The main purpose of this review is to give a description and a few thoughts to the knifes rather interesting, if not puzzling, features.
Overall, my feeling about this knife is mixed. Having what would be best described as a chimerical nature, it wants to be all things at once and succeed at them equally well. I have no problems with this trend - most EDC knives can be put up to more than one task, even though few of them will perform like a dedicated tool. The Barrage could get much closer to achieving this. In every one of the knifes calling, however, theres a need for just a little something that could have made it much better but is strangely absent.
The knife wants to be a utility tool, hence the collaboration (to whatever extent) with Warn; specifically, it has a safety lock that allows for the knife to approach the behavior of a fixed blade as well as to prevent accidental deployment. The tanto-styled blade (not necessarily an ideal utility tool) exists to make piercing cuts that require a strong pointy tip. But the Barrage tip is too long to be thicker without making the whole blade around it thicker as well. Why was it chosen to be so long and thin, especially for a tanto? Ive read a couple of posts here about it breaking and also an unfavorable comparison of the blades geometry with some other tantos that have their tips purposefully re-enforced. It seemed all posters unanimously wondered as to why the tip was so long and thin. Go figure
Theres a plenty of different utility tasks, some will say, that dont necessarily require thick, re-enforced tips. Dont pry with the tip, and youll be fine. So, Barrage is not really a heavy-duty utility folder then, right? It certainly tries hard to present itself like one, with its heavy built, thick and solid parts, heft and weight, but the blades tip cancels it all.
And heres an even more important aspect to consider if one wants to use the knife as a utility tool. Barrage is to be opened with one hand only. Thats great, and the spring that assists in opening the blade is probably the best-calibrated (or is it best-weighted?), most balanced spring on a knife of this type Ive ever seen. The opening action is exceptional (I give myself a little painful nick on the right thumb almost every time I open my Kershaw Leek if I choose the thumb studs of course - and the same often happens with a ZT 0350 another spring-assisted knife. The Benchmades system simply feels better.) Its a whole different story, however, to try to close it with one hand.
It goes like this: you hold firm something that requires cutting and piercing, free up one hand to spring-open your Barrage with reassuring shhlack, make a cut, and then Then, trying to follow the rightful take-it-out-use-it-put-back-where-it-came-from mentality, you attempt to close the knife one-handedly. Good luck with that. Barrage has the venerable axis lock, but if you can imagine how you normally disengage axis locks (whether with only your thumb or both the thumb and the index finger), now try to imagine closing a spring-held blade that will resist your attempts all the way. Imagine that youd have to hold the handle firmly too, as dropping the knife is never an option. Well, you just may run out of fingers to effectively grip the thing. As much as its not that comfortable to close a frame-locked spring-assisted knife with one hand by first disengaging the frame lock with your thumb and then pressing the blade close into the frame with your index finger, to do the same with the axis lock system is harder still.
Very well, you say, if 583-1 isnt exactly a heavy duty utility or tactical knife, then perhaps its a great self-defense tool, fast to deploy, with a blade of sufficient length and strength. Who cares if its close to impossible to fold with one hand! After all, wouldnt one consider putting it away only after the threat is completely over, when one's free to use both hands and do it as slowly as pleased? So, it's an ideal self-defense cutlery piece, isn't it?
That all may well be good and true, except there isnt a single jimping on Barrage. The areas where the thumb and the index fingers rest are both slippery-smooth. Both G-10 scales have bumpy texture around Warn, but the bumps are too big to create proper traction against epidermis. As much as the handles shape is nice and round and comfortable and fills ones palm, the grip on it in certain situations is not secure.
Another strange aspect of this knife is the hidden pivot screw. Ive yet to find out if removal of the scales constitutes the notorious warranty-voiding disassembly. Frankly, I didnt think twice as it was the only way to correct the blades horizontal play my Barrage had developed after a short time. Once I did remove them, I was looking at the knifes innards thinking Wheres the microprocessor and the battery?, so complex it was. Im used to simplicity of open frame handles, supported by posts, that allow for thorough cleaning. A plethora of small parts throughout the knife contributes nothing to a user's confidence in its reliability. As such, Id be happier to see this knife without the silly red spacer (proudly mentioned in every announcement for the product, no less), spring assist, or safety lock.
So, the bottom line is that Barrage presents itself as a well-designed professional tool, but its not. Its blade is tanto-shaped, yes, but more so towards form than true function. The lack of jimping makes the grip unstable. Im further convinced that spring-assisted knives are uncomfortable to close with the axis, the ball bearing, the compression, or any other lock positioned on handles back or that requires disengagement using two fingers. Given the (not very well-thought of) concept, it seems that Benchmade nevertheless executed this knife beautifully and, as in most of the times, to their great quality standards.
