Is Benchmade still making....

S

Steve Chism

Joined
Apr 19, 2002
Messages
132
The mini-afck with a spydie hole? the only ones on their site have either a thumbstud or an oval...

Regards,
Steve
 
You may be able to find a store that has some NOS. The current production ones don't use the round hole.
 
I think I know which knife you're talking about. Its a liner-lock design, Zytel handle, round spydie hole like you said....retails for about 74 bucks I think. I saw one the other day. And not too long ago, I saw that same knife, but a very old version for sale at a knife, cigar, and wine shop. Instead of saying "benchmade", it says "bali song", on the handle and the blade, inside the butterfly. She wanted 75 for it, the blade was in PERFECT shape, and the handle only had a very minor scuff or two.
 
Shootist and NGK: Thx much, that does help.

Shawn: actually this one has G-10, and all of the butterfly logos say Bali-Song as far as I know, but on their non-bali knives there is an added "Benchmade" under the butterfly logo. There is a pic on the bali collector's site here (the 4th pic down is better than the first):
http://www.balisongcollector.com/bm31.html



Regards,
Steve
 
Originally posted by shawn02
I think I know which knife you're talking about. Its a liner-lock design, Zytel handle, round spydie hole like you said....retails for about 74 bucks I think.
Click to expand...

I believe you are thinking about the Ascent by Benchmade. It is a Lock Back, not a liner lock.

Mike
 
New production is all ovals.

Spyderco had a patent on the hole thing and Benchmade bought a license on that patent for the AFCK. Spyderdo's patent covered a whole in a blade for the purpose of assisting in opening the knife regardless of the size or shape of the hole.

But, patents expire. Spyderco's patent expired. To continue some protection, Sypderco registered a trademark. But, trademarks must be much more specific than a patent. So, Spyderco's trademark covers only a round hold.

You can license a trademark, true. But, it would be very hard for Spyderco to continue to claim that the round hole was uniquely identifying them in the market if the licensed it to one of their biggest direct competitors.

So, for Benchmade, it was good news and bad news. Good news that they no longer have to pay Spyderco a license fee. Bad news in that they had to change the shape of the hole.
 
Looks like I'll have to get a used one when the time comes :( ...but right now it's bali's and traditionals:)

Regards,
Steve

P.S. Thanks Gollnick, your pic is the one that got me wanting...:)
 
Steve, thanks for the link. Actually, the knife I was poorly trying to describe is a larger version of the 812 mini AFCK. The handle was just like that, and the knife had the liner lock. The only difference from the pic and the knife I examined is that the one I saw has "bali song" inside the butterfly on the blade, no model number beneath, only U.S.A.....it didn't even say Benchmade. I looked everywhere but couldn't find anything else except for the steel, ATS-34. I asked around, and some people thought it to be a much older knife, like 10+ years. I know it was part of a guy's private collection he is selling in a store he just opened.
 
Shawn, I know exactly what knife you are talking about. I bought one in 1996 at a gun shop in CT before I changed stations to Korea. It was a Benchade mini AFCK and it had an ATS-34 blade instead of the 154-CM. It had G-10 scales and a Titanium liner lock. There was a small round inlay in the handle with the BM logo and it said "Balisong" instead of Benchmade. Mine had a satin finished part serrated blade. This was the forst nice knife I ever bought. I think I paid around $130.00 back then for it. I don't believe it is in production any longer. The BM 806 replaced it I think. Or was it the 804? Not entirely sure. However I miss mine, because I lost it in a Combat Exercise. Good luck finding one.
 
You guys ever check the For Sale forums???????
I just sold one this morning that has been up for sale for DAYS.
That is where I check first.
 
USAFSP, you're dead on about that knife! I thought I was dillusional for awhile, haha. Actually, I wasn't searching for it, as I just stumbled upon it at a new store here in Ft.Worth; it was part of a guy's collection he is selling. The lady at the store only wanted 75bucks for it, and the knife was in great shape, I'd give it a 9 out of 10, and I'm really picky. I was looking for something different when I stumbled upon it, I ended up w/ a Spyderco Native SS.
 
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