Gold Class Bugout

Night Rider said:
Squeeze together like this? They flex side to side with a small amount of pressure too.
6x3TWRY.jpg
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Exactly what I meant. May not be a bad thing for some folks, but not for me.
 
sharp_edge said:
Calm down mate. I never said or implied s30v is bad. But in this age it is an average steel no question about that. I still own s30v steel blades like a s30v digicam PM2 and I like it.
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Start working your way up the price spectrum and S30V only starts to show up in models that are quite a bit above the average price of a knife. Looking at the steels found in most budget knives like the CR steels, 154cm, 14c27, VG-10, etc. S30V is quite a bit nicer than all of those, it may be the first step in nicer steels above budget steels but it's definitely above average.
 
KingMC said:
Start working your way up the price spectrum and S30V only starts to show up in models that are quite a bit above the average price of a knife. Looking at the steels found in most budget knives like the CR steels, 154cm, 14c27, VG-10, etc. S30V is quite a bit nicer than all of those, it may be the first step in nicer steels above budget steels but it's definitely above average.
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Benchmade charges an additional $10 to upgrade from S30V to 20CV in their custom knife shop.
 
eon blue apocalypse said:
Yep, and the Camry based Lexus is a poor value too!
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I have one. A new is300. Not a bad car but the car is too heavy. It has so many features and electronics they weigh down the car. I really tend to prefer light cars.

And light knives! The scales being squeezed together is an issue, that’s why BM needs to release a bugout in cf scales. Cf is too ridgid to squeeze that way.
 
KingMC said:
Start working your way up the price spectrum and S30V only starts to show up in models that are quite a bit above the average price of a knife. Looking at the steels found in most budget knives like the CR steels, 154cm, 14c27, VG-10, etc. S30V is quite a bit nicer than all of those, it may be the first step in nicer steels above budget steels but it's definitely above average.
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Do appreciate your suggestion :thumbsup: but I still maintain my opinion that in this age s30v is an average steel.
 
I have a bugout and like it, but it's not for anything harder than basic cutting needs (which is perfectly fine for most folks).

The IS is at least a rear wheel drive car (the Camry isn't) and it's not bad IMO. Neither is a Camry for that matter.... But they don't charge Rolls-Royce prices for a Camry either. A Rolls priced camry is what this gold class bugout is, in my opinion.
Lapedog said:
I have one. A new is300. Not a bad car but the car is too heavy. It has so many features and electronics they weigh down the car. I really tend to prefer light cars.

And light knives! The scales being squeezed together is an issue, that’s why BM needs to release a bugout in cf scales. Cf is too ridgid to squeeze that way.
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Lapedog said:
We have that it’s called a Lexus.
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eon blue apocalypse said:
Yep, and the Camry based Lexus is a poor value too!
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Lapedog said:
I have one. A new is300. Not a bad car but the car is too heavy. It has so many features and electronics they weigh down the car. I really tend to prefer light cars.

And light knives! The scales being squeezed together is an issue, that’s why BM needs to release a bugout in cf scales. Cf is too ridgid to squeeze that way.
Click to expand...

eon blue apocalypse said:
I have a bugout and like it, but it's not for anything harder than basic cutting needs (which is perfectly fine for most folks).

The IS is at least a rear wheel drive car (the Camry isn't) and it's not bad IMO. Neither is a Camry for that matter.... But they don't charge Rolls-Royce prices for a Camry either. A Rolls priced camry is what this gold class bugout is, in my opinion.
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There is no Camry-based Lexus. The closest thing is the ES, which is based on the Avalon.
 
KingMC said:
So S30V is nearly the same as 20CV? Sounds pretty above-average to me.
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It's nearly the same in price. Not in performance. 20CV is a much better steel than S30V. It's been shown in cut tests to vastly outperform it.
 
Night Rider said:
Squeeze together like this? They flex side to side with a small amount of pressure too.
6x3TWRY.jpg
Click to expand...
I find it amusing how many people complain about a little flex in the Bugout scales. Benchmade used the same scale material as in the basic Griptilian. Both models scales will flex but nobody says a word against the Griptilian (at least not for that). Ka-Bar's Dozier will flex just as much as the Bugout but, once again, the knife community is silent. Actually, the Ka-bar might even flex a little more, IIRC. When is everybody going to complain about the Ka-Bar? The answer is never because it's a
$20.00 knife.

