Fixed Blade Contego disappointment

S

Shaboda

Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Messages
63
So Ive been a huge benchmade fan/collector for many years and always end up with my contego in my pocket. One reason I love it so much is the glass breaker. Most people don't utilize this as much as we do in Fire/EMS world. When im wearing bunker gear I cant access my folder and use a fixed blade Kershaw strapped on my chest that has a glass breaker. Then benchmade makes me happy and comes out with a fixed blade contego! perfect!.....or not.....they didn't put the glass breaker on it. emailed them how disappointed I was. Anyone know why they left this out?
 
Maybe because you'd be swinging the knife hard towards a brittle object (glass) with the blade pointed at yourself? I always assumed that the glass breaker on the butt end of a folder knife was supposed to used with the blade closed. But I am not EMS/rescue so maybe I am completely wrong.
 
I get where youre coming from doc, but tempered glass really doesn't take much force if done in the correct location. most of these idiots on youtube try to break laminated windshields and plate glass. Maybe benchmade should put a glass breaker on their next rescue hook! 10% royalty rights!
 
While not EMS, I am a physician and have been the first responder at the scene of an accident a couple of times (and one was a fatal accident). So I keep a rescue knife in my car "just in case" and I have a 915 Triage for this purpose... sheepsfoot blade, cutter hook, and glass breaker all in one nice solid package.
 
Right on, I also have the triage its an all around solid knife and us as firemedics love it. You should look into Case doctors knives. I have a few and love the functionality and history of them.
 
Hmmmm that's a tough one. I must admit though that it clearly shows that the fixed Contego does NOT have a glass breaker on the BM site. Still the big fixed C should still be able to break glass pretty easily just don't cut the heck outta yourself when you swing it pommel first. The butt end of my plain jane Kabar USMC breaks glass easily so ymmv...
 
Shaboda said:
So Ive been a huge benchmade fan/collector for many years and always end up with my contego in my pocket. One reason I love it so much is the glass breaker. Most people don't utilize this as much as we do in Fire/EMS world. When im wearing bunker gear I cant access my folder and use a fixed blade Kershaw strapped on my chest that has a glass breaker. Then benchmade makes me happy and comes out with a fixed blade contego! perfect!.....or not.....they didn't put the glass breaker on it. emailed them how disappointed I was. Anyone know why they left this out?
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If you’re interested there is a thread (direct link below) where the 183 fixed Contego is discussed and includes a little mini-review I did. I must say that I would never have expected a glass breaker to be included on such as knife.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1170935-anyone-have-a-fixed-blade-contego-yet (post #8)

OK... so lately I'm trying to ease up on pointing out Benchmade deficiencies :), but in my opinion they are very inconsistant at describing the 183 fixed Contego's intended purpose. This is the only description they include for its purpose on their website: "Just like its folding predecessor, this tactical fixed blade from Warren Osborne was made to be tough." That's not very descriptive, although the key word "Tactical" is at least used.

However, if you read their 2014 catalog on page 42 and 43 there is a picture of a soldier in battle gear and the caption states: "183 fixed Contego; CONTEGO; TO COVER, PROTECT, DEFEND. Military-grade equipment is essential when lives are on the line and elite armed forces across the globe use the 183 Fixed CONTEGO for just that - The ultimate defense." For consistancy the website should have included a similar description.

So, for good or bad, they designed the 183 Fixed Contego to be primarily a military/tactical knife and not for Fire/EMS/Rescue where the glass breaker would be an asset.
 
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The disappointment for me was S30V. If it we an M4 knife I would own one. I don't see the need for a glass breaker on a fixed blade.
 
sixate said:
The disappointment for me was S30V. If it we an M4 knife I would own one. I don't see the need for a glass breaker on a fixed blade.
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x2. The Fixed Contego disappoints me too, but for reasons other than having a glass breaker. The entire package at its price is where I am let down.

I think CPM-M4 is a better candidate for that sort of knife, and it's proven itself on the standard 810 as one helluva good performer. And to me, premium materials like M4 justifies premium pricing.

My primary issue here is that Benchmade's newer pricing structure means consumers will generally pay prices which are higher than previously, and I expect to see materials that reflect that. I do not think the Fixed Contego does this at all. While slightly larger, the Fixed Contego is going to be compared to the ZT0180 coming out, which is made using VANADIS 4 Extra and with a true Tungsten DLC for not a whole lot more (in some cases, pretty much the same pricing).

And truth be told, VANADIS 4 Extra and t-DLC vs. S30V and a Teflon coating at similar pricing? Huh?
 
Also, what the heck is with the grips....I wanted the same texture like my 810 so it wont slip with wet gloves on.....
 
TechDoc said:
While not EMS, I am a physician and have been the first responder at the scene of an accident a couple of times (and one was a fatal accident). So I keep a rescue knife in my car "just in case" and I have a 915 Triage for this purpose... sheepsfoot blade, cutter hook, and glass breaker all in one nice solid package.
Click to expand...

Use the antenna if it has a small ball on the end of it. Unscrew it, hold it flat against the window about 6-8" from the end, pull it back as far as you can, and let it go with a snap. problem solved, no need for a glass breaker on your knife.
 
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