Benchmade/Spyderco debate?

This is a tough one. I love the products of both companies. I guess I prefer Benchmade overall, just because the designs suit me better. I haven’t yet found a Spydie that has the mixture of features and components to strike my fancy. I love the BM 710HS. This is just personal preference though.

Now….. If Spyderco were to release a new version of the Military, with a thinner edge behind the bevel and a different steel, I’d be rethinking my position. Everything else about the Military is darned near perfect from my purely utilitarian perspective. Awesome grip. Light weight. Easy opening with gloves. Great blade shape. It’s my ultimate love/hate relationship.
 
>"Benchmades are ridiculously overpriced at MSRP. The 722 Pardue Tanto retails for $180.00. That knife is worth $50.00. That's what I paid for one off of the Forums. No Benchmade is really even worth what dealers charge over the internet. I know they work at margins over cost, so Benchmades cost is too high."

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I'm a tightwad and that has a lot to do with why my vote goes for Spyderco. The abuse-per-dollar ratio of a lightweight Endura or Delica is unbelievable. Factor in a killer factory edge and stellar customer service and Spyderco's a winner every time.

I like the looks of some of the BMs, and I <i>love</i> that they're made in the USA. But I'm not in a financial position to blow more than $50 or so on any one knife (A, because my wife and I are steadfastly paying off credit card debt and B, because most of my extra dough goes to a different hobby - I'm a knife <i>user</i> and have little to no interest in collecting).
 
You can't go wrong with either brand but I think Spyderco is better overall.
Spyderco just offers so many choices and such a variety. From the Toad to the Shabaria, from the Gunting to the Jess Horn, you have alot of choices.
After looking at the Spyderco line, the Benchmade line just looks boring.

I will give Benchmade credit for the Axis-lock. In fact, I think it is really the only reason to buy a Benchmade. I think liner-locks are inferior to lock-backs and axis-locks.

BTW, the FRN handles are very very tough!
I was always a little shy on using them too hard, so I had to test them to convince myself that they were reliable.
I hammered my Endura through about 3" of hard cedar and it did'nt bother the FRN handle at all.
I even twisted the handle as much as I could while it was in the cedar to see if I could disengage the lock. I'm sure your grip will fail before the handle does.


Good luck,
Allen.
 
I have a number of Spydercos, no Benchmades.
Both brands are available in stores around here.

A few reasons I prefer Spyderco:
1. I like thin handles for IWB carry. The Axis lock is pretty nice but it necessitates the Axis handle being thicker than the handles with Spydercos various locks, such as lockback, nested liner-lock, compression lock, etc.

2. Spydie-hole vs. thumb-stud.

3. Spyderco has a better selection of smaller knives.

4. Spyderco seems to offer better value for the money.

5. Other reasons that call for too much thinking right now.

Maybe I'll buy some Benchmade knives one of these days, but right now it's Spyderco for me.
 
I like the BM better. I've tried a few Spydercos that friends owned, but didn't really like them. The BM's always just felt better to me. Plus I like the looks of the BM's much better.
 
Spyderco.

I have knives from both companies. Benchmade's may look better sitting on the shelf but Spyderco's come through when you use them. Best designed production knives out there in my opinion. I've had more quality problems w/ Benchmade over the years also. Benchmade's edges have become sharper over the years but have never approached Spyderco's level of sharpness. If Benchmade didn't have the Axis lock, it wouldn't even be close.
 
Spyderco for me, I've owned a number of knives from each company and in my experience Spyderco beats BM in every respect (quality control, customer service, value for money, performance-driven design and materials, variety of the range etc.) as someone else said, the only reason I could think to buy a BM is for the axis lock, which has got to be one of the best locks on the market. However with other strong, reliable and easy-to-use locks surfacing on production knives (for example Spyderco's compression lock and CUDA using frame locks on the EDC and Maxx) the axis lock is beginning to lose its appeal for me. YMMV.
 
Owned 'em both. Liked the BM but got rid of it. Every Spyderco piece with the exception of one I got rid of. They developed annoying blade play early on. Gave one to li'l bro who enjoyed it for awhile. He was tracing a pattern in a door with the tip (something you could do with a pen without breaking it) and had the tip snap off. He sent it back and got a reply that for $10 they'd ship him another.

My experience with Spyderco ended right then and there. If you have a $30 knife and you need $10 to get it set straight, then in my mind the company is not standing behind their product 100%, but a mere 66.6%, and that is unacceptable to me. So now I buy Kershaw and Camillus stuff.

BTW, the one Spyderco piece without blade play was probably due to the fact that I never used it.
 
but one thing that no one has mentioned thus far, is that Benchmade makes AUTOMATICS! So, if you're in the mood for fast, Spyderco can't even compete.
 
I disagree. Automatics are much slower than a good folder with a hole or thumb stud. I've never seen anyone that could draw an auto faster than a manual. There are more steps involved with an auto than a with a manual.
 
... because they have beautiful SpyderLady Joyce Laituri and BENCHMADE displays at each trade show guys only :)

If seriously – I would like to speak about particular knives but not about companies as itself.
 
Do you like Benchmade or Spyderco? Huh?
For me the question wuld be: Do you like Benchmade AND Spyderco? And the answer: Yes. And quite a few knives by other manufacturers...
john
 
I like Spyderco more but occasionally I still buy BM's.
1. reason is cutting ability. I don't care about BM's much poorer initial sharpness but BM's (that I've seen) have overall duller edge geometry.
2. reason is quality. I have about ten BM's and 20+ Spydercos. All BM's but 940 and 9700 need constant tigtening (about 9700 I actually don't know as I have never used it :rolleyes: ). When I tune my spydercos they stay tuned. BM's seem to have better finish but when compared to spydercos of about same MSPR they are equal.
3. reason is round hole. Studs, discs... can't compete with it.
 
Yeah it's all been said. I do like models from each compnay.., and have some of both.

As Joe menitoned.., there are places that these two companies just don't have knives that match up well for comparison.., but where they do..., I think both outfits do an excellent job.

I was surprised to hear a few remarks about customer service type issues with either of BM or Spyderco. I've never had a bit of an issue in that area ever.., and found both companies to back their product extremely well...


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
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