Overall, my feeling about this knife is mixed. Having what would be best described as a chimerical nature, it wants to be all things at once and succeed at them equally well. I have no problems with this trend - most EDC knives can be put up to more than one task, even though few of them will perform like a dedicated tool. The Barrage could get much closer to achieving this. In every one of the knifes calling, however, theres a need for just a little something that could have made it much better but is strangely absent.
The knife wants to be a utility tool, hence the collaboration (to whatever extent) with Warn; specifically, it has a safety lock that allows for the knife to approach the behavior of a fixed blade as well as to prevent accidental deployment. The tanto-styled blade (not necessarily an ideal utility tool) exists to make piercing cuts that require a strong pointy tip. But the Barrage tip is too long to be thicker without making the whole blade around it thicker as well. Why was it chosen to be so long and thin, especially for a tanto? Ive read a couple of posts here about it breaking and also an unfavorable comparison of the blades geometry with some other tantos that have their tips purposefully re-enforced. It seemed all posters unanimously wondered as to why the tip was so long and thin. Go figure
Theres a plenty of different utility tasks, some will say, that dont necessarily require thick, re-enforced tips. Dont pry with the tip, and youll be fine. So, Barrage is not really a heavy-duty utility folder then, right? It certainly tries hard to present itself like one, with its heavy built, thick and solid parts, heft and weight, but the blades tip cancels it all.
And heres an even more important aspect to consider if one wants to use the knife as a utility tool. Barrage is to be opened with one hand only. Thats great, and the spring that assists in opening the blade is probably the best-calibrated (or is it best-weighted?), most balanced spring on a knife of this type Ive ever seen. The opening action is exceptional (I give myself a little painful nick on the right thumb almost every time I open my Kershaw Leek if I choose the thumb studs of course - and the same often happens with a ZT 0350 another spring-assisted knife. The Benchmades system simply feels better.) Its a whole different story, however, to try to close it with one hand.
It goes like this: you hold firm something that requires cutting and piercing, free up one hand to spring-open your Barrage with reassuring shhlack, make a cut, and then Then, trying to follow the rightful take-it-out-use-it-put-back-where-it-came-from mentality, you attempt to close the knife one-handedly. Good luck with that. Barrage has the venerable axis lock, but if you can imagine how you normally disengage axis locks (whether with only your thumb or both the thumb and the index finger), now try to imagine closing a spring-held blade that will resist your attempts all the way. Imagine that youd have to hold the handle firmly too, as dropping the knife is never an option. Well, you just may run out of fingers to effectively grip the thing. As much as its not that comfortable to close a frame-locked spring-assisted knife with one hand by first disengaging the frame lock with your thumb and then pressing the blade close into the frame with your index finger, to do the same with the axis lock system is harder still.
Very well, you say, if 583-1 isnt exactly a heavy duty utility or tactical knife, then perhaps its a great self-defense tool, fast to deploy, with a blade of sufficient length and strength. Who cares if its close to impossible to fold with one hand! After all, wouldnt one consider putting it away only after the threat is completely over, when one's free to use both hands and do it as slowly as pleased? So, it's an ideal self-defense cutlery piece, isn't it?
That all may well be good and true, except there isnt a single jimping on Barrage. The areas where the thumb and the index fingers rest are both slippery-smooth. Both G-10 scales have bumpy texture around Warn, but the bumps are too big to create proper traction against epidermis. As much as the handles shape is nice and round and comfortable and fills ones palm, the grip on it in certain situations is not secure.
Another strange aspect of this knife is the hidden pivot screw. Ive yet to find out if removal of the scales constitutes the notorious warranty-voiding disassembly. Frankly, I didnt think twice as it was the only way to correct the blades horizontal play my Barrage had developed after a short time. Once I did remove them, I was looking at the knifes innards thinking Wheres the microprocessor and the battery?, so complex it was. Im used to simplicity of open frame handles, supported by posts, that allow for thorough cleaning. A plethora of small parts throughout the knife contributes nothing to a user's confidence in its reliability. As such, Id be happier to see this knife without the silly red spacer (proudly mentioned in every announcement for the product, no less), spring assist, or safety lock.
So, the bottom line is that Barrage presents itself as a well-designed professional tool, but its not. Its blade is tanto-shaped, yes, but more so towards form than true function. The lack of jimping makes the grip unstable. Im further convinced that spring-assisted knives are uncomfortable to close with the axis, the ball bearing, the compression, or any other lock positioned on handles back or that requires disengagement using two fingers. Given the (not very well-thought of) concept, it seems that Benchmade nevertheless executed this knife beautifully and, as in most of the times, to their great quality standards.