flat, reasonably light and comfortably beveled on every edge and angle. Ive found it a genuinely comfortable knife to carry.
Locking, as mentioned, seems solid. The lock engages with a solid snap, and is solidly locked open during my (reasonable) tests. Disengaging the lock is positive, and hard to do accidentally. I think the Rolling Lock (at least in this incarnation) is a viable alternative to other locking systems. The only concern I have is its susceptibility to dirt and debris fouling the mechanism, and a decisive finding on that topic is going to take a few months worth of pocket lint, Id imagine.
If closing the knife is well thought out, opening the knife isnt. The In-Draft system, touted by Benchmade as providing the most secure blade detent available or some such, is far too secure. The knife has a pronounced hesitation at about half-way open, and its enough to actually throw the coordination of your thumb completely off-at first, I actually would lose the thumb stud, and a couple of times almost caught the edge of the blade as I tried to keep the blade moving. The In-Draft also makes inertial opening (flicking the knife) nearly impossible without serious effort. At that, I can only succeed in opening the knife that way about half the time. As Im used to opening most of my knives this way, I find this a serious drawback. While the hesitation seems to slowly be reducing over time, Im not sure if this is because Im getting used to it or if the mechanism is actually working in a little bit. Either way, I could live without it.
One thing that I was thoroughly surprised about was the fit and finish of the knife, given its Taiwanese origins. Blade grind, symmetry, blade centering, edge geometry and everything else is absolutely up to Benchmades usual standards. I honestly dont think that a knife knut, handed this knife without any markings, could tell that it was not an American made Benchmade. I have to admit I expected far more compromises in these areas, and was not expecting the level of fit and finish this knife displays. Does this mean that, given the right materials, Benchmade could actually make knives that compete with their American production with their overseas factories? As much as I hate to say it, if this knife is any indication, the answer is definitely a yes.
Overall, I think the Ambush is good buy for the money. Its materials keep it from being quite up to the level of the American Benchmades, and thats possibly by design I would buy it again for a good utility EDC.
Ive been helped by reviews others have posted in the past, and I hope this review can help someone interested in this knife.
Larry
