Review: Benchmade Vex

I picked up a Vex yesterday, and my initial impression is very positive. It is extremely well made and finished. It kind of reminds me of a Terzoula custom that I once had in its overall design. I am surprised that it is not a designer model because its lines really remind me of some customs I have seen. I will have to see how its edge will hold up from use.

It is kind of funny to me when I see the strong reactions against Chinese knives. For all the rhetoric against China, our businesses and government are deeply inbed with them. Given that, I see no reason not to pick up a good deal on a knife. That said, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
 
gunmike1, email about the offer.

BJE, it looks to me that the steel through the spine on the opening hole is fairly narrow. What is the width?

-Cliff
 
Is the spine really as thick as advertised? I have seen a foto of the thick lock and wondered about the blade thickness.
 
i am surprised to know that the vex is made in china.how long does the liner last?in china ,we cant buy quality knives easily.some cheap knives has poor quality.their liners will go to the extreme side of the handle after light use.i find some knives of benchmade are made in chian until i am here.so there are a lot of knifenuts in china dont know this news.i am sure they will be surprised.but ,it is pity we cant get access to it.
 
Cliff Stamp said:
gunmike1, email about the offer.

BJE, it looks to me that the steel through the spine on the opening hole is fairly narrow. What is the width?

-Cliff
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I really don't know, but the blade is pretty rigid feeling and it seems thick enough for hard use.
 
Blop said:
Is the spine really as thick as advertised? I have seen a foto of the thick lock and wondered about the blade thickness.
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It doesn't look as thick as say a Mini-Ambush, but I think that it seems that way because of the rounded spine. I think it is very close in acutual thickness as people are advertising.
 
ALl the big makers are producing knives in China. China doesn't instantly mean crap people. Cheap skilled labor allows us (the consumers) to benefit by getting a blade that we wouldn't normally be able to afford. Look at CRKT's attempt to buid knives in the US - inferior blade steel and construction- why? Because they have to pay the lazy workers more so they cheapen the materials. I trust Benchmade wouldn't have a knife made in China unless it was quality.
 
Nice knives for the price I would guess, but tip-down carry is a big turnoff! I guess I could always drill and tap clip holes. I think the Vex would be a good gift knife.
 
Just checked the site...guess not. Bit of a turn off for me as well.
 
huugh said:
Can you elaborate it a bit more? Only because of design? Or is there something else?
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I said that because it feels like it would cost twice what it did, and because I really like the strength (it feels so solid,that I imagine this is how a Manix or a Strider feels when it locks up) and excellent f&f this knife has, and I think if I didn't know that is was a made in China red class benchmade, I would assume it was a blue class and therefore worth twice as much. The design is a part of it also.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
It is kind of funny to me when I see the strong reactions against Chinese knives. For all the rhetoric against China, our businesses and government are deeply inbed with them. Given that, I see no reason not to pick up a good deal on a knife. That said, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
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For me, I'd just like to see more things made in the USA. Just a couple reasons are; fair trade and dollar dumping. Google any of these for more information its pretty clear for me.
 
first time i see this knife, nice!

being a spyderco fan i truly like this one because of the thumbhole, too bad the blade is only 3.3" though...

can't wait for the bigger vesion, if that comes..... :confused:
 
allenC said:
Are you sure?
I thought most of the Red Class Benchmades were manufactured in Taiwan.
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Well, it is possible but I tend to follow the "fly sheet rule" - if it is not explicitly mentioned, it is not there.

=> BM website mentions Taiwan only for these two HK: http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=14100
http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=14300

(BTW China claims Taiwan to be part of China, (well, Kuomintang wouldn't agree :D)... :))
 
Hey, BJE, how is the Vex treating you? Any edge retention differences jumping out at you? How about the blade grind's cutting efficiency vs. the G-10 Cara Cara?
My new G-10 Cara Cara is better than my first (I gave it away), it has no blade play at all, impervious to spine whacks, and holding it's very sharp factory edge well. The only minuses are the finish on the sides of the lockbar are rough, and the finish on the tang where it locks up looks like a bastard file (really, it does). After a couple of drops of tuf glide though it is smooth and functions flawlessly. I will be thinning the angle out significantly as soon as I get the time (fitting that into a 60+ hour work week and spending time with the wife and kid can be tough) to see how it performs. I would be interested in trying the Vex, maybe a passaround would be able to get worked out.
 
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