Benchmade Skirmish Pass-Around Review

G

gud4u

Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
551
Thanks, TIR, for your generosity in loaning this knife - and thanks, Dave, for your efforts in the Pass-Around Forum!

When the Skirmish was introduced, the weight was advertised as 9 ounces! Silly me - I believed that - and I wrote this knife off as ridiculously heavy for a folder. It's not really that heavy - and I appreciate the opportunity to take a closer look.

No comment on the factory edge, as this knife has been honed by previous reviewers.

Carry Properties:
Weight: 6.790 ounces.
Width: .470 inches, not including clip.

The Skirmish fills your pocket, but if you carry a Persian, Chinook or similar-size folder, you probably won't notice the difference. In-pocket, it doesn't seem much heavier or wider than my Benchmade 806D2. My Strider SMF feels more intrusive in-pocket, though it's lighter than the Skirmish.

When closed, all frame and blade edges are nicely chamfered or rounded, so you won't skin your hand when reaching past it for keys, change, etc. I like the long clip with the low spoon-bend - it draws easily and it's not likely to catch on furniture, etc. Long clip-length provides good carry security. Carry is tip-down for right-handers only.

Build Quality:
The titanium scales are .130" thick, with just two stainless spacers and a stainless blade-stop-pin, providing a very strong minimalist frame structure - and I love the see-through frame design for easy inside clean-up.

S30V blade stock thickness is .162", and the blade-grind carries that full-width stock to within 1" of the tip. Blade-tip strength appears quite good. Blade grind is partial double-flat with about 3/4" height for the flats - and the edge is a recurve. A non-skid thumb-ramp on the blade spine enhances control.

The relief cut for the locking arm is made inside the frame - a nice touch. I like the Sebenza-like inset for attaching the clip - a nice touch.

The blade is centered when closed, secure when locked - with just a bit of blade-play between those positions. Locking arm/tang surface engagement is consistently about 50%, whether eased open or inertia-opened, for a secure lockup with plenty of room for long term wear-in.

Overall, this is a heavy-duty cutter with a strong frame design, secure lock and a strong blade - with some nice embellishments.

Opening and Closing Properties:
Excellent - REALLY excellent:
- Very smooth thumb-opening.
- Very easy one-hand closing.
- Instant-opening by inertial-opening of the heavy blade.

Tip-down carry puts your thumb near the Spyderco-like thumb hole, and the blade thumb-opens very smoothly - with just a bit of initial resistance. One-hand closing is very easy. The frame-lock design includes a detent that resists accidental-opening in the pocket. A brisk 'Brownie Pop' of the heavy blade will overcome the detent-resistance to deploy the blade instantly. There is no faster-opening folder. If the 'Spydie Drop' is your thing, that works too. Outstanding combination of opening/closing properties!

The Grip/Handle:
Perfect for my (medium-size) hand. Nice forefinger-cutout. Sufficient handle-length.

It is possible to unintentionaly-unlock any frame-lock knife, but I think the exposure of the locking arm is just about ideal for easy-unlocking with little chance of accidental opening.

Overall Summary:
- Frame-lock action is very nicely done, with outstanding opening/closing properties.
- A seriously heavy-duty cutter, with a blade strength approaching 'pry bar' blade sturdiness.
- Strong frame design.
- Very nice build quality.
- Secure grip.
- Some thoughtful touches (inletted clip attachment and inside locking arm relief cut).

In the spectrum of production frame-lock folders, the Skirmish seems to lie between the Large Sebenza and the Strider SMF. If I didn't already have a Strider SMF, I'd be sorely tempted to buy this knife. I particularly liked the operation of the Skirmish frame lock - much smoother than the SMF.

If you're interested in a heavy-cutter folder with an outstanding lock design, you should seriously consider the Skirmish.
 
gud4u I am glad you enjoyed and an excellent review as always. Unfortunately my SMF had to go back to Strider for a pivot problem so I couldn't do the side by side you did, but I know what you mean about the lock bar disengaging difference. There is a reason they call it Strider thumb when you own one of there knives. :D
 
I have to agree. The Skirmish is a superb frame-lock folder. Benchmade has done a fine job producing this folder. Not quite as smooth as a Sebenza, but I'd consider it a close second. For the price, the Skirmish is hard to beat.
 
