New Benchmade - Need Help

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PigJiggin

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Jun 9, 2012
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Hello all, I already posted this question in General but was told I might have better luck here. Anyway, I just sold off my Benchmade Rift and loved it, but it was a bit too big for what I need and it was pretty crazy looking (I had the black/charcoal G10 scales). I'm looking for a new Benchmade with a blade about 3" in length and less than $150. I narrowed it down to three choices:

1) Benchmade Mini Stryker http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-903-axis-mini-stryker-drop-point/
2) Benchmade North Fork http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-15031-2-hunt-north-fork-dymondwood/
3) Benchmade Small Summit Lake http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-15056-2-hunt-small-summit-lake-dymondwood/

I was looking for something a little more classier, which all three are pretty conservative looking. The Mini Stryker and the North Fork are pretty similar, but I'm a little apprehensive about the blade shape on both (i.e., the drop point on the Stryker might be prone to snapping off, and the deep belly on the North Fork would be difficult to sharpen). I like the Summit Lake a lot too but I feel like the AXIS lock would be safer to use than a lock back. I have a feeling someone might suggest the Mini Grip but I'm afraid the handle might chew up my pockets.

If you have any other suggestions please feel free to make them. Thanks.
 
You aren't going to break the blade on any of those unless you are seriously abusing the knife and the mini-grip is much less likely to shred your pockets than a knife with aggressive G10 scales.

But here are my suggestions:

707 Sequel - This is one great little knife and IMO a very classy alternative to the Mini-Grip! $140 at MAP pricing. One online store has them listed for $106 but they are out of stock.

585 Mini-Barrage- Has smoother scales than a Mini-Grip and is assisted. $119 at MAP pricing and as low as $90 online and in stock.

586 Mini-Barrage - A nicer version of the 585 with Al/G10 scales and a M390 blade. $187 at MAP but as low as $142 online and in stock.

484 Nakamura - My absolute favorite BM in this size range. MAP is $191 but you may be able to find a deal on a used one. One online store has them listed for $145 but they are out of stock.

I own a 707, 586, and a 484 and you can't go wrong with any of them.
 
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707 is compact and very classy, I like it more than the mini grip. The blade shape and overall quality is better.

The Mini Presidio is my daily but its more heavy duty...

20131130_212334_zpse58aa175.jpg
 
PigJiggin said:
1) Benchmade Mini Stryker http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-903-axis-mini-stryker-drop-point/
2) Benchmade North Fork http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-15031-2-hunt-north-fork-dymondwood/
3) Benchmade Small Summit Lake http://www.knivesshipfree.com/benchmade-knives-15056-2-hunt-small-summit-lake-dymondwood/

I was looking for something a little more classier, which all three are pretty conservative looking. The Mini Stryker and the North Fork are pretty similar, but I'm a little apprehensive about the blade shape on both (i.e., the drop point on the Stryker might be prone to snapping off, and the deep belly on the North Fork would be difficult to sharpen). I like the Summit Lake a lot too but I feel like the AXIS lock would be safer to use than a lock back. I have a feeling someone might suggest the Mini Grip but I'm afraid the handle might chew up my pockets.
Click to expand...

I'm sure most of us in this section of forum can say that unless you are dropping a blade on kard ceramic from 10 ft, you wouldn't be snapping the tip. But again, you would snap with most of knife anything short of low carbon spring steel.

I wouldn't be worried about Griptilian texture. Push comes to shove, you can always resort to 180 grit sand paper. G-10 would be harder, but it acts like hard wood, and after mild shaving off the edge with sand paper, it become really smooth enough to not to chew up the fabric, yet enough to be grippy. G10 is very nice stuff for kife handle.

For classy, "traditional" look, your choice 2 would be excellent. It has S30V, one of super stainless steel, AXIS lock for elequent open close with strong lock. (can be open /close with one hand amibidextrously) It has very nice wood handle to show traditional look with modern technology.
 
I wouldn't worry about the drop point snapping.

I've dropped my mini barrage and it was fine
 
The Mini Stryker is a really nice knife. The 705/707 is probably my favorite Benchmade line along with the Ritter.

As a general rule, Benchmades are tough knives and they are very good with heat treatments. The odds of breaking a Benchmade blade are generally really low with usage that doesn't include abuse. Like every maker, they do happen, but that is not the norm and it usually means a defect or misuse (with a few stray exceptions). They can withstand hard usage, and the AXIS lock is a very robust lock that requires minimal upkeep for maximal performance. If you plan to use a knife hard, AXIS is a good choice (as is the frame lock).

Most folding knives do favor wear resistance over toughness (the opposite of fixed blades) and this is true of Benchmade. The primary reason here is that most folders will not see usage a fixed blade will (ex: you wont baton a 6 inch long piece of firewood with a 3 inch folder). So for most users, steels giving high wear resistance are a plus...toughness is an added bonus but not a plus if it means a steel that doesn't hold a good edge. If blade strength is a very important attribute, you may want to check out the Kershaw Blur in ELMAX or the ZT0566 in ELMAX. ELMAX is tough as piss and it is a significantly better steel than 154CM. In addition to being tough, it has very good edge retention and corrosion resistance. If you want to stay Benchmade, then check the Ritter Griptilian or Mini Griptilian (you can change the scales out). The S30V steel is tougher than 154CM or D2, and the blade has a very strong tip on it, and the grind favors strength & performance (it is a type of flat grind). For light and harsher work, the Ritter's blade is a good match. They also made the mini Ritter Grip (and standard Grip) in CPM-M4, which is a steel with great edge retention and is tough as can be...it can withstand a helluva beating despite its high hardness and isn't terribly hard to sharpen. The Volli is also in S30V and has a very strong blade like the Ritter that is close to the high flat grind...and the knife in general is solidly built.

As a general rule, drop points and spear points have stronger tips than clip points...tantos don't really improve on tip strength and they are not nearly as useful as a good modified drop point. Benchmade tends to favor the modified drop point, and it's my opinion that this is the best blade for general usage on a daily carry folding knife. The reverse tanto of the Rift, Contego, and 940 is also a helluva great EDC. The 940 may be a bit beyond your price range, but it's one of Benchmade's tour-de-force models and a fantastic carry companion.
 
I've handled the Stryker and it is a lovely knife. I'm thinking of going back for it.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'm now stuck between the Benchmade 707 Sequel and the 903 Mini Stryker, thoughts?
 
The 707's blade profile is one of my favorite of any BMs. I also really like the small form factor, and how slim it is. I EDC a BM 705 with a 707 blade in M390 steel. Of the hundreds of knives I own, it gets carried the most. I also have a lot of the limited edition 707s and 705s, such as the 707-1201 and 707-701.

For a small EDC, I think the grind is really hard to beat. It's a much more usable blade than the 705, but it retains a very compact form factor, especially for a blade with its level of usefulness. Many knives at that small a form factor are not packing such a great blade, lock, and handle. To me it is a winning knife all-around. You can often find the LEs from third-party sellers for reasonable prices still too (including ones in D2, S30V, and M390 steel).
 
I like both of them and am willing to pay the money but I can't choose between them. As an EDC knife Wat is yalls opinions on which one I should purchase.
 
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