I think it's time to pop my Benchmade cherry! Which one will be my first?

kagato82

kagato82

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Hello all! I need a little guidance in regards to purchasing my first Benchmade. Of course I've been looking at Grips and mini-grips and the like but I've also been looking at a few higher end models as well. I might have a line on a Presidio 5000SBK but I also like the Osbourne 940. I'm tempted to buy a high end BM and a Grip for work and EDC. I just thought I'd ask for a little help from you friendly neighborhood knifenuts :D
 
i wasent aware that benchmade made cherrys, let alone that there was a predesignated time that they needed to be popped. good thing theyve got a decent warrenty.

not sure how you would pop a hinderer cherry though. steamroller perhaps? pretty much everything they make is unbreakable, so i guess its a good thing your cherry is manufactured by benchmade and not hinderer.
 
Haha! Yeah,it might be a while before I pull the trigger on a Hinderer. Before you say it, yes I know Hinderers don't have triggers ;)
 
I used to only carry griptilians, no matter what the occasion was. Decided to get a larger knife for work and went with the 950 rift (excellent choice). Since then, I have not carried and of my griptilians. I have been converted to larger blades. Recently bought a 940 for everyday casual carry, a 943 for a dress knife, and mini rukus just because I came across a great deal. My point is... pick one you think you like and will use the most, then others will be sure to follow.
 
A Griptillian is a great gateway to Bechmade. They are reasonably priced and a good starting point to decide if you like the Arc Lock design. Not everybody does. They also give you a choice between a thumb stud and a thmb hole. In my opinion, the only down side to a grip is that they have a hard plastic feel to the handle.
 
kagato82 said:
Hello all! I need a little guidance in regards to purchasing my first Benchmade. Of course I've been looking at Grips and mini-grips and the like but I've also been looking at a few higher end models as well. I might have a line on a Presidio 5000SBK but I also like the Osbourne 940. I'm tempted to buy a high end BM and a Grip for work and EDC. I just thought I'd ask for a little help from you friendly neighborhood knifenuts :D
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Keep in mind tha the 5000 series is an auto. There may be restrictions where you live on automatic knives. You may or may not want to follow them... just something to bear in mind. I second the vote for the Rift if you want a mid-sized AXIS lock folder that's a good pocket carry, very rugged, and easy to maintain. If you're looking for a less expensive intro to the AXIS lock and BM quality, then the Grips are a good choice, as are the Bone collectors. You can get G10 & D2 in the Bone Collectors for almost the same $ as the standard Grip or mini-G.
 
bjuneau said:
I used to only carry griptilians, no matter what the occasion was. Decided to get a larger knife for work and went with the 950 rift (excellent choice). Since then, I have not carried and of my griptilians. I have been converted to larger blades. Recently bought a 940 for everyday casual carry, a 943 for a dress knife, and mini rukus just because I came across a great deal. My point is... pick one you think you like and will use the most, then others will be sure to follow.
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I had actually been considering the 950 for a while instead of the 940 but I'm going to hold back on either one until I can at least get a Rift in my hands to see how I like it. I've handled the 940 a few times and have come to really like it. If I decide on a Griptillian, I'll just have to decide on which of the many I like. Thanks
 
dalefuller said:
Keep in mind tha the 5000 series is an auto. There may be restrictions where you live on automatic knives. You may or may not want to follow them... just something to bear in mind. I second the vote for the Rift if you want a mid-sized AXIS lock folder that's a good pocket carry, very rugged, and easy to maintain. If you're looking for a less expensive intro to the AXIS lock and BM quality, then the Grips are a good choice, as are the Bone collectors. You can get G10 & D2 in the Bone Collectors for almost the same $ as the standard Grip or mini-G.
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Yeah, I was kind of apprehensive about the 5000 but I was recently informed that they are now legal here in Missouri. I get what you're saying though. I know how the "laws" can vary from county to county, town to town and cop to cop. I've got so many choices to think about. I can't wait for my tax return!
 
