New Benchmades

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King of the Cheese said:
I wish they would’ve just brought back the anthem and made a large and small version. But I digress.
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Same. I recall that BM said that the reason it was discontinued was that they were very difficult for them to make, and the number of issues they had with them was pretty significant during production. So, I don't know that we'll ever see any more Anthems unfortunately, as they're pretty nice knives when you happen to get your hands on a good one.
 
Good luck to any knife companies this year in general, especially the companies releasing new models at much higher than reasonable prices. Did anyone at Benchmade do a little research and see that the knife market is already crashing because people have less disposable cash/income and there’s an abundance of supply???? And, the market has changed dramatically over the past 5 years. It use to be 5 or so major brands that just about everyone owned in that $120-$250 range (Spyderco, Benchmade, etc) , now there are probably hundreds of companies that can compete with Benchmade at equal or better prices with equal or better quality and materials.

Let’s see…. over saturated market supply with falling demand. I know, let raise prices!!!!!!

Don’t get me wrong, my 940 S90V is still one of my most carried and favorite folders of all time but these prices are RIDICULOUS!!!
 
I do like the narrows, but $350 is the most I’d ever spend on one. So with that being said..

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Now that mini-Adamas I’m going to be keeping an eye on.
 
tony281sc2 said:
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
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What's this model pictured? Is sexy! Looks Bugout like but really thin.
 
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Nakedtech said:
I have a feeling its just like the lock on a Spyderco manix. Feel thats the only way they could make it that thin.
Very small in diameter ball bearing with a coiled spring.
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Yeah maybe, but the Benchmade Anthem already used that same lock design as the Manix. It was never refereed to as “Torsion Axis Lock” by anybody during it’s production. My guess is this is something different.
 
This is apples to oranges, but when I see the Narrows, with its main novelty being thinness, I can't help but think of the Sandrin Knives Monza. That one is ultra-thin as well, Ti frame, Tungsten Carbide blade, and has a novelty factor orders of magnitude over the Narrows; at $400. That's not to mention, as has already been noted, the number of truly amazing options you have from the lower-volume manufacturers when you get in the $500+ range.

With some of the other releases like the OD Taggedout, it's almost like they said, "People are calling this knife the new bigger bugout and wanting aftermarket scales, let's throw some G10 on it and charge them the extra yard they would be dropping on scales anyway." Sure, they upgraded the steel as well, but at the cost of pushing the knife to a price point that defeats its intended use (for me) and leaves me eying better options for the money. Now, with the orange-coated/CF Magnacut Taggedout, I am at a loss to find any potential logic there.

Look, I like Benchmade. They got me into this hobby years ago, and while I only purchase them on occasion these days I'm sure I haven't purchased my last. However, I think it has been apparent for some time now that perhaps we as knife enthusiasts are not necessarily their target market (unlike the feeling you get from Spyderco for example). I wonder what percentage of their sales go to people who are hunters and outdoorsman with just a marginal interest in knives, have heard of and see Benchmade as some pinnacle of premium knives, may buy one or two in a lifetime, and gladly pay top dollar at their REI/Cabellas/etc. It seems that with this year's releases they may have that confused with us.
 
" when I see the Narrows, with its main novelty being thinness" And to add to that, many times very thin knives dont have the most comfortable handles, either. Id hate to risk 500 to find out im right.Kinda felt that way with the Code 4 only had 1 for a few days just didnt like the thin handles,and this might be even thinner.
 
Knives&Lint said:
I wonder what percentage of their sales go to people who are hunters and outdoorsman with just a marginal interest in knives, have heard of and see Benchmade as some pinnacle of premium knives, may buy one or two in a lifetime, and gladly pay top dollar at their REI/Cabellas/etc. It seems that with this year's releases they may have that confused with us.
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This is the core of their target market, we are not their target market. The only thing you forgot was Military and LEO as well. I'm in the military, and everyone wants a Benchmade (even better if it's issued).

Most people who I have talked to that have any interest in knives view Benchmade as top-tier, grail level stuff. I used to live near a hardware store that sold knives. All the brands were in the same display, you'd see Bucks, Spydercos, Kershaws, CRKTs, and no-name garbage all together in one long generic display case, then there was the Benchmade display. They had two large multi-shelf turntable displays on either side of a larger display case, all with the Benchmade branding. That's how Benchmade wants to be seen, and how they are seen by most people I have encountered. Benchmade hasn't been catering to diehard knife enthusiasts for years. It's disappointing, but it is what it is.
 
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