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The Benchmade 31 Review
- Thread starter Gollnick
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 2,909
Great review, Chuck! I love it! 
Excellent pictures too. (One little thing, though... As I clicked on them for a larger version, they appeared to be of less quality...)
And by the way... I guess you're just trying to find out how many of us forumitees that are old perverts, eh?
Excellent pictures too. (One little thing, though... As I clicked on them for a larger version, they appeared to be of less quality...)
And by the way... I guess you're just trying to find out how many of us forumitees that are old perverts, eh?
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2001
- Messages
- 323
Very nice review, and VERY nice images. I can't get over how nice those handles look.
I do have one gripe though. Not about the review but about the knife in general. And that is how disproportionate the length of the blade looks with respect to the handles. The handles are so sleek and sexy, and then you have this fat stump of a blade.
Someone posted some ratios between the blade and handles, but I couldn't find the post, nor did I get to read it first time around. But it just seems that with a model 4X, the blade is longer or more proportionate to the length of the blade. Am I wrong and the stumpiness is really an optical illusion? Cause I'd like to get this knife, just to compare a shorter knife with a monster like the 42.
Oh yeah. How does it flip? Like a dream?
I do have one gripe though. Not about the review but about the knife in general. And that is how disproportionate the length of the blade looks with respect to the handles. The handles are so sleek and sexy, and then you have this fat stump of a blade.
Someone posted some ratios between the blade and handles, but I couldn't find the post, nor did I get to read it first time around. But it just seems that with a model 4X, the blade is longer or more proportionate to the length of the blade. Am I wrong and the stumpiness is really an optical illusion? Cause I'd like to get this knife, just to compare a shorter knife with a monster like the 42.
Oh yeah. How does it flip? Like a dream?
- Joined
- Dec 25, 1998
- Messages
- 7,394
The blade is 440C?
Jeff, my guess would be that the amount of additional handle needed to add the latch on is essentially fixed. So that no matter the size of the knife, it gets an additional 1/4 inch or whatever. On a larger knife with lots of handle, it doesn't make that much difference, but on a small knife that additional bit o' metal is proportionally much larger.
I was just wondering if instead of a latch set inside the handle if it was set outside the handle. That is, it was a U shaped latch that hooked over and around the non-latch handle to secure it instead of through it. It's probably weaker, but it could save on that extra handle length to fit the latch. What does anyone think of the feasability of that?
I was just wondering if instead of a latch set inside the handle if it was set outside the handle. That is, it was a U shaped latch that hooked over and around the non-latch handle to secure it instead of through it. It's probably weaker, but it could save on that extra handle length to fit the latch. What does anyone think of the feasability of that?
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2001
- Messages
- 8,276
First things first: Excellent review Chuck. Ditto on the pic comments. That section on MIM was definitely entertaining. Good job in describing it in layman's terms.
I'm also very happy to see that BM is returning to the holes of old. Those look exactly like the ones found in the old BM custom skeletal handles. I always felt that deep oval counterhole always provided more of a grip.
But to Jeff: I wrote up something a while ago regarding the handle ratio. It's basic what Felix says, but with the math (last third of the thread):
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181753
Until BM comes out with another latchgate system, we're stuck with that extra length.
nybble: Your latch could still get in the way, and could hit the blade if it winds up in the channel. Something the new latchgate has taken cared of. Aside from the annoying length, the current latch gate has another issue, while it may prevent the blade from hitting the latch, it still doesn't prevent the latch from getting in the way of the other handle. All the conditions to keep latchless as my favorite latch system. My $0.02
I'm also very happy to see that BM is returning to the holes of old. Those look exactly like the ones found in the old BM custom skeletal handles. I always felt that deep oval counterhole always provided more of a grip.
But to Jeff: I wrote up something a while ago regarding the handle ratio. It's basic what Felix says, but with the math (last third of the thread):
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181753
Until BM comes out with another latchgate system, we're stuck with that extra length.
nybble: Your latch could still get in the way, and could hit the blade if it winds up in the channel. Something the new latchgate has taken cared of. Aside from the annoying length, the current latch gate has another issue, while it may prevent the blade from hitting the latch, it still doesn't prevent the latch from getting in the way of the other handle. All the conditions to keep latchless as my favorite latch system. My $0.02
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2001
- Messages
- 791
Well, I went a took a good long look this time at Chuck's review. Upon further inspection, I've concluded that this knife is going to be sweeeeeeet. We're talking Godiva sweet here...
And personally, I like the utility blade. Wee-hawks are pretty and all, but my PB and J sammiches don't care what a knife looks like when I'm slicing them in half.
We're talking Godiva sweet here...And personally, I like the utility blade. Wee-hawks are pretty and all, but my PB and J sammiches don't care what a knife looks like when I'm slicing them in half.
Gollnick
Musical Director
- Joined
- Mar 22, 1999
- Messages
- 29,258
I'd like to thank you all for your fine compliments. I'm glad that you like the review and the pictures.
Actually, once you get the process dialed-in, it's supposed to be very cost-competitive with casting expecially since it leaves a cleaner surface finish requiring less clean-up than casting.
Well, thank you. I have to confess to having taken some creative liberties even with the boring pictures. The material used is a rubber mat material sold to line drawers in tool boxes and so forth. It's got holes in it so that if you put your tools away wet, the water won't be trapped. When I've used this material as a background before, I've always put something flat black behind it. This time, though, I got a bit wild. I put a reflective material behind it. Add a little purple light and even the boring pictures have some interest. It's a compromise for those of you who didn't like my Tachyon pictures because they were to creative.
Well, you can just remove your clip then. See if I care.
Now there's an interesting suggestion.
Oh, and yes, the blade is 440C.
Actually, once you get the process dialed-in, it's supposed to be very cost-competitive with casting expecially since it leaves a cleaner surface finish requiring less clean-up than casting.
Well, thank you. I have to confess to having taken some creative liberties even with the boring pictures. The material used is a rubber mat material sold to line drawers in tool boxes and so forth. It's got holes in it so that if you put your tools away wet, the water won't be trapped. When I've used this material as a background before, I've always put something flat black behind it. This time, though, I got a bit wild. I put a reflective material behind it. Add a little purple light and even the boring pictures have some interest. It's a compromise for those of you who didn't like my Tachyon pictures because they were to creative.
Well, you can just remove your clip then. See if I care.
Now there's an interesting suggestion.
Oh, and yes, the blade is 440C.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2000
- Messages
- 5,811
As always.., a thorough review and the pictures are really nice! I'm not nuts about the little guys.., and pocket clips make me nuts on Balisongs.., but I'll live with it, and get a couple. 
"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"