In my humble, but very experienced opinion, the 710 is the best mid-price EDC knife on the market today, and it far eclipses many knives that are much more expensive. Get a 710 in M390 for around $175 at Knifeworks and you are set with an awesome blade that isn't too large or bulky but still has plenty of cutting length, the blade has a great profile for many different uses, the ergonomics are great and it feels excellent in the hand, you get the easy and silky smooth opening and lock security of the AXIS lock ( its easy to get to a point where you can open an AXIS knife faster than an auto by simply pulling down on the Axis lock and flicking your wrist ), and if you get the M390 model, you get a newfangled "super-steel" that actually does perform ridiculously well.

Can't beat it.
 
I passed on one of those a while back because I couldn't get a clear answer on my local knife laws. They are nice. Very clean and simple design. I might have to look into one when I get the chance. Thanks for the suggestion.
This was in response to Mannlicher. I hit the wrong reply button. Oops
 
Jestersinthemoon said:
In my humble, but very experienced opinion, the 710 is the best mid-price EDC knife on the market today, and it far eclipses many knives that are much more expensive. Get a 710 in M390 for around $175 at Knifeworks and you are set with an awesome blade that isn't too large or bulky but still has plenty of cutting length, the blade has a great profile for many different uses, the ergonomics are great and it feels excellent in the hand, you get the easy and silky smooth opening and lock security of the AXIS lock ( its easy to get to a point where you can open an AXIS knife faster than an auto by simply pulling down on the Axis lock and flicking your wrist ), and if you get the M390 model, you get a newfangled "super-steel" that actually does perform ridiculously well.

Can't beat it.
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You sound like a salesman. :D I have seen the 710 a few times but never got a chance to handle one. I admit I do like the design. Man, I've got alot of thinking to do...now I need money
 
I would suggest a Doug Ritter Mini-Grip and a Benchmade 710 in either D2 or M390.
 
They also make a manual version of the presidio, and a lighter weight version called the presidio ultra.
 
Get the 710 in either D2 or M390. It's worth the extra $ over a griptillian. You wont' be disappointed. IMO, the grips are getting very high in price for what you get.
 
have you gotten your knife yet or are you still waiting on your tax return? i would suggest a good starting knife for benchmade is a mini griptillian. they are reasonably priced, the perfect size, and are great for edc. i have plenty of high end knives and prefer not to use them as much for work so the mini grip's 154cm is a great steel for every day use. i'd say since it's your first benchmade, you shouldn't spend that much money in case you dont like the company's quality (even though i think they're great). yeah they have a cheap plastic feel sometimes but you see past that real fast, i promise. the knife is smooth as butter and just works perfect. opening, locking, the ergonomics. another great thing about the griptillian series is that they are so customizable. you obviously have the color, thumb studs/holes, blade coating/none, and blade shape. which brings us to our next choice, you have so many choices on the blade shape w/ or w/o serration depending on your needs. Another great thing is that it's a left or right hand knife. well, let us know what you end up getting and how you like it. good luck.
 
I have to admit that I keep coming back to the Griptilians - they are just so manageable and easy to use. I like the Axis, I like the shape and size of the blades (both sizes) they carry easily and they just work. They don't have the same high end "feel" as some others, but they are also very affordable. For a step up I also really like the Barrage. I could live without the semi-auto opening but it doesn't bother me either. Good size, good steel (my opinion obviously) and a higher quality feel. Then there is the Adamas..... for when I want to use a knife that my wife REALLY hates... haha.
 
There's been a lot of threads on this recently but may be worth repeating. The Ritter Grip or Mini-Grip with custom scale handles makes it a premium knife. Here's a review I just did for GearScout on Cuscadi and Wilkin's grips. http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2012/12/05/dress-up-your-griptillian-with-custom-grips/ with plenty of pics. The Wilkin's have kicked my small sebbie out of my pocket the last few weeks.
That said, the 940 series has a longer blade and is a thinner carry in the pocket, I love it too.
 
For a first Benchmade, you can't go wrong with the venerable 710. Excellent build-quality and materials (in whichever variant you choose), and carries like a champ for such a large folder... :thumbup:

horseman01.jpg

Benchmade 710, Ontario RAT-1, Emerson Horseman, Spyderco Para-Military 2

Good luck, OP! :)
 
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