The Anthem!!!!!....?????

stevejams

stevejams

Gold Member
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Jun 27, 2018
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What’s up bf, just wanted to vent/get anyone’s opinion of the benchmade anthem. I went to a local knife shop recently and was talking to one of the guys about the anthem. I was telling them how I am a big benchmade fan and have been looking into getting one, but have been hesitant due to the steep price and the fact that I have never actually handled one, only heard great things. They said they were actually getting one in soon and would let me know when they have it so I can check it out. I got the call and couldn’t wait to actually get a feel for this thing. And then I did and.....I was not as impressed as I hoped. First of all, this was not “buttery smooth” or anything close to what many reviewers had promised. This could be because it needs to be broken in a bit, but I was hoping this would be a knife that wouldn’t have to be broken in. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but with a price tag around 425-450, I was expecting perfection out of the box. As I said, I am a big benchmade fan, and being one I am inevitably aware of qc issues and needing to give the benefit of the doubt at times, but for a knife that is supposed to be one of the best benchmade has to offer, I was honestly surprised that the action could be so disappointing right out of the box. Although very important, the action was the only thing I found wrong with this piece. I am relatively new to knives, but I feel that at this point I can tell what a well made knife is, and I believe that modestly describes the anthem. From what I can tell, everything about this knife was perfect. The blade was shave sharp, perfectly ground, and the one piece titanium body was milled exceptionally. I have a bunch of benchmades, and seeing one that isn’t built from liners and scales was entrancing. However, with its wonderful f&f and even if the action was “perfect” I’m not sure if this knife would be for me. It’s smaller than I thought and just not what I thought it would be in general. I only handled it in the store for 10 minutes and while I did like it a lot, I didn’t fall in love with it as I did with my other benchmades, especially for the price, though I really wish I did. This is just a rant but I would be curious to get the honest opinion of another anthem owner on this matter. Should I move on? Is it just the knife I handled? I want to own this knife but I can’t feel comfortable spending the cash unless I love it the way I do my other favorite benchmades
 
stevejams said:
It’s smaller than I thought and just not what I thought it would be in general. I only handled it in the store for 10 minutes and while I did like it a lot, I didn’t fall in love with it as I did with my other benchmades, especially for the price, though I really wish I did.
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You answered your own question.
 
Buy a used one and you'll feel better. They frequently go for 300 to 325.

I love the knife, but I hate the clip. I really dont understand how a company as well known as benchmade cant make a functioning titanium pocket clip. None of my other titanium knives have this issue, and 2 of them are also integrals. The clip just should be so far off the knife.

Fix that and I'm down to grab one. Or I'll just get an after market one.
 
Mine needed a good flush with hot water, air blowout, and a drop of lube - that resolved the somewhat sticky, not quite gritty action... and the blade has swung freely upon release of the lock ever since
 
Gotta admit I've circled around the Anthem a few times. Gorgeous blade shape, but I can't seem to connect with the rest of the knife.

I always have to remind myself to not let brand loyalty cloud my judgement. In that price range you shouldn't have to "learn" to like a knife. At least that's the way I look at it; you should love the steel, blade shape, handle, clip, and the pivot and lock mechanism bang out of the box. Sure some $450 knives may need "a little" breaking-in, as in 3 or 4 flips. But if you have to wrestle with it for any period of time with no guarantee that it will work itself into your liking, then maybe step back and reconsider. Why should you, when there are plenty of knives in the market now days that have beautiful action, fit & finish, straight out of the box, and many for more than half the price. The price of the Anthem is flirting with Hinderer, CRK, and other very fine choices, so I would expect quality at that level. I suggest you take some time to shop around. Maybe the particular Anthem you tried had some negative sample variation and you should try another? Or maybe there's something else entirely. Anyway the Anthem inventory ain't going to dry up anytime soon, as every major dealer has them in stock, so it appears you have plenty of time to decide.
 
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Couldn't quite square with the Anthem either. In a somewhat similar vein, the Lionsteel SR-1 G is a knife that I've wanted to get an opportunity to handle, to see if it would check all the boxes I'd hoped the Anthem would.

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When I got mine, I loosened the pivot just a hair & put a drop of Benchmades Blue Lube on it & it was incredibly smooth.The pocket clip wasn't the greatest. I actually had to bend it away from the knife because ir was so stiff, it was hard to get out of my pocket. Otherwise it turned out to be one of my favorite folders.
Maybe if you get the chance to handle another one or buy one on the 2nd market, you'd be happier with it. But if your having any 2nd thoughts, don't buy it. You might regret it & end up losing money to sell it off.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I don’t think I see myself getting one any time in the near future; plus there are other knives on my hit list to obtain first before investing any kind of real money into something special/more expensive
 
The Anthem is my favorite knife that BM makes. I got mine like new for about $300 and then had it anodized. I also drilled out the holes on a regular parkerized BM clip t use on it as I didn't care for the stock clip at all. Now it's perfect.

The action on it has the least resistance of any knife I've ever owned and it has a razor sharp stonewashed blade that looks great. It's a thin knife because of the integral handle and I find it very comfortable. Love this knife!

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