New Benchmades

Status
Not open for further replies.
tony281sc2

tony281sc2

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
2,357
Anyone see Benchmades new 2023 releases? Looks pretty good. Otfs, magnacut, aluminum bailouts in a few different colors, double edge fixed blades, and my personal favorite, a new version of the tagged out, but with a thumb stud, G10 instead of FRN, and S45VN steel (instead of CPM-154). I Definitely want to pick this up at some point !
Edit: it is pretty expensive at 270, but it is not like anything else I own…if you’re into Benchmade you should check it out, I’ll try to post up more of the new knives later
5496CBAE-4FB0-4773-A304-D8F629B4CE9F.jpeg
 
Last edited:
New coating colors, plastic colors, new anodizing. One new folder model, some operator type daggers and a couple new autos supposed to be out last year. Nice to see more steel choices but too much use of coatings. I’m not sure how you need nearly 8-10 months to bring an existing model in a new color to market. All for a princely sum too.

I will say Benchmade has good style in matching colors. The designers are probably pretty snappy dressers.
 
The SOCP Benchmade 185 Fixed Blade was an interested shape, but too large to be practical/bigger than I would carry, when I first saw it I was hoping it was between a 5 and 5.5" blade. Maybe they will come out with a mini in the future.
 
Some interesting and even appealing releases, but nothing (so far) that reaches out and grabs me as a must have. Nice to see some Magnacut from them, but a curious choice to see them all coated. I do like the G10 Taggedout pictured above, but I don't think I like it $270 worth, and I wish that was the version they had chosen to do in Magnacut. The thin Ti knife is cool, but not something I would be looking for if I were spending in the $500+ range. I'm not one to use the term overpriced, I'll let the market decide that and I'm sure Benchmade will have no problem with sales; but for everything I see here that appeals to me I would personally be looking to spend those funds elsewhere at those prices. I'll happily change my mind upon further review if warranted, but that is my first impression.

EDIT: Did they ever release those mini-autos (Immunity series) announced last year at SHOT?
 
Why in the hell would you put a coating on all your Magnacut?! It's the most stain-resistant steel they have, but they won't let it shine.

Only one truly new release this year, they're starting to look like Spyderco with all the limited colors and variations on the same model.

Other companies have come out with functional axis lock flippers, yet Benchmade hasn't made a decent manual axis flipper despite having a monopoly on the axis lock for so long. Competition is truly elevating the axis lock, hopefully Benchmade doesn't get left behind.
 
I've felt like BM has been overpriced for years, but this is getting a bit crazy.

I don't care for thumbstuds, and would like to see more alternative opening methods from them. I liked the look and design of the Tengu, but the action and QC of the one I handled back in August turned me off. Off center blade, barely flipped. Too bad.

The Tagged Out CF is cool but not $337 cool

I had finally warmed up to the idea of giving them another chance.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top