Benchmade or spyderco?

1

1917cutlass

Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
313
I’m sorry if I just started a war here, but what knife brand is the better buy within a $100 price range, or has the better quality knives over all. Don’t get to riled up with this I’m just curious what you guys think. My cousin has a benchmade Blackwood skirmish that he is willing to sell to me for about 130. Is it a good buy or not? I was also thinking about a griptillian tanto half serrated or a spyderco Chinook II (some cousin wanting to sell it to me for a hundred). Any recommendations guys? Any other good spyderco or benchmade models worth knowing about?
Thanks,

Cutlass
 
Apples and oranges! That's all i can say amigo. Both are great buys. In my opinion it is preferance. Both are great quality and have great steel. I have a couple of each. If you can spare the money go with both. But if i HAD to choose go with the skirmish. Better buy and a better knife.
 
You can not go wrong either knife company. I would jump on that Skirmish!!! Benchmades and Spyderco are both EXCELLENT knife companies. I didn't help, did I?
 
Like everyone else is telling you, you really can't go wrong with either. There's a reason why Spyderco and Benchmade are the premiere knifemakers, they make great knives!

The two companies differ in some ways, though. Spyderco's knives tend to be lighter in weight, have excellent ergonomics, and seem built more for utility than looks. Benchmade's knives tend use fancier materials and designs, but still feel good in the hand and are plenty functional. That's not a hard-and-fast rule, of course; I can think of few Benchmades that are as sleek, solid and sexy as the Spyderco Persian, while the Benchmade Griptilians are about as no-nonsense practical a working knife as there is.
 
Thanks, benchmade and spyderco do make the best folders in my opinion. I can’t decide which one to go for though. For a ALL (and I do mean all) purpose knife, which one is better, the Chinook II or the skirmish? From what I recall they are about the same size and everything. I’m just concerned about quality and functionality I’m leaning towards the skirmish but I’m no expert here with either company. Btw, any other recommendations for knives of either company. I might be able to hold off on those and tell my cousin to get a different and better knife if you guys can name one.
Thanks,

Cutlass
 
I have a bunch of both brands,both are great.But after reading on the forums,i have to say I like the fact that Mr Sal Glesser takes input from people about his knives.It seems more personal and he seems as if he is a nice guy.
 
As some of the others have said, you cannot go wrong with either company.

Having said that...

I think Benchmade has a slightly better fit-and-finish, and are maybe a little more stoutly constructed.

But I like Spyderco better because (IMHO) they simply cut better--and that's what a knife is all about!

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I think Benchmade produces higher quality knives, and I love the axis lock....the fit and finish, in my experience, is much better on Benchmades.

Spyderco produces a lot more models of knives that I like, however. To every one Benchmade I want, there's three Spydercos. Also, hate to admit it, but they do seem to cut better somehow. The compression lock is pretty cool also.
 
I just had to take 1000mg of Prozac before replying to this....This is a conversation that is Apples and Apples. They are both good, and both have ups and downs. Just close your eyes and click at your choice. You will just end up buying a few of each anyway.
 
BM's 154CM steel seems too soft to me.
Fit and finish between the two companies seems about even.
Spydercos come much sharper.
Spydercos perform better overall IMO.
BMs have a cleaner look to them.
BM's AXIS lock is great.
 
(Where's the popcorn-eating-emoticon when u need it? )

This ought to be good. I'm getting the chips and San Miguel beer. . .

Seriously though, you won't go wrong with any of these company's products. I'd also recommend looking at the Spydie Manix and the much touted "modern classic" 710HS.
 
untamed said:
(Where's the popcorn-eating-emoticon when u need it? )

This ought to be good. I'm getting the chips and San Miguel beer. . .

Seriously though, you won't go wrong with any of these company's products. I'd also recommend looking at the Spydie Manix and the much touted "modern classic" 710HS.
Click to expand...


"Moose Drool" beer from Maine or "Dogfish Head Ale" from Delaware is what you should drink with your popcorn (gotta support the locals ya know).

I vote for Benchmade unless you go with one of the high-end Spydercos. However I admit to having a little Spyderco Ladybug serrated on my keychain. It's 2" serrated blade cuts like one twice as big.

However my 5000S Benchmade has been hauled all over the place and has never given me any problems over many years.
 
DGG said:
"Moose Drool" beer from Maine or "Dogfish Head Ale" from Delaware is what you should drink with your popcorn (gotta support the locals ya know).

