Older Benchmade Knives...

[bzelflipador]

Hey what's going on everyone. I'm still pretty new to the forums for knife aficionados, but no so much so at the uses. I've learned quite a bit over the last year or so from others and what others post. Now that being said I like a lot of production knives, but my interests mostly go to in the folders Spyderco and ZT, occasionally they wander over to Cold Steel when I get one in my hands and find they are not half bad, however that being said I feel like Benchmade is lacking quite a bit in their newer models. I'm still hesitant on the axis lock. Technically it is safe for opening and closing, I feel though that the little wire spring that acts on the locking mechanism is not that strong. So I find myself drifting very often to older bench made models that are appealing aesthetically and functionally more to me. A few examples to be the Benchmade Skirmish, the Mike Snody collabs, mainly a lot of their older productions that are not axis locks!

Does anyone else feel this way about bench made? I just finished watching the Shot Show videos for Benchmades new models, and they are ALL axis locks. I don't have any Benchmade folders as of yet, but I have plenty of experience with the Griptillian, (quite a few marines in my unit have the Grip), but I can't be made a fan of them.

I started looking into older models of Benchmades and I am really liking the Skirmish. So I'm currently hunting around for one. I'd like that to be my first Benchmade folder and then maybe gradually move into the Axis locks. Not sure how I feel about them.

How do other people feel about Benchmade knives? Do you guys like the new stuff? How are you finding the Axis Lock?
Benchmade does have an OUTSTANDING warranty and they replace your blade for 20$$$$$ for anything outside of warranty that's freaking awesome. Just throwing some feelers out to see what people think.

Thanks everyone for all the tips and help given over the year!

 

[Hairlesstwinkie]

I think this belongs in the Benchmade subforum...

Benchmade makes excellent knives. There's a reason why I keep going back for them. I do own a Skirmish and boy, it's a knife. Every time I go try to sell it, I end up withdrawing it and sticking it back in my pocket. It's a monster of a knife with a lot of cutting power. They're not getting any easier to find, unless you want to pay the high price for a new one from a collector.

Axis locks are very safe because the load is not transferred to the springs. The load is transferred to the frame and the lockbar. So the only way for the springs to fail is if the springs are defective or you're not taking care of it. I don't understand why people like you are worried about that. Sure if you don't regularly maintain your knife and just let dirt and crud gather, you will have problems with the lock. If you ever watch Benchmade's test on the locks, they fail not because of the spring, but from the frame or the actual lock bar failing. They fail after putting on hundreds upon hundreds of pounds. I would trust Axis lock with my life. If anything, the liner locks are more dangerous if you torque your knife from side to side, or lock slip might happen. With any folding knives, you'll have to understand that they have their limits.

 

[Cypress]

I keep buying non-Axis knives in the hope of diversifying. It NEVER works, and I always end up with a BM in my pocket. I've had Axis knives for over a decade, and have never broken a spring or had a lock fail (even under absurd use).

The lab testing shows they are stronger, general use dictates they are safer, and design proves they are smoother.

 

[RamZar]

Benchmade is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Axis lock so that's another reason you saw so many of them being introduced at the 2014 SHOT Show.

The cost of a new blade is $25.00 if it is satin or $35.00 if it is black.

Benchmade had some great folders with a lock other than Axis: 790 Subrosa (titanium frame lock), 425 Gravitator (titanium liner lock), 635 Mini-Skirmish (titanium frame lock), 630 Skirmish (titanium frame lock), 670 Apparition (steel liner lock), etc. Alas they're all discontinued!

My three favorite Benchmades all have the Axis lock: 940, 707 and 801! I have a 940SBK and 707SBK from 2005 and they still work just fine.

 

[bzelflipador]

I think this belongs in the Benchmade subforum...

Benchmade makes excellent knives. There's a reason why I keep going back for them. I do own a Skirmish and boy, it's a knife. Every time I go try to sell it, I end up withdrawing it and sticking it back in my pocket. It's a monster of a knife with a lot of cutting power. They're not getting any easier to find, unless you want to pay the high price for a new one from a collector.

Axis locks are very safe because the load is not transferred to the springs. The load is transferred to the frame and the lockbar. So the only way for the springs to fail is if the springs are defective or you're not taking care of it. I don't understand why people like you are worried about that. Sure if you don't regularly maintain your knife and just let dirt and crud gather, you will have problems with the lock. If you ever watch Benchmade's test on the locks, they fail not because of the spring, but from the frame or the actual lock bar failing. They fail after putting on hundreds upon hundreds of pounds. I would trust Axis lock with my life. If anything, the liner locks are more dangerous if you torque your knife from side to side, or lock slip might happen. With any folding knives, you'll have to understand that they have their limits.

My hesitance with axis locks is more mental than it is functional, if that makes sense haha. I know how the axis lock works but eveyrtime I see a BM taken apart and see the spring on the lock I cringe and say to myself that shouldn't work. One of these days I will be an owner of an axis lock BM but not sure when. I have seen a few tests BM has on the Axis locks, with their machines and am certainly impressed where the load was transferred to the liners and even dented them but the lock did not fail. In fact the blade snapped before the lock would fail. So I know they work, but in my head every time i see that little wire spring I imagine that is the whole lock. STUPID and IGNORANT, but I'll see the light of BM products some day. lol

 

[bzelflipador]

There is a new axis lock that is catching my eye the 484. The design looks like BM got everything I like right. Even with the thumb ramp and jimping!

 

[bzelflipador]

I think this belongs in the Benchmade subforum...

Benchmade makes excellent knives. There's a reason why I keep going back for them. I do own a Skirmish and boy, it's a knife. Every time I go try to sell it, I end up withdrawing it and sticking it back in my pocket. It's a monster of a knife with a lot of cutting power. They're not getting any easier to find, unless you want to pay the high price for a new one from a collector.

Axis locks are very safe because the load is not transferred to the springs. The load is transferred to the frame and the lockbar. So the only way for the springs to fail is if the springs are defective or you're not taking care of it. I don't understand why people like you are worried about that. Sure if you don't regularly maintain your knife and just let dirt and crud gather, you will have problems with the lock. If you ever watch Benchmade's test on the locks, they fail not because of the spring, but from the frame or the actual lock bar failing. They fail after putting on hundreds upon hundreds of pounds. I would trust Axis lock with my life. If anything, the liner locks are more dangerous if you torque your knife from side to side, or lock slip might happen. With any folding knives, you'll have to understand that they have their limits.

How do I transfer to the Benchmade sub forum?