I Hate the Mini Grip

#1 your mini grip is broken, send it back. My mini grip has absolutely zero blade play, and is the stoutest tightest fitting folder I've used. I'd say in terms of how easily it opens, and the tolerances of how closely everything fits, it feels just as high quality as a sebenza. I've messed around with several mini grips, and none of them had any blade play whatsoever. Your knife needs to be sent back to benchmade.

As far as the steel quality goes, 154cm is much easier to sharpen than VG10, D2, or SV30 for me. It takes a scarey edge, and holds it really well unless you just abuse it.

I also have a full sized grip, and it is a fantastic knife also. Both feel built tough enough to go to war with. I've seen bad benchmade knives, and it sounds like you just got a lemon. Send it back. They will make it right.

-Freq
 
I almost think mine must have a bad heat treatment or something because it never gets nearly as good of an edge as my other knives
 
I suppose it is that YMMV effect again, as all my Grips are solid, well made, practical knives for me. Benchmade do a good job on their 154CM and S30V, so I have no complaints in that area. As others have mentioned, a pivot adjustment and a properly profiled sharpening should fix you right up.
 
i used to love my mini grip. then i bought a spyderco. i dont mind the handle material or the shortness of the MG, but i cant stand the blade. it never holds and edge. i havent bought another BM since.
 
Nathan Ihrke said:
I know so many of you out there love the mini griptillian with its ergonomic handle, axis lock, and blade materials but it is the one knife I own that I absolutely despise. There is blade play, it doesn't hold a good edge, the handle material feels cheap, and the handle itself is really thick. The knife itself has made me lose faith in 154 cm, I haven't bought a knife with that steel since! Am I crazy, picky, or justified?
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Gotta love Benchmade's hit or miss QC.
 
the 1st grip i got was when it first came out with 440c blade. it was dull & could never sharpen up good.i hated it & got rid of it. last year i bought an already assembled wilkins grip with 154cm blade from another member. the blade was spyderco sharp,the handles are real nice,look almost like rock candy.i polished the clip & screws like a mirror.too bad the wilkins handles arent standard issue. got the m4 grip,handles are also much better,more solid feel,has nice harware,like black chrome, but now your looking at 250+.....
 
I like mine. Got a light blue one and a black one.

My girlfriend loves her pink mini Grip.

I'm not crazy about the full size Grip though. The handle feels cheap to me. Wish it was available with a G10 handle. I'd pay $20 more for G10.
 
I love my full size grips they are definately in the top ranks of my all time favorite folding knives. Especially the Ritter with its awesome blade profile. However this is about the minis so... I have a couple mini grips and I find them to be excellent performers as edc or offices knives, they are however a little bit small for my tastes but when the full size is too big they work pretty darn good.

I have had nothing but excellent experiences with the steels on Benchmade grips. I have owned them in 440c, 154 cm and now M4 and they sharpen up without much effort and hold the edge for a considerable amount of time. Also the 154 cm is a very tough stuff. I have never heard of anyone complain about brittleness of benchmades 154cm or anyone elses for that matter. In fact 154cm is known as a very tough steel that, if abused, has a tendency to roll rather than chip. Not to sound mean or anything but I think it is your guys technique thats not working so well rather than the steel.
 
I like the full size Grip, not that excited about the mini. I much prefer the 705/707 family.
 
Apec said:
Gotta love Benchmade's hit or miss QC.
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How is any of that related to QC?

Blade play - AXIS lock knives have a sweet spot you need to find with the pivot. It can easily be found by adjusting a pivot to your liking and using some loctite. True for a lot of knives actually.

Doesn't hold a good edge - Completely arbitrary. Compared to what? BM's 154CM is some of the best in the business. Knowing how to sharpen a knife is often the key.

Handle feels cheap - It's a FRN material, it's not going to feel as solid as G10 or Aluminum or Titanium but I guarantee you it is just as strong.

Thick handle - Well do I even need to say anything? Once again nothing to do with QC. This is either all a personal preference complaint or a case of not knowing how to maintain your knife.
 
Aren't the ritters S30V steel, or am I just blowing smoke? I've been *considering* spending more than 20 dollars on a folder for the first time in 3 years, and the Ritter Grip is the prime candidate.
 
I love my mini-grip, it's a phenomenal knife. I agree the handle is kind of cheap feeling, but its not bad. It's not nearly as bad as the Full size grip, which does sound really clacky.
 
Boy, if they could ever make the Axis lock thinner, it would be super.

That is the only gripe I have of the mini Grip, Ritter Grip. Haven't had your problems with the other.
 
tjsulli790 said:
Handle feels cheap - It's a FRN material, it's not going to feel as solid as G10 or Aluminum or Titanium but I guarantee you it is just as strong.
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Well, I think it's much easier to put a dent in there than denting Al or G10. For me the small ritter grip became a opponent for my bm707 - but the handle (i guess i love it if i feel something solid ;)) and that it seems so much bigger (less sheeple-friendly?) than the 707 was probably some kind of k.o.-criteria ;-)
[well, at least i usually carry a 707 and i recently got a 2nd 707 in s30v, so.... :)]

s_f

PS.: the 707 is thinner ;)
gull wing said:
Boy, if they could ever make the Axis lock thinner, it would be super.
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well it costs 60 dollars so I dont think you can expect the world out of it.

it's a very small knife and imo its designed poorly since you cant get a very good 4 finger grip on it and I have knives with similar length handles that you can and it's got everything to do with the grip the handle forces you into.
 
I don't seem to have any issues with blade play, but I do agree the edge doesn't hold all that well. Really like the axis lock though. Only other gripe I have is that the handle is to small for my hands.
 
People have brought up sharpening technique, thing is i have only ever used the sharpmaker on it. I can get all my other knives razor sharp on it... Very perplexing
 
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