To Griptillian or not

B

BeyondTheBox

Joined
Apr 13, 2016
Messages
199
Hey guys, looking for some enabling help here I guess. I'm a bang 4 buck kind of person and while a part of me wants to try a Griptillian again and give it a fair share, the other part says why would I buy a Griptillian, which is in 154CM, when I can have a Kershaw in S30V for half the cost? Heck, why would I do that when I can have that same Kershaw and an LAPG TBFK in S35VN for still just 2/3 the cost of a Griptillian?

Heck, even worse, why would I want any knife in a lower grade steel at alla regardless the cost difference, but especially because of almost double in pricetag of what others, in much higher grade steel, do?

I guess I'm looking for a reason, hoping for some devil's advocate. So far the only justification I can come up with is that I'm looking at the mini Griptillian, because I prefer small knives for concealment. But even there I've got the Spyderco Manbug in ZDP-189 already. Lol

What do you think, is a Benchmade knife really that great? Or will I be disappointed in the end like I fear and am guessing I will?
 
I think the price of the 555/6-1 is easier to justify. Sure, it's more expensive but you get dual tone g10 and 20cv steel coupled with an axis lock and the best warranty in the business.

It also holds its value well, unlike the Kershaw or LAPG thing.

If you're on a serious budget, you can do better than the basic grip. If you can get a little spendy though it's really hard to do better than the -1 models for less money.

(I carry a ZDP-189 Delica. A steal at $100)
 
I agree with T.L.E. that the -1's are a better buy if materials to dollars is your goal. 20CV, G10, and Benchmade's badass warranty for $160 brand new? That's pretty good. Even better if you do some shopping on the exchange and find one closer to $120-130(I've seen it more than once). That knife would literally last your entire life. $160 doesn't sound too bad when you think of it that way.
 
I’m new, I recently bought a BM 940 and the one they sent me had the blade so far off-center that it was just short of being in direct contact with one scale, so I’m BM gun-shy right now. I’ve been reading everything I can about BM and their QC. BM has a large world of vocal, devoted fans who tell stories of buying dozens of BMs without even one problem anywhere. I envy those guys and I wish my experience tracked with their stories. There’s also lots of talk about deficient QC and deficient products and even talk about BM knives that got sent back to the factory because of problems and then returned to the customer with the same problems still in place. Read the “Benchmade QC Issues?” thread. It’s a major communal whizzing contest and inconclusive, but still enlightening. The BM forum here also provides productive reading.

The most insightful things I’ve seen written about BM these days are:
1--BM knives are great “when you get a good one.” I forget who wrote that, but it opened my eyes.
2--Buy a BM only after you’ve visually inspected and handled it (hopefully thereby avoiding the most common BM QC fails).
3--Most posters speak well of BM customer service (comments about knives being returned to customers with problems unfixed notwithstanding).

I’ve been drawn to BMs in general and specifically to the Grip, Mini-Grip and 940 since I started looking at knives, but my 940 experience and everything I’ve read so far all tell me buying a BM sight unseen (my only option, as there are no retail BM inventories anywhere near me) is a total crapshoot. I dislike having to return faulty merchandise to vendors, so all that I’ve experienced and learned so far tells me to stay away.

On that note..... Cue the fans! Time to rally ‘round the flag and circle the wagons.
 
Worth it for the form factor and lock to me. Either steel or size, though I’d probably need to do something about the glass nylon handle, it’s not great. Spyderco probably has comparable if you don’t like the axis. Not a fan of kershaw or assisted, I don’t think they’re in the same category. The m390s that came out recently do seem like good values tho
 
BeyondTheBox said:
Hey guys, looking for some enabling help here I guess. I'm a bang 4 buck kind of person and while a part of me wants to try a Griptillian again and give it a fair share, the other part says why would I buy a Griptillian, which is in 154CM, when I can have a Kershaw in S30V for half the cost? Heck, why would I do that when I can have that same Kershaw and an LAPG TBFK in S35VN for still just 2/3 the cost of a Griptillian?

Heck, even worse, why would I want any knife in a lower grade steel at alla regardless the cost difference, but especially because of almost double in pricetag of what others, in much higher grade steel, do?

I guess I'm looking for a reason, hoping for some devil's advocate. So far the only justification I can come up with is that I'm looking at the mini Griptillian, because I prefer small knives for concealment. But even there I've got the Spyderco Manbug in ZDP-189 already. Lol

What do you think, is a Benchmade knife really that great? Or will I be disappointed in the end like I fear and am guessing I will?
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If you don't think you will like something, why buy it?

Now, that said, I didn't think I'd like spyderco knives because of the looks. I also don't really like serrations. But now, through learning from use, I love spyderco and carry a serrated edge h1 knife all the time (on me now).

Point being, to find out if you are going to like something you may just have to give it a try for yourself. I'm a benchmade fan. I carry them often. The mini-grip is smaller than I like to carry. I do have one that I keep at my desk to open packages and what not. The axis lock is hard to beat for a one hand easy access knife.
 
I just don't get the love of the axis lock. It's just like any other lock to me.

And I see the value in the better steel with the -1 series, but it's just so darned hard to sharpen and I'm still new to knives, I've only just now got a sharpener ordered, Spyderco something or other. I prefer to have high end steels, not super steels. The ZDP-189 I've got I'm already dreading having to sharpen some day.

I'll consider the thoughts, but the 20CV looks like one of the hardest steels to sharpen.
 
In the bang for your buck department, the USA Made Blade exclusive Kershaw Knockout in M390 is a great deal, particularly if you like/don't mind assisted openers. (FWIW, the Knockout is one of the few assisted openers I like; it's implemented well on this knife.) Same price as the basic Grip, great steel, great warranty, BF-supporting dealer; slightly shorter blade, but also slightly lighter weight.

