First EDC - Benchmade Axis

Blade shape is the difference between the regular Grips and the Ritter version.

The Ritter's blade shape really does make a better cutter (thinner edge are).
 
El_Cid said:
I don't get whats the difference between a Ritter and a normal griptilian besides the price..
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The S30V steel, the much wider blade which allows for the high grind, AND a portion of the price of the knife goes to support the Equipped to Survive Foundation- a not-for-profit organization dedicated to saving lives by promoting awareness and preparation for surviving life-threatening circumstances.
 
I do not like aluminum handles. I have several knives I do not touch because they have aluminum handles. Not sure exactly why...maybe cause it feels 'cold' all the time, or slippery when wet, or that it scratches easily.

The fact that the 94X series is aluminum rules it out for me. I have a mini-grip and like it but its a tad to small and it is not my smoothest knife.

I recently bought a 710 as a present and it is a nice knife. Its big but doesn't carry nearly as big as it is.

However, I just got a Benchmade H&K 14205 folder and really like it. Normally I get a knife and look it over and decide if I want to keep it and sometimes it goes in the box while I think about it but this went straight in my pocket.

It is about the perfect size for me. I like the blade shape. The axis is very smooth and flips easily. It is a tad heavy but thats because it has full steel liners and you're not going to get away from that in a sturdy knife.

Of all the AXIS knives I have held this is my favorite. Check it out.
 
El_Cid said:
I don't get whats the difference between a Ritter and a normal griptilian besides the price..
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BM Grip has 154CM steel and the Ritter has S30V. Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

BM Grip has a narrower blade (height-wise, measured from edge to spine). Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

The Ritter grip's blade is stonewashed, pretty cool looking, and it has the Doug Ritter logo. Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

Ken was saying that, because of the wider chord measurement of the blade, the edge would be thinner and hence cut better. I can;t speak to that because I don;t know, but: Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

Doug Ritter says the BM Griptilian was actually designed after he sent in his design for the knives which would eventually bear his logo. Now, there's a little more to it than that, but that's the essence. In other words, his knife isn;t based on the BM Grip, rather the Grip is based oon his design. Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

All things combined, all differences together, Worth the $60 difference in price? No.

But, as I said before, it has something.... a look... a feeling.... maybe just a smoother design, coupled with the idea that Ritter designed it, that allows me to consider it over the BM knife, despite the 100% cost difference. Then you can add in , maybe as icing on the cake, the premium steel, the stonewashing, the wider chord of the blade, and now each individual can decide whether it's worth the extra money.
 
I'm a huge fan of the 710 -- I have a 710HS in M2, and have an M4 version on the way. But if you want something a little smaller, please look at the Rant, it has a sculpted G-10 handle that's about the same size as a full-size Grip. The steel is 154cm. I agree with Stretch that 154cm is fairly close to S30V in performance. The Rant has a high flat grind and thin edge that cuts like crazy. I got mine a couple of weeks ago and it's been in my pocket since.

I had a yellow Mini Grip for a while and found it too small for my liking. It felt like a three-finger-grip knife.
 
I've finally decided on a MiniGrip - cuz I want to buy a Spyderco Para-Military too - the new one with camo handle :D
 
This post is a little late since you've made your choice, but I wanted to mention a HK 14210. Which is a BM axis lock knife, similar in size to the Mini Grip, only with G10 scales, and full SS liners. The grip on the HK gives me a full four finger grip unlike the 3-3.5 finger grip the Mini offers.
http://www.knifeworks.com/benchmadehandkaxisfolderg-10handledroppointplainedge.aspx

Anyways good luck with your choices, both knives are excellent.

Dave
 
El_Cid said:
I'm thinking of the 710 in M4 too
its a new steel right? is it any good?
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The LE710 M4 could be one of the truly great knives. We'll have to see. It's hard to go wrong with a 710. And M4 steel so far has been winning lots of fans. If it lives up to its reputation/hype of being M2 on steroids, this will be the knife to have.

The M4 is not stainless, however, so you'll need to be a little more careful so it doesn't rust. A Tuff-Cloth may be all you need. The M4 should hold its edge a long time, but you will still have to sharpen it. Diamond stones would make it easy to sharpen.

It's also a recurve, so it sharpens easiest on ceramic/diamond rods, such as you can get with the Sharpmaker.
 
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