My Collection and my First Benchmade

S

Sharperthansticks

Joined
Sep 19, 2017
Messages
1,612
I'm relatively new to knife collecting, and I don't really need knives. Mostly I use them to open the boxes of new knives that come in the mail. I've always been a bit of a materialist--someone who likes to collect things--and knives are perfect for me. So I am not an expert on washers vs. bearings, recurve vs. non-recurve, thick blade stock vs. thin blade stock, or flipper vs thumb stud (though I do really like thumbs tuds, except for the fact that they hurt your thumb after a while), but I know what I like aesthetically. Those famous Spyderco knives with the FRN handles--well, they may be wonderful, but to me they look like what would be packaged with a GI Joe action figure, so I probably wouldn't buy a Delica unless it was in wood, carbon fiber, bone, or perhaps G10. You get the idea. If you like FRN, more power to you, but I just can't get past how cheap it looks, and since I don't actually need any of my knives, what they look like is important to me. (I think I'm one of 4 people on the planet that has the backlock version of the Manix 2. And I love it.)

Ergos are important to me. One of the things that I hate about pocket knives is the clip. It digs into my hand. The Kizers are the worst, too, from my limited experience. Here's the breakdown of my small collection:

Spyderco: Manix 2 backlock and Civilian. (No one really knows how well the Civilian performs because you don't use it unless your life is in danger.)
ZT: 1 of these
ESEE: Yup, a couple of these.
Ontario: Rat #1
Olamic: Wayfarer 247 (Probably the strongest detent I've handled. I think it's too strong, actually.)
Benchmade: Anthem (781)
Kershaw: Cryo
Kizer: About 10 billion of these. (Hey, if they weren't cheap to start with, meet M-drop, right?) My favorite is the T1, though the Vanguard Begleiter gets a very strong honorable mention. (I don't like black blades, but besides that, it's a wonderful knife and a ridiculous value.)

For the future, I'll probably get a Kershaw Dividend in M390 when they come back, and when I save up again, I'll probably get the expensive version of the Steel Will Cutjack.

I just got my first Benchmade, and it's the Anthem (781). (Never handled a Benchmade before, and after hearing tons and tons about the problems with their fit and finish, I started thinking that the best way to know if a Benchmade is a clone is to take it out of the box. If the blade centering, grind, and fit and finish are perfect out of the box, you definitely have a clone. :-) ) Anyway, I have to say that I love this Benchmade. Maybe I'd like any Benchmade, after handling the axis lock, but this thing is wonderful to flick and wonderful to hold. It's pricey, but man am I pleased so far. (Haven't tried to cut open any new boxes of knives, yet, so I haven't established its slicing ability.)
 
Way to go straight for the throat on Benchmade! I am a longtime Benchmade fan and would love to get even a little bit of time with an Anthem. Enjoy it!
 
Thanks guys. Maybe you'll be slightly less envious when you hear that I bought the Anthem used. The MAP price of $425 was rather steep in my book, and I've heard that it's better to buy Benchmades used since they're a little too pricey when brand new, anyway. At first, I was going to get a 940, 940-1, or a 940-2, but I figured I'd go for the gold and get the 781. Don't know how ergonomically nice the other Benchmades are, though the 781 feels good in the hand. Based on my two Spydercos, if I wanted something really ergonomically pleasant, I might try a Sage 5, Para 2, Para 3, Shaman, or Native 5 next. Then again, the Cutjack in M390 is looking mighty nice. It'll have to wait until the funds replenish, though.
 
Very nice collection. The only BM I own is the mini Infidel. I'll prolly never EDC it but cool and fun knife nonetheless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top