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lee12

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Apr 8, 2014
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I am looking for a new EDC knife and I am stuck between two knives at two
very different price points. I was hoping on getting some advices.

The case for Benchmade. I am leaning towards the minigrip because I like the size and feel of the knife. The axis lock is awesome and I hear good things about the steel. I work in an office environment that is semi-LEO. I don’t need a tactical knife, I just wanted to let you know people are cool with knives in the office. I do hike and hunt, but I also got other knives that could fill those tasks (skyline, morakniv, fixed blade buck). But I like the minigrip mostly because it is an all around tough but non threatening knife. Another major issue is the cost.

The case for Case. I am also looking at a Case Muskrat for an EDC knife. I know, total opposite from minigrip. I like the Case because it is non threatening so I can take it out of the country or to cities. I also like that it has two blades in a slim package, I can keep one razor sharp and one as a general use knife. Another big plus is that it is the knife my dad use...some one that I have serious respect for and who taught me everything i know about hunting and the outdoors. He hates newer knives because he has been in situation where his blade broke and now he will only carry multi bladed knives. The downside is that I don’t know how tough the knife is, steel not as good as Benchmade, slow to open, and no clip. Upside is, two blades and very very cheap in comparison.

Most tasks include cutting paper, rope, tape, boxes, some skinning of game, some kitchen use for slicing, pulling staples, cutting twigs or very small branches.

Sorry for the long post but any advise?

P.S. I suck at sharpening and will probably get some ceramic rods
in the future.
 
Hmm... This is definitely a classic case of the “Get Both” arguments. Comparing these two knives would be a tough choice for anyone. Both have their uses, but pure utilitarian needs I’d have to go with the Mini Grip. One of my favorites and most carried, and it’s a worker. No doubting that. Easy to clean, easy enough to sharpen, and Benchmade has a bombproof warranty.

The reason I said get both is because if the Case stood out to you, I imagine you’ll get one soon after anyway. I routinely switch between my moderns and my traditionals. Most of it depends on what type of mood I’m in. I don’t think you’d be getting any less knife if you go with the Case, just a different style. I use my Mini Grip on the same type of jobs I do with my slipjoints and they’ve held up to the task. Though if I’ll be using a knife a lot, lots of boxes or such, I’d probably choose the Mini.
 
McFeeli said:
Hmm... This is definitely a classic case of the “Get Both” arguments.
Click to expand...
Sure Why not !
The Muskrat is inexpensive.
The Mini Grip is a MUST HAVE.
lee12 said:
am leaning towards the minigrip because I like the . . . feel of the knife.
Click to expand...
I hear that. I totally ignored the Mini (I've had a full size for a while now).
Then one day in a half hearted attempt to make conversation I saw a pocket clip on a customer and asked if it was a Benchmade. Turned out to be a Mini Grip.
He handed it to me and for days after I kept remembering and thinking about how great it seemed in hand. :thumbsup:
I finally got one.
Surprisingly good. :thumbsup:
IMG_5469.jpg
 
When I was considering my first Benchmade, I rejected the mini-grip. With it's plastic handle, it just didn't feel like a hundred dollar knife. I bought something else. A year or so later, when it was announced that the Ritter mini-grip was being discontinued, I bought one. Owning and using it, I marvel at how much I like a plastic knife. (I'd say the same thing about my Native LW.) My orange mini-grip is in my pocket right now. The knife just works, for just about everything I need a knife for.

I've wanted a Canoe pattern knife for a while. After some deliberation and advice on the traditional forum, I bought a Rough Rider. What a surprise! You might consider a RR Muskrat. Nice piece for pocket change.
 
Wowbagger said:
Sure Why not !
The Muskrat is inexpensive.
The Mini Grip is a MUST HAVE.

I hear that. I totally ignored the Mini (I've had a full size for a while now).
Then one day in a half hearted attempt to make conversation I saw a pocket clip on a customer and asked if it was a Benchmade. Turned out to be a Mini Grip.
He handed it to me and for days after I kept remembering and thinking about how great it seemed in hand. :thumbsup:
I finally got one.
Surprisingly good. :thumbsup:
View attachment 1009315
Click to expand...


I ended up with a mini Ritter the same type of way. Totally dismissed the platform until I finally held one for the first time. A few days later and an orange mini Ritter landed in my mailbox has since been one of my all time favorite knives. They’re fantastic knives.
 
Mini Grip. This from a guy who carries traditionals almost exclusively.

I have a full-sized Grip I received as a gift seven or eight years ago. It is a terrific knife, but the Mini-grip I bought my son is better, as I realized in the short time it was in my hands before I gave it to him. I rarely buy modern knives these days, or any hundred-dollar knives for that matter. The Mini Grip is the only one I regret not owning.

You can get a Muskrat any time. My preference would be a Hawbaker, I suppose, as I have no use for duplicated blades, but a Case Hawbaker is way out of my price range. Rough Rider Improved Muskrat, however, suits my needs perfectly, and is still under ten bucks.
 
