Benchmade vs. Spyderco

[benthughes]

I think it's been pretty well covered here and can't say I'd be able to add much to what's been said.

Spyderco knives, to me, are a bit more utilitarian in their regular production knives. They just work, they cut well and are reasonably priced. There are also the knives for the steel junkie and some pretty cool sprint runs that come out at recent intervals. The do feel a bit less refined than Benchmade knives which I would consider more a gentelmans knife.

Both companies do cross over and I feel you could get whatever your heart desires from either company. Want a big beastly folder? Both have them? A beautiful, lightweight folder? Check. Utilitarian fixed blades using high quality steels? Both do those. Each has its niche as do companies like Cold Steel which , I imagine , is why they're still around.

Personally I'm a Spyderco guy. I've owned several Benchmade knives and ended up selling them. They were nice, no doubt, but it comes back to the utilitarian feel and design of the Spyderco that just does it for me.

 

[flipe8]

Steve McQueen carried a Spyderco.

 

[CWIN]

I like both companies but prefer BM by a mile. I like their designs better, the axis lock...

 

[Egnar T Seinnhoj]

Only ever owned 1 Benchmade bali and 1 Spyderco Manix2LW so I can't really form a real opinion. I will say that I'm more attracted to BMs though. They're just usually out of my budget. Still think both need to do a new line of like 7 collabs. SpyderMades would sell through the roof.

 

[FearAgent]

Everyone should just get a SpyKer... And agree that both companies are better apart than the sum of them together

 

[dzlvs8]

Archaic thumbhole? It's a darn useful way to deploy their knives and one that many BMs have copied - odd statement
Benchmade are all America Made? - Wrong - many were made overseas
Spiders are stupid? I can't even imagine why someone would post this.

I can flick a Benchmade Adamas open hard every time with a thumb stud WITHOUT moving the knife AND holding it up in the air. You cant do that with a thumb hole on a big spyderco.

Benchmades are ALL now American made. Years ago they werent. Now they are and Spyderco still prodcues some crap in china.

Spiders (the animal on their blade) ARE stupid.


Spydie fan only refuted 3 of my points and came back with invalid arguments. Benchmade wins by a mile, even if his contrarian points were true. It doesnt mean that Spyderco is bad but they are definitely not a Benchmade.

 

[dzlvs8]

Only ever owned 1 Benchmade bali and 1 Spyderco Manix2LW so I can't really form a real opinion. I will say that I'm more attracted to BMs though. They're just usually out of my budget. Still think both need to do a new line of like 7 collabs. SpyderMades would sell through the roof.

Isnt the afck basically a general spyderco design thwt was just slighty modified by a navy seal?? Its not a true collaboration but, speaking of options, there is a spyderco made by benchmade. Its the AFCK.

 

[stabman]

Spiders (the animal on their blade) ARE stupid.

This is the worst, least valid thing written in regards to a product in the history of mankind.
Congratulations on making a completely invalid and silly point which proves nothing about nothing.

 

[hank_rearden]

I can flick a Benchmade Adamas open hard every time with a thumb stud WITHOUT moving the knife AND holding it up in the air. You cant do that with a thumb hole on a big spyderco.

i'll bet you can't open a thumb studded blade fast with your fore or middle finger. the g-10 military opens faster than an assisted flipper this way, with less arm/hand movement.

Spiders (the animal on their blade) ARE stupid.

agree. but they make nice branding material. some say butterflies are a tad effeminate.

Spydie fan only refuted 3 of my points and came back with invalid arguments. Benchmade wins by a mile, even if his contrarian points were true. It doesnt mean that Spyderco is bad but they are definitely not a Benchmade.

i didn't think the fate of two knife brands rested on refuting a poster's claims.

 

[RetiredGuns]

Spydie fan only refuted 3 of my points and came back with invalid arguments. Benchmade wins by a mile, even if his contrarian points were true. It doesnt mean that Spyderco is bad but they are definitely not a Benchmade.

We get it, you like Benchmades. Most mature knife folks can figure out how to say this without slamming another company. I own and enjoy both brands and don't feel the need to use words like "stupid" & "crap". At least you get credit for knowing that Spydercos are not Benchmades.