If you're set on a Grip, I agree with others who've said to go for the G10/CPM-20CV version. I used to EDC a basic Grip, and I liked it but didn't love the plastic handles or the blade-heavy balance; I was fine with the steel (although I'd have preferred 20CV) and the girth in pocket.
 
I ended up gifting my grip to someone else after many years of owning it. I liked it, but the smooth action and ease of opening/closing didn't make up for its downfalls. Maybe I had one that was overly hard, but it was such a pain to sharpen (154 version) that I just didn't care for it. The tip chipped off of mine easily, so I suspect I got a fluke example.
 
BeyondTheBox said:
I just don't get the love of the axis lock. It's just like any other lock to me.

And I see the value in the better steel with the -1 series, but it's just so darned hard to sharpen and I'm still new to knives, I've only just now got a sharpener ordered, Spyderco something or other. I prefer to have high end steels, not super steels. The ZDP-189 I've got I'm already dreading having to sharpen some day.

I'll consider the thoughts, but the 20CV looks like one of the hardest steels to sharpen.
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I dunno, my EDC recently has been a ZT 0562CF which is in CPM 20CV and it's actually a lot easier to sharpen than I thought. I haven't had to sharpen it from a completely dull edge, but for touch ups and stropping and stuff it's fine.

Diamond stones are always also a good choice for harder steels.
 
Dadpool said:
In the bang for your buck department, the USA Made Blade exclusive Kershaw Knockout in M390 is a great deal, particularly if you like/don't mind assisted openers. (FWIW, the Knockout is one of the few assisted openers I like; it's implemented well on this knife.) Same price as the basic Grip, great steel, great warranty, BF-supporting dealer; slightly shorter blade, but also slightly lighter weight.

If you're set on a Grip, I agree with others who've said to go for the G10/CPM-20CV version. I used to EDC a basic Grip, and I liked it but didn't love the plastic handles or the blade-heavy balance; I was fine with the steel (although I'd have preferred 20CV) and the girth in pocket.
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Yup, just added another to the list. Will weigh out these two options and decide which to get today. I think the Kershaw may edge out the Benchmade. May by a ton! Lol
 
Another option if you like D2 is the Cabela's Griptilian's come in this steel at about the same price point of the standard 154cm griptilians.
Just another option that you may not be aware of.
 
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Yup just ordered that Kershaw in M390!

I really don't like Benchmade, never have. I've tried convincing myself to want to get another, but why, they're way overpriced and I just don't like them. Maybe if it were $60 or less, then I'd jump on one.

Thanks for the attempts fellas and the one perfect suggestion!
 
There are two reasons to buy a Benchmade these days in my opinion: A. You really like the (relatively) ambidextrous axis lock and/or you really like the particular design of a particular model they have. Aside from that, you can get just as well something equivalent, better and/or cheaper from a different company.
That's just me though. And I am saying relatively ambidextrous because it was suggested that if you only pull one of the studs to unlock back repeatedly you risk breaking a spring.
 
BeyondTheBox said:
Yup just ordered that Kershaw in M390!

I really don't like Benchmade, never have. I've tried convincing myself to want to get another, but why, they're way overpriced and I just don't like them. Maybe if it were $60 or less, then I'd jump on one.

Thanks for the attempts fellas and the one perfect suggestion!
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Congratulations! Kershaw makes a fine product. Fyi, m390 will be just about as hard, if not harder, to sharpen than 20cv.

Again, you obviously don't like benchmade so I'm not sure why you started a thread like this. Glad you found something else you hopefully will be happy with. Let us know how you like it (with pictures).
 
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Wait... What was the point of this thread? To reiterate why you don't like Benchmade? Hell, I thought it was about what the Griptilian had over other knives..

Hey, if you don't like Benchmade's that's fine with me, everyone has their preference. I only have one now, my orange mini Ritter. But why ask us to persuade you to buy one if you've never even liked them? Seems counterintuitive. Oh well. Enjoy the Kershaw, though.
 
craytab said:
Congratulations! Kershaw makes a fine product. Fyi, m390 will be just about as hard, if not harder, to sharpen than 20cv.

Again, you obviously don't like benchmade so I'm not sure why you started a thread like this. Glad you found something else you hopefully will be happy with. Let us know how you like it (with pictures).
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McFeeli said:
Wait... What was the point of this thread? To reiterate why you don't like Benchmade? Hell, I thought it was about what the Griptilian had over other knives..

Hey, if you don't like Benchmade's that's fine with me, everyone has their preference. I only have one now, my orange mini Ritter. But why ask us to persuade you to buy one if you've never even liked them? Seems counterintuitive. Oh well. Enjoy the Kershaw, though.
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I thought I starte clearly what the point of the thread was. I was trying to be convinced, was looking for some devil's advocates and persuasion.

No I don't like Benchmade, at all, really, but I see so many do so I try at every turn I can to be shown why I should also. I was hoping that could happen here because the mini Griptillian really does speak to me in a way. Just not enough to convince myself. I was looking for that push over the ledge.

Thanks again all.
 
BeyondTheBox said:
Yup just ordered that Kershaw in M390!

I really don't like Benchmade, never have. I've tried convincing myself to want to get another, but why, they're way overpriced and I just don't like them. Maybe if it were $60 or less, then I'd jump on one.

Thanks for the attempts fellas and the one perfect suggestion!
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Congratz. The m390 Kershaws probably ARE the biggest bang for buck available.

I think if you lived with an axis lock for a while, especially a nicer one like the -1 grips, you'd love it like the rest of us, but the m390 Kershaws are certainly worthy of your cash.
 
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