Benchmade Limited, 1st Run, ect. Read 1st Post.

[fulloflead]

I collect Benchmade. I have several limiteds, 1st Production, Pre-production, etc.

The thing is... I USE them. I simply can't bare to buy a knife and stick it in the safe and not use it as it was intended to be used. Besides, I didn't buy them in the first place because they were marked that way. That's just what was up for sale/trade at a decent price/deal so I got it even though a regular model would have done me just as well. (Except my D2 Rosewood Outbounder which is actually a better knife than the regular run.)

I sleep OK at night, too.
Does that tick other collectors off?

I'm not happy just LOOKING at the car. Know what I mean?

 

[Keith Montgomery]

When I get a limited production knife I tend to use a little more care when putting it to use, but I have never just put on in the safe, so to speak. I have never even considered that I might be lowering the future value of these knives.

 

[J. MacDonald]

It doesn't tick me off. They're your knives. Use them as you will.

I'm guilty of having a few safe queens. With production knives, it's usually because I bought one and used it and loved it so much, I got a limited edition version for safe keeping/posterity and as back-up in case something happens to my user version. Two examples Would be a Benchmade 941 and a Microtech M/A Socom Elite.

I originally got turned on to the Benchmade 94X series by a buddy that had a 940 and loved it. I liked the ergos and Axis lock, but not the blade shape. Then one day I was in a local shop and they had special edition red handled 941 with a BC1 coated blade. It had the clip point blade I always thought should have been on the 940 (IMHO) and I was in love. I had to get it, and eventually did. Then, after a few weeks of carrying it and light cutting duty, I found out there was a 941 special edition coming out with Carbon Fiber and D2. I bought one of those at a show and still carry it today, nearly two years later, in fact it's in my pocket right now. I decided to make the Red handled LE version my first safe queen, but had reservations as I'd used it for a couple weeks. So I aquired an unused second red handled BC1 version and sold off the first lightly used Red one.

I also fell in love with the Microtech Socom Elite. I bought a M/A plain edge satin finish version and have used the Heck out of it. It's got "personality" marks and is still one of my favorite knives and one of four main EDCs. It'll do almost anything you can ask of a folding knife (although it's not a Strider folding crow bar) and I felt the need to bave one in reserve, just in case. I got an M/A Socom Elite Tactial version with a black Ti-Ni coated S-90V blade. It's probably even tougher than my original EDC 154CM Socom Elite with the S-90V and flat blade grinds (my EDC Socom E has the early blade grind) but for now it sits in my safe except for the occasional fondling.

Both EDC versions of these knives have performed remarkably well and are still tight and sharp. Joys to own and overall great product from great companies.

My EDC Socom E and 941D2CF are both somewhat sought after and I carry them and use them proudly, regardless of what happens to their "collectible" value. I bought the other two as back-ups just in case, so hopefully I'd always be abe to have one of these knives to handy. They could easily step in and replace my current EDCs if needed, but will likely just sit in the safe and increase in value as time passes.

jmx