Benchmite or Al Mar Osprey

jujigatame

jujigatame

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Mar 21, 2005
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I'm getting a new small knife to carry loose in the pocket, for dressier occasions and the like. I've whittled it down to either the Benchmite or an Al Mar Osprey. I've got all the specs, read old posts on here about them, and figure I'll be very happy with either choice. So what I'd love to know is this: if you've handled both of these models, which do you prefer and why? Thanks for any opinions you may offer.
 
jujigatame said:
I'm getting a new small knife to carry loose in the pocket, for dressier occasions and the like. I've whittled it down to either the Benchmite or an Al Mar Osprey. I've got all the specs, read old posts on here about them, and figure I'll be very happy with either choice. So what I'd love to know is this: if you've handled both of these models, which do you prefer and why? Thanks for any opinions you may offer.
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I haven't handled the Benchmite, but I own an Osprey in honey jigged bone and I love it. It's pretty classy. When you first see it, it will seem a lot smaller than you imagined and the sheath will seem a bit stiff and plain. Once you've carried it for a few weeks, the sheath will have worked in a lot - sort of like a good baseball glove. You'll also realize that a very small knife is perfect for almost all of your office/dressy cutting tasks.

I also own the Al Mar Hawk in black pearl and I have friends who have the Osprey in black pearl and the Hawk in honey jigged bone. The pearl is awesome . . but there's a richness to the honey jigged bone that is really nice. Although I really like the osprey, if I had to choose a single Al Mar lockback, I'd probably go with a Hawk in honey jigged bone. It's slim enough that it disappears in your pocket, yet it feels like a real knife when you're using it..
 
I know you said you have your results whittled down, but I personally believe that every knifenut should own a spyderco kiwi. The ergonomics are surprisingly good and the wharncliffe blade is perfect for this size knife. If you really must stick with your two choices I would go for the Al Mar. I've never owned any of their gentleman's folders, but I do have a falcon that has flawless construction. I think the osprey has more classic good looks than the benchmite, and would complement a buisiness suit nicely. Good luck with the decision.
 
I have no idea what a Benchmite is, but I do know that they make the Osprey with stag scales. In fact I own one. :)

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I don't ever carry it loose in my pocket always with the leather slipsheath it came with.
 
I own a benchmite and I can't recremend a better small knife! (titanium handles, 154cm yaaa!) There is the cool factor of the levetator lock too, locks the blade open and closed (also alows it to be opened with a snap while depressing the lever) :D
 
The benchmite is nice, but doesn't have the classic appeal of the osprey. I've handled both and can't remember the benchmite as being anything other than OK, but I do remember the osprey as pretty, slick and functional. I believe the benchmite comes in a variety of materials, so some may be more impmressive than others.

I'd stay away from the Kiwi unless you see and handle it. I believe this is one knife that you either love or don't. I can't see the attraction nad believe its overpriced. The osprey is a much classier package and probably better fit/finish.
 
brownshoe said:
I'd stay away from the Kiwi unless you see and handle it. I believe this is one knife that you either love or don't. I can't see the attraction nad believe its overpriced. The osprey is a much classier package and probably better fit/finish.
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I don't know how the Kiwi came up in this comparison, but I guess you can add me to the list of Love 'Em! AG Russell was talking about doing a run of Kiwi's in stag and I would have been all over it. The jigged bone one that I have is just a great knife. On par with the best production knives I've ever handled. For my purposes just about a perfect EDC. My Kiwi has seen a lot more carry time than the Osprey.
 
I haven't handled the Al Mar Osprey, but have had an Al Mar Eagle (with wood patterened Micarta), for over 10 years.. and it has held up fantasticly. Fit and finish are 9.5 out of 10, lock-up remains tight. Since this is a bigger knife, then the Osprey or the Benchmite, it gets practically zero pocket-time however.

On the other hand, I have a Benchmite 310, and as of this morning a 3100 (might want to consider this, given the auto capability), and I carry the 310 ALL the time. I like the slim profile, and the fit and finish are in-line with the Al Mar, but with adjustable pivot pin.

I doubt you'd go wrong with either. It's going to be a matter of style preference, or could come down to handling both.
 
Thanks for all the thoughts. I did check out the Kiwi and liked it well enough, but I've been on a Spyderco binge lately and wanted to go another direction. I think I'm leaning toward the Al Mar, saw one with English briarwood for the handle and liked it a lot.

Of course, you know what the end result will probably be: whichever one I don't get now I'll probably end up getting somewhere down the road. It never ends.
 
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