Is the Doug Ritter Benchmade worth it?

hotbossa

hotbossa

Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
652
I have been eye-balling a Benchmade Doug Ritter (Rsk?) for a while now and am thinking of taking that leap of faith. I read a review of this knife that has sort of soured me. The reviewer said that the knife has a problem with the blade chipping. He sent the knife in for repair, they replace the knife and the same thing happened to the replacement knife.....AHHHH!!!! It is really hard for me to spend over $100 for a griptilian but espcially hard if the blade chips!! I know that it is S30 so I don't get it. Anyhoo, for those of you who own this knife, would you reccomend it? Have you had any chipping problems? Any other problems? Thanks for the help!!

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I went through the same thing. It isn't worth the extra, 154cm will do you just fine.
 
My RSK never chipped but, it was never subjected to rough duty either. S30 does seem to be vulnerable to micro-chipping depending on how it was processed and/or treated. This has been discussed to death in the past and, as has been stated it appears to be easily be sharpened out. Nevertheless, concern is understandable, some object to it more than others.

The RSK is a very smooth operating knife. Effortless would be a good description of blade deployment. Blade finish is nice, profile lends itself well for light or relatively tough tasks. The reputation of the Axis lock speaks for itself. Lightweight for it's size, ambidextrous, multiway clip, easy to carry, not too expensive, in short it has a lot going for it.

Verdict: Highly Recommended.
 
I like mine. I've also had some minor chipping issues (in fact, my first one arrived with a chipped blade and was sent back). A few sharpenings takes care of it though. What I really like about the knife is the blade style and thinness of it. It's a great slicer.

I'd recommend it.
 
I've had mine for 8 months, have used it hard, and...no chipping of any sort on the edge. Of course, can't say if I'm merely lucky or if the 'problem' is confined to only a few knives.

Fortunate or not, I'm extremely happy with mine.
 
I have a large Rittergrip in M2 steel. It's one of the most flawlessly functional folders in my collection. The knife is an absolute cutting machine. It has a VERY high performance grind for a tactical folder. I like it better than my venerable BM710 in M2.
 
I've carried the mini Rittergrip every day for at least two years - except when camping. It cuts lots of stuff, but the nasties is probably heavy duty zip strips and some types of heavy plastic packaging. It has not showed any signs of blade chipping and stays real sharp, though the black clip is showing some wear around the edges (down to the silver). Smooth opening and easy to clean. I REALLY like this knife.

I also have the fullsize Rittergrip and the fixed Rittergrip. They are used for camping - mostly cutting food, wood, and cord/rope. The fullsize R-grip rides clipped inside my pocket and the fixed R-grip rides inside my daypack. None have showed any blade chipping.

Though I'm sure versions with other blade metals would do fine, I like the deeper blades that Ritter designed into these knives. The fixed blade does an especially good job at scooping & spreading peanut butter :-)

Ken K.
 
Seems some chipped and some didn't, but the shape of the RitterGrip's blade should make it a better slicer than the original Griptillian designs (which aren't slouches in that department).
 
I like the look of the blade quite a lot, but after owning the regular Grip, I decided that I could not spend the extra cash without a handle upgrade too. I'm just not a fan of the Grip handle material. I must say though, it is light, grippy and has never failed me. I just find it too cheap feeling. I am somewhat annoyed at myself for having a sour opinion of a great knife because of such a trivial nuance, but I can't get past it.
 
While I have great respect for Mr. Ritter and especially appreciate his efforts with KnifeRights, I do not think the RSK is worth nearly double of the 154CM grip. Just my opinion.

:)
 
I think overall it's a great design. My only issues with Grips is
the handle will dig into your hand when holding tightly.
I sanded mine a bit (just the bottom not the sides) and it feels great now.
 
Mine did chip at first like the other guys said, and also stopped after I had sharpened it a few times. I really like it a lot and would recommend it.
 
I've owned the 550, 551 and 556 in 440C. I was going to buy a 551 and 556 in 154CM when I found out about the Ritter Grips. I have the regular folder, the mini folder, and the fixed blade, all S30V. I have used these knives pretty well, never beat the hell out of them, and have had no problems. I think I would get by fine with the 440C models, but I like S30V steel. If you have any problems, Benchmade will take care of you. Also, I have pm'd back and forth with Doug Ritter, he seems like a good guy to me.
 
So was the blade chipping due to the fact that the factory edge was so thin and after sharpening it a few times, it reshaped the blade's sdge? I am still on the fence.....hmmmmm.......
 
I wondered this too, but by the time I started thinking about spending $100 on a Griptilian that otherwise would be $60, I just went ahead and bought the 710.

I'd say stick with the 154cm or get the D2 one.
 
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