My First Benchmade?

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wmc1982

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Oct 2, 2010
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Hey, I'm planning on getting my first Benchmade knife and I don't know a lot about them. I've never even held one. I've heard about the Griptillian and found one for $75 which is basically my limit, $75-$80.

From what I hear, most of the good ones are well over $100 and thats fine to plan on getting later if you would like to put input on a good one to look forward to a few months later. But for now, is the Griptillian the best Benchmade under $80? Any other models that can compete?

Thanks, any comments or info appreciated :)

(my last purchase was a Kershaw Blur s30v and I love it. I really want something nicer than it if I'm spending the money. So if the Griptilian or anything around that price isn't better than the Kershaw, I might just wait until I can afford the +$100 ones)
 
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I'd say so. It is very representative of the brand, even though it's one of their cheaper models. If you've never owned an axis lock before prepare to fall in love. If you want to save up a little and go for G10 handles, the 7 series (705/707/710) is tough to beat. The Grip handles may feel cheap at first, but they'll grow on you.
 
The Grip is a good choice. It's light, has a great lock, nice blade and feels good in the hand. You might want to consider the Presidio Ultra as well. It's pretty much the same size as the Grip. The blade steel is a step down (440C is still pretty good though) but the handle and knife overall feels more sturdy. I find the Presidio is more comfortable to hold too. You can find them for $80 or less.

Whatever you choose though I would reccomend against a coated blade. Benchmades black coating isn't very durable and your knife will look ten years old in no time.
 
Cool, thanks guys. I'm excited about the axis lock, I just watched a video on youtube. I just like the look of the griptilian, I love the blade shape and again that axis look looks awesome. I looked at a 700 series one and a 900 series green one (kind of a tanto blade); they both looked nice, I especially liked the McHenry 707 one and it's within the reach of my price range a month or so from now :)
 
Any ideas on where to buy this thing other than ebay/amazon?
 
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I have had a Griptillian for a few years and think it is an excellent folder. I really like the Axis Lock. That lock design is very solid. It makes an excellent utility knife. Its very good quality for the price and makes a fine EDC folder.
 
wmc1982 said:
Any ideas on where to buy this thing other than ebay/amazon?
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Just a suggestion, but buy from Knifeworks.com. Remember to use special coupon code for great pricing. I've bought MANY benchmades from Roger as I'm sure many others here have.

If you like the assisted action of the Blur, you may want to try the BM Nitrous Stryker. Great knife and will be in your price range once coupon code entered.

http://www.knifeworks.com/benchmadestrykertantod2steelnitrousassistopeningsatinplainedge.aspx
 
My first Grip (and Benchmade) was a large 551 in D2 from Cabela's. I highly recommend you get a Grip as the other guys have done. One of the great things about it is that is comes in two or three blade profiles and many handle colors. Benchmade 154cm is first class knife steel.

Get one and you'll never have a regret!!
DSC_1642.jpg
 
I would suggest a BM 520 series knife over any of the griptillians.

Here are my reasons:

Handle construction.

Handle construction.

Handle construction.

:)

The grips have that partial liner that is only just big enough for the axis lock plates, which in my experience allowed for flex in the handles.

The grips also use the Noryl gtx resin for the scales which many people will describe as feeling cheap. If it were as dense feeling as the Spyderco FRN I don't think it would be an issue, but the handles sound hollow and weak even though they aren't.

The Pardues have either aluminium or a thinner noryl gtx which doesn't have the hollow cheap feeling of the grip's handle.

The pardues also have full length steel liners. This makes them feel much more stout than a grip.


I'm just thinking that coming from a superbly sturdy feeling knife that locks up like a veritable bank vault, the blur, that the grips are going to feel chinsy by comparison.

I do not think the grips represent the feel of quality that most Benchmades have, as no other Benchmade is constructed in that way that I know of.

Plus the 527s can be found for under 80 bucks on ebay most of the time, NIB. Heck I picked one up last month for 55 shipped.
 
