Spyderco Military vs Benchmade Griptilian

[Siggyhk]

Wise up, archie.

 

[P2P]

I have had both. It I was to have only one.....military. Ya, its a little too big for the sheeple, but screw em.

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

There is no comparison. The Axis Lock is a gimmick & basically a toy at the end of the day. Having owned 5-6 Axis knives w/ one still sitting in the drawer w/ a busted omega spring & a Millie being one of my oldest knives, having survived a LOT of carry/use... well...my experience shows me volumes. The Axis is a cancer in the status quo of Benchmade. Since its conception and (over)use, IMO, their entire line has suffered. If you want a great knife, and it HAS to have a butterfly on it... It's gotta be a Bali-song.

Can you share some more about your experiences with axis folders? What all did you dislike about it? Any of the others that you had before also bust an omega spring?

Thanks dude

 

[Buzzbait]

I own a ton of Millies, and one M2 RitterGrip. At the end of the day, I'd be hard pressed to choose between them. I mostly use the Millie for utility work, because it carries more easily in the pocket. The M2 Ritter gets used while camping and hiking, because of the blade shape and the M2 steel.

But if I were choosing from the current lot of Griptilians and a Millie, it would be no contest. Millie all the way. Bigger blade. Slimmer carry. Big round opening hole. G10 scales. The only liner lock I truly trust. The only advantage of the Griptilian for me would be the beefier tip.

Just stay away from Millies with black blades. The black coating causes the blade to bind quite badly under certain conditions. Especially food prep.

Be prepared. Many people don't realize exactly how long a Military blade is until they actual handle one in person.

The Orange Millie is pretty close to perfect.

 

[hardheart]

I would choose a para 2 or the grip. Blade/handle ratio on the millie is pretty lousy, the tip is a little too delicate for my tastes, the single pocket clip position leaves too much handle protruding, the liner lock doesn't compare to the axis or the compression lock, and while the knife is thin, it is too wide to access anything else in the carry pocket. I had one millie for a couple days, just enough time to get it sold. I also like the Caly 3.5, or a FFG Endura. BM has plenty of other axis models available for $150 or less.

 

[BladeChick777]

I Like Both, The Military Is Great And A BEAST Of A Knife. But The Griptilian Is a Beast, Very Lightweight, Looks Good And Feels Good And It's Cheaper.

Though, You Can Design Your Own Griptilian On The Benchmade Site And Have It Made To Order. You Can Pic Different Steels, Coating No Coating Choose To Have 1 Solid Color Or 2 Different Colors, You Can Choose For It To Be The Sheepsfoot With Thumb Hole, Or You Can Choose The Drop Point With Thumb Stud, And You Can Have It Engraved! Which Honestly I Think Is A Really Great Option If You Want A Personal Customized EDC.

 

[archieblue]

Everything falls victim to Murphy's law. The tiny springs in the Axis are incomparably susceptible when compaired to the tried and true. There is one place where, at least the idea of, the Axis shines. The lock moves linear to the blade which provides a huge space for lock travel. It also provides truly acceptable slop in tolerances. It's a tiny spring though & it will fail.

 

[Keyman]

There are springs used in many different applications; such as padlocks, desk & file cabinet locks as well as automotive door locks and ignitions. These springs get used and abused much more and are in fact much smaller in size than any knife spring. Many of these springs are so small they could be hidden inside a grain of rice and they are still working perfectly in 30+ year old cars & motorcycles. I have owned many Benchmade knives and I have never had a spring break. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm just saying the odds actually favor them not breaking. This is not my opinion, it is a fact.

 

[Siggyhk]

I've been using Benchmades knives since before the Axis existed, and since the Axis came around these knives have improved for that very reason.

I've used many Axis locking knives hard, and have abused them in many cases over the years. I've spine-whacked them very, very hard, I've stabbed them into trees very hard, I've even stabbed one through a car door. I've waved several 806s, and have opened the rest of my Axis locking knives very hard via inertia. I've played with them is such ways for countless hour over several years.

I have never had an Axis spring break, even with the things I've put my knives through. -That doesn't mean I don't believe the do break sometimes. But I find it hard to believe people have multiple spings break. I do also believe that if one breaks the knife will still functuion with one until it can be repared.

