Benchmade fan turned Spyderco?!

A

andrewjschutz

Joined
Aug 23, 2017
Messages
32
So, like the title indicates, I’ve been a Benchmade guy for maybe 5 years and just bit the bullet and got my third and most expensive one, a SuperFreek in M4. I love it. It’s intended to be a workhorse as I’m a metal fab guy/welder and use(beat?!)the hell outta all my tools.

So I’m cruisin these forums and a Spyderco caught my eye. I’ve never really liked them, and have only held a Chinese $50 one that did little to inspire awe(surprise!). After a few days and many hours down the rabbit hole, I decided on a Lil Temperance 3 in s30v. Excuse being I wanted to see how Spyderco’s s30 holds up to Benchmades(which was a game changer for me) and picked one up off eBay for 110.

I received the Lil Temp today! As you can probably tell, I’m pretty hyped on it. I’m very impressed with the quality of this knife! The feel in the hand is great. The leaf shape of the blade is actually quite gorgeous. Love the compression lock mechanism. I’m diggin the action as well, practicing the spyder-flick(?) until I got it down, and the subtle move of the wrist to close her down. And the sounds it makes opening/closing Needless to say I am very pleased. I feel like I finally understand what the hell you Spyderco guys have been saying all these years, ha!! You’re not just fanboys of some weird looking knife, but real fans of a quality knife company.

So, to end this rant I would like to ask for a few words of advice on the knife in general. How long is recommended to break in before oil? At what angle would I want to sharpen it at? Etc etc. Anything helps, thank you!

PS: I just ordered a Manix 2 CF in Cruwear Think I got the bug
 
Futher down the rabbithole andrewjschutz... I also just bought my first Spyderco, and my first s90v, a discontinued BNIB Cutleryshoppe Exclusive Native 5 Lightweight in orange FRN. I intentionally moved to axis lock Benchmade's 5 and a half years ago, and never had a stinker (I'm not allowed to carry fixed blades concealed in my state or I would have and still would if I could).
Got the Native 5 off our For Sale by Individual Forum. Did the pass around, warning the boys that it was the sharpest knife I have ever bought. It is very new, but by end of the day it was drop shutty-like once passed detent. Sweet little knife, whose handle is a scosh shorter then my Ranger green Bugout. Last lockback was a Buck 110 back in the day, and this action and lockback feels secure and squared up enough to handle this blade just fine. I'm hyped as well.
Generally speaking- You have a quality knife built to close tolerances, use it for a while to let it bed in, then clean and oil. Use a sharpie and match factory edge if your happy with performance, otherwise try 30 degrees inclusive with a 40 degree microbevel. You can always establish a 40 degree edge if that is not giving the service you expect of s30v. BTW, my expectation is both companies s30v will be in the ball park if geometries are similar, uh um, no, no, I mean more research is called for, after all "I've heard things about the thing you know... " In fact I thought my first Spyderco was gonna be a Chaparral because I've grown to appreciate thin geometries and wanted to play with CTS-XHP. Gotta say the Native's distal taper goes a long way to make the 0.13" blade feel slicey! Congrats on the Lil Temperance, enjoy.
 
Congratulations!
A wave from one Benchmade Fan to another! Got my first Benchmade 15 years ago, have a dozen or so now, and I love them all. I had always looked at Spyderco knives as the competition that was not to be considered, lol. But once I saw the Sliverax, I couldn’t ignore it! It’s still the only Spydie I have. Since I got it in my pocket, nothing has bumped it out for longer than a day. I still love my BM knives, but the Spydie wins me over, day after day. The only reason I haven’t gotten more is I have trouble imagining wanting to carry anything else. Time will tell. Enjoy the variety!!
 
There's several things that drew me away from Benchmade and towards Spyderco.

There's a variety of "must own" knives in Spyderco's line up, not for collecting purposes, but for function. They have many ergonomic champions.

For me it's the steel... I wanted more than what S30V and S35VN can deliver and at work I need more. M390/20cv isn't enough on some days where I'm cutting volumes of dirty cardboard.

This was the tipping point for me with Spyderco and what caused me to buy an embarrassing amount of Spyderco knives over the last 6 or months.

The availability of true high-end steel types on Spyderco's various models for me becomes a force multiplier in the value proposition.

