Benchmade HK knives & some others to be Discontinued!

RamZar

RamZar

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Knife News had a piece on Benchmade discontinuing the entire Heckler & Koch (HK) Knives!

Additionally, many other models to be discontinued:

"The largest cut from Benchmade’s core catalog is the Presidio family. All variations of this model, over a dozen in total, are getting the axe. Joining it are the 746 Mini-Onslaught and the 586 Barrage. All manual iterations of the 900 Stryker will be gone next year as well. The 665 APB has also been retired after only a year in circulation."
​
 
For anyone who is not familiar with retail sales, discontinuing an entire line like that without any foreknowledge and saying they are going to be immediately stopping all orders is a HUGE dick move to vendors. Especially in a niche market such as higher end knives with authorized retailers. That is going to mean a lot of lost profits and will likely spread around to other things which really passes the loss on to the customers because the vendors are obviously (and rightfully so) going to try to make some of that money back in other areas such as less and shorter sales, higher shipping, less diversity of products do to focusing on popular items that don't tend to sit on the shelf as long (core products with higher turns.)

Between this, Map Pricing, Lone wolf debacle, etc. etc. Benchmade is really pushing for the most hated company award. Although Kershaw has definitely lost face this year too with the lawsuit, map pricing, huge addition of cheap Chinese plastic knives with no g10 3cr13, 5cr15 steels and nothing really new from the US made stuff other than a Link variation and their expanded Launch series.

I think nows the time more than ever for the smaller, lesser known and customer service oriented to take down the big names and force them to appeal to us, the consumer; not just Cabela's, Sports Authority, Wal-Mart, etc..
 
^^ Intense reaction to some knife models being discontinued. Others will replace them.
 
Shame, I quite like my h&k. Wonder what the rationale was for killing them off. Was there a falling out with hk? They seemed to be selling ok and establishing a good rep for the line.

Spookily I've been carrying my hk14715 all week for the first time in a long time. Must have known something!

Looks like I'll need to find the cash for the stryker. Always a bad time of year for my savings as I try to pick up the d/c models I like before they are gone... at least there has only been 1 zt and 1 bm so far!
 
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I have HK 14715 and 14716 and they give you so much value for the money with Axis lock, D2 and G-10. I'm sure these are taking business away from other Benchmade knives.

First Benchmade went with MAP pricing in late 2014 and then the quality was down in 2015. The quality of my 2016 models are much better but the prices are also much higher than two years ago.
 
RamZar said:
I have HK 14715 and 14716 and they give you so much value for the money with Axis lock, D2 and G-10. I'm sure these are taking business away from other Benchmade knives.

First Benchmade went with MAP pricing in late 2014 and then the quality was down in 2015. The quality of my 2016 models are much better but the prices are also much higher than two years ago.
Click to expand...

I agree that the HK knives could be cannibalizing the sales of the Benchmade knives. The HK knives are a much better value and are excellent quality.
 
I wonder if something happened between HK and Benchmade. They added and revised quite a few models this past year. The wouldn't go through that hassle just to shut down the brand completely in the fall. HAD to be some sudden event to cause the what sounds to be a not
so amicable separation.
 
chucknduck said:
I wonder if something happened between HK and Benchmade. They added and revised quite a few models this past year. The wouldn't go through that hassle just to shut down the brand completely in the fall. HAD to be some sudden event to cause the what sounds to be a not
so amicable separation.
Click to expand...
Did H&K decide they want to go cheap like Harley Davidson did, and Ruger, Winchester, S&W do?
 
The 14715 is on of the best benchmade folders ever! While not as ergonomic in the hand as a Grip, I like everything else about it better. Weight, balance, materials. I had wanted a Plan D for a while, but ended up with a Small TDI for very inexpensive.
 
This time as a fan of h&k i introduce to you officially lol...
New event:
___benchmade leg shooting event___

when the bm shoot their own leg
happens end of every year. No exclusions from now.
 
I wonder why Benchmade choose to end the Presidio Line and the non-auto Strykers? I would say that is the real story here, not the H&K lines which were living on borrowed time after the MAP thing happened a few years ago. Hopefully Benchmade has a whole product line ready to go in 2017 to fill the space they just cleared out in their catalog.
 
Not really surprised about the H&K line being dropped. For around $100 you get an axis lock, D2 steel, and G10 scales. Go price a similarly equipped Griptillian. Don't like the H&K logo then swap out the clip and scotchbrite off the coating.

Debating if I need to pick up a spare.
 
Just placed an order for the hk 14430. Been eyeing one and then this news came out so just ended up pulling the trigger. Have heard good things about them from the limited reviews available online.
 
Right here: A representative from Heckler & Koch says the relationship has been a mutually beneficial one, but that business between HK and Benchmade is over. HK is open to discussing licensing opportunities with other knife companies. KnifeNews also reached out to Benchmade Knife Company for comment but we did not receive a statement in time for this story.

Gee, wonder what happened? This has been an interesting story to follow.
 
I look forward to picking up the 903BK Mini-Axis Stryker at discounted/discontinued pricing. Currently, at $153 it's way too much for a 154CM & G-10 folder. For comparison, the similarly sized H&K Mini-Axis 14716 with D2 & G-10 is $87!
 
All these developments finally (been kicking it around probably for a year or more) made me pull the trigger on the full-sized HK Axis folder in Sand. :D I hesistated on Friday and was worried when my first 3 "go-to" online retailers were sold out Monday. :eek: Finally found one, not that it was super hard, and should have it today or tomorrow. For me, this is a 'substitute' for a full-sized Grip. I have an M390 mini Ritter which is awesome, but the G10 20CV Griptilian is just too expensive IMO. I'm not saying my soon to arrive HK Axis is it's equal, but I did spend about $70-80 less. For that reason alone, I'm surprised Benchmade didn't make this move long ago. :rolleyes:
 
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