To anyone anti-Benchmade, is the Axis lock the reason why you won't buy one?

cards94 said:
Is it the Axis lock with the Omega spring that deters you from buying a Benchmade Ritter or any of the Benchmades?
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Yes, mostly. The only axis lock knife I'd consider buying is one of the Axis Assist knives, due to the "safety" that allows the blade to blade to be locked, open or closed, if the stupid Omega springs break. At least the knife is usable, in an emergency.

I used to love the AFCK and Striker, great designs with reliable and simple liner locks fit by the experts at Benchmade.

My main issue is that the Axis lock's "weakest link" is very weak, a tiny wire spring that can break for little or no reason, while the "weakest link" in a frame or liner lock is a steel or titanium bar that isn't very likely to fail, ever. Not only that, the Axis lock seems cheap to me, a cost saving measure to minimize hand fitting required of simpler and more reliable locks.

I absolutely love my 755 MPR, and would love the opportunity to buy more Benchmades, even at MAP pricing. I probably won't get the chance, as all they seem interested in making are more Axis knives. They should rename it the Benchmade Lock.

Plus, so what if it eventually breaks, just send it in for repair and a free sharpening. No biggie.
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Some people use knives as an emergency tool. If it breaks, when you need it to function, the knife is worthless. Worse than worthless actually, someone could lose their fingers, burn alive, asphyxiate, or bleed to death due to a malfunctioning cutting tool.
 
I've never heard a single person really hate on the Axis lock. It does make disassembly for cleaning and repair a bit of a pain, and the springs can fail, but the lock is just great fun to use.

I'm not "anti-Benchmade," but I don't buy their knives any more. My problems with them are as follows:
1. Disassembly voids the warranty. This is an absolute deal-breaker. I enjoy taking my knives apart for cleaning and tuning. I realize that the Axis lock is so complicated that the average Joe probably couldn't reassemble it correctly (and thus may cause premature wear that BM shouldn't be responsible for), but I'm mechanically competent enough to do it and don't appreciate being punished for keeping the knife in working order. As an aside, I have a similar problem with Emersons - any modification (even just swapping the G10 scales out for a custom one) not only voids the warranty, but they won't even service a knife if paid to do so.

2. The MAP fiasco. I thought Benchmades were an acceptable (but not good) deal before the pricing change. Now they're bordering on outrageous. A mini-grip is not a $100 knife no matter how you slice it.

3. Fit and finish. Now, I should preface this by saying that I have owned and handled several Benchmades with very good fit and finish (all Black class), but the blue class knives are at best inconsistent. Virtually every Grip and mini Grip I've handled has had either blade play or centering issues, and my Mini-grip has both which i have not been able to correct with pivot tuning. It was my second knife so I didn't know any better when I bought it, but nowadays I don't tolerate that sort of thing in $30, let alone $100 ones.
 
I've only owned a few Benchmades, and have never had a problem with the axis lock. My beef with them is their recent attempt at raping the consumer by charging what I feel is an exorbitant amount for their products.

My guess at why they are doing this with the prices is because they feel that their reputation alone will allow them to continue to profit with the higher prices. We shall see how that works for them in the long run. It seems to me that BM's competitors will benefit the most from this. I would own more BM's if you got something close to what you pay for.
 
"anti-Benchmade" is pretty strong. I just don't like most of their designs tbh. Would love to have an Adamas though, but they're ridiculously expensive over here
 
I'm not anti-benchmade. I like them a lot. It's their ridiculous prices that piss me off, waaaay more than the axis lock.
 
I liked them until about 5 years ago, got bored with them, then got back into them last year. I avoid their crazy prices by finding the ones I want on the exchange. 125 for a like new 581 barrage or subrosa is a lot better than 160-180 for it,for example.i did just buy the new 710 black/blue g10 m390 without getting a bargain,but its the nicest 710 ive ever had, & ive had a dozen different ones since 1999......
 
I have both the large and small gryptilians and love them both.In my opinion they are they best knives on the market.I just don't like their prices.I have sog,leeks,cheap chineese,and rat2 nothing compares to them.I don't buy realy expensive knives.I can't afford to.
 
Stoney26 said:
The axis lock has one of the best stength to weight ratios of any locking mechanism. However, almost none of benchmade's designs excite me. I wish they would collab with some new designers like Kershaw, ZT, and Spyderco. A Rexford, Burch, or Southard designed axis lock would be pretty cool.
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This is pretty much where I'm at. I'm just not excited about Benchmade's products. Like, in my mind, I can't think of a single Benchmade I'd rather have over, say, my new ZT 0562CF for example.
 
