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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Benchmade customs any good?
- Thread starter zerkom122
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all benchmades are made in the USA . all benchmade knives are of the best quality production knives you can buy and are worth every penny. I own 3 benchmade knives and will probably buy another soon
at one time benchmade had a " red line " of knives which were Chinese made, they didn't like the quality coming from them so they shut that down and went to exclusively American made
ps : this should be moved to the benchmade section
at one time benchmade had a " red line " of knives which were Chinese made, they didn't like the quality coming from them so they shut that down and went to exclusively American made
ps : this should be moved to the benchmade section
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From my experience, despite being made in the USA, quality and workmanship are pretty shoddy for the price you will be paying. Most my Benchmade came will some flaw... As of now, I will stay away until they fixed their pricing for their shoddy quality.
Adamas : obvious excess lump of BK coat on the blade (what are the inspection guys doing?)
940-1 : both came with uncentered blades, clips aren't even touching the scales (I dont wish to lose a $263.50 knife, one of them came with a horrible grind. both are of different shade of carbon fiber and standoff. They are bought from the same e-tailer a day apart.
943 : open/close the knife and the pivot will loosen up and create blade play
Ritters: The only ones without problems out of the box
Mini-Grip : it's so badly off-centered that it's almost rubbing.
How bad the quality controls are??? Come'on Benchmade, it's a $263.50 knife and not a $30 china-made clone...
Makes me wonder if they are just manufactured by sweatshops in the USA instead of a foreign country... Dont get me wrong about hating on Benchmade but even USA made Spyderco aren't great. Just take a look that the new Manix2 in S110V, the grit used to grind the edge is probably 80 or lower but then again it's only $100 knife and Benchmade would be asking $300 if they made it.
Adamas : obvious excess lump of BK coat on the blade (what are the inspection guys doing?)
940-1 : both came with uncentered blades, clips aren't even touching the scales (I dont wish to lose a $263.50 knife, one of them came with a horrible grind. both are of different shade of carbon fiber and standoff. They are bought from the same e-tailer a day apart.
943 : open/close the knife and the pivot will loosen up and create blade play
Ritters: The only ones without problems out of the box
Mini-Grip : it's so badly off-centered that it's almost rubbing.
How bad the quality controls are??? Come'on Benchmade, it's a $263.50 knife and not a $30 china-made clone...
Makes me wonder if they are just manufactured by sweatshops in the USA instead of a foreign country... Dont get me wrong about hating on Benchmade but even USA made Spyderco aren't great. Just take a look that the new Manix2 in S110V, the grit used to grind the edge is probably 80 or lower but then again it's only $100 knife and Benchmade would be asking $300 if they made it.
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- 2,715
I own 3 benchmade knives a adamas I had customized a 741 and a 8600 and all 3 are flawless and they are manufactured in their Washington factory
Last edited:
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If you're speaking of the Benchmade Gold Class, they are indeed made in USA; just like all their other models sold under the Benchmade logo/brand. I've never owned a Gold Class knife and have yet to see one that I'd consider worth the asking price. Too expensive for what they are, imo. For the same money, I'd much rather buy something from Chris Reeve's shop or perhaps a William Henry. YMMV.
-Brett
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- Feb 6, 2014
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Other than 940-1, the rest are purchase before they enforce MAP which for the price, their "flaws" are easier on the heart.
Bought the Mini-grip just to understand all the hype about Benchmade and regretted it. A few months later, I told myself to give Benchmade a second chance as my first purchase is Benchmade's cheapest knife, went to buy a pair of Ritter and loved them. After that, I went on to purchase the 943 and 275 just to be disappointed again but fell in love with the 940/943 design. When they launched the 940-1, perhaps it's just my shitty-luck/experience will turn around this time but I guessed wrong...
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I was just being overly-sarcastic and hopefully there's no truth to it. I want to believe that they are creating jobs for good honest American but my experience so far say other wise...
IMO, if you abuse your employees, they are going to do a shitty job and in turn hurt your product especially when it's a niche product compared to commodities...
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IIRC Benchmade has received several awards for manufacturing excellence and community involvement. I highly doubt they are abusing their employees.
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I like Benchmade own several, the Axis lock is my favorite type of lock on any folder by far (main reason I keep buying them). That being said the overall build quality is not worth what they are charging, especially when compared to some of their competitors. I have a Rift I recently received with uneven main grinds, I can add that to the list of Benchmades with QC issues I've had to send back to be fixed.
Customs as in aftermarket work? There are some people who do aftermarket work on Benchmades on this forum and I think their work exceeds Benchmade's already very good quality.
If you are talking about Gold Class items, I think they are exceptional and their quality is beyond that of standard production knives.
If you are talking about Limited Editions but non-Gold Class items, I think they are generally excellent quality, but with occasional exceptions such as some of the LE 710s which had some pretty major design issues.
If you are talking about their standard everyday knives, I think they are of very good quality relative to the pricing, although they used to be a MUCH better value than today.
Now the bad...
Benchmade changed it's pricing formatting substantially but they really did nothing to change their actual knives. It is a sore spot for many and I must admit I am personally not thrilled with such big price hikes without any real change in product quality. Currently I believe all Benchmades are made in the USA, and I know for sure the Blue, Black, and Gold Class models are.
