Benchmade Prototypes

JSMcustoms · Jan 8, 2015

I've seen a couple of Benchmade knives marked as 'Prototype September 2013' and so on. What's the deal with these knives exactly? My only understanding is that they were made before the initial first production run. How many prototypes are generally made? Are they sought after for collection pieces or what?

PURPLEDC · Jan 9, 2015

Im not sure if anyone knows how many protos are made for each run. I think it can vary a bit. IMHO protos dont mean a whole lot from benchmade unless you find someone who only collects them. For me, prototypes and first production runs are always worth less to me because the writing is usually large and unsightly. I like as little writing on my blades as possible and on a user it just detracts. Even if you had them in a display case I would not have the writing facing out as I think its similar to putting a billboard on the side of the corvette. You just break up the flow of the lines. That isnt to say that everyone feels the same way as I do you just wont find many people willing to pay more for one than a non proto or FPR knife. Again someone who only collects protos might pay a premium if they really wanted it in their collection or had to have a particular number. And there is the occasional newb who will assume that its something special and pay more unwittingly. But I would say they are far from an investment.

JSMcustoms · Jan 9, 2015

I'll for sure agree that they are a bit of the side of being billboards with the amount of writing on the blade itself. However, I suppose all the first production and/or prototype stamps do count for something in the eyes of collectors. They seem to be in the same general realm of first production runs.

RevDevil · Jan 9, 2015

JSMcustoms said:
I've seen a couple of Benchmade knives marked as 'Prototype September 2013' and so on. What's the deal with these knives exactly? My only understanding is that they were made before the initial first production run. How many prototypes are generally made? Are they sought after for collection pieces or what?

Marketing tactic I would guess. It's really just a laser etching, doesn't mean much. How many are made only Benchmade knows, they have always been very tight lipped about information in just about any area. I would not pay a premium for something lasered "Prototype", quite the opposite actually. I hate when they give a knife the old "NASCAR" treatment.

JR88FAN · Jan 9, 2015

RevDevil said:
Marketing tactic I would guess. It's really just a laser etching, doesn't mean much. How many are made only Benchmade knows, they have always been very tight lipped about information in just about any area. I would not pay a premium for something lasered "Prototype", quite the opposite actually. I hate when they give a knife the old "NASCAR" treatment.

I used to own quite a few BM 'Prototype's' but I can't really answer any of the OP's questions, except to say that at that point I was maybe drinking a little too much 'Kool-aid'
I paid a premium and sold at a big loss. It might mean something to a handful of collectors, maybe.

What's with the cheap shot at NASCAR Rev?!
That should be an instant infraction. you can apologize below.......

asdf12345 · Jan 9, 2015

The one Benchmade prototype that has real value and significance in my eyes is the Emerson CQC7 (Benchmade 970) prototype as it is the first production made Emerson design to exist. Otherwise, Benchmade prototypes seem to plain production pieces with Prototype etched on unlike some companies' and makers' prototypes that are practically custom knives.

EagleScouter · Jan 9, 2015

If I recall correctly the Prototypes are pre-release knives for shows and for dealers, whereas the First Production knives are the first regular 1000 of that model's run.

RevDevil · Jan 10, 2015

JR88FAN said:
I used to own quite a few BM 'Prototype's' but I can't really answer any of the OP's questions, except to say that at that point I was maybe drinking a little too much 'Kool-aid'
I paid a premium and sold at a big loss. It might mean something to a handful of collectors, maybe.

What's with the cheap shot at NASCAR Rev?!
That should be an instant infraction. you can apologize below.......

Hey, no need to slap Valvoline stickers on a knife blade and handle is there?

I don't own any of the Benchmades marked prototype, but I have one or two marked "First Production", they cost the same as the standard run of the mill versions. I also have ahandful of numbered ones, "XX of 100 or XX of 200".

PURPLEDC · Jan 10, 2015

I dont have a problem if they wanted to announce these types of knives discreetly. But why does it really have to run the length of the blade

First Production 065/250

They dont even attempt to make it look decent. It looks worse than the generic engraving you would get on a keychain at the mall.

jkarp_53 · Jan 10, 2015

My understanding of prototypes is they are the only ones to increase if not hold in their value. Most of these runs are very small, typically in the low 20's, and were meant to go out into the flow as salesman's market samples. Some of us look for the differences. A good example of this is the 580 Barrage. The production version scales are plastic, as everyone knows, but prototypes came out in really beautiful G-10. Why Benchmade decided to do this is a mystery, but it sure makes these worth seeking out.

...and agreed, I don't like large blocky script on my blades either.

pbcg · Jan 10, 2015

Prototypes hold their value and bring higher prices do to limited quantities and rarity. Not unlike limited editions. The rarer a knife the more value it tends to have. At least in my experience and understanding.

ETA: I have a Prototype 910 Stryker. If you look closely you can see small differences in the blade design. So as mentioned there can be variances or differences in the prototype's and the first production run.

As far as First Productions, for me I find ones that say 5 of 500 or whatever the count desirable as opposed to ones that say 1 of 1000 but the whole run say's 1 of 1000 or whatever the count. I think it's cool in a way to have one of the first made but I don't think it adds any "value" as far as price.

JSMcustoms · Jan 11, 2015

jkarp_53 said:
My understanding of prototypes is they are the only ones to increase if not hold in their value. Most of these runs are very small, typically in the low 20's, and were meant to go out into the flow as salesman's market samples. Some of us look for the differences. A good example of this is the 580 Barrage. The production version scales are plastic, as everyone knows, but prototypes came out in really beautiful G-10. Why Benchmade decided to do this is a mystery, but it sure makes these worth seeking out.

...and agreed, I don't like large blocky script on my blades either.

That sounds like a really sweet version of the 580 Barrage. Those crappy and frankly cheap feeling handles are a really big turn off for me personally.

As for the number of Prototypes made, I sort of expected them to be in the really low numbers. Just something that was taken around to various shows to gauge consumer interest.