BM Rift -- smoothing edges on scales

S

Swedge

Joined
Dec 23, 2008
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I just got a Benchmade 950 Rift (plain edge, no coating) with the charcoal grey and black G-10 scales. The edges of the scales are square and I'd like them rounded or chamfered.

Has anyone sanded or otherwise taken the corner off the sides of the scales? Any negative effect on appearance? (Sometimes when you sand things that come in layers, the result is unexpected.)

Any suggestions on how to take the corner off the edges?

One thing I am not worried about is reducing the resale value of the knife. I bought this knife for me, not for the next guy.
 
A smooth angle in such a short distance on that G10 will reveal narrow layers. This is in contrast to a deeper grind throughout the handle which will reveal much broader bands of color. If you aren't worried about aestherics as you say, I'd say sand away. No loss right? Except, you should wear some kind of appropriate respirator. G10 dust gets everywhere and loves to live in lungs.
 
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G10 looks great when hand-sanded. If you don't have a good respirator, you can sand under water with wet/dry paper.
 
The edges of the G10 on my Rift were a little sharp, so I sanded them a little. It didn't have a negative impact on the look of them.
 
RevDevil said:
If you aren't worried about aestherics as you say, I'd say sand away.
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Thanks, but it is the aesthetics I'm worried about. It's any decrease in the resale value by reason of being "altered" that I don't care about.
 
It should be ok Swedge. If you have a sanding block that would be the best way to go. It will ensure that the pressure when sanding is equal. I have rift on the way this week, I'm interested to see what the corners are like now that you mentioned it. I may end up doing the same thing.

Start with 220 gruit, then 400, then 600 or 1000. That should finish it off nicely. ;)
 
RevDevil said:
I have rift on the way this week, I'm interested to see what the corners are like now that you mentioned it.
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Please post your impression in this thread. I'd be interested.

And hijacking my own thread, has anyone drilled holes in their liners (not the scales, but the liners) to reduce the weight of the knife?
 
Swedge said:
Please post your impression in this thread. I'd be interested.

And hijacking my own thread, has anyone drilled holes in their liners (not the scales, but the liners) to reduce the weight of the knife?
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I'll be happy to, subscription completed :)

Is this knife super heavy?
 
RevDevil said:
Is this knife super heavy?
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Not at all. It's in the same ballpark as the BM 710, but it feels a tad heavier. According to Benchmade, a Rift with serrations and black coating is 4.8 oz. I don't know if there is any significant weight difference between those and my plain edge without coating.

I just checked, and according to Benchmade, the 710 weighs 4.5 oz. so that validates the feeling that the Rift is a tad heavier.

Looking again at my Rift, I see that parts of the scales' edge have been rounded off. So Benchmade has seen fit not to round off the edge of the scales all the way around. I wonder if they know something I don't.
 
Swedge said:
Looking again at my Rift, I see that parts of the scales' edge have been rounded off. So Benchmade has seen fit not to round off the edge of the scales all the way around. I wonder if they know something I don't.
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If there's an edge on your handle that is noticeable when holding the knife, round it off. Your really don't need anything digging into your hand while you're cutting. When I shape a handle, I repeatedly check it to make sure that there aren't any pressure points.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I know its off topic but how do you like the Rift?
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I received it last week and carried it for the last 3 days. I have to say that I like it very much. There is something about Osborne's designs that are very user friendly. The ergos were a little hard to handle the first day, and the edge of the G10 was indeed sharp at the lower edge (pinky finger area).

One thing I did notice was that the blade on mine was not centered that well. It was a hair away from the liner. I loosened the pivor and the scales and played the "tighten screws in different configurations game". I think I finally got it centered as much as I can.

The knife was not the sharpest Benchmade I've had out of the box. However, some quick 2000 grit sandpaper and mouse swipes seems to have fixed it. Blade shape is perfect for everyday cutting tasks and it's large enough for self defense. The verdict is a thumbs up! :thumbup: :cool:
 
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I find that on my Rift, it is a little edgy at the bottom of the grip where the blade folds in.

Not really that noticeable when you are actually using it, that is how minute the issue is.

Still by far my favorite folder right now.

Edit: Oops forgot to add that I'm referring to the CF version.
It might be slightly different, just posting my experience with it.
 
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