Benchmade Doug Ritter Griptilian

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TheMonsterTruk

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Aug 13, 2012
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What's with all the hype for this knife? Other than the S30v, what's so special about it? It looks like it's just a fat-blade Grip.
 
The grind, the blade design, the finish work all make this a superior blade.

More here from the write up on Knifeworks:

Not everyone can afford $200 or more for a top quality folding knife. Even $150 is pushing it for many. However, everyone deserves a knife they can trust their life to in extreme conditions, a knife you can bet your life on™. The Doug Ritter Mini RSK® Mk1 meets that goal at an affordable price. This is a collaborative evolution of Benchmade's Mini Griptilian™ folder produced exclusively to Doug's specifications. "RSK®" stands for Ritter Survival Knife, an indication of its strength and reliability, but it's really a perfectly practical everyday carry knife. Thousands have been sold and are in daily use throughout the world, from urban city to Alaskan wilderness to Middle-Eastern war zones.

The sturdy black ergonomic glass-filled Noryl GTX handles, full stainless inset liners and patented super strong ambidextrous AXIS™ Lock are pure Griptilian™. This is a handle that just plain works with a secure non-slip grip and a pronounced finger guard for safety, as well as a full-size lanyard hole. The pocket clip is reversible.

What helps sets the Mini RSK® Mk1 apart is Doug's wide-chord and robust drop point blade design. This is a traditional blade style, very strong all the way to the point and very versatile, if not particularly "sexy" or "tactical." In today's politically correct world, that may not be such a bad thing for an everyday carry blade.

The blade's spine incorporates a prominent ramped thumb rest for enhanced control and security. This thumb rest portion of the spine also does an excellent job creating sparks using an artificial flint and can be used with the knife closed for added safety.

The 2.88 in. (7.32 cm) blade has a high, flat grind for cutting ease and strength. This grind makes for excellent slicing geometry; field reports confirm that it is an extraordinarily efficient slicer.

Dual thumb lugs provide ambidextrous opening, easy even with gloves on, completing the fully ambidextrous nature of the Mini RSK® Mk1.

Topping this all off, the 0.100 in. (2.54 mm) thick blade is made of Crucible's superb, premium performance CPM S30V high-carbon stainless steel. It's proven tough and holds an edge.

The blade finish is a strikingly beautiful, but very practical "stone washed" tumbled finish that also serves to seal the metal's pores for added protection and strength. The result is a subdued finish, but one that is smooth and just barely lustrous. The finishing media and process was designed expressly for this knife to get the exclusive finish quality Doug desired.
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You can also find out more from Doug's site here: http://www.dougritter.com/dr_rsk_mk1.htm

It is an outstanding knife, IMHO. I own several, a couple of which I have customized. No regrets and I find it to be a substantially better knife than the various standard grips.

JMO.

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I'd have to agree with SaintlyBrees, it's one of my favorite, though not heavily used knives. I love the blade shape compared to the regular Grips but am not a fan of the stock scales. I added Cuscadi scales and an STR low rider Ti clip to mine but recently swapped the clip for a low rider Benchmade clip. I've just put it back into my EDC line up after several years. I'd heard stories about the S30V having chipping problems and was hesitant to use it since I also have so many other folders.

Here are some old pics with my Spyderco Chaparral.




 
NaturalMystic said:
I'd have to agree with SaintlyBrees, it's one of my favorite, though not heavily used knives. I love the blade shape compared to the regular Grips but am not a fan of the stock scales. I added Cuscadi scales and an STR low rider Ti clip to mine but recently swapped the clip for a low rider Benchmade clip. I've just put it back into my EDC line up after several years. I'd heard stories about the S30V having chipping problems and was hesitant to use it since I also have so many other folders.

Here are some old pics with my Spyderco Chaparral.




Click to expand...

Love those scales!
 
It's a cool knife because of what it is.
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Yep! The (slightly) heavier blade also feels a little better to me when working the Axis lock. It snaps open and closed with a little more authority.

I like the looks better too.
 
I love the blade profile and much prefer it over the stock Griptilian. As people have mentioned, put some custom scales on it and you have an amazing folder. Mine has one of the smoothest actions in my collection with custom Wilkins titanium scales. Here is a beauty shot with some other toys for good measure:

 
Thanks man, for anyone who's interested they're Cuscadi's Jungle scales with smooth Glow In The Dark spacer. I'm probably gonna put these on my regular Mini Grip and order some of igorded's scales with the neon liner and Ti standoffs to get rid of the spacer. See his thread here for what I'm referring to.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1167984-BM-Griptilian-scales-custom

igorded said:
Griptilian scales

G10 with liners
IMG_3446.JPG
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DocT said:
Love those scales!
Click to expand...
 
TheMonsterTruk said:
What's with all the hype for this knife? Other than the S30v, what's so special about it? It looks like it's just a fat-blade Grip.
Click to expand...

The Ritter does have a great blade profile.
I also really dig the LE steels they have come in thus far.
I have a mini and full size of both the M2 & M4 versions.
The M2 is my favorite.
I didn't like the stock scales either.
But, I decided to go a different root. :D



 
Keyman said:
The Ritter does have a great blade profile.
I also really dig the LE steels they have come in thus far.
I have a mini and full size of both the M2 & M4 versions.
The M2 is my favorite.
I didn't like the stock scales either.
But, I decided to go a different root. :D



Click to expand...
Those are badass Griptilian combos. What scales are on the top one?
Keyman said:
The Ritter does have a great blade profile.
I also really dig the LE steels they have come in thus far.
I have a mini and full size of both the M2 & M4 versions.
The M2 is my favorite.
I didn't like the stock scales either.
But, I decided to go a different root. :D



Click to expand...
 
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