Gripptillian 550 HG Hole Opener vs the 551 Thumbstud deployment. Best One ?

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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I fell asleep on the couch and woke up with a question. Well actually I fell asleep wondering which to order tomorrow and woke up with the realization that I could ask you all.

Weird I hadn't thought of doing that earlier.

OK, I'll try something new and post my thread where I am supposed to post my thread.

Which do you like ? What spyderco would you compare the 550 to ?

I am going for the basic fat scales Griptillian with 154CM.
I like the thumb stud on my Boker 4inch blade Ti handled knife.
I like the hole opener on my Manix 2 LW

Are the Grips like one or both of these ?

I suppose I could go with either blade shape . I was leaning toward the modified sheep foot but I can see the use of the drop point and like it as well.

I know, I know . . . I would tell someone to buy one of each but that's not possible right now. So which gets the nod ?
 
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Both are very good. Me personally, I like the sheepsfoot blade. So much so that I have my drop point mini grip at Benchmade there for a blade replacement. Another suggestion I have, if you are ordering a custom mini get one of the upgraded steels. Im getting cpm-m4 put on mines.
 
I like both and I own both. Depends on how I'm feeling that day. Don't forget about the M390 Large Ritter Grip 552 that KnifeWorks still offers. Lately it's been my favorite.

I think before I dropped the coin on a "custom" through Benchmade's Build It program I'd figure out which shape I like better. Then maybe get a premium of the one you like better. Also, I've had a few different scale sets for Grips and I keep coming back to factory, cheap, hollow, plastic scales for some reason.


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Both work well I like the 550 a bit more. Im used to the PM2 so I'm a bit biased here.
 
Great line up right there Nfd!!
Joe


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that is a tough call. I like and use both. Right now I lean toward the sheepsfoot. It seems to be a better slicer.
 
Hal,

Don't forget about the M390 Large Ritter Grip 552 that KnifeWorks still offers. Lately it's been my favorite.
Click to expand...

THANK YOU ! ! !
I pulled the trigger on that one.

I was looking forward to trying 154 but I can't pass up the tougher stuff.
Ritter it is. Originally I pictured getting a used Ritter but decided I didn't want to wait.

Pleasant surprise I can get a new one in that blade shape and M390.
 
Wowbagger said:
Hal,



THANK YOU ! ! !
I pulled the trigger on that one.

I was looking forward to trying 154 but I can't pass up the tougher stuff.
Ritter it is. Originally I pictured getting a used Ritter but decided I didn't want to wait.

Pleasant surprise I can get a new one in that blade shape and M390.
Click to expand...

Yes sir, happy to help. I put a pair of the new grey/blue G10 scales in mine yesterday and it is awesome. Good luck with it.


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M390 Large Ritter Grip 552 that KnifeWorks still offers
Click to expand...

I am really liking this knife.
Just when I think the blade is too thick or there are things it can't (shouldn't) be able to do well it surprises me when I try it.

Large wire ties ? With the stock edge grind ? No problem ! ! !
Really dense hard pressed card board like two and a half to three millimeters thick ? No way . . . yah just get ahold of that handle and go to town. Did it over and over !

No chipping, no rolled edge, is still pretty darned sharp and all I have ever done since I got it as far as stropping or sharpening is I took a very fine Shapton stone on the Edge Pro to the edge just enough to get rid of a tiny bit of wire edge from the factory but that was ALL ! ! ! ! Basically just a light strop on a stone and it was hair whittling all along the edge.

I hate to say it, I really do, but this knife makes the Manix 2 LW in CPM-S110V . . . S110V mind you . . . well I don't know how to put it in words . . . they are not in the same league and I thought the S110V was going to be the "Be All, End All" blade steel. Not sure what happened there but . . .

M390 . . . those German dudes seem to know their stuff.

Intellectually I love the Manix, deploying it, I love the Manix . . . as a work knife . . . welllllllllll . . . . hmmmmm.

Getting back to the Griptillian :
Keeping the clip on is a must for handling the knife (as it were). I took the clip off and I put it back on in a couple of hours. It sucked without the clip . . . grip / deployment wise.
The factory scales are totally great. To me it does not feel cheep but I understand how some would get that experience. The handle material is fairly hard and at the gap for the blade you can get a subtle sound out of it that makes you think of plastic toys when you draw your finger across it. The sound gets picked up and amplified by the hollow handle. Think stringed musical instrument with a sound hole etc.
But
it is not low quality it is strong and well made and I totally recommend it for hard use.
If I would change any thing I would give the scales a slight rubberized quality. I have one knife that has a similar fiber reinforced plastic handle that has that hard rubber quality and it is brilliant.
Grip is fine as is though.

So that's about it.
Good purchase ! Worth the money !

 
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The only problem I have with the thumb stud/pin is that it gets in the way when you cut something - you can't use the full blade length.

550 FTW.
 
I do not own anything but a 555 Mini Grip with hole, but I can say that I greatly wish I had the model with the stud. I love my spydercos, so the hole doesn't bother me, but the blade on the 555 has next to no penetration ability for my uses, which makes it a less ideal choice for me. If your EDC needs are mostly slicing tasks, the 550 will work quite well.
 
On the smaller, lighter knives or BM's which don't have a "detent", I don't mind the thumbstuds. However, as the blades get larger or for small models with hard opening detents, I find myself preferring the thumb hole for opening. I find the thumb holes allow for more control throughout the blade opening movement when I'm tired, cold, slippery, or when distracted. If it's a knife I'm carrying day-to-day for actual use, I often open it more controlled in public rather than with a flick. It's fun to flick them open too, and I really prefer the thumb hole for the middle finger flick.

I don't know about the dealer 20CV G10 grips, but BM's custom-shop, thumb hole Grips (other than the 154CM steel ones) are sabre ground, rather than HG... although I might have to grab a Ritter Grip in the future too.
 
I much prefer the stud. I can flip it open with the tip of my thumb much easier than having to dig into the hole. Even more so with wet hands or while wearing gloves. In fact, I sold my 550 the day after having to take my glove off to open it in the snow about 5 times.
 
What I really wish is that Benchmade would make the drop point with an opener hole. Like the old Blackwater one.

That would be awesome.
 
With the axis lock I never touch the thumb studs and rarely use the hole, I just pull back on the lock bar. I like the 550-HG blade shape and function better.
 
While I don't have many with the Spydie hole, the lack of studs makes it easier to keep clean, and does seem to slice deeper. Heck, the 550 HG just looks good!
 
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