Personally, I can't see a real issue with scale flex on the Bugout when it is used as it was designed, as a light duty knife. The plastic scales help keep the weight down and it certainly keeps the price point almost reasonable. The Bugout is an amazing knife with great ergonomics, decent blade steel and it all comes in under
two ounces.

What other knives offer all of that? Benchmade's 531 comes close but the Bugout is less money, offers superior steel and ergos.
 
for a hundred dollar knife, you'd think bmade could afford to throw in a backspacer? :eek:
 
I have a Bugout and it's probably my favorite Benchmade since their 531. I carried the 531 for years in scrubs at work and used it for all kinds of tasks with no negative effects. The Bugout came alnog and improved on some aspects of the 531, others not so much. The Bugout has:

Less hotspots in the handle design.
Slightly larger pivot.
Thumbstuds that snag less.
S30V steel over 154CM (though I prefer 154CM)
Lighter weight.

The one aspect of the Bugout that takes a step back vs. my 531 is the FRN scales compared to the G10. I understand why they did it though as they were going for lighter weight. Personally I don't think G10 would add much more weight, and I think it would improve the Bugout actually. As for the flex issue, honestly it does not bug me. In actual use, compared to trying to flex it, I think it's a non-issue. Even the G10 on my 531 can be flexed some if I actively try to. Where the G10 improves the knife is in the balance of the knife and tactile feel - at least for me.

As successful as the Bugout has been I still hold out hope that they will release a G10 version. The Gold Class knives are just fancy collection pieces.
 
kickert said:
I don't get it...
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Loll
sabre cat said:
I find it amusing how many people complain about a little flex in the Bugout scales. Benchmade used the same scale material as in the basic Griptilian. Both models scales will flex but nobody says a word against the Griptilian (at least not for that). Ka-Bar's Dozier will flex just as much as the Bugout but, once again, the knife community is silent. Actually, the Ka-bar might even flex a little more, IIRC. When is everybody going to complain about the Ka-Bar? The answer is never because it's a
$20.00 knife.

Personally, I can't see a real issue with scale flex on the Bugout when it is used as it was designed, as a light duty knife. The plastic scales help keep the weight down and it certainly keeps the price point almost reasonable. The Bugout is an amazing knife with great ergonomics, decent blade steel and it all comes in under
two ounces.

What other knives offer all of that? Benchmade's 531 comes close but the Bugout is less money, offers superior steel and ergos.
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I think this is the worst thing a folder can have :( Flexing scales like that will bite your fingers in harder uses. I don't give much pocket time to my Grip because of that... when I squeeze the handle harder the scales snaps my fingers :mad:. It`s true that the ergo of the 531 is not so good but with little modifications that can be changed.

BM531_1.JPG


And under 2 ounces, it has sturdy non flexing scales that doesn't hurt like the grip...
 
If they would offer a Bugout with plain titanium scales, I would consider it. Especially if it was anodized black but, like I've said before, I'm not a real big fan of metal scales. Give me improved blade steel and G10, FRN or maybe carbon fiber and I am a happy knife owner.
 
I just got back from my local Outdoor Store after handling the Gold class Bugout and all i have to say is "I don't get it." IMO the Damasteel blade was sheer beauty but the Ghost CF scales although making the knife considerably stiffer Lacked luster with it's muted sheen and the blue C-Tek inlays gave it a splash of color but reminded me of chicken wire under glass. The Damasteel blade beautiful as it was did not free swing and would not flip more than half way out even with some wrist action. I know it was brand new and appeared to run on PB washers but an exclusive (Gold Class) knife of that price Should be perfect out of the box and not stiffer than an $8 dollar gas station flipper. IMO BM's QC department dropped the ball on the $700 hundred dollar knife that I handled anyway and it never should have made it out the factory door. If this is true with other (Gold Class) Bugout specimens than their is going to be a lot of Butt hurt knife nuts with buyers remorse so I suggest that you try to handle one in person if at all possible. I'm not trying to bash BM and I currently have 2 in my collection so don't take this ^ the wrong way, I'm simply giving a non biased humble review of what I experienced today.
 
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