omg i held a mini-griptilian today!! (knife newb tale)

Y

yacoub

Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
137
No, I didn't cut myself. :D

It was so cute :foot: ...I mean neat! Really small though. Not easy to manipulate in my hands but I'm sure mostly because I'm a newb and not just because I have long fingers. I liked the Axis lock, but because of the small size of the knife I had to squinch up all my fingers along the handle to get to a place where I could disengage the lock and snap the knife open readily. If I didn't use that method, manually trying to get the knife from the handle one-handed without wrist motion was an awkward jiggle-dance between my thumb and index finger each trying to catch a thumbstud.

It was the olive colored handle (Noryl GTX I believe?) with the black coated combo-edge blade. Really mean lookin' little guy! I totally wanted it but not for $90 in the store and not when it was kinda in between what I'd really want - a little too small for comfortable handling but too awkward in my hands for SD/EDC.

I'm all excited though 'cause that was the first 'real' folder I've ever held. :o

The Starling Byrd I ordered should arrive early next week. I expect it to be even smaller and a great little penknife substitute. That still leaves me with the "need" to purchase at least one decent SD/EDC folder. ;)

I'll probably investigate a full-size Griptilian as well as a few Spydercos I've had my eye on like the Stretch.

Crap, I think I'm hooked! :(
 
If the Mini Grip feels too small try the full sized version.
Yes these are a great knives; even though they are not truely a "collectors" knife I keep buying more.
 
The mini-grip is small. However I carried one every day for about 3 years. I have big hands and it was a little awkward at first, but it really didn't take to long to get comfortable with it. The knife, like most Benchmades, held up excellent... As mentioned, the full size is a little more comfortable. Check around on line, 90.00 is way to high.
 
I've got two Mini Grips myself and they fit my hands perfectly. Both have black handles with 154cm steel. One is the regular non-coated blade and the other is the coated combo blade. I was a Spyderco guy before being put on to the Benchmades earlier this year. Both are great knives but I just prefer something about the BMs a little more now.
As mentioned ealier, try the full-sized Grip if you find the Mini a bit too small for your hands.
 
I sold my only mini-grip, one of the Cabela's D2 coated OD versions. It was a great knife, supersharp, and solid (I think the minis feel less 'plasticky' because they have full-length steel liners). However I love the full-size grips. Have two (S30V Ritter and standard 440C) and they get carried more often than not. They have the fastest AXIS of all the BMs I own.
 
NaturalMystic said:
I've got two Mini Grips myself and they fit my hands perfectly. Both have black handles with 154cm steel. One is the regular non-coated blade and the other is the coated combo blade. I was a Spyderco guy before being put on to the Benchmades earlier this year. Both are great knives but I just prefer something about the BMs a little more now.
As mentioned ealier, try the full-sized Grip if you find the Mini a bit too small for your hands.
Click to expand...

All the minis I have seen are 440C, where did you get ahold of 154cm in one? Inquiring minds want to know :D
 
I have a Mini Grip. It's small for my hands, but otherwise it's a great knife. Benchmade upgraded the Mini Grip series to 154cm this year; I guess what you have seen are older stock.

I bought mine from Lighthound.com.
 
440c is older stock, sad thing is they're being sold on eBay for the same price as the newer 154cm models.

I have yet to see on ebay a Benchmade Grip Mini that is 154cm and coated, though.
 
I like the Grips too..I stumbled upon a good deal last year on a lightly used Cabelas D2 Grip...cuts like a laser and holds that edge for a good long time.
One might have to get over the "plastic" handles at first if you're used to pocketing traditional slips....but the Griptilian is well made..and the Axis lock reliable...and fun to manipulate.

-Regards
 
I am loving mine. It somewhat replaced a Microtech Mini Socom Elite. The 154cm is a definite plus, but the problem is that I am looking at more BM's now, and have a Resistor en route.
I hate this forum. I hate it so much I am reading it instead of working.
David
 
I don't really care for the small size of the minis although I love my full size Ritter Grip. Perfect size for EDC.

The only time i'll tolerate a small handle is if the knife is small enough to fit on a key chain like a Spyderco Jester
 
yacoub said:
No, I didn't cut myself. :D

It was so cute :foot: ...I mean neat! Really small though. Not easy to manipulate in my hands but I'm sure mostly because I'm a newb and not just because I have long fingers. I liked the Axis lock, but because of the small size of the knife I had to squinch up all my fingers along the handle to get to a place where I could disengage the lock and snap the knife open readily. If I didn't use that method, manually trying to get the knife from the handle one-handed without wrist motion was an awkward jiggle-dance between my thumb and index finger each trying to catch a thumbstud.

It was the olive colored handle (Noryl GTX I believe?) with the black coated combo-edge blade. Really mean lookin' little guy! I totally wanted it but not for $90 in the store and not when it was kinda in between what I'd really want - a little too small for comfortable handling but too awkward in my hands for SD/EDC.

I'm all excited though 'cause that was the first 'real' folder I've ever held. :o

The Starling Byrd I ordered should arrive early next week. I expect it to be even smaller and a great little penknife substitute. That still leaves me with the "need" to purchase at least one decent SD/EDC folder. ;)

I'll probably investigate a full-size Griptilian as well as a few Spydercos I've had my eye on like the Stretch.

Crap, I think I'm hooked! :(
Click to expand...

It probably is your hands- try something larger if the handle felt cramped on the Minigrip.
 
it was really too convenient a size to pass up. my fingers are getting used to the size of the handle now that the one i ordered has arrived.
 
I've got a mini in M2. It has been my EDC since I got it. I barely even look at the other 50 knives I've got now. This thing stays sharp forever. It's easy to touch up too. How about those D2's any good? Worse/Better? As far as what I've read on this forum it goes like this: M2, D2, 154CM.
Does that sound right? Anybody?
 
I just got my 556 Mini Grip a couple weeks ago. I wanted something similar in size to my 960 that I wouldnt have to worry about it getting scratched up by my keys. It's a great little knife.
 
The mini-griptillian is a bit small in the hand. I bought my wife one for her to carry (got the "girlie" model with the purple handles), and she has small hands, so it suits her fine. I have a Spyderco Delica that, even though it is a rather small knife, seems to work beter for me than a mini-griptillian. It was also a better bargain.
 
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