Q on Bugout

gull wing

gull wing

Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
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Looking at this to do light and random chores. Not a special care to baby around.
Q #1 Does it slice? I don't want a apple splitter, I want a apple slicer.
#2 Do the scales feel ok?
 
Yes, it's a good slicer. Not as good as something with a thinner blade (e.g. an Opinel), but compared to most modern folders it's thin stock and the grind is high. I don't generally use my folders for food, so I can't speak to its apple-slicing capabilities. It was my favorite modern slicer until I got a Quiet Carry Drift.

The scales on the standard model feel fine to me, both in terms of texture (nice) and flex (sure, if you muscle it -- but this isn't that kind of knife). I've had CF Elite scales on other Benchmades, and I do prefer that texture to the standard Bugout scales. And of course there are stock G10, CF, and aluminum models if you want to spend more (not to mention a million aftermarket scale options).
 
If you are willing to re-profile the primary grind to something more acute, Bugouts make really good slicers. I did that to both of mine, taking the edge down to about 17-18 DPS. As Dad mentioned above, the Bugout already has a decently thin blade with high secondary grinds, so thinning out the edge was that much easier and ended up slicing that much better.
 
At .090": it's a slicer!
I don't care for the polymer scales; but the carbon fiber ones feel great!
 
I'm very tempted by the Bugout. The scales are Grivory, a fibreglass reinforced polyamide, very tough stuff.
 
The blade stock is a hair thinner than the Delica (2.286mm vs 2.50mm), but the way the blades are ground the Delica (note the "step" where the grind actually starts on the Delica - 2.18mm by measurements ) is actually thinner. That's the FFG version, not the sabre ground. I compare it to the Delica because it's what I have lying around, roughly similar, and there's a good chance you're familiar with one. The Bugout is still an excellent slicer. I use mine on cardboard quite a bit, and while my Delica cuts it better, the Bugout still cuts it very well. You won't have any problems with apples.

There's perhaps better apple slicing EDC knives out there; the Delica is ground thinner, as I mentioned, but the blade is short. The Bugout's blade isn't long enough to cut a larger apple in half in one "chop" either, but it's longer than the Delica. An Endela or Stretch might do you better in that regard, although the blades are a bit thicker.

I can't speak for the Grivory handles on the Bugout, as mine is a 535-3 with carbon fiber handles. Grivory* is like Zytel*/FRN, although perhaps a bit stronger/tougher. It's plastic, and will feel like plastic. One common complaint about the Bugout is that the handles have some flex if you squeeze them. There's no liners past the inset ones to house the AXIS mechanism. This saves weight, keeping it under 2oz. The flex is probably not an issue for regular EDC use, although it might bug you just because that sort of thing bugs people like us. This makes the Bugout a bit of an enigma or contradiction. It's a cheap premium knife, or an expensive budget knife. The obvious fix is a higher end version, or getting custom scales, but that can push the overall cost past what you can afford or beyond what you might consider being "worth it". Personalization goes a long way though.

I don't have a Mini Bugout, but having the same blade thickness in a smaller blade means it won't slice quite as well, and obviously the shorter blade won't make apple cutting easier either. I like the size of the regular Bugout. My hand (L-size gloves) fits perfectly within the contours of the handle for a full 4-finger grip. The handles are thin (at least, on my CF one they are - I don't know if the Grivory ones are thicker), so it's good in the pocket in that regard (essentially the same as a FRN Delica). It is a touch broad though, although not as broad as a Delica. If you're interested in the Mini Bugout, I'd suggest also looking at the 945 Mini Osborne (mini 940). It's a small bit longer and heavier, with a slightly thicker blade (thinner than the 940), but depending on your preferences, might "pocket" better.

Whatever you do though, buy only from authorized, respected, well-known dealer (ie: not Amazon, and not eBay unless you trust the seller). There are a TON of counterfeits of the Bugout and other Benchmades, and it's very possible you could receive a fake that someone bought from and returned in place of the original.
 
My Bugout is one of my most used knives. It's already pretty slicy. I used it last night to slice some cheese to make sandwiches, because it was the closest thing at hand. The original blue grivory scales don't bother me. They're very strong. There are a lot of upscale versions, including ones with longer handles that look pretty good, but they kind of defeat the point by making the knife heavier. .

I have a Mini Bugout, but it's just a scaled down version and a bit too tiny for my hands. I'll probably end up giving it away at some point. Benchmade also have a larger version for release this year (in 132 days and 5 minutes), called the TaggedOut, with a 3.5" clip point blade, made from CPM 154 steel.
 
The Bailout is also a similar knife to consider if you want to go up in size. Though it has a different blade shape and steel, I believe.
 
ChrisB507 said:
The Bailout is also a similar knife to consider if you want to go up in size. Though it has a different blade shape and steel, I believe.
Click to expand...
That's the one with the tanto blade.
 
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