Got one of these knives in the mail - no extensive testing done, but a few thoughts that might be of interest to anyone considering a purchase:
WOW! This is quite a knife! Especially for the price! Mine is the black-coated plain-edge model. The three points that really stick out (I slay me, really) about this knife are (1) handle shape (2) blade shape (3) pocket clip.
The handle is extremely comfortable, an easy curve, the butt feels similar to an AFCK, very comfy in the back three fingers. The lack of an index-finger cutout, as in the AFCK or Gerber Covert,is regrettable and would make it a more secure fighter in the hand, however. But it still seats plenty secure. The notched thumb-ramp adds to the security of grip, however it brings the thumb further along the blade than I would prefer. But overall an exceptionally secure and comfortable grip, for slashing, whittling or box-cutting. The aluminum feels sturdy and the ubber inserts are very grippy. Comparing to 2 similar knives, handle-wise, I'd say the Covert is more comfortable to me, the Benchmade Axis is less comfortable.
The blade design is really interesting. This thing is a !!vicious!! slasher, sort of a hawksbill design taking the edge out in front of the hand, but instead of ending in a point, it curves back up into a tanto point. OK, that's a terrible description, go to the knifecenter (or previous postings about this knife on this forum) to see a pic and you'll get the idea - this blade is savage. Much superior IMHO to the Axis or Covert for slashing attacks, although the Covert is more comfortable for a quick stab. As for utility tasks - well, as a city boy most of my utility needs can be met with a small blade: open boxes & mail, clean my nails, cut a tough staek, whittle a quick pungee stick to guard my office door. . . but the recurved tanto design makes the Impulse exceptional at all of these . . . except nail-cleaning, very big and sharp for that - so sharp that when I accidentally cut my index finger nearly to the bone due to sloppy handling (note to self - don't play with a new knife when running a fever and blowing your nose) it didn't bleed at all for a second, and I only noticed it happened because I felt the blade imbed itself in my fingernail. Sharp sharp sharp! Anyway, I wouldn't want to try to skin a deer with this blade design, but for every task I generally face it has proven to be excellent. That Darrel Ralph is no slouch!
The clip design is AWESOME, because it is set into the handle in such a way that it feels like a clipless knife. MAJOR advantage! This design makes it feel better in my hand, overall, than either the Covert or Axis with their clips. The Covert without a clip feels like a dream, but without a clip it loses much of its utility. There's a reason clips are so popular, and the Impulse confers all the benefits without the annoying protruberance we've had to suffer with until now. On the other hand I find that this design, combined with the fact that it rides VERY low in he pocket, a la the EDI Genesis, makes it a little more difficult and slower to remove from the pocket than a protruding clip like the ones found on the Covert, Axis, and pretty much everything else. Something to consider, for defensive purposes, although nothing that can't be overcome with practice.
Another bonus is the tremendous lockup of this knife - "bank vault" - absolutely no play at all in any direction. The Axis deploys faster but just doesn't have the same feel of strength to it, although no one can deny the actual strength of that lock system. The Covert deploys faster yet, but mine has a wee bit of play in the blade. This may not have any practical consequence in 99% of knife-use situations, but the Impulse lockup feels great and gives a lot of satisfaction. Spine-wack tests were passed with flying colors. I have held the handle in one hand and twisted it with the other, trying to desperately to disengage the liner-lock with no success - it doesn't budge. In fact, the base of the blade is hardened to make th liner-lock "stick" a bit, so it doesn't unlock very smoothly - but I'll put up with that in exchange for the security it brings.
Basically this is a really spiffy knife, and the longer I have it the more I like it. It has a big psychological impact, however - it looks EVIL, especially in all black, and may freak out the non-knife crowd. On the other hand, that might be good in some circumstances . . . anyway, it's a factor to consider. But the biggest factor here is COST - at one site you can get an Impulse for about $40, whereas a Covert costs $100 and an Axis costs $110. All 3 knives are approximately the same size and weight, and appropriate for the same sorts of tasks. I really love my Covert, but if I had to choose between one or the other I would go with the Impulse because it is a great knife for less that half the price. (I'm no fan of the Axis design - specifically the 710 - so IMHO why not get 3 Impulses instead & be set for life?)
