Looking for my first BM: the Rift 950 vs the Barrage 581

M

mael333ca

Joined
Jul 5, 2012
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Hello gals and guys,

I'm looking to get my very first BM and have narrowed down my choices to these two models, the 581 and the 590.

So as for the 581, it looks all awesome, blade steel M390 and gorgeous handle scales...but I have some concerns about the reliability of the assisted mechanism. Like how much maintenance would it need, since to retain warranty it would have to be sent to BM...Does lint get in there junking the coil spring or should it be just fine for years on end?

The 590 would be my next choice if there was some issues(normals ones) that comes with the 581 assisted mechanism...because I am looking to score the M390 steel actually! :) But I understand how sometimes the simpler a device is, the more reliable it would be...plus that black/grey g10 pattern looks wicked on the rift and so does that reverse tanto blade shape.

I'd really appreciate your two cents before I go ahead and pull the trigger on my purchase.

PS: perhaps I will get both eventually, but I'd stick to just one of the two for the time been lol
 
My personal choice would be the Rift by a large margin and for many reasons. I personally think the Rift is one of the better knives BM has produced in a long time. Not the best but certainly one of them.

If your primary interest is finding something in M390 steel then I guess the Rift isn't for you. However, BM has nailed the heat treatment of their 154CM and its a great steel in it's own right so I wouldn't let that stop or prevent you from getting it.

I could go on and on as to why I think the Rift is so good but the bottom line is if I hade to choose that would be my choice.The reverse Tanto blade is an outstanding design. Gives you the piercing power of a Tanto and the nice big belly makes it an excellent slicer. I see it as the best of both worlds with no downside or trade off. Unless you need a more needle type tip for delicate or intricate work. But for most cutting tasks I really like the Rift with it's reverse Tanto blade.

It's also one of the smoothest deploying blades I have.

Best of luck in whatever you choose, The Barrage is a great knife in it's own right so I don't see how you can go wrong either way. I'd just pick the Rift first but like you said you will probably end up buying both anyway so, Enjoy!
 
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It's also important to point out both are Warren Osborne designs, and you can't go wrong with either.
 
I just recently purchased the Rift and I am very impressed so far. It feels good in the hand, deploys buttery smooth, and has a reassuring heft to it. Seems like it could handle almost anything I could throw at it.

To muddy the waters a little on the 581, I know some people have taken the assist out and like it even more. Of course that probably voids the warranty if that is a concern.

-Erik
 
i think the rift feels better in the hand then the 581. i also like that the blade has more belly.
 
The 581 is pretty high on the list of my favorite knives. It sees a lot of pocket time and use. It is an excellent slicer. I've had it maybe a year and the assist is a strong as ever.
 
I've never had the Rift, but I do have the 581, and have been carrying it today. I highly, highly recommend it. The M390 steel is superb. I can touch it up to an extremely, extremely sharp edge and it holds that edge through a lot of work. The blade shape is very good, and lends itself to being a good slicer. I haven't had any issues with the opening mechanism, and I've opened it quite a few times. I would be surprised if you weren't very happy with the 581.
 
I own both, and I like them both, but for different reasons. The Rift would go with me camping (and has). The 581 might some day, but almost seems too classy with the aluminum bolsters (put some custom G10 scales on it, and it changes the whole aesthetic of how to use the knife). The 581 is designed more to be a slicing fiend, while the Rift would be right at home getting batoned through a branch. As for steel, M390 is incredibly hard to beat. Benchmade does an awesome job on the HT for their 154CM, so it is definitely no slouch, but it isn't M390. The thing is, M390 in a thin slicer may not be better than 154CM in a thicker blade depending on what your intended use is.

Axis Assist vs. manual Axis: meh. I have my manual Axis so smooth that it opens very easily. the Axis Assist is a sturdy design (same as their auto design, save for the detent to keep the blade in when the Axis bar is pulled back) and fires out as fast as the automatic. I don't see it being much of an issue maintenance-wise. The bolster covers the pivot area that houses the spring, and the spring has a cap on it as well, so I don't see dust/dirt/lint being much of an issue. Compressed air will take care of it anyway. The manual Axis is... the manual Axis. Enough has been said about the awesomeness of this lock, so I won't bother repeating it. You really can't go wrong with either one.
 
+ 1 for the Rift. As pbcg mentioned, BM has the 154CM heat treat figured out. The blade size is great. It's easy to carry and feels great in the hand. One of my favorite BMs.
 
Tks peeps,

I've ordered the 581 finally, but the rift is on my wish list as a next purchase. I'll post back after I've handled the knife a bit, can't wait!
 
Good call, the Rift is a great knife... would be nice if they made m4 the standard steel.
 
Of course I think you made the right choice, because I bought a 581 myself.

The 581 is great all the way around, the only complaint I might somewhat understand is about the thickness of the handle. I like the blade shape because I tend to use the point a good amount. Blade shapes like the Rift would be good for carving or slicing, but the point might not be quite as good for me.

IMG_2785b_zps096a221d.jpg
 
M4 is plenty stainless, unlike 1095 cutting up steak it only stained a little, 1095 would have been stained twice as dark... Then again I use my knives for crap that others probably wouldn't so scratches etc. don't bother me. :)
 
Skimo said:
M4 is plenty stainless, unlike 1095 cutting up steak it only stained a little, 1095 would have been stained twice as dark... Then again I use my knives for crap that others probably wouldn't so scratches etc. don't bother me. :)
Click to expand...

I just don't care that much for coatings and prefer satin finishes, and since Benchmade always coats their M4, M390 would give me exactly what I want.
 
Yeah, I'm thinking about going satin on mine, but if I go satin then I'll probably want high grit satin and then decide to go for mirror... I need to get a vice to do that. One day lol.... With a vice I think I could do it in a few hours.
 
So I got My 581 last Friday and have had time to handle it well. While I can't speak of it's edge retention as of yet, I am sure It will impress. The Knife itself is very good in hand, I really like it's ergo. The G10 & Aluminum pattern is quite nice and gives the blade a serious knife kinda style. The assist is very strong...the blade just flings open with force...it's almost scary, but I got used to it pretty quick. I am sure it will retain most of it's strength for years of service. I am really happy with my purchase, as of now I am also a BM fan...oh my wallet!

Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciated! http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Regards,

Emmanuel
 
Iv had mine a while and its seen a decent anount of pocket time, then it became a backpack knife. A few days ago I put a new edge on it and took it all apart to clean it..........it was still clean! I fell in love with it all over again and its back in the edc rotation for now. Now my rift, it quickly became a beater knife and something I used to practice knife mods. I just dont like the blade shape and the handle is not ckmfortable for me at all. Sure is pretty though.

Heres a tip....sharpen the 581 AFTER you tear it down and put it together. Im lucky I have any fingers left lol. Hope you enjoy the knife.
 
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