I agree Quiet. Benchmade really hasn't come out with anything I would consider "innovative" in a while. Besides the price thing, their focus seems to have shifted to creating limited edition versions of their current lineups with fancier materials.
 
I will avoid discussing the Benchmade pricing policy and focus on the lock issue.

I just think the Axis Lock is the easiest lock to use for both left and right handers. That it is also very strong is just a bonus. I think the Spydie Comp. Lock is a close second, in ease of opening and closing, but its slightly more awkward for lefties, at least in my opinion. As other have said, its just plain fun to use. The ease of closing is the one reason I got rid of my autos and haven't got an assisted model yet (although I agree about the secondary safety on those being a comforting fail-safe).

Until this thread, I have never heard anyone say the Axis Lock is a cheaper easier way to make a lock, not saying its untrue, just never heard that opinion. I showed my friend my new Contego and the first thing he said was that the lock looked overly complicated. I am not an engineer, but the design appears to me to be simple, robust, and easy to use. Like I said previously, I have never had an Omega spring break before, but I am sure its possible. Is the Omega Spring the weak link? Possibly, but I just cant believe that Benchmade, who has a lifetime warranty, would continue to use it, almost exclusively, if it were prone to breakage. The cost of warranty repairs alone would seem to to prohibit its use if it were that faulty.

Just my humble opinion.
 
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Returning in topic ... Sincerely I don't find any reasonable reason to be anti-whatever brand, more, going just against the a Axis lock.
Sturdy, reliable, easy, ambidextrous, fast...

In any case no brand is perfect, because their disassembly policy or because they can have higher price.
I like them because I find many positive sides and I will focus on them.
My 2c. Euro cents. :)
 
Just an FYI, if the omega springs break, it's still a knife and it still cuts. The knife is not a brick and is not worthless unless you can't grasp the concept of the design. You just have to be a little more careful. And that is if both springs break at the same time, which in itself is highly unlikely.
 
I am a Spyderco fan and don't really care for most of benchmade's blade profiles and grinds. Having said that, the one thing that I love about their knives is the axis lock. Very strong and reliable lock. Very easy to use and locks up solid. I've got a number of reasons that I'm not a big benchmade fan but the axis lock certainly isn't one of them. If that's the only thing holding you back then get over it. Buy one and use it with confidence.
 
I like the axis-lock, and have had no problems with it.

The BenchMade knifes I have had have worked well for me.


I must confess, being use to liner/frame locks, I have to think twice about closing my axis-locks.



Big Mike
 
I'm not a fan of Benchmade

But I will say that if I ever got a Benchmade, it'd probably be mainly for the Axis lock. It's unique (although there are several...inspired designs shall we say) and as far as I know, fairly strong. The primary reason I'm anti-Benchmade is because I think they're too expensive. If Benchmade ever came out with a budget blade like Spyderco did with the Tenacious line I'd love to have one.

However I do think anti-Benchmade is too harsh a term.
 
I know Benchmade makes a good knife. I have just never purchased one. There are a lot of knife fish in the cutlery sea.
 
If you are a knife knut you owe it to yourself to own a Benchmade. I was skeptical as well, and definitely agree with the posts in this thread that speak to pricing and the lack of innovation relative to competitors like Spyderco. But when I finally broke down and bought a 707 after following a thread in the BM forum where almost everybody put it in their top 5, I immediately "got it." I am now up to seven BMs. Their knives just exude quality in an understated way that very few production pieces can match. And the axis lock is terrific - it would be the *last* thing that would hold me back from buying more Benchmade knives.
 
I want to love Benchmade. I really do. I live in knife country, specifically in Tualatin, Oregon (home of ZT/Kershaw, CRKT, Al Mar, etc). I pass Oregon City on my way to work. I WANT to buy from local companies, and Benchmade is one of the companies with the most local love.

I just can't justify it.

I could overlook the omega spring (I overlook the torsion bar/speed safe in my 0566), but blade steel for the dollar and that MAP pricing are too silly to overcome. You know who makes the best "Benchmade"? Spyderco. Manix 2 in S110V. No omega spring to break, same FRN, and waaaaayyyy better steel than 154cm.
 
This issue about Omega springs looks to me pretty overestimated.
In case this will happen that locking systems is so sure that you can even use a tooth pick or a fuzz stick to held it in place.
I tried it in the field, even with lock engaged and omega springs working. And works.
 
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