Spyderco V Benchmade

giant1

giant1

Joined
May 9, 2007
Messages
2,955
Hi all

Just wondering if anyone owns benchmade and spyderco knives. How do they compare in terms of build quality, design, longevity etc.

Interested to get feedback from owners of both.

Cheers
 
giant1 said:
Hi all

Just wondering if anyone owns benchmade and spyderco knives. How do they compare in terms of build quality, design, longevity etc.

Interested to get feedback from owners of both.

Cheers
Click to expand...
Currently have over 350 Spyderco knives in my collection. I carry a micarta Jester, one of my over three dozen Kiwis, and a larger Spyderco, usually a Stretch, C83 Schempp Persian, or CF Caly 3, daily. Have one more on the way to me now, and intend to buy many more. Have given dozens to friends as gifts.

Owned one Benchmade. Threw it away.
 
I own many, many knives from both Benchmade and Spyderco. Both companies make good knives. I'm currently much more interested in Spyderco, but I'll still buy a Benchmade now and then when they come out with something nice. I'm currently watching the door for the UPS guy, who should be bringing me a Yojimbo and a waved Endura any minute now. However, a Benchmade 942 is riding in my pocket as I type this.

All politics aside (bearing in mind Sal's comments in his "shiny footprints" thread)- the knives are comparable in terms of quality. The main difference between the two companies, in my opinion, comes down to design philosophy. Spyderco's "design in the dark" philosophy focuses on functionality and ergonomics above all else. Benchmade places a higher value on aesthetic concerns. Because of this, Spyderco tends to make better knives from a functional standpoint, and Benchmade knives overall have a slight edge in terms of looks. That is not to say that Benchmade knives don't work, and that all Spyderco knives are ugly, it's just a matter of what each company chooses to focus on. Spyderco's emphasis on the continual refinement of their products is what really fascinates me about the company. Seeing how their designs evolve and change is very interesting to me. I don't see this attention to detail in Benchmade products. Generally speaking, once Benchmade introduces a product, it stays pretty much the same until it is discontinued. (notable exceptions to this would be the Griptilian line and the Pika)
 
Personal opinion..Benchmade isn't setting the world on fire with their new designs, the infidel looks great but it's illegal in my state. Spyderco just seems to be more on the cutting edge with design and materials for my tastes. Another thing I have noticed is that when I buy a new benchmade I've got to tune it up on the sharpmaker to get it truely sharp, my latest zdp caly III has been the sharpest knife I have ever bought even compared to sebenzas and more expensive knifes
 
giant1 said:
Hi all

Just wondering if anyone owns benchmade and spyderco knives. How do they compare in terms of build quality, design, longevity etc.

Interested to get feedback from owners of both.

Cheers
Click to expand...

How do they compare...I will answer the etc part. I'm willing to wager that the MAN at Benchmade wouldn't welcome you to the forum after a couple of replies to your thread. Enough said.
 
I own quite a few BM's and a whole lot of Spydercos. They are both built well and are both reliable. Both companies offer good solidly built products.

I own about 7/8 BM's and about 200 Spydercos. Maybe that says something itself. I just find myself carrying Spyders instead of BM 99% of the time. Personal preference i suppose.

Either route you go you will be buying a good product though.

* at this stage there is so much more i would like to add, but Sal's request is still in my mind.
 
This is a touchy subject for some people, but I am a fan of both companies. I own more Benchmades than I do Spydercos right now, but not for lack of quality control on Spydercos part, I just like some of the BM designs better. My two favorite Spyderco models are the Military and the Native III, those are the only two I own. I recently traded a SE Pacific Salt as part of a package deal for some BM's, I am looking for a PE Pac Salt. I'm lusting after the FB Salts, and I'm looking to acquire a Manix again, in addition to the small one.

I've been buying up BM's left and right, and none from the new offering this year have been to my liking. I picked up a Skirmish that I liked, but that has been in their lineup for some time. The Dejavoo series, well, I love those designs, but did not like the liner lock. Too thin, to weak. My favorite liner lock is my Millie, which is almost as good as a frame lock in my opinion. It has the same loud thwack as my Sebenzas and Skirmishes. Benchmade really put a crappy liner on their knife.

