Benchmade Apparition disappointment...

R

red96ta

Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
132
I had been looking to get the Apparition for some time but when I went to my local store and tried it out I was completely put off on it. The AO action was really scratchy and took quite a bit of effort just to get the AO to take over. Additionally, it only has a single torsion bar that looks exactly like those $20 Chinese 'Italian' stillettos you can find just about anywhere

By contrast, my nitrous Stryker is awesome with the smooth action and slick new Nitrous AO feature.

Did Benchmade drop the ball or do you think that the one they had on display was tired and/or sick? Anybody else out there have an Apparition that came as slick and fast as they had imagined?
 
I had exactly the same experience a couple of years ago. I chose the Apparition from the photos, only to be severely let down on personal inspection. Rough action, very clunky AO. I really wanted to like that knife.
 
I read great reviews about the apparition, but I gotta agree with you. I wasn't impressed with it at all. The AO was very difficult for me to use. And Benchmade has some of the easiest opening folders in the production market. Although, one torsion bar isn't a big deal IMO. Kershaw has a few single torsion bar AOs and I think they're a great value for the dollar.
 
I traded for one and I think it's a classy knife and the AO works just fine. Love the file work on the back spring and the solid bolster. The plastic imitation kudu horn is a little cheesy but it does have a nice grip.
 
I bought one a couple of years back when they came out, and was very let down by it. SLow action, and not a well made knife.....I bought it on line but would never had bought it had I held and used it first.....I need to trade/sell it some day.....
 
I can't see where mine is at all poorly made. There's no blade play, it locks up with the liner right to the front of the blade base, everything is well fitted and the blade is sharp and well finished. The AO takes a bit more of a flick of my thumb to activate, but it flings the blade out nice and fast once it gets started. Hard to believe we have the same knife. I've always liked mine fairly well. Not my fave knife by any means but it's not bad at all.
 
Not "poorly made". but not the normal Benchmade product. The several Kershaw Blurs and leeks are far better quailty at half ( or less) the price. I got my apparition for $90 and would never had even paid that much for it had I held it first. I have about ten Benchmades, all of which I love. This one is not on their level....
 
It does have 154cm steel. What does the cheaper Kershaws have? (i just traded for mine so I'm happy)
 
It' s usually 13C26 jill jackson.

On-topic: I' m surprised that so many here have had negative experiences with that knife, since I was considering buying one.
 
I read many posts here from members that were happy with their Benchmade Apparitions. I can't see where the one I've got is much different than the rest of my Benchmades. As far as fit and finish.
 
Kershaw 13C26 is an excellent steel. They have also had sprint runs in their blur AO in S30V, and SG2 (high grade japanese powder steel near ZDP in performance) all for less than the price for the Apparition.

The base steel 13C26 is an extremely clean swedish steel that takes super sharp edges pretty easily, but doesn't have the wear resistance of, say, 154cm, for instance. S30V, and SG2 are upgrades over 154cm IMO, for my kind of use which is no prying, great wear resistance and takes good to excellent edges.

I don't think the apparition is a bad product, but I think the Blur is a better product, for less money.

Jill, if you're happy with your knife that's all that matters. Joe
 
That torsion bar flipper is designed to be removed, in case you need to carry it in an area where AO isn't legal. Yes, Mastiff I think it's a good looking knife and for what I traded for it I'm satisfied.
 
I got one for my father about three years ago and he's been beating the crap out of it since without issue. The one I gave him was smooth and fast--the AO is stiff but faster than any other AO I've seen. Not sure why folks are having an issue with it.
 
fortytwoblades,

I like Benchmade's AO systems, but in all honesty, Kershaw makes a better AO hands down. Some of their larger knives even open as fast as their Leek which IMHO is the fastest AO available on the market...unless someone can point me to one that's faster. Considering Benchmade's reputation, it really makes me wonder why they didn't release the knife configured in some other way? I would most certainly buy the Apparition if it used the Nitrous AO.
 
I like the looks of the Apparition all right but to me, it just didn't feel like a Benchmade, and it doesn't fit in with the BM line at all. If I hadn't known who made it, I would never have guessed it was a BM. The AO seemed closer to the very few CRKT's that I had handled; hard to get started, then open with too much force. This was a couple of years ago, though. I haven't handled the App nor any CRKT's since.
 
I like my Apparition. It's very smooth and the AO works well. It's not as fast as some of my other AO's but it works well.

Last week I was opening a big shipment w/ some very tough plastic (green) banding on it. THis stuff is very thick and designed to hold heavy loads. My Leek w/ 13c26 would cut thru it with a bit of sawing, but after about 8 strands, the edge was rolled over pretty bad. It'll take a while to get it back in shape.
Today, I had my apparition and opened 6 strands of the same banding, (we're opening a new lab, so I get to buy lots of new stuff) and the 145cm went thru it quite a bit easier. And so far, it doesn't show any dulling.

Don't anyone get me wrong, I love my Leek and other Kershaw knives w/ the new Sandvik steel, but it isn't as hard or have the edge retention of the 154cm.

All in all, I like the BM. It's still as tight and smooth as ever. I even used it last year to do the bung hole and helped finish skinning a friends elk. Had to boil the gunk out of it after and re-oil, tho.
 
Mine was sharp, good qaulity and smooth, but the spring action was very stiff and the "kick" was improperly proportioned to the size of the blade- the blade just came out too fast and it made the knif e"jump" in your hand as it kicked open.

take the spring out though and it was a nice knife
 
I like mine. I had to lube it, but I've had to lube all of my folders. The AO is a little stiff, but pops right open otherwise. A positive point is that it can't be flipped open. It's a good knife, and looks great.
 
I bought one a couple of years back (I have since sold it to thin out my collection) and it was very smooth and the opening was fast and hard. If you weren't holding very tight it probaby would have jumped out of my hand. Reminded me of a 12-Gauge pump having a round jacked into the chamber. Nice looking filework and overall finish. The only drawback to me was that it was very heavy and I knew I would never carry it because of that. Otherwise it was a very well built knife.
 
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