I've never called myself a collector of anything but I can see how Spyderco can make a collector out of someone real quick.
 
scottc3 said:
Futher down the rabbithole andrewjschutz... I also just bought my first Spyderco, and my first s90v, a discontinued BNIB Cutleryshoppe Exclusive Native 5 Lightweight in orange FRN. I intentionally moved to axis lock Benchmade's 5 and a half years ago, and never had a stinker (I'm not allowed to carry fixed blades concealed in my state or I would have and still would if I could).
Got the Native 5 off our For Sale by Individual Forum. Did the pass around, warning the boys that it was the sharpest knife I have ever bought. It is very new, but by end of the day it was drop shutty-like once passed detent. Sweet little knife, whose handle is a scosh shorter then my Ranger green Bugout. Last lockback was a Buck 110 back in the day, and this action and lockback feels secure and squared up enough to handle this blade just fine. I'm hyped as well.
Generally speaking- You have a quality knife built to close tolerances, use it for a while to let it bed in, then clean and oil. Use a sharpie and match factory edge if your happy with performance, otherwise try 30 degrees inclusive with a 40 degree microbevel. You can always establish a 40 degree edge if that is not giving the service you expect of s30v. BTW, my expectation is both companies s30v will be in the ball park if geometries are similar, uh um, no, no, I mean more research is called for, after all "I've heard things about the thing you know... " In fact I thought my first Spyderco was gonna be a Chaparral because I've grown to appreciate thin geometries and wanted to play with CTS-XHP. Gotta say the Native's distal taper goes a long way to make the 0.13" blade feel slicey! Congrats on the Lil Temperance, enjoy.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear I’m not alone. I hope in time I’ll have the same outlook on these companies as you- appreciative of both. I’m generally not into the whole picking teams thing.

Thank you for your input and I’ll definitely be making that approach when it comes down to the first sharpen.
 
EricEStahl said:
Congratulations!
A wave from one Benchmade Fan to another! Got my first Benchmade 15 years ago, have a dozen or so now, and I love them all. I had always looked at Spyderco knives as the competition that was not to be considered, lol. But once I saw the Sliverax, I couldn’t ignore it! It’s still the only Spydie I have. Since I got it in my pocket, nothing has bumped it out for longer than a day. I still love my BM knives, but the Spydie wins me over, day after day. The only reason I haven’t gotten more is I have trouble imagining wanting to carry anything else. Time will tell. Enjoy the variety!!
Click to expand...

Oh dang! So it was essentially running into that ONE knife that kinda tweaked your opinion on them. Same here. Found the one. Stoked I did, too! I carried it today and I can see myself going with this Spyderco day after day as well. It’s just such a well made piece of art and tool!
 
SubMicron said:
There's several things that drew me away from Benchmade and towards Spyderco.

There's a variety of "must own" knives in Spyderco's line up, not for collecting purposes, but for function. They have many ergonomic champions.

For me it's the steel... I wanted more than what S30V and S35VN can deliver and at work I need more. M390/20cv isn't enough on some days where I'm cutting volumes of dirty cardboard.

This was the tipping point for me with Spyderco and what caused me to buy an embarrassing amount of Spyderco knives over the last 6 or months.

The availability of true high-end steel types on Spyderco's various models for me becomes a force multiplier in the value proposition.

I've never called myself a collector of anything but I can see how Spyderco can make a collector out of someone real quick.
Click to expand...

Hmm, now that you mention it, I have noticed the huge variety of fantastic steels in a multitude of Spyderco models more so than Benchmade. Funny, I’ve seen that but I guess it didn’t really click. The disparity isn’t huge, but it’s definitely there.

I can now see the attraction to collecting knives, even to not use them. I personally couldn’t though...I’d break and start using them I’m sure haha
 
Hi Andre,

Welcome to our forum and thanx for coming on board. I hope you enjoy your Lil Tem 3. It's a design that I have been refining since 2000. The one you have is actually the first one our Japanese maker tried in S30V. I'm planning a lite weight based on that design. It will only get better from here.

sal
 
Cool news on the Lil Temp lw!

With regard to the OP, I have been a pretty diehard Spyderco guy for ~10yrs now but recently went the other way and picked up my first Benchmade, the 417 FACT. Took ~two years and a good deal on the Exchange for me to finally grab one, but the design jumped out at me from the first time I saw it and doesn't disappoint.

I'll probably stick to Spydies in the main going forward, but the FACT is a fun change of pace.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Andre,

Welcome to our forum and thanx for coming on board. I hope you enjoy your Lil Tem 3. It's a design that I have been refining since 2000. The one you have is actually the first one our Japanese maker tried in S30V. I'm planning a lite weight based on that design. It will only get better from here.

sal
Click to expand...

Wow, how cool is that! So there’s some history with these knives I’m definitely gonna want to check out. Also, that’s rad the designer himself is on these boards helping out with their input. The purchase my first Spyderco is playing out to be a pretty cool introduction into them!
 
inkynate said:
Cool news on the Lil Temp lw!

With regard to the OP, I have been a pretty diehard Spyderco guy for ~10yrs now but recently went the other way and picked up my first Benchmade, the 417 FACT. Took ~two years and a good deal on the Exchange for me to finally grab one, but the design jumped out at me from the first time I saw it and doesn't disappoint.

