Hello all! I have been wanting a Benchmade Crooked River ever since I first saw pictures of them. Specifically, I wanted the 15080-2, with the wood handle scales. Then, a buddy got a 15080-1 with the G10 scales. The second he showed it to me, I knew I had to get one. Man, it's one sexy knife.
If you're familiar with the Crooked River, skip this paragraph. If not, let me tell you about it. It's BIG, which I love, with a 4.00" blade. The blade is 0.124" thick, which combined with the length, makes it a SOLID feeling blade and knife. The stainless liners are thick, the bolsters are steel (I believe), it has an AXIS Lock, S30V steel, etc. Anyway, besides all the aforementioned awesomeness, it's a throwback to the Buck 110, but with the AXIS Lock. At 5.41oz, it's hardly light, but still lighter than a Buck 110. To me, it's a modern Buck 110 with a better lock, more blade, better steel, and a better, easier to use lock.
All that being said, before I had a chance to get one, my friend decided to offer me his in a trade. Basically, if I would buy the materials and make him a knife out of a Helle blade and some dyed maple burl, he would give me his Crooked River. Done! I ordered the materials, and he went ahead and gave me the Crooked River. I've had it for a few days now, and it's so sweet. It reminds me of a super-sized BM 940. Sure, it's twice the weight, but the slimness of the knife, the long blade, and the AXIS Lock just give it that feel.
To sum it up, I'm really impressed with this knife. It feels great in the hand. The long blade gives a lot of cutting edge in a folder. The heavy blade makes the AXIS design even sweeter than in other BM knives. The blade just drops shut like it's on ball bearings when the lock is opened. The fit and finish on this example are great.
There was just one problem: the G10 handles. I just really liked the look of the wood handles better. So, having a big block of dyed, stabilized maple sitting around waiting for the Helle blade to arrive, I decided to make some scales for it. The block was exactly twice the size of what I needed for the Helle, so I figured I could shave 1/2" off the side of it. It was not easy making scales for this thing. If you've ever taken one apart, you'll know what I mean. There are these super thin little tongues and relief cuts that have to be made in the scales to interlock with the bolster, and they are not ideal for wood. However, I made it work, and it turned out ok. I used the side of the burl, not the face, as using the face would have not left enough for the Helle knife, and that one is the priority. Therefore, the grain looks odd, but it's unique. I'll probably make another more subtle set for it in the future, but it will do for now.
Let me know what you think.
BY the way, I have HUGE hands. It's much bigger than it looks in my hand.
If you're familiar with the Crooked River, skip this paragraph. If not, let me tell you about it. It's BIG, which I love, with a 4.00" blade. The blade is 0.124" thick, which combined with the length, makes it a SOLID feeling blade and knife. The stainless liners are thick, the bolsters are steel (I believe), it has an AXIS Lock, S30V steel, etc. Anyway, besides all the aforementioned awesomeness, it's a throwback to the Buck 110, but with the AXIS Lock. At 5.41oz, it's hardly light, but still lighter than a Buck 110. To me, it's a modern Buck 110 with a better lock, more blade, better steel, and a better, easier to use lock.
All that being said, before I had a chance to get one, my friend decided to offer me his in a trade. Basically, if I would buy the materials and make him a knife out of a Helle blade and some dyed maple burl, he would give me his Crooked River. Done! I ordered the materials, and he went ahead and gave me the Crooked River. I've had it for a few days now, and it's so sweet. It reminds me of a super-sized BM 940. Sure, it's twice the weight, but the slimness of the knife, the long blade, and the AXIS Lock just give it that feel.
To sum it up, I'm really impressed with this knife. It feels great in the hand. The long blade gives a lot of cutting edge in a folder. The heavy blade makes the AXIS design even sweeter than in other BM knives. The blade just drops shut like it's on ball bearings when the lock is opened. The fit and finish on this example are great.
There was just one problem: the G10 handles. I just really liked the look of the wood handles better. So, having a big block of dyed, stabilized maple sitting around waiting for the Helle blade to arrive, I decided to make some scales for it. The block was exactly twice the size of what I needed for the Helle, so I figured I could shave 1/2" off the side of it. It was not easy making scales for this thing. If you've ever taken one apart, you'll know what I mean. There are these super thin little tongues and relief cuts that have to be made in the scales to interlock with the bolster, and they are not ideal for wood. However, I made it work, and it turned out ok. I used the side of the burl, not the face, as using the face would have not left enough for the Helle knife, and that one is the priority. Therefore, the grain looks odd, but it's unique. I'll probably make another more subtle set for it in the future, but it will do for now.
Let me know what you think.
BY the way, I have HUGE hands. It's much bigger than it looks in my hand.