 

[southernknives]

negative blade angle (tip drops down from the axis of the handle) + properly contoured/curved handles = a knife that is truly a pleasure to cut with.

some people like the flat handles and straight blade angles which are more prevalent on BM knives, and they're certainly not wrong.

however the human body is shaped certain ways, and works certain ways. handle spines that curve, and palm swells simply fit the average hand better than a straighter handle. blades that angle down greatly increase your body mechanics in average cutting chores.

the fact that most flagship spyderco models offer these features to great effect gives credence to their "designed in the dark" mindset. they weren't designed to look how knives are "supposed to look", or to look pretty. they were designed to simply work as well as they can. any aesthetic embellishments come in addition to the ergonomics.

I wouldn't call bm knives "bad"in hand. they just make more knives that seem to look how knives are traditionally supposed to look, and don't nearly have that factor of feeling like the handle was designed for MY hand.

this is being pretty general, as both companies break from this simplistic mold I have given them, as both have a ton of models and options.

but if you put me in a dark room with six of each companies' main sellers, and told me to pick six to leave with, I'd wager at least four or five would be spyderco.

I could absolutely do my cutting tasks with a straight bm, but I get more joy from that fit in hand of a spyderco military or native. others get their joy in different aspects of the knife, or even go against physics and feel the bm actually fits better

once again, nobody is wrong. as far as build quality and materials there is no winner here. both are top of the game. so as long as you find one that fits your needs it doesn't matter if it has a butterfly on the blade or a tick -err I mean a spider.

That last sentence is true, and super funny. When I received my 2 PM2's I thought, "why does the spider look like a tick"?

 

[fzla226]

Both make quality knives. Spyderco's QC is probably better than BM's, but BM's US production is hard to beat. The way they have their factory setup is miles ahead of what Spyderco do.

 

[A.P.F.]

We get it, you like Benchmades. Most mature knife folks can figure out how to say this without slamming another company. I own and enjoy both brands and don't feel the need to use words like "stupid" & "crap". At least you get credit for knowing that Spydercos are not Benchmades.

Heh, worth repeating, Steve.

 

[dzlvs8]

Sore losers. Benchmades are awesome because butterflies are cooler than Spiders. BOOM!

 

[GronK]

At least you get credit for knowing that Spydercos are not Benchmades.

Careful there. Some of what this fellow is saying leads me to believe he doesn't. At the very least he has never actually seen, much less handled, a real live Spyderco.

 

[dzlvs8]

Careful there. Some of what this fellow is saying leads me to believe he doesn't. At the very least he has never actually seen, much less handled, a real live Spyderco.

lol. I just left the knife shop. Ive handled many before. Im also going to buy a Benchmade Emissary too, which will obviously be way better than a Spydie
dzlvs8 <--winning

 

[Skimo]

Aside from the trolling behavior of dslv8, and in reference to retiredguns post, were is the operative word.

Benchmades were made in the U.S.A. and overseas.

Now they are not made overseas, only produced in the U.S.A.

Not that it matters much to me, but obviously the branding means something to Benchmade.

I can only comment on Benchmade customer service because I stripped screw heads and bent clips over the years and was sent replacement hardware free of charge, I bent the clip in my Sage 1 several times, but being a wire clip, it straightened out easily, kind of a negative and positive at the same time, I don't think the clip would have bent if it was solid, but bending it back was a breeze.

I don't know which company I'll be buying from next time, but guaranteed when I do it will be with confidence that the knife is quality and on the odd chance it isn't, I know both companies would make it right.

 

[RetiredGuns]

Someone might be interested in those older Spydies. Does this shop have anything new-ish?

 

[Thalestin]

I prefer spyderco given the choice. I like how spyderco communicates with the knife community. Plus the knives work well

 

[seelow123]

lol. I just left the knife shop. Ive handled many before. Im also going to buy a Benchmade Emissary too, which will obviously be way better than a Spydie
dzlvs8 <--winning

Can you please keep this behavior up so we don't have to deal with you for very long? Pretty please?