I'll probably stick to Spydies in the main going forward, but the FACT is a fun change of pace.
Click to expand...

I’ve never even heard of the FACT until now, and I gotta say it’s a beautiful looking knife. Not one that I’d personally get because it’s a really self defense looking knife. Maybe that sounds weird coming from someone that just bought the Lil Temp which has a self defense aspect to its own design haha. I guess my brain sees mine as a bit more versatile.

Do you have a favorite Spyderco you carry around or use more than others though? And would that knife be the same or different from your favorite Spyderco based solely on aesthetics/design?
 
andrewjschutz said:
I’ve never even heard of the FACT until now, and I gotta say it’s a beautiful looking knife. Not one that I’d personally get because it’s a really self defense looking knife. Maybe that sounds weird coming from someone that just bought the Lil Temp which has a self defense aspect to its own design haha. I guess my brain sees mine as a bit more versatile.
Click to expand...

Ha, I just thought it looked like a nice letter opener! :D

Seriously though, I just loved the lines. No self-defense intended for me, and it is a BOSS letter opener. It has actually worked quite well for me for edc, whatever that means during this quarantine. Did find it quite useful doing yard work the other day, zipping through bags of mulch and reaching in to clip the tags and ribbon off new plants.

Do you have a favorite Spyderco you carry around or use more than others though? And would that knife be the same or different from your favorite Spyderco based solely on aesthetics/design?
Click to expand...

That's a really interesting question that probably requires more reflection than I have time for at the moment. I have somewhere over 40 total at this point.

Some standouts for me lately are:

UKPK (& Urban)
PM2
Chaparral
Baby Horn
G10 Jester
 
I did the opposite... I love my spydercos, but after I picked up a knifeworks contego I went on a Benchmade spree! I think I bought 8 within a month and a half, including 2 customs!

Have to say, benchmade and spyderco are my two favorite brands. I need to buy one more of each so I can have an even number of each... Lol
 
I also just did the opposite, bought my first Benchmade last week after having acquired well over 30 Spydercos. First BM is a Crooked River Gray G-10. Being ambidextrous I've found a great appreciation for the axis lock. Already actively getting rid of the orange bits on the knife, not a fan of that aspect.

What has always kept me away from Benchmade in the beginning was the pricing on their Infidel OTF's. Well, all their OTF's. Way overpriced IMO.
 
I don't mind the orange myself. Have a full size and mini Crooked River, with the dymondwood. Also have a full size and mini custom in a black and clue theme. Can you tell I like the crooked rivers? Lol

The Super Freek is also a really great knife. Hard for me to not carry it. It's sometimes a battle to decide between it and my Amalgam.

I love having variety!
 
I had carried a higher quality BM for a few yrs but finally got tired to being limited to 154cm...Even when I sent to them for sharpening, it wouldn't cut and lost any edge immediately. Then I carried a Caly 3 for 4 yrs and loved it. I've had a "whole bunch" of Spydies since then, and am one of Sal's biggest fans.
Yes, I love the Chappie and the Slysz Bowie and my GB2 in M4. Wonderful knives.
IF IF IF I ever get another BM, it will likely be a Contego or 940-1...which are highly rated by owners.
 
inkynate said:
That's a really interesting question that probably requires more reflection than I have time for at the moment. I have somewhere over 40 total at this point.

Some standouts for me lately are:

UKPK (& Urban)
PM2
Chaparral
Baby Horn
G10 Jester
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess it would be hard questions to answer as a big knife fan haha

I’m really diggin the Chaparral and the Baby Horn designs. Some really cool lookin knives!
 
Sonnydaze said:
I had carried a higher quality BM for a few yrs but finally got tired to being limited to 154cm...Even when I sent to them for sharpening, it wouldn't cut and lost any edge immediately. Then I carried a Caly 3 for 4 yrs and loved it. I've had a "whole bunch" of Spydies since then, and am one of Sal's biggest fans.
Yes, I love the Chappie and the Slysz Bowie and my GB2 in M4. Wonderful knives.
IF IF IF I ever get another BM, it will likely be a Contego or 940-1...which are highly rated by owners.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the 154 was disappointing for me. It was on my first BM and though it was a good introduction to quality steels, it dulled super fast. But boy did it have an edge that first day, ha!

I’m with you on the 940. That is next up on the BM want list. The way it flows really stands out to me!
 
I like that the guys here are pretty open to different knife companies. It really turned me away from Spyderco when about 4 years ago I went onto a strictly Spyderco forum and saw a lot of trash talking and even animosity towards all other brands, especially BM. I get liking one more than the other, but I can appreciate opinions more I think in the fashion I’m seeing here. Thank you guys
 
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