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The beatings will continue until morale improves.
WOW! This is quite a knife! Especially for the price! Mine is the black-coated plain-edge model. The three points that really stick out (I slay me, really) about this knife are (1) handle shape (2) blade shape (3) pocket clip.
The handle is extremely comfortable, an easy curve, the butt feels similar to an AFCK, very comfy in the back three fingers. The lack of an index-finger cutout, as in the AFCK or Gerber Covert,is regrettable and would make it a more secure fighter in the hand, however. But it still seats plenty secure. The notched thumb-ramp adds to the security of grip, however it brings the thumb further along the blade than I would prefer. But overall an exceptionally secure and comfortable grip, for slashing, whittling or box-cutting. The aluminum feels sturdy and the ubber inserts are very grippy. Comparing to 2 similar knives, handle-wise, I'd say the Covert is more comfortable to me, the Benchmade Axis is less comfortable.
The blade design is really interesting. This thing is a !!vicious!! slasher, sort of a hawksbill design taking the edge out in front of the hand, but instead of ending in a point, it curves back up into a tanto point. OK, that's a terrible description, go to the knifecenter (or previous postings about this knife on this forum) to see a pic and you'll get the idea - this blade is savage. Much superior IMHO to the Axis or Covert for slashing attacks, although the Covert is more comfortable for a quick stab. As for utility tasks - well, as a city boy most of my utility needs can be met with a small blade: open boxes & mail, clean my nails, cut a tough staek, whittle a quick pungee stick to guard my office door. . . but the recurved tanto design makes the Impulse exceptional at all of these . . . except nail-cleaning, very big and sharp for that - so sharp that when I accidentally cut my index finger nearly to the bone due to sloppy handling (note to self - don't play with a new knife when running a fever and blowing your nose) it didn't bleed at all for a second, and I only noticed it happened because I felt the blade imbed itself in my fingernail. Sharp sharp sharp! Anyway, I wouldn't want to try to skin a deer with this blade design, but for every task I generally face it has proven to be excellent. That Darrel Ralph is no slouch!
The clip design is AWESOME, because it is set into the handle in such a way that it feels like a clipless knife. MAJOR advantage! This design makes it feel better in my hand, overall, than either the Covert or Axis with their clips. The Covert without a clip feels like a dream, but without a clip it loses much of its utility. There's a reason clips are so popular, and the Impulse confers all the benefits without the annoying protruberance we've had to suffer with until now. On the other hand I find that this design, combined with the fact that it rides VERY low in he pocket, a la the EDI Genesis, makes it a little more difficult and slower to remove from the pocket than a protruding clip like the ones found on the Covert, Axis, and pretty much everything else. Something to consider, for defensive purposes, although nothing that can't be overcome with practice.
Another bonus is the tremendous lockup of this knife - "bank vault" - absolutely no play at all in any direction. The Axis deploys faster but just doesn't have the same feel of strength to it, although no one can deny the actual strength of that lock system. The Covert deploys faster yet, but mine has a wee bit of play in the blade. This may not have any practical consequence in 99% of knife-use situations, but the Impulse lockup feels great and gives a lot of satisfaction. Spine-wack tests were passed with flying colors. I have held the handle in one hand and twisted it with the other, trying to desperately to disengage the liner-lock with no success - it doesn't budge. In fact, the base of the blade is hardened to make th liner-lock "stick" a bit, so it doesn't unlock very smoothly - but I'll put up with that in exchange for the security it brings.
Basically this is a really spiffy knife, and the longer I have it the more I like it. It has a big psychological impact, however - it looks EVIL, especially in all black, and may freak out the non-knife crowd. On the other hand, that might be good in some circumstances . . . anyway, it's a factor to consider. But the biggest factor here is COST - at one site you can get an Impulse for about $40, whereas a Covert costs $100 and an Axis costs $110. All 3 knives are approximately the same size and weight, and appropriate for the same sorts of tasks. I really love my Covert, but if I had to choose between one or the other I would go with the Impulse because it is a great knife for less that half the price. (I'm no fan of the Axis design - specifically the 710 - so IMHO why not get 3 Impulses instead & be set for life?)
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The beatings will continue until morale improves.