To say that this lock is a detramint to Benchmade is a very silly thing to say. It it the soul of BM and for great reasons. About 98-99 % of people with one of these lock loves them and don't have any issues. This lock has taken a great company to a higher level by a long shot. -Thinking the opposite is wrong.

To have faith in a liner-lock is very foolish in my opinion, no matter how thick it is, or from what company it came. -I have seen/made them fail personally from several major companies, and they sometime fail is less than extreme ways. And to think they're better than an Axis lock is crazy. Liner-locks are for people that don't really need locks. People believe in these locks because a company associated with LEO/Military uses them for thier entire line (basically), and another company makes a model called "The Military" that uses a liner-lock. -Don't buy into that if you expect more than a little out of your knife's lock. As a lock, I am convinced that the liner style lock is totally unpredictable.

I find it hard to believe that people have multiple spring failure on multiple knives with Axis locks, as I've had not a single one, and I flick them hard, stab into things, wave them open, ect, ect.. -Maybe I'm just been lucky, but I'm a pretty unlucky guy, so I doubt it. Maybe others just have had way more Axis-locking knives than me, and that explains it, but again, I doubt it.

The Axis lock shines because it open smooths, locks without blay, is easy to use, smooth to open and close, it's "reliable", strong, and self wearing.
You thickest liner-locks(or thinest, or most expensive) are no where near a reliable as the smallest Axis lock. You're welcome to disagree, but you'd be wrong if so; at least based on my opinion, which is based on first hand experience.

I honestly just find it crazy for someone to say the Axis is a toy, while praising a liner-lock. Do some reseach and compare liner-lock failures to Axis lock failures. -Not broken springs, but the knife closing when it should stay open. Liner-locks are the true toys by todays lock standards. I honestly see them more as a slip-joint than an actual lock. YMMV, and for many it surely does.

 

[Siggyhk]

Any hey, if you have no intention to using you knife/lock hard I think the Military is a top of the line choice.

 

[cutter17]

Boy, the Axis Lock must have really stepped on your toes! I've had several over the years, and still have a couple that I absolutely love, the large Bone Collector, and the Rift. Have carried both, used both, opened both MANY times, and have yet to experience any problems. I also think we tend to hear about a specific lock only when there is a problem with it, but not when it is doing it's job as it was designed to do. Don't know what the failure ratio is for the Axis Lock, but I feel sure that there are a lot more that function as designed than there are that don't.

To the OP, don't shy away from the Axis Lock on the say so of a few people, as the majority of people owning one have absolutely no problems with this lock. I still think you should take a look at the large Bone Collector from BM, as it gives you a very similar design as the Grip, but with G-10, full liners, and D2 blade steel. You will still come in under the $150 mark.

 

[swegeek]

The Millie is too big. It's too scary for sheeple. It has too poor fit and finish being a Golden knife (bit of a gamble every time). It's not even close to being as refined as say a Kershaw Tremor, Cold Steel Hold Out II, Benchmade 710 or even a Spyderco Resilience. It's basically a shitty, overpriced slob of G10 with a not so sexy steel and a crappy lock fitted to it. A horrible, horrible buy. Worthless. Snake oil.

But it's also the only knife that will make you feel like a kid playing with it. Or make you feel like a total badass when you're opening diaper packages. Everytime you grab it from your pocket and flick it open it feels like there should be a choir there going "AAAAAAAAAA!".

And that's why you buy it. It's the sexiest folder on earth.

 

[Yo Mama]

Not only is S30V the better steel, but IMO Spyderco does a better job with their HTs than Benchmade. The Military also has nested liners which make it significantly tougher than the Grip. The FFG and negative angled blade on the Military will also out cut the Grip. The Military fits more blade (longer AND thicker than the Grip, 4mm) into a thinner knife, while being tougher and made with better materials (G10). Lastly, there's no comparison with the ergonomics, either.

Just wondering why you feel the s30v is better steel?

 

[powernoodle]

 

[Ankerson]

The Military is just a great user knife for those who really have to cut stuff with their knives.

That blade is a good length, it has lots of belly, it's distal tapered, flat ground and thin enough behind the edge to still be strong while being a very good cutter.

The handle length lets one get a lot of cutting force on that blade for hard cutting tasks also.