So, I like both companies for different reasons. IMHO, they are the best high end production companies out there, for their overall offerings. This is the Spyderco forum, and I like Spyderco, but not all of their products. I also don't like all of Benchmades products.

The great thing about Bladeforums and other online forums is that you can get a used knife in good condition at a great price, use it, and if you don't like it, sell or trade it. There are lots of reviews, but you won't know until you bought the item to see for yourself whether the knife is right for you.

The models from Spyderco that you should get are their Delica and Endura models, and go from there, every Spyderco fan that can carry a big knife should get their Military or Police model. Benchmade, either their Griptilian models or their 710 model first.

I will say that Sal and his company are admirable people, and their customer service is top notch. Not to say that BM's is bad, but Spyderco is more accessible, pretty much due to their presence here on BF.
 
I own both Spyderco and Benchmade knives. I love both companies and their products.

I think the Paramilitary and the Delica are some of the best knives out there today.

I also love the Axis lock and many of the models that Benchmade has.

As Mr. Glesser has said many times "All good just different". I agree.

Over the years I have owned about 35 Benchmade knives, 26 Spyderco knives, an Al Mar, and about 6 Kershaw knives. They are all good knives. I currently still own Benchmades, Spydercos, and Kershaws.
 
I buy, carry, and use both. Currently I carry a Cabelas D2 mini-Grip at work and drop a Para-Military IWB for "off the job" carry. These are about the only two brands I buy anymore.

My Spydercos have always come the sharpest of any knife I've ever seen. My Benchmades usually have to make a visit to my Sharpmaker before they are ready for use. After touching up, however, both seem to hold their edges really well for the use I give them.

F&F seems about equal to me. Benchmade is more of a "finesse" product IMAO while Spyderco believes that "form follows function". I find the F&F to be top-notch for the types of knives each company designs. With their differing design philosophies, there are knives that I like from each company and there are knives that don't interest me at all from each company

I have never sent a Spyderco in for W&R, so I'll pass on that. I have sent several Benchmades in (read what you will into this section) and they have always come back 100% perfect. I have never had a knife from either company (blade, lock, or handle) fail on me. The returns to Benchmade were for OOB problems with blade centering (or lack thereof).
 
giant1 said:
Just wondering if anyone owns benchmade and spyderco knives. How do they compare in terms of build quality, design, longevity etc.
Click to expand...

Build quality is comparable. Both are excellent in terms of fit and finish. Though in my experience Spydercos have a more consistently sharp edge. Both of their share of lock issues, but very infrequently.

As for design, I'll be honest, the majority of Benchmade knives don't appeal to me. They're too pretty for my taste. I prefer the more working appearance of Spydercos.

As for longevity, they'll both last many many years if properly cared for.

Spyderco vs. Benchmade is like Ford vs. Chevy. Both are great, just a matter of personal preference.

As a side note, Spyderco does the small knives better than anyone in the industry, and Benchmade does the same for Balis(even if I do wish they would change the handles once in a while).
 
Thank you to the replies and to Sal for the personal welcome. All much appreciated.

I have the millie. It's the 1st spyderco I bought because I liked everything about it. I don't carry it daily because it's a bit big and people get a bit nervous if you pull one of those out to use. I also own a Kershaw which is also a nice knife (had it for years)

Don't anybody laugh but my every day carry knife is a leatherman 305x because it has a good blade and it's size means that others won't get their under pants in a knot when they see it.

I will be buying both versions of the Manix as they look like very good practical knives. I do look at Benchmade because they also look well made with good quality blades and lock systems.

I live in Sydney Australia and we just don't seem to have the same access to knife swapping and selling as you guys do in the US. Sadly I cannot buy Bali songs or automatic knives so I just stick to the ones that won't get me in trouble. Not sure what the facination is with knives, I guess I just appreciate the designs and general practicality.

There are some hard core collectors here, I cannot see myself owning that many knives but I will certainly buy the ones I like.

Anyhow, I enjoy the forum and all the information that seems to flow in here regarding everything to do with knives.

Cheers.
 
smcfalls13 said:
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Spyderco vs. Benchmade is like Ford vs. Chevy. Both are great, just a matter of personal preference.
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Err...Ford sux!! LoL, please don't hate me, but when we were younger, one of my friend had his parent's brand spanking new taurus for a drive. The alternator caught on fire and the car was totalled.

