Got my first Benchmade folder in 4 years

R

razorsdescent

Joined
Jan 16, 2005
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I know that the Griptillian is really popular on knife forums. But years ago i got two in rapid succession. On both knives the blades broke, and the locks became gritty and unusable. one got locked open and i had to disassemble it to get it closed. These really soured me on Benchmades folding knives, which is the company's bread and butter. The axis lock in particular i detest and Benchmade cant help but put it on 90 percent of their knives.

I ended my Benchmade folder boycott today. Ive been trying to keep myself from buying a Benchmade 860 since its announcement. But i finally cracked. The profile of the blade combined with the handle and positive reviews have broke me down. I'm hoping that the axis lock will be able to stand up to edc pocket use, versus the military use that i was putting the Griptillians through.

So for the time im just waiting patiently for the package in the mail. If its everything i hope it will be, then an Adamas might be in the works.
 
The 860 is benchmades best folder IMO. I have the 8600 and EDC it and its a wonderful knife. The handle is as comfortable as any fixed blade. Its the only folder Ive ever handled that actually FEELS like a fixed blade when you use it. I just wish it came in better steel.

Im trying to find a custom maker who will grind me a blade out of M390.

Hows this for Practical Tactical? :D
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After all i have read, I have pretty high expectations. I have yet to read a negative review of the Bedlam. It seems like its about the perfect knife for SD paired with light utility. Not by any means a pry-bar, but hey i have plenty of knives that fulfill that role. I just hope that the axis lock can stand up to the light duty. This might sound like fighting words to some on this forum, however, my experience just hasn't been favorable.
 
I have a bedlam and I like it quite a bit. As of right now it is my only benchmade folder, but I'm stronly considering a Rift, Osborne, or Griptilian. I trust the axis lock pretty well - I think the strongest case for it getting disengaged is actually by your hand rather than by a lock failure. One thing to note is that the omega springs on the 860 do seem to touch the handle on the inside of the frame, which *may* lead to wear. I'm not sure. It's not something I've experienced, just something I suspect. I'm also wondering if I got a minor factory defect - because I cannot disengage the lock on my 860 with one hand - or rather - I cannot disengage the axis lock with one finger. If I pull down in an uneven fashion on the axis lock, it doesn't easily move down as a unit. I have to use thumb and forefinger to get a really smooth unlock. Considering axis lock claims to be totally ambidextrous and one handed, I'm not sure if this is a defect on my product or a marketing misnomer.

That being said I absolutely love the knife. Of of my favorite parts of it is just how sharp the tip is, especially compared to many other knives with other blade styles.
 
glad to know your liking the knife.

Im really anxious to see wether an axis lock will work for me this time around, I hope i can fully engage and disengage it one handed. I think my biggest thing was that I spent so much time in bad weather out of doors. Also come to think of it, I had a friend who had a brand new griptillian that he took with when we went to white sands new mexico, and that sugar-like sand just slagged his axis-lock. Im hoping if I keep it to use as an urban knife, then i will get to experience the virtues of the axis lock, and then i can join the benchmade fan-boys singing its praises. on the other hand if i still dont like it, then i'm edging towards all mid-techs/customs anyways and it would just put another nail in that coffin.
 
razorsdescent said:
I had a friend who had a brand new griptillian that he took with when we went to white sands new mexico, and that sugar-like sand just slagged his axis-lock. Im hoping if I keep it to use as an urban knife, then i will get to experience the virtues of the axis lock
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I love the axis lock, but if I was going somewhere with a lot of sand, dirt, or mud I'd bring a knife with a simpler and exposed locking mechanism.
 
Szilard said:
... I'm also wondering if I got a minor factory defect - because I cannot disengage the lock on my 860 with one hand - or rather - I cannot disengage the axis lock with one finger. If I pull down in an uneven fashion on the axis lock, it doesn't easily move down as a unit. I have to use thumb and forefinger to get a really smooth unlock. Considering axis lock claims to be totally ambidextrous and one handed, I'm not sure if this is a defect on my product or a marketing misnomer.
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No, you did not get a defect.
The axis-lock consists of a dual spring-loaded lock-bar, i.e. omega-springs on either side of the lock-bar resist movement. Pulling down in "uneven fashion" on only one spring as you said should result in greater difficulty than applying force against both springs simultaneously, and the lock was not designed to be disengaged that way, albeit this does work on various models to varying degrees (e.g. I manage it easily on my 520 but not on my 585). The lock should be disengaged with two fingers, one on either side. This IN NO WAY affects the ambidextrous nature of the design. The lock can be disengaged exactly the same way in either hand, unlike liner-, frame-, or button-lock designs. The axis lock IS "totally ambidextrous and one handed". No misnomer. :thumbup:
Now if it were said to be "one fingered", that would be inaccurate. But "one-fingered" and "one-handed" are quite different ideas.


As to environment, I'd prefer a frame-lock (total open construction as mentioned by another) in overly sandy conditions, though I've not had any trouble with the axis-lock in sandy areas where I am (which is deliberately FAR from any desert). But in such conditions, even then the blade-pivot can get messed-up, which is the greater concern to me. Better to go with a fixed blade imho, no moving parts :thumbup:
 
Yeah, im definatley going to avoid bringing it outdoors, or to third world countries. My favorite folder right now is my grayman dua and its pretty much purpose built for harser enviornments. However i agree that a fixed blade is the best option.

I was a younger and less wise man at the time, so i hope i will be able to appreciate the axis lock in its own element.
 
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