New LE 530-1303 REI Exclusive

Damn, I got a lot tied up in custom orders and pre-orders right now so I might have to skip this one. I love the 530 but at almost triple the price over the standard version, that is hard to justify.

If they were offering 25% off MAP like some places, I would be all over it.
 
Just received mine today. It has the standard limited edition numbering. Yeah, the price was steep.
 
After picking up two of the -1303's, I kicked myself for not picking up the 530-111 a while back :grumpy:
 
Thanks for the heads up on this one, guys. Just ordered one! My first 530.

Between the upgrade to S30V, carbon fiber, and the limited edition, seems like a nice one to jump on.
 
Here's a shot of the rest of the REI Benchmade family:

P1000547.jpg
 
P_Meticulous said:
Was the blue 530-901 just a dealer exclusive or did it also say "Limited Edition" etc. etc.?
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Those are all REI LEs, not dealer exclusives. KW later picked up the REI closeout excess inventory. That was the one REI LE that wasn't really LE, as far as I can remember, so I believe that there were no billboards on the blade, but that's going on memory and you know how that goes. :rolleyes: I don't believe that BM made any more for KW after KW picked up the REI inventory, so I don't think it's a dealer exclusive in the technical sense of that word...but please note that I said "I don't think that..." - I'm open to correction on that.

The 960BK-801 was ultimately remaindered by REI at wicked closeout prices, and when KW was selling the 530-901 series (there were three, IIRC - satin plain, BK plain and BK PS) they were available at a nice discount from MSRP (which is where REI had them priced).
 
JNewell, thanks for the info. I looked at some other 530-901's online and they don't have the "LE #-#," but they were technically limited in a sense. I wish I picked one up sooner, they make great slicers.. Took some more pics after work.







 
JNewell said:
Those are all REI LEs, not dealer exclusives. KW later picked up the REI closeout excess inventory. That was the one REI LE that wasn't really LE, as far as I can remember, so I believe that there were no billboards on the blade, but that's going on memory and you know how that goes. :rolleyes: I don't believe that BM made any more for KW after KW picked up the REI inventory, so I don't think it's a dealer exclusive in the technical sense of that word...but please note that I said "I don't think that..." - I'm open to correction on that.

The 960BK-801 was ultimately remaindered by REI at wicked closeout prices, and when KW was selling the 530-901 series (there were three, IIRC - satin plain, BK plain and BK PS) they were available at a nice discount from MSRP (which is where REI had them priced).
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I think you got it right on the Blue REI exclusive non numbered 530 LE. :D

 
I got the knives out last night and depending on how you want to define LE perhaps only the first two REI LEs were really limited. Both were fixed-number runs and both have the usual billboard. The 530, Mini-Barrage and Mini-Grip were not as far as I can tell from my old web page screenshots advertised as limited in number, and none of them have the billboard. That actually makes them very similar to a Spyderdo exclusive, which is a unique knife made for a dealer or distributor but subject to re-order by the dealer or distributor. Whatever the case, they're nice knives...just wish REI would get off their idea that REI buyers need PS blades! :eek: :D
 
JNewell said:
Whatever the case, they're nice knives...just wish REI would get off their idea that REI buyers need PS blades! :eek: :D
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Agreed,

Or give people more variety both in-store & online. I personally cant stand partially serrated blades - takes away from the slice-ability of the blade IMO. The only real advantage I could see is being able to cut through course roping/ropes (and with serrations in mind, I would prefer a fully serrated blade if anything)..
 
P_Meticulous said:
Agreed,

Or give people more variety both in-store & online. I personally cant stand partially serrated blades - takes away from the slice-ability of the blade IMO. The only real advantage I could see is being able to cut through course roping/ropes (and with serrations in mind, I would prefer a fully serrated blade if anything)..
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The funny thing about BM serrated is blades (if you have a twisted sense of humor) is that Benchmade won't sharpen them when they need sharpening. For me, that's no big deal, I'd rather do it myself, but it tells you something about how BM feels about serrations, I think? :eek: :rolleyes:
 
JNewell said:
The funny thing about BM serrated is blades (if you have a twisted sense of humor) is that Benchmade won't sharpen them when they need sharpening. For me, that's no big deal, I'd rather do it myself, but it tells you something about how BM feels about serrations, I think? :eek: :rolleyes:
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LOL exactly.. I wonder if they used to, and just said f*** it lol

I've seen a lot of knife test videos comparing pros & cons of partially serrated vs. plain edge, and the plain edge took the trophy in most of the tests, especially - simple cutting/slicing.. If you have a 3" standard blade & it's partially serrated - the serrations take up another inch or so from the cutting edge.. What your left with is a knife that can cut/*tear through rope, but can't slice paper, which is why plain edge is more practical in most applications.
 
P_Meticulous said:
LOL exactly.. I wonder if they used to, and just said f*** it lol

I've seen a lot of knife test videos comparing pros & cons of partially serrated vs. plain edge, and the plain edge took the trophy in most of the tests, especially - simple cutting/slicing.. If you have a 3" standard blade & it's partially serrated - the serrations take up another inch or so from the cutting edge.. What your left with is a knife that can cut/*tear through rope, but can't slice paper, which is why plain edge is more practical in most applications.
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I have yet to find anything a (sharp) plain edge can't cut, and on any blade less than 3.5" a CE edge has no place, IMO.
 
All true...but we have several connections to REI so I try to buy at least one example of each new Benchmade knife they do as limited/exclusive runs. :) That means several are PS blades but honestly that's not going to keep me from buying 'em.
 
I just ordered the LE CF REI 530 to be sent to my local store for pickup. Been a REI member since they opened their Eastbay SF bay area store which I believe was their first store outside the Seattle area. I think that was in the early to mid 1970s. I know, dating myself.
 
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