Benchmade Barrage 580

JM2 · Mar 3, 2015

I bought a new benchmade 580. All black. After receiving the knife, I played with it a few days, giving it a few odd cutting tasks along the way. Then it happened. It locked up on me. It acted as if the tension screw got real tight all of the sudden. I checked that, no, it was fine. It felt as if there was a pin or spring or something binding in the mechanism. I sent it back to benchmade with a letter explaining such. It arrived back promptly, within 5 minutes of the knife being out of the box it did the same thing again. I returned it again, with another letter. When it arrived back the second time, I took it from the box carefully, opened it once. Then i took it down to the gun store and sold it for 3/4 of the money invested in it and hoped like heck that it wouldnt lock up while they were playing with it before I got out of the store.

Thats my experience with the 580 barrage.

jstrange · Mar 3, 2015

Less than ideal experience to say the least. I wonder what was causing the problem.

jkarp_53 · Mar 3, 2015

It sounds like the safety lock was engaged. There's that tab on top of the knife, push it forward and the blade's not going to open or close. Pull it back and it releases the lock. The problem might have been something else, but the mechanism is pretty simple. Sorry to read about your experience.

d0nut · Mar 3, 2015

jkarp_53 said:
It sounds like the safety lock was engaged. There's that tab on top of the knife, push it forward and the blade's not going to open or close. Pull it back and it releases the lock. The problem might have been something else, but the mechanism is pretty simple. Sorry to read about your experience.

That was my thinking, too.

The OP didnt even mention if he/she tried to engage or disengage the lock so I wonder....?

BMCGear · Mar 3, 2015

jkarp_53 said:
It sounds like the safety lock was engaged. There's that tab on top of the knife, push it forward and the blade's not going to open or close. Pull it back and it releases the lock. The problem might have been something else, but the mechanism is pretty simple. Sorry to read about your experience.

d0nut said:
That was my thinking, too.

The OP didnt even mention if he/she tried to engage or disengage the lock so I wonder....?

My thoughts as well.

j3ffr0 · Mar 3, 2015

That little lock can get ya if you don't know about it. The first clerk who tried to show me the Barrage at the store I bought mine from didn't know about it. I didn't either. Luckily another clerk unlocked the knife so we could play with it.

My 580 is smooth as silk. I use the safety lock all the time. I always engage it if I lay my knife down on a table. Disengage it when carrying in the pocket. I also have a 585 -- no hint of a problem with either of them. Quite the contrary -- these knives have made me a big Benchmade fan.

whitty · Mar 5, 2015

When we got these in we had the same problem. Took us a while to figure out the lock. Actually watched a youtube video and then nailed it!

Buffalohump · Mar 5, 2015

I had a 581 Barrage for a time but never had issues like this. However, I did feel the lock was unnecessary. Dont like them on autos either. Just more fiddly bits that can fail IMO.

jstrange · Mar 5, 2015

Not quite on topic, but the bad guy on Justified used one to cut a bullet out his shoulder. I thought that was pretty cool

JM2 · Mar 6, 2015

Im not stupid, I disengaged the lock before trying to open it. It opened well until the problem. It felt gritty, and wouldnt open all the way without helping it, as if it had too much tension on the tension screw. I dont remember exactly what the note said, but the first time they fixed it, and the second time they replaced all the guts. In the second letter I sent, i asked them to give me my money back instead of sending it back. They sent it back.

Joe58 · Mar 6, 2015

That is an odd one that I've never experienced on any of my BM knives. I'd really be curious to know what the issue was if it wasn't something with the lock mechanism slipping somehow.

I have a couple of the mini Barrage models and they are top notch. I've deassisted them though. Except the Warn Tanto one. It's kinda cool to pop open. But I digress.

jkarp_53 · Mar 6, 2015

Of the many owned, only one, a 670 Osborne went to the factory twice and they couldn't fix it. I got something else in exchange for free but was disappointed. To the OP; none of us meant disrespect. The locking tab on top has stumped more than a few, and likely the same numbers have said over the years how un-necessary that lock really is. But your experience of buying a knife that wasn't to your liking leaves/left a scar of sorts and should not have come to that conclusion.

JM2 · Mar 8, 2015

I actually liked the lock. I like the knife but didnt particularly like the assisted opening part. I'd like to have one like it, but non assisted.

JM2 · Aug 28, 2015

I've been toying with the idea of giving the barrage another try.

Cursum Perficio · Aug 29, 2015

JM2 said:
I've been toying with the idea of giving the barrage another try.

I have a 581 and a 586, never had a problem with either.
Until I screwed up the 581 with my own stupidity. Sent it to BM and they sent it back fixed, free of charge, and I continue to have no problem at all with it.
Gifted my bro the 580 I had and so far as I know he's never had a problem with it.

Give a Barrage another go, and if you can afford it get a 581 or 586. Definitely the better option IMO.