Should Benchmade offer assist/non assist as an option on Axis lock knives.

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Ford1911

Joined
Jul 29, 2007
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Seems like quite a few people here de-assist their Axis lock knives. I know I prefer non assisted on Axis lock. One of the BIG features for me with an Axis lock knife is it is so easy to close one handed. Wouldn't it be great if they would offer non-assisted knives in all models. They should even be able to knock off a few bucks for non assisted options, since it would be less parts and labor?
I am not against assisted opening knives. I have a couple. I just think it actually takes away from the beauty of the Axis lock.
 
Personally I see ZERO reason for assisted knives. Either get an auto or use a manual. The ONLY reason I don't buy quite a few of the BM knives that I want is due to them being assisted Axis locks. I hate assisted knives. Most people can open a manual knife as fast or faster than anything assisted. Plus who wants to "thwack" a knife open all the time. Not good when you're at work and stuff.
 
David Lowry said:
Personally I see ZERO reason for assisted knives. Either get an auto or use a manual. The ONLY reason I don't buy quite a few of the BM knives that I want is due to them being assisted Axis locks. I hate assisted knives. Most people can open a manual knife as fast or faster than anything assisted. Plus who wants to "thwack" a knife open all the time. Not good when you're at work and stuff.
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Yeah, Benchmade has some great knives I have on the backburner just because they are assisted. I wish they would knock $5 - $10 bucks +/- off MSRP and offer a non assisted version. Assisted really has not much benefit on an Axis because they are so smooth in the first place.
 
I can care less about assisted openers. The end result is simple, the blade is open and ready to cut. Plain and simple. Its just as easy to open and close just like a liner lock or back lock, press lock and close against leg or near by object. Never been a deal braker for me, the 581 is my favorite benchmade.followed by the 940.
 
I'm fairly new to benchmade, but I have a few assisted kershaw's, and I couldn't see me buying any assisted axis knives. Mine are so smooth and as stated before they close so nice with one hand that I don't see the point. I'd definitely like the option to have them non assist straight from benchmade
 
David Lowry said:
Personally I see ZERO reason for assisted knives. Either get an auto or use a manual. The ONLY reason I don't buy quite a few of the BM knives that I want is due to them being assisted Axis locks. I hate assisted knives. Most people can open a manual knife as fast or faster than anything assisted. Plus who wants to "thwack" a knife open all the time. Not good when you're at work and stuff.
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It's nice to have the assist in my mini barrage while at work [factory] when I need a knife out fast. I can't buy auto's because, lucky me, I'm in Canada. I'd say, just take out the coil spring yourself!
 
David Lowry said:
Personally I see ZERO reason for assisted knives. Either get an auto or use a manual. The ONLY reason I don't buy quite a few of the BM knives that I want is due to them being assisted Axis locks. I hate assisted knives. Most people can open a manual knife as fast or faster than anything assisted. Plus who wants to "thwack" a knife open all the time. Not good when you're at work and stuff.
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Ohio must allow the purchase and carry of automatic knives. For those poor souls in states that outlaw autos (my state was until this month), an assisted knife is great.
 
All you have to do to remove the assist in the barrage family or the ruckus is remove the coil spring. They could easily just not put the spring in from the factory. The knives probably wouldn't be any cheaper though. My advice would be to just buy the normal version and take the spring out.
 
The only reason I haven't purchased the 581 yet is because of the assist. It looks fairly easy to take the spring out. I just don't want to get it put back together and have the blade centering all jacked up. Would be better if the factory had a non-assist option. I'll probably get a 581 soon anyway...
 
So does it effect the warranty in any way if you remove the spring. Still would be easier if they just did it at the factory as an option. :p
 
yeah all the benchmade I have, beside mini reflex, are manual and they open quicker than my flash II assist, they are just toooooooo smooth:eek:
 
I LOVE BM, but hate auto’s, and assisted models.. I have only 2 auto’s and zero assisted.. Like some others have stated - I see no reason for them bc I can “flick” my manuals faster LOL I personally hope that BM won’t make the assisted feature more prominent in their future line-up. :(
 
I just bought & sold a 470-1 (assisted axis lock) and honestly my only gripe with the assisted opening is that you had to pull both sides of the release to close the knife. Otherwise I loved flicking it open and thought the action was pretty smooth. If the knife was a little bigger I would have kept it.
 
Not a huge fan of assisted knives. I own a few assisted BMs and I admit they see little pocket time.
 
Sadly too many knife companies are catering to mall ninjas flipping knives open these days by reducing blade retention and using spring assisted designs, but it sells a lot of knives to people that like to attract attention to themselves. I do like some of the subtle flipper designs only because they allow for a larger hand guard. Funny thing is many states have knife laws against any type of assisted opening knife, not just autos, those laws are just not enforced.

I doubt you'll ever see BM offer the option to remove or install any internal part or spring, as they don't feel owners should disassemble their knives in any way shape or form. The won't even send out omega springs for axis locks so users can replace them, nor will they send out replacement handle slabs etc. Though interestingly I've heard of them sending out new screw kits and they are known to be very good about sending out spare clips.
 
I would like to see it as an option as long as it does not increase the thickness of the assisted versions. I have both assisted and non-assisted Axis lock Benchmades and like them all but one of the attractions of many of the non assisted BM models is how thin and light they are for EDC compared to the Axis Assist models. The 530, 940 and 960 are all nice thin Benchmade axis lock knives that are attractive to me due to their thinness and minimal weight.
 
I like assisted, if that's how they come. For me, there's no problem using any of my Barrage or Nitrous models and as a rule don't take mine apart or modify them in any way unless it's cosmetics like removing a blade coating. There appears to be a lot of strength in opines about not going assisted, but would suggest there are plenty of options otherwise in Benchmade's lineup that don't require messing.
 
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