+1 for the Grippy if you are looking for a folder.
It's the only folder in my collection I really care about. Even though I prefer fixed blades over folder I wouldn't give away my Griptilian. And liek bobsiv said: the axis lock is just amazing!
 
Another vote for the Griptilian. Both the 551 (drop point) and 550HG (modified sheepsfoot) have really useful blade shapes and will give you a taste of the Axis lock for a reasonable price.

In addition to Knifeworks, GP Knives (google them) is another place that sells Benchmades below MAAP. I've ordered from both GP Knives and Knifeworks before, and you can't go wrong with either one.
 
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That 527 looks pretty similar, anyone else have any experience with it? Thanks again for all the comments, it's helping me a lot.
 
EricV said:
I would suggest a BM 520 series knife over any of the griptillians.

Here are my reasons:

Handle construction.

Handle construction.

Handle construction.

:)

The grips have that partial liner that is only just big enough for the axis lock plates, which in my experience allowed for flex in the handles.

The grips also use the Noryl gtx resin for the scales which many people will describe as feeling cheap. If it were as dense feeling as the Spyderco FRN I don't think it would be an issue, but the handles sound hollow and weak even though they aren't.

The Pardues have either aluminium or a thinner noryl gtx which doesn't have the hollow cheap feeling of the grip's handle.

The pardues also have full length steel liners. This makes them feel much more stout than a grip.


I'm just thinking that coming from a superbly sturdy feeling knife that locks up like a veritable bank vault, the blur, that the grips are going to feel chinsy by comparison.

I do not think the grips represent the feel of quality that most Benchmades have, as no other Benchmade is constructed in that way that I know of.

Plus the 527s can be found for under 80 bucks on ebay most of the time, NIB. Heck I picked one up last month for 55 shipped.
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I'm wondering what you mean by having a "partial liner"? The liners on my mini are full liners as far as I can tell. (I've taken it apart)
Also, benchmade calls their scales valox. The handles are slightly hollow. As opposed to being solid or completely hollow they have a grid of squares in which the grid is made up of the valox raising up on the grid lines.
 
Jiggy said:
I'm wondering what you mean by having a "partial liner"? The liners on my mini are full liners as far as I can tell. (I've taken it apart)
Also, benchmade calls their scales valox. The handles are slightly hollow. As opposed to being solid or completely hollow they have a grid of squares in which the grid is made up of the valox raising up on the grid lines.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Mini Grips have full length liners but the full size Grips have only half liners. I have no idea why they do this. I find the Mini feels a little more sturdy but I don't really think the flex matters that much when your using it as a cutting tool. Some grips are Valox some are Noryl GTX, it depends on what color the handle is.
 
You say you got yourself a Kershaw S30V Blur. I'm not sure you'd be getting anything that much "nicer" with a Grip, IMO.. I have both, I like them both, but like the blur better. tho, I do like the axis lock..
 
Of the small BM's, I tend to like the Mini Grip and the 707 Sequel (smaller version of the 710 McHenry & Williams):

IMG_7102auto.jpg


IMG_7647a.jpg
 
ono724 said:
You say you got yourself a Kershaw S30V Blur. I'm not sure you'd be getting anything that much "nicer" with a Grip, IMO.. I have both, I like them both, but like the blur better. tho, I do like the axis lock..
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That was my concern. I'm still trying to decide on waiting to save up for a more expensive knife or not since I have the similarly priced s30v Blur, and haven't gotten a chance to even use it yet :P
 
hmmm, maybe if it isn't worth getting if I already have a Blur, I should just go and get a Spyderco Delica 4. It would be carry legal and Spyderco wise I only have a Tenacious.
 
The griptillian was my first real knife and entry into the afi world. I had a full-size drop point and loved it until I got a Paramilitary.

If I were you I would take a long, hard look at the sheepsfoot version, because I am partial to thumb-holes, and had the studs of my drop point catch on my pocket too many times.

My biggest problem with the full size grip is that its kind of bulky in pocket. If you're thinking about the delica or endura, I'd go for that instead, or maybe a stretch!
 
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