JTR357
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2007
- Messages
- 14,415
My favorite production knife is this Benchmade 635 mini-skirmish modified by Tom Krein.
It packs a lot of blade in the relatively small handle.It carries very well.It's only 3.6oz(100grams).It's 4.25"(109mm) closed & 7.75"(195mm) open.It's an S30V blade,with Ti handles & phosphor bronze washers.It glides open so smoothly & locks up tight with no play in any direction.
I had Tom grind out the recurve just because it would make it easier to maintain for me.I haven't quite worked out the recurve sharpening learning curve just yet.He also did a full flat grind on it into a high hollow secondary(I think that's what he said).Since he did the regrind,I haven't had to touch the blade against a single stone.All I've had to do was use a plain leather strop(courtesy of mr2blue),at the end of each day it was used.To say Tom Krein has a gift with the grinder is an extreme understatement.
The pictures show the blade in pretty clean condition,but I assure you it has been used quite a bit.I just clean & polish it afterwards(pretty anal about it
).
I use leather chamois',various scotchbrite pads,mild abrasives & oils to maintain all my folders.
I experimented on this one by using some 400-600 grit wet/dry sandpaper & a scotchbrite pad to give it a worn look.It feels better in my hand this way too.I think it came out OK,not as good as some others I have seen on this forum,but it was my first mod.
When these were in production,they went for around $125. IIRC.(now I've seen them selling for closer to $300)
I wish I picked up a few of them back then.:grumpy:
I love my Spyderco's,Kershaw's & Bucks et al,but this Benchmade 635 is hands down my favorite production knife,with or without the recurve.
:thumbup:On with the pictures...
What's your favorite production knife & why?
It packs a lot of blade in the relatively small handle.It carries very well.It's only 3.6oz(100grams).It's 4.25"(109mm) closed & 7.75"(195mm) open.It's an S30V blade,with Ti handles & phosphor bronze washers.It glides open so smoothly & locks up tight with no play in any direction.
I had Tom grind out the recurve just because it would make it easier to maintain for me.I haven't quite worked out the recurve sharpening learning curve just yet.He also did a full flat grind on it into a high hollow secondary(I think that's what he said).Since he did the regrind,I haven't had to touch the blade against a single stone.All I've had to do was use a plain leather strop(courtesy of mr2blue),at the end of each day it was used.To say Tom Krein has a gift with the grinder is an extreme understatement.
The pictures show the blade in pretty clean condition,but I assure you it has been used quite a bit.I just clean & polish it afterwards(pretty anal about it
).I use leather chamois',various scotchbrite pads,mild abrasives & oils to maintain all my folders.
I experimented on this one by using some 400-600 grit wet/dry sandpaper & a scotchbrite pad to give it a worn look.It feels better in my hand this way too.I think it came out OK,not as good as some others I have seen on this forum,but it was my first mod.
When these were in production,they went for around $125. IIRC.(now I've seen them selling for closer to $300)
I wish I picked up a few of them back then.
:grumpy:I love my Spyderco's,Kershaw's & Bucks et al,but this Benchmade 635 is hands down my favorite production knife,with or without the recurve.
:thumbup:On with the pictures...
What's your favorite production knife & why?
Last edited:
:thumbup: 