Amen! To each his own! (and if you can get the chance to sample our famous brew, do so. Ya might like it too!).

1917cutlass:

The Skirmish seems like a great bomb-proof design and if my savings hadn't been nipped recently, I might have had it in the "short list" to consider buying too. The only worry I'd prob'ly have over it are the all-metal handles, but that's just me. YMMV.
Click to expand...
 
I've had both and that's a close one. The chinooks and manix are great knives, but a bit big for most to carry everyday. The skirmish and mini skirmish are about the best production knives I've handled. I EDC a mini skirmish. All titanium handles and S30V blades won't steer you wrong. "Bombproof" is a good way to describe them.
 
Benchmade's in general are appreciated faster than Spyderco's IMO. Benchmade had a lot of presence and sexy lines, PB washers and G-10 up the ying yang, think 'Cheerleader' Spyderco's are more like a sport science major you meet in the library but she's a rocket in the sack ;)

I have told this story before but its worth repeating.

A friend gave me a Jess Horn lightweight (Spyderco Delica) for Christmas years ago. I was pleased with the thought but not so much with the knife. I threw it in my fishing box where it was forgot about until the folowing summer. On a camping trip I thought I would just use/abuse this ugly little knife because its not really up to much. Well, it did everything I wanted it to, I even used the serrations to cut branches enough to snap over my knee. I used it daily on on a 3 month camping trip in Australia in '01. It was full of squid juice and all sorts of nastyness, used for cooking, making tinder etc. The blade dulled a little but there was never any blade play and the serrations keep on cutting. When we returned, I started to wear it because its so light you just can't feel it in your packet. All I have done maintenance wise is scrub it with dish soap and boiling water (That Squid juice is hell to get out). A quick squirt with WD40 and she is good as new.
 
Untamed -

I can't find San Miguel beer around here??? Is it a dark beer like Guiness?

What knives to you use the most in the PI? I always thought of it a the dream scuba diving vacation (sea snakes and man-eating clams too) but very tropical with heat and humidity.

I seem to remember a demonstration of butterfly knives somewhere that was so awesome I assumed that the user had ground off the edge until at the end he whacked an orange in half with the knife.
 
Go with Spyderco...

Because of the steel and the heat treatment they do ...
The inguinity of the in-the-dark design...
Life-time warrenty...
Cuts like hell...
Because those who know carry spyderco...
Sal Glesser, Tazkristi, Amanda, Joyce,...
BECAUSE OF THE HOLE iT IS THE BEST OPENING DEVICE IN THE WORLD...

Simon
 
Dogfish Ale I LOOOVE dogfish Ale. that being said I happen to like benchmade a little more because of the axis lock. I do own spydies and I do like them just the ease of the axis does it for me.

Oh DGG check out a brand called Youngs Dirty Dicks Ale run you around 3 dollars a bottle but I really like the stuff, more of an amber colored than Dark like guinness with a nice bottom line.
 
psimonl said:
Go with Spyderco...

Because of the steel and the heat treatment they do ...
The inguinity of the in-the-dark design...
Life-time warrenty...
Cuts like hell...
Because those who know carry spyderco...
Sal Glesser, Tazkristi, Amanda, Joyce,...
BECAUSE OF THE HOLE iT IS THE BEST OPENING DEVICE IN THE WORLD...

Simon
Click to expand...

This Simon guy knows what he's talking about.
 
I prefer Spyderco because they have a lot more models that appeal to me, personally. The appeal is not so much in the way they look (as a matter of fact they used to all look like hunchbacks to me and all seem to have a neg. rake angle which I used to hate), but in the way they work and in the features they have. The more knives you have the more refined becomes you taste I believe. These days I don't really care how a knife looks (well, a good looking knife is a plus) but look for thinks like:

good blade profile
preferably a flat grind
a fairly wide blade
good steel
good handle ergonomics, preferably a 50/50 choil
Either no recurve or a dramatic recurve (like the Ken Onion style or the reversed S)
Strong and more importantly reliable lock
A small neg. rake angle (my opinion on that has changed greatly)

Of course these are only my personal preferences and you find models from both companies which fulfill most criterias (which are not totally hard and fast either), but in general Spyderco makes a lot more models with the features I like. Last but not least, the Spyder crew are awefully nice people that keep very much in contact with their customers in a very family like manner.
 
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