I would suggest you get the Benchmade and add to it a Rough Rider Improved Muskrat or Trapper(or whatever grabs you). Then you can get a feel for each.

The Benchmade Mini Presidio II is another one that might interest with a blade at about 3". I like this one quite a bit even though I tend to be anti-metal sides on knives. Manual one hand opening knife with axis lock.....
 
For me the mini grip is too small but the benchmade bugout is a better alternative snd feels as if its smaller or the same size and you get more blade. Plus the bugout is a far better slicer in my expierence. As for the muskrat grab one too the benchmade will be your workhorse and the muskrat can be your dress knife. You cant go wrong with any of them though.
 
I work in an office and carry a traditional pocket knife 90% of the time. ( I've got a small sod buster today)
For me the smaller traditional patterns work fine for office tasks and they're easier to carry in dress pants.

The Case muskrat pattern is one of my favorites, but in terms of ruggedness , the mini grip is probably a better choice for some of the tasks you mentioned.
If you're stuck on a muskrat pattern and want something a little more rugged, I'd say one of the Great Eastern larger muskrats would work well for you. But then you're in the mini grip price range.
 
Skip the knives for now and find some type of sharpening system that works for you.

Then you can care for whatever knives you already own and then move on to buying more later.
 
Last edited:
lee12 said:
I am looking for a new EDC knife and I am stuck between two knives at two
very different price points. I was hoping on getting some advices.

The case for Benchmade. I am leaning towards the minigrip because I like the size and feel of the knife. The axis lock is awesome and I hear good things about the steel. I work in an office environment that is semi-LEO. I don’t need a tactical knife, I just wanted to let you know people are cool with knives in the office. I do hike and hunt, but I also got other knives that could fill those tasks (skyline, morakniv, fixed blade buck). But I like the minigrip mostly because it is an all around tough but non threatening knife. Another major issue is the cost.

The case for Case. I am also looking at a Case Muskrat for an EDC knife. I know, total opposite from minigrip. I like the Case because it is non threatening so I can take it out of the country or to cities. I also like that it has two blades in a slim package, I can keep one razor sharp and one as a general use knife. Another big plus is that it is the knife my dad use...some one that I have serious respect for and who taught me everything i know about hunting and the outdoors. He hates newer knives because he has been in situation where his blade broke and now he will only carry multi bladed knives. The downside is that I don’t know how tough the knife is, steel not as good as Benchmade, slow to open, and no clip. Upside is, two blades and very very cheap in comparison.

Most tasks include cutting paper, rope, tape, boxes, some skinning of game, some kitchen use for slicing, pulling staples, cutting twigs or very small branches.

Sorry for the long post but any advise?

P.S. I suck at sharpening and will probably get some ceramic rods
in the future.
Click to expand...
What do you currently EDC? What do you like about it? Are you looking for something similar, or for a change?
 
Lee, your question strikes me as being somewhat similar to asking, "Which is a better boot: RedWing or Merrell?", or "Which is a better rifle, an AR-15 or Marlin 336"?

This is to say, what works for me or anybody else posting in this thread and what will work for you and your uses and preferences may be entirely different.

I will reflect on my own path through the knife stuff.

1) I became a big fan of trying a bunch of very different things to figure out what works for me and what doesn't. I generally can't tell immediately so I needed to lay down some money and try and over time, noted my preferences. To your own self be true. What works for you may be different than the bulk of the tribe. It's your life, your hand and your pocket. Nobody else's.

2) Carry style is huge for me. I knew early on that holster and clip carry is not for me in any way, shape or form. I used to focus only front pocket carry but finally gave in and tried rear pocket carry. The trick for me was sew a seam up the side of my right rear pockets. I carry a large traditional single blade knife there. Doesn't print. Doesn't interfere with sitting. Very easy to reach. I prefer traditionals.

3) I'm a luddite but IMO, one-hand open features are over blown much like automatic transmissions are. Big single bladed traditionals can be one hand opened but a) it takes learning the technique and b) it takes enough practice to become second nature. Strong parallel to learning to drive a stick shift. Not for everybody, but it suits my preference. Like you, I prefer the look and traditionals and feel they allow me to deploy them in public in places where a tactical looking knife would cause unwanted attention.

4) I had to accept that I get bored and can't carry the same knife every day. I have a small handful (3 or 4) that I rotate through on a regular basis. Today it is a Buck 500. For me, there is no "one knife".

Bottom line, it might be worse than just "buy both". If you're at all like me (and you may not be) it may be that you will need to try 10 or 20 different style knives to find your sweet spot.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. To answer one of the questions on here, I currently carry a case medium stockman, but that is because I broke my one handed opening clip knife, which I do miss.

I think I am going to order the mini Griptilian tonight. One again, thank you all for the advice.
 
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