BM15031-2 North Fork!

Keyman

Keyman

Joined
Mar 26, 2001
Messages
5,442
I got the BM's new North Fork in the mail today.
I was hoping it would turn out to be something like a mini grip with full liners.
I am very pleasantly surprised.
As you can see in the following pics; it is pretty darn close to just that...a mini grip with full liners.
The thumb studs, the standoffs and the axis button are all quite unique.
Along with the traction notches that are cut into the back edge of the liners.
The knife came with a perfectly centered blade and operates as smooth as silk.
The full liners are skeletonized so it's pretty light, weighing only 3.1 oz.
This knife would be an excellent canidate for one of BM's Limited Edition runs (or some pimping!).
M390, M4, s90v or maybe something else.
This is a winner for sure, it's too bad it doesn't get more air time.
Mini grip move over!













 
The G10 model is also nice. I was hesitant at first because I really liked its predecessor and I didn't see a need for change other than removing a logo or two but I'm a fan.

7AF833B2-D878-47F0-A149-AA77C127DFAC_zpsgdmwek6s.jpg
 
How does it compare with the thickness of the mini grip?

I've been thinking about the wood version for office work.
 
Keyman, I guess the real question is: how soon before you replace the wood with some scales of your own?
 
Thank you for this review. I really like the blade shape and tip-traction grooves. But I am glad that i went with the predecessor (15030) with its 1/4" extra handle length and reduced guard-length, effectively 1/2" longer handle. However it is too bad that Benchmade didn't engineer either to have the smooth guard-to-spine transition in the closed-position as the griptilians have. Alas. Still, a very nice product, thank you again for the images. Update after a few months of use?
 
I like everything about it except the recurve and the cutout in the scale material around the lanyard hole. Other than that, it's a very handy size and overall shape.

Looking forward to seeing some Keyman carbon fiber on this one! :)
 
bluemetalchurch said:
How does it compare with the thickness of the mini grip?

I've been thinking about the wood version for office work.
Click to expand...


North fork


Blade Length: 2.97"
Blade Thickness: 0.114"
Handle Thickness: 0.530"

mini grip (ritter)

Blade Length 2.88 in. (7.32 cm)
Blade Thickness 0.100 in. (2.54 mm)
Handle Thickness: 0.510"

mini griptilian (benchmade


Blade Length: 2.91"
Blade Thickness: 0.100"
Handle Thickness: 0.510"
 
I've not been shopping knives for a while. I mainly carry the mini-onslaught and have several others that either live in a vehicle or stored for whatever reason. This is a good looking knife and I think I may pick one up.
 
awesome knife isnt it? Ive got the other color and freaking love it. Sweet CF Keyman! Id do textured CF but it looks good!
 
I find the wood scales look good, but they each have different grain pattern. I've handled a few that had more of a red color, which I liked, many of the photos of them come across as a flat brown, when they look better in real life. If you buy from a store, place 3-4 side by side and you will see a pretty big difference.
 
Beautiful work. Do you still have any carbon scales for the northfork for sale? I'm going to buy a northfork over a mini grip after many hours of thinking and I would love to have carbon scales over the factory scales. It was my only drawback when I was deciding!
 
Nice, Here's my northfork which just had a date with the sharpening bench a week ago. My first experience with S30V. When I got it, I reprofiled all the way down to 16 degrees per side. I was having to touch it up every few weeks at that angle. I just got finished reprofiling back to 20 degrees per side. We'll see how the S30V Likes the new angle.

mDe4jTq.jpg
 
Looks great Keyman! I can’t believe nobody has addressed the classic beauty in those pictures though.... that M2 steel in the Ritter blade!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top