BM 940 owners...

N

Nottynuffknives

Joined
Jul 22, 2017
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131
I have a question for you...

So I'm almost 100% positive that I'll be purchasing the Benchmade Osborne 940. I love everything About it. It looks great, felt great in hand at Cabelas. But I'm looking for more of an opinion from experienced 940 owners regarding the durability of this knife because using it is one thing I haven't done with it yet.

For a while there I had no doubt in my mind that it was a tough, hard use knife based on some YouTube reviews from a few guys. But then I would read every now and then in some forums that some people considered it a gentleman's folder, which to me can be interpreted as a knife that can't take or shouldn't take much abuse and that is more so for when wearing a suit, or maybe at a wedding ect.. Not saying that's the definition lol, it's just how I think of a gentleman's folder.

And I also read one person describe it as "flimsy". So my question to you 940 owners is: do you consider this knife to be a durable, and if needed to be, a hard use knife? Has it ever failed you in any way? Or has it made it through any task you've thrown it's way?
 
I had one 940-1501 (with cpm 20cv steel) but sold it. It is a great knife with no issue. It was sold due to my pursuit of slicers - a Spyderco Delica ZDP-189 replaced it. "Hard use" is a relative term. For normal EDC tasks like opening mails, cutting fruits or cardboard boxes, BM 940 should be more than capable.
 
A gentleman's knife doesn't automatically mean it can't be used for tougher jobs. Can't speak from experience, but I've watched my brother beat on his 940-1 enough where I definitely believe it'll be able to handle whatever you throw at it(within reason).

Absolutely no reason to think its gonna break into pieces if you try to cut through some cardboard boxes. If the 940 appeals to you I suggest you try one out. It's a well respected knife for a reason(plus Benchmade'll take care of it and you for life).
 
From my personal experience.
It is a medium use knife that will fit the bill perfectly for almost any cutting task.

FYI... I consider the Spyderco Gayle Bradley's 1&2 hard use.

The blade tip is thicker than a PM2.
Cutting length is very good.
If you like a slim knife it's for you.
Flimsy? No.
I would feel fine beating on it just as hard as I would a PM2 or Manix...
Axis lock..... Love


Where it fell short for me.
Slick metal scales.. I have not handled the G10 version.
Slender grip.
 
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My 940-1 despite benchmades lack of qc is a gentleman carry but it's not weak by any stretch of the imagination.

A knife is a cutting tool. Wtf do you want to do with it? Seriously knives are not pry bars.
 
Can it hold up? Definitely. It has a strong lock, stout blade, and a solid handle. This knife will take anything you throw at it. I’ve had mine for years. However, just because it can, doesn’t mean you’ll want to use it for loads of heavy tasks. It’s a thin and small knife and isn’t super comfortable for long periods of use. I cut cardboard with mine for about 30 minutes awhile back and it did the job just fine but didn’t feel as good as some.
 
Mo2 said:
My 940-1 despite benchmades lack of qc is a gentleman carry but it's not weak by any stretch of the imagination.

A knife is a cutting tool. Wtf do you want to do with it? Seriously knives are not pry bars.
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Who said anything about prying?? I have no misconception about what a knife is but the fact still remains that each knife is built differently. I just don't want a knife that I have to baby because I think it can't handle something. I like to be able to, without much thought, just pull it out and use it. (Lol).
 
My son has carried a 940-1 for over a year (factory work). He uses it without hesitation for reservation, and it is holding up just fine. I happen to have it with me today, giving it a ride on the Wicked Edge to make that S90V smile.
 
The BM 940/943 is fairly capable. It's called a gentleman's knife more because of the design and less about the capabilities, IMO. Maybe a hard use gentlemen's folder? I personally would've preferred a thinner blade on the 943 I had for a while as it reduced the knife's ability to slice but did make the blade feel more capable of withstanding cutting harder materials.

I think it's up there with the closest thing to perfect for an EDC knife if you can afford it and laws allow for carry of such a knife (I'm limited to 3" blade local ordinances where I work). I think the 943 would work well in many non-edc tasks as well if you are looking for a lightweigh, packable knife, such as hiking or something like that where a substantial handle isn't needed. The handle is the limiting factor for me more than the blade as it doesn't fill the hand really well but allows fantastic pocket feel.

One thing I really like about benchmades is that the blades can be replaced for a small sum of money, even outside of the warranty program.

Disclaimer: I've only owned and carried one 943 and only handled a couple in stores. Some that have used more than one 940/943 will have more well-rounded input. My 943 had aluminum scales which may add to the durability some.
 
I think the only reason some would consider it a gentleman's folder is due to its size efficiency when closed. To me, it's a work/utility knife.

You get the effective blade length of a PM2 in a much more size efficient package.

The blade is robust with a thick tip, the handles are sturdy enough for anything short of batoning (wouldn't do this with any folder) in my opinion.

I have several and the one that gets the most has not lead an easy life by any means and is in perfect mechanical shape after several years of use. It's my most carried knife easily.

There is no reason to think twice about using it for any normal cutting task that comes to mind.

Even if you did manage to break it, benchmade would repair/replace it.

There are many reasons that the 940 is a classic and has survived for so long... looks alone wouldn't carry it this long.
 
Nottynuffknives said:
Who said anything about prying?? I have no misconception about what a knife is but the fact still remains that each knife is built differently. I just don't want a knife that I have to baby because I think it can't handle something. I like to be able to, without much thought, just pull it out and use it. (Lol).
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Gotcha. Yea I'd stay away from some of the boker branded gentlemen carries like the Brad zinker's and burnley models. Those are more suitable for opening letters and very light duty stuff.

Don't think you'll have any issues with the majority of benchmades... Tho they do have a plethora of qc issues. Don't buy sight unseen or ask a dealer to inspect them.
 
Addendum to my previous post:

If anything, i would like the blade to be a bit more thinly ground and a bit more slicey for EDC type tasks.(still wouldn't be a hard use worry for me) One of mine is notably thinner and it gets carried, the other two are a bit thicker and they sit.
 
strokednbored said:
Addendum to my previous post:

If anything, i would like the blade to be a bit more thinly ground and a bit more slicey for EDC type tasks.(still wouldn't be a hard use worry for me) One of mine is notably thinner and it gets carried, the other two are a bit thicker and they sit.
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Good example is the benchmade bugout. They even have aftermarket scales for them in g10 and carbonfiber now for added ridged grip.
 
It is not flimsy. It's a knife and if you treat it as such, you won't have problems with it.

If you want to stab car doors, baton a redwood or dig a trench with it, there are better options. If you want to cut things, the 940 is a reliable companion.
 
The BM 940 is one of my favorite knives. I have the original green aluminum, the 940-1, and 940-2. All are stellar, but I don't "beat on" any knife. I use hammers for that. :)

No worries, on doing difficult tasks that pocket knives are designed to do.
 
I’ve had a 940 for a year or two now. It gets carried more than others I own (PM2, Contego, Delica, Pac Salt to name a few). I have used it mostly for basic edc stuff like opening mail and cutting cardboard, but I’ve also made feather sticks and turned a screw or two and pried a piece of stuck brass out of a 22 with no issues. What I like best is it’s decent blade length and slim size in my pocket. One thing to note is the anodization tends to wear, doesn’t bother me though. Also, if I have a lot of cutting to do, I grab something with a nicer handle like the PM2.
 
No worries about the 940 my friend, buy with confidence. If you want something more heavy duty, just step up to the Gayle Bradley series.
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