Yes the tip is kinda fine, but that works very well for pushing through stuff like cardboard and other media, as long as one doesn't use the tip as a pry bar it's fine.

 

[wongKI]

Heh, I'd say Spyderco Stretch.

I own a Military and a Mini-Grip... Thoughts? The Military has been a reliable companion for pretty long. The blade is great for outdoors and the knife is basically built for that sort of work. Long, broad blade, cuts really well. I got the orange Military, which is discontinued.

Clip is pretty high-riding and one position only.

The liner lock cutout is large, which makes left-handed use less comfortable and I would guess a little less safe. The lock itself is executed great. Never a real cause for alarm. The ergonomics are more suited for a big hand, though.

Splendid knife, though big for EDC. For that I stick with an Opinel, or my Dragonfly.

 

[Reeper22]

If you want a great knife, and it HAS to have a butterfly on it... It's gotta be a Bali-song.

My Gold Class Griptillian would like to have a word with you.

 

[Keyman]

 

[matt1987]

the military and grip are in different leagues imo. it would be more fair to compare a grip with an endura or delica. the grip is just a little more expensive since its made in USA. is the extra money for the military worth it? yes, i say so. you'll get a bigger blade and better handles. but all in all they're both just knives. both will cut just fine.

 

[loonybin]

I think the paramilitary 2 is more in the same region as the benchmade. The spyderco will have a better blade steel than the benchmade and will probably slice better, but the benchmade's blade profile will have a stronger tip. I also think that the spyderco carries easier as well because the handle profile is narrower. It really depends on what is more important to you.

Dimension-wise, the paramilitary 2 is closer to the Grip. However, price-wise, the PM2 is still more expensive. The Bone Collector Axis (the large one) is about the same price, or even a few dollars less at the right place, and it is definitely a better knife than the Grip (and i used to own two mini-Grips, and my son currently owns one). The Grip is more akin to the Endura, and of those two, I'd pick the Grip.

To the OP, if you're going to set your high limit at $150, then why look at the Grip?? There are a ton of Benchmades in that price range that are better choices:
Large Axis Bone Collector D2 goodness with a thumb hole full flat grind profile, G10 scales and full liners
Rift (my favorite Axis lock knife. This thing is a tank with great ergonomics and an excellent blade shape)
581 Barrage. M390 steel -- superior to s30v -- one of the fastest assisted opening mechanisms around, G10/Al scales and full steel liners
Presidio Takes abuse and asks for more.
or the CPM-M4 Presidio M4 is even better than s30v in edge retention, wear resistance, etc., and about as easy to sharpen. Not a stainless steel.
Ritter Griptilian enough praises have already been sung about it and it's s30v blade
McHenry & Williams 710 a more accurate comparison with the Mili. Same blade length, but less obtrusive handle. D2 vs s30v is pretty much your preference.

There is no comparison. The Axis Lock is a gimmick & basically a toy at the end of the day. Having owned 5-6 Axis knives w/ one still sitting in the drawer w/ a busted omega spring & a Millie being one of my oldest knives, having survived a LOT of carry/use... well...my experience shows me volumes. The Axis is a cancer in the status quo of Benchmade. Since its conception and (over)use, IMO, their entire line has suffered. If you want a great knife, and it HAS to have a butterfly on it... It's gotta be a Bali-song.

A toy? Please. That "toy" worked very well on my 710 that I bought back in 2000 and didn't sell until 2010, being used for everything from letter opening to camping. Also the 806, two mini-Grips, my son's mini-Grip, and the Rift (Rift is the only one I have left due to financial reasons). Not one single broken spring. I fully admit to flicking my Axis lock knives very frequently, too.

If it's such a gimmick why have other companies come out with their own attempts at imitating it (ball bearing lock, ARC lock, etc.)? It is a solid design that has proven itself over the last decade. I have never seen an Axis lock fail and close the blade when not desired. I've seen liner locks do that.

Just wondering why you feel the s30v is better steel?

Better edge retention, better wear characteristics, still stainless, more uniform carbide structure... There's no question that s30v is a better steel, but under the normal use that most people put their knives through, you won't notice the difference until you try to sharpen them -- the s30v is harder to sharpen.