Actually, I'm considering sending my SMF back to Strider for a checkup also. I'm less than pleased with the relatively-crude opening/closing operation of the SMF - particularly when compared to the sweet lock operation of the Skirmish. In fairness, my SMF was purchased second-hand, and it may have been tampered with by the previous owner.

I absolutely love the ergos and the purposely over-built strength of the SMF. I considered posting a review of my SMF, but it's pointless. Striders are not made for the Benchmade/Spyderco/Gerber/Camillus population.

One of the nicer considerations of Strider knives is that the warrantee follows the knife. My second-hand SMF has the same warrantee as a new one. Send it in - no questions asked.
 
If we can just get a Skirmish with a 3.5" blade. Unfortunately I cant "legally" carry anything with a blade of over 4". I'll get one anyway when they become readily available again.
 
I got the Skirmish yesterday. I am very surprised at how easy this knife carries, even in the linen slacks I had on yesterday it wasn't at all undomfortable in the pocket nor did it feel like it was dragging me down. I really like well shaped titanium handles and the handle and lock on this knife are the features that I like the best. Its my firstexperience with the integral lock and its pretty awesome. Very solid, no blade play and a resounding click when opened. The action is as noted above very smooth. When I got the knife it was actually dull, easily fixed with a few laps on fine ceramic and now its much better. I haven't gotten to cut much with it yet, it made short work of a grapefruit though it hung up on a paper towel stiffner, I assume because of the thickness of the blade and the fact the edge is "working" and not exactly hair flinging. My biggest complaint about this blade is its lack of pointiness. It certainly is solid and strong but I don't know what I would do with it if I owned one. I would love to see the handle/lock with some different blade options.
also, is it just me or does this knife look a whole lot like one of spyderco's models? Not just the hole but the profile of the knife, I can't think of which model but when I hold it up and look at the blade/handle lines it makes me think of a spyderco.
I hope to get to cut some more with this knife and will post further comments when I do.

Sam
 
Actually, I didn't care for the blade grind either - but I erased my negative comments in the notion that a 'review' should be a review of the knife-in-hand, not one's personal preferences.

But, what the Hell - why not expand on preferences:
- The blade-grind I prefer is typified by the Spyderco Military or Strider SMF or SNG. I love the large choil-cut for forefinger and the very-non-skid thumb machining. I much prefer the SMF blade over the Skirmish, in terms of shape, point and strength. It's the 'best ever' for me.
- I hated the dainty little handle decorations. I would much prefer plain titanium scales - 'torched' on both sides. The cute little decorations look like ballet slippers on a pig.

But - that's just my 'preferences' - and not the real Skirmish.
 
I figured that since this knife has been around one cycle of reviews it would be hard for me to write anything that hadn't already been said without throwing in personal prefferences in terms of things that I like and think are well executed or think the knife is lacking.

Tir thanks for sending this back around and giving me a chance to handle it.
Do ya'll think it is important to try and remain analytical when writing these reviews?
Sam
 
gud4u said:
One of the nicer considerations of Strider knives is that the warrantee follows the knife. My second-hand SMF has the same warrantee as a new one. Send it in - no questions asked.
Click to expand...

Besides what stands in the papers, is there any manufacturer who dares to reget warranty service just because the knife is second hand at you?

Benchmade never ever asked for my bill and they always did whats best for me.
 
TIR:
Did you get your SMF back from Strider - and are you pleased with it?

I sent mine in for a checkup last week. Just curious.
 
Nope it's been a month, I sent them an email today and will hopefully get an update. I will PM you if I hear anything.

edgetrip I am glad you enjoyed this knife. I personally like to read other peoples opinions and observations, I also take them with a grain of salt. Feel free to offer any likes/dislikes who knows maybe Neil will read it and incoporate it in on the next model.
 
I sent the Skirmish on its way this afternoon. I never did get back to cutting anything with it. I couldn't decide what to do with the knife or even what I should do with the knife. It didn't tickle my fancy as a defensive folder and it didn't appeal to me or seem to be well suited as a utility knife. I liked the handle and lock up including the ballet slipper accents but this knife spent very little time in my pocket and for any actual cutting I kept reaching for a spyderco worker or delica. Certainly no problems with the quality or anything the knife just didn't seem to fill any role well enough for me to like it very much.

my 2 cents

Sam
 
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