The problem is that being made in the USA just isn't enough and does not mean what it used to. The biggest issue with Benchmade's price increase: it comes at a time when the competition is making knives of increasingly better quality from increasingly better materials at decreasing prices. Knives made overseas have met and sometimes exceeded knives made in the US. Kizer (in China) makes some knives which really challenge Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, ZT and many other American makers. Some of their products have a fit and finish that I think exceeds that of many American makers.
That sort of quality as such a reasonable price has the potential to do what Fenix has in the light industry, in that many people switched from SureFire to them as Fenix made increasingly better products with increasingly better materials at lower prices with serious R&D and massive leaps in quality/design with each new generation of products. At the same time, SureFire wasn't exactly being a very innovative company relative to their past and they raised prices at a time when others were lowering them. Needless to say, Fenix grew immensely.
If you are talking about Gold Class items, I think they are exceptional and their quality is beyond that of standard production knives.
If you are talking about Limited Editions but non-Gold Class items, I think they are generally excellent quality, but with occasional exceptions such as some of the LE 710s which had some pretty major design issues.
If you are talking about their standard everyday knives, I think they are of very good quality relative to the pricing, although they used to be a MUCH better value than today.
Now the bad...
Benchmade changed it's pricing formatting substantially but they really did nothing to change their actual knives. It is a sore spot for many and I must admit I am personally not thrilled with such big price hikes without any real change in product quality. Currently I believe all Benchmades are made in the USA, and I know for sure the Blue, Black, and Gold Class models are.
The problem is that being made in the USA just isn't enough and does not mean what it used to. The biggest issue with Benchmade's price increase: it comes at a time when the competition is making knives of increasingly better quality from increasingly better materials at decreasing prices. Knives made overseas have met and sometimes exceeded knives made in the US. Kizer (in China) makes some knives which really challenge Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, ZT and many other American makers. Some of their products have a fit and finish that I think exceeds that of many American makers.
That sort of quality as such a reasonable price has the potential to do what Fenix has in the light industry, in that many people switched from SureFire to them as Fenix made increasingly better products with increasingly better materials at lower prices with serious R&D and massive leaps in quality/design with each new generation of products. At the same time, SureFire wasn't exactly being a very innovative company relative to their past and they raised prices at a time when others were lowering them. Needless to say, Fenix grew immensely.
I have one gold class the Sibert 7505-132 dual action.
I had to have this knife when i got it in my hands at a local shop.
I recently had to send the knife in because I fck'd it up doing "something".
Benchmade took real good care of me and sent my knife back in
better than new condition
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Opinion time : There is no way that Benchmade knives are worth what they are asking in price. Before the price hike they were pretty reasonable. But now it's just a joke. The last two BMs I got both had off center blades and one had a blade that was as dull as a soup spoon. It's too bad because they make some nice knives that I really like. But I now refuse to pay their foolish prices. Especially when the competition offers do much more for so much less.
I was finally able to handle a Gold Class that I have been wanting. And it was nice. But "just nice". That's it. It was worth about half of the asking price. And I'm so glad I stayed away.
I have lost faith in Benchmade and I no longer buy or carry them.
I was finally able to handle a Gold Class that I have been wanting. And it was nice. But "just nice". That's it. It was worth about half of the asking price. And I'm so glad I stayed away.
I have lost faith in Benchmade and I no longer buy or carry them.
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I don't get what's going on with you guys. all my BM knives are fine with blades on center and no flaws or blems grind lines are even
maybe I'm lucky
maybe I'm lucky
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- Dec 30, 2008
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I have had good luck I guess as well with the quality of knives I have received from Benchmade. I have actually had better knives with Benchmade than one of their larger competitors, and I really like that company as well.
As far as the Gold Class knives I don't buy them so I really can't comment. I have had 3 Benchmade Forum 950's that should of been Gold Class knives because they were absolute perfection!
As far as the Gold Class knives I don't buy them so I really can't comment. I have had 3 Benchmade Forum 950's that should of been Gold Class knives because they were absolute perfection!
From my experience, despite being made in the USA, quality and workmanship are pretty shoddy for the price you will be paying. Most my Benchmade came will some flaw... As of now, I will stay away until they fixed their pricing for their shoddy quality.
Adamas : obvious excess lump of BK coat on the blade (what are the inspection guys doing?)
940-1 : both came with uncentered blades, clips aren't even touching the scales (I dont wish to lose a $263.50 knife, one of them came with a horrible grind. both are of different shade of carbon fiber and standoff. They are bought from the same e-tailer a day apart.
943 : open/close the knife and the pivot will loosen up and create blade play
Ritters: The only ones without problems out of the box
Mini-Grip : it's so badly off-centered that it's almost rubbing.
How bad the quality controls are??? Come'on Benchmade, it's a $263.50 knife and not a $30 china-made clone...
Makes me wonder if they are just manufactured by sweatshops in the USA instead of a foreign country... Dont get me wrong about hating on Benchmade but even USA made Spyderco aren't great. Just take a look that the new Manix2 in S110V, the grit used to grind the edge is probably 80 or lower but then again it's only $100 knife and Benchmade would be asking $300 if they made it.
Squarebox, you are from Hong Kong?
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- Feb 6, 2014
- Messages
- 186
Nope, I recently visited Hong Kong/Macau for vacation. Had a balling good time although I cant speak cantonese.