Back to topic, gaint1 don't sweat the aussie connection thing. We don't have the same price and variety of knifes here in Canada either, and I only live about an hour away from the US.
 
My feelings about the two companies are as complicated as a secret Spyderco-Benchmade peace treaty.:D In fact, many here think me a troll or barely above that.

Nevertheless, I do have an uncomplicated amount of respect for Mr. Glesser. He is the real deal and no technicality can take that from him.

His knives tend to reflect him. My usual issue with Spyderco has more to with me than the products. I have NBA sized mitts, so I like hand-filling handle lengths. Many of Spyderco's products, especially the smaller ones, I have no discernable use for. I also have no use for partially or fully serrated edges, so I often had a hard time before the internet finding a PE in the model I wanted when I wanted it.

Benchmade is the home team. I have been following them from almost the start. IMO they generally do better and larger folders for my tastes than does Spyderco, they generally make better fixed blades than does Spyderco, (though a serious effort out of Golden to address this is underway), make the best balisongs going, make some of the best automatics Oregonians can legally own and carry.

Then there is the Axis lock, which is wicked cool to its fans and "meh" to the indifferent.

I don't view the two companies as overlapping in a tremendous amount of market niches. If I want a tough enough working folder I am not afraid of beating up on a little, my first thought is a Spyderco as they are generally more affordable. Looking for a looker, or a "self defense" knife, I go right to see what is on offer at the Butterfly, since I am not restricted from any portion of their catalog unless my wallet is feeling light.

I do know that my eldest son's first locking knife is soon going to be a Jester. Gotta start him off right.:D

I will never have 360 of either one of them or both combined. I only have two frontal pockets, a couple of tackle and tool boxes, two bug out bags, and a Jeep center console I worry about keeping stocked with folding cutlery. I only own about a dozen folders at any one time and currently three of them are Spydercos and two of them are Benchmades, but the Benchmades are Axis based autos.

See? No competition at all.
 
giant1 said:
Don't anybody laugh but my every day carry knife is a leatherman 305x because it has a good blade and it's size means that others won't get their under pants in a knot when they see it.
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Don't pay attention to stupid people when they overreact to a knife. The first time I pulled out my Spyderco Karambit at work to see how well it opens packages I was met with dropped jaws and wide eyes. I explained to them that the blade was a hawkbill design and has been used for cutting ropes and netting on ships for hundreds of years. They said "Oh I guess that makes sense" and left it at that.

The only reason I'm carrying the spyderco right now is because my benchmade finally dulled and is going back to the factory for a sharpening, and I wanted to try something different. The benchmades I've handled have been much nicer than the spydercos, but I've never handled a higher end spyderco.

I'll get a spyderco or three to round out my collection, but only after I pick up a few more benchmades. They just feel better in the hand.

edited to add:

My favorite knife of all time is the discontinued 910 Stryker

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=910
 
Both offer great knives and both are very competitive. Think of one as Honda and the other as Toyota. Each has their ups and downs. But overall, both are built to last!

I actually carry knives from both companies almost everyday. I carry a BM Mini-Ritter grip in my front right and a Delica 4 Wave IWB by my back left rear pocket.

I use to carry my much more expensive MOD CQD Mark II, but I like these knives better.
 
Definitely a touchy subject to some. Longstanding debate on this one. I can only speak for myself, so here goes. I actually like the knives made by both companies. I own both as well. As much as I like the Benchmade product, I've gotten to the point where I can't justify the difference in price vs. Spyderco. If you want innovative design, top notch quality and great value for the $$, Spyderco is the answer. Benchmades are nice, but not twice as nice as Spydercos if you get my drift. In the end its what you like. The way I look at it I get more knives for my hard earned money with Spyderco, so thats where my dollars go. Enjoy figuring it out for yourself though. Let us know where you land.
 
You're gonna find some bias, as this is the Spyderco forum.:cool:

I own products from both companies. Both offer many great products. Each specialize in a few things, while there is a great deal of crossover in other areas.

One company, however, has much greater integrity, and this can make all the difference. As it stands, I heavily favor this exemplary company.

You can't do wrong with either, provided you don't buy a round hole Benchmade. The difference, is that Mr. Glesser(Spyderco's founder) takes an active interest in the use and reviews of his products. You can see him in this very thread, actually. This speaks volumes to me and many others.
 
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