Today was my lucky day.... UPDATED Pictures added

338375 · Feb 10, 2014

The Mini Grip is one of my absolute favorite knives. I got my first one not long after they came out. It had the 440C blade, but had partial serrations, which I have never really been a fan of, although they can be handy... I carried that knife every day for a few years, but then went on a few year string of carrying my 705. After that, I could never warm up to the serrations, so I eventually sold it. That was long before I knew I could send it in, and have the blade replaced..

My current EDC is a Mini from the Custom Grip program. S30V blade, OD green scales, and polished split arrow clip. I have been on the lookout for a nice early Mini with the 440C blade, but rarely come across them in excellent condition.
A week ago, I stumbled onto one on the Bay. One owner, 440C blade, and excellent condition. The description didn't list it as a Mini Grip, so it didn't get much attention. After asking the length, I knew what it was, and added it to my watch list.

I stayed home from work today, because the wife has Pneumonia. I didn't sleep much last night, so I took an hour nap, and the first thing I thought of when I woke up was, Oh Crap... The auction ended, and I didn't bid on it I quickly pulled up the auction to find it still had 1 minute 2 seconds left, so I hurried and made a bid before it ended. As it worked out, I won

Yes.... I finally got an early, one owner, 440C Mini Grip, that has seen almost zero use since new, still has the factory edge, and the correct early version pocket clip. AND, I got it for the outrageous sum of $46 and change Life is good today... I don't want to use the sellers pictures, but will post up some when she arrives.

gastonian · Feb 10, 2014

Man, that sounds like a heck of a deal!:thumbup:

I just happened to stumble on a good deal myself today. 75.00 for a new 553 black w/ serrations.

Cereal_killer · Feb 10, 2014

I got a great deal the other day myself, a trade, but still it feels great, especially with all the pricing drama as of late.

skyhorse · Feb 10, 2014

Congrats,and a get well soon wish for your Wife.

338375 · Feb 10, 2014

gastonian said:
Man, that sounds like a heck of a deal!:thumbup:

I just happened to stumble on a good deal myself today. 75.00 for a new 553 black w/ serrations.

Cool... Congrats

Cereal_killer said:
I got a great deal the other day myself, a trade, but still it feels great, especially with all the pricing drama as of late.

Doesn't matter how you get there, as long as it's a good deal... When I bid on this knife, I too thought about the pricing and QC issues that we have been covering heavily lately. It was like a breath of fresh air getting a good deal, and hopefully not having to worry about any QC issues lol.

skyhorse said:
Congrats,and a get well soon wish for your Wife.

Thanks Tom. I had surgery on New Years eve day, and took 4 weeks to recover from that, only to get the flu right afterwards. Now the wife has Pneumonia, so I'm thinking the rest of the year should be reasonably healthy lol

RevDevil · Feb 11, 2014

Nice score Mike. :thumbup:

338375 · Feb 11, 2014

RevDevil said:
Nice score Mike. :thumbup:

Thanks Charlie. I know they aren't anything special, but I'm still excited to get it. I guess having, and using one of the early ones daily, for quite a few years, brings back good memories. Unlike my first one, this one doesn't have the teeth marks in the blade

RevDevil · Feb 11, 2014

Hey, they are special. They are harder to find these days. It's also hard to find a fair priced one at that. Double score.

holo07 · Feb 11, 2014

The 440c is great you can put a edge on it with just a few swipes on the sharpmaker

JNewell · Feb 11, 2014

Lays...

440C is very under-rated. :thumbup:

338375 · Feb 12, 2014

RevDevil said:
Hey, they are special. They are harder to find these days. It's also hard to find a fair priced one at that. Double score.

That is true. I haven't been looking 24/7, but have kept an eye out for one, for quite awhile. It seems they either had the Combo edge, or were used and abused

holo07 said:
The 440c is great you can put a edge on it with just a few swipes on the sharpmaker

The 440C blade on my first MG, did a very good job, and was easily touched up just using my Arkansas stones. I don't have one of them fancy sharpeners

JNewell said:
Lays...

440C is very under-rated. :thumbup:

I agree. I can't remember what the 440C Rockwelled at, but I think they did a good job on the HT. Heck, I've owned a couple AUS-8 knives that obviously had the HT done correctly, because it worked good. So many people consider these steels antiquated, but given a knife that was properly HT, it may just surprise them. I know they aren't as cool as some of the current production super steels, but they certainly aren't as bad as most people say they are either...

338375 · Feb 15, 2014

Well, the early MG showed up yesterday... It is even nicer than it looked in the sellers pictures :thumbup:
The knife has had very minimal use, but when I flipped open the blade, it immediately brought back memories of the one I had bought new, and used for quite some time...

The pivot screw is adjusted exactly like I end up setting mine, so even though I was expecting to have to adjust it, I don't. It has zero blade movement, horizontal or vertical, at all when open. The thing that really brought back memories was, how incredibly smooth this thing is, when opening

I have been sitting here playing with it because I just can't get over how smooth it is. Even my Custom MG isn't this smooth after being used for some time now. THIS is what I think of, when I think Benchmade.

I went outside in the windstorm and took a couple quick pictures. This is one of those knives that I know for certain, I will never sell...

ETA: Sorry about the second picture being turned. I don't get it. I edited it in Photobucket, and it is still rotated

Cypress · Feb 15, 2014

Looks great! when Benchmade gets it right, it truly is a masterpiece.

By the way, this wind is CRAZY. Power flickering here on our side of the volcanoes.

338375 · Feb 15, 2014

Cypress said:
Looks great! when Benchmade gets it right, it truly is a masterpiece.

By the way, this wind is CRAZY. Power flickering here on our side of the volcanoes.

Thanks. LOL on the volcanoes

They are calling for nasty weather all next week. The passes are supposed to get up to a foot of new snow every day

Cypress · Feb 15, 2014

338375 said:
Thanks. LOL on the volcanoes They are calling for nasty weather all next week. The passes are supposed to get up to a foot of new snow every day

If there's any hope of spending time in the woods this summer actually using the tools we own, we need all of the moisture we can get. There's a rumor going around OSU that we could get record rainfall every day between now and May, and only then would we be up to "normal" levels. Plus, I need to get up to a ski hill before it's too late!

338375 · Feb 15, 2014

Cypress said:
If there's any hope of spending time in the woods this summer actually using the tools we own, we need all of the moisture we can get. There's a rumor going around OSU that we could get record rainfall every day between now and May, and only then would we be up to "normal" levels. Plus, I need to get up to a ski hill before it's too late!

I certainly hope that is a rumor about the rainfall

Of course we won't get anywhere near as much on this side of the mountain. As much as I hate the snow we really need it. The snow pack is very low. Before this last little storm, we were only at about 35%. I hate it because I drive truck, and have to go over the passes 5 days a week

If KXL in Portland is correct, there should be about a foot each day, for the next week. Another 4-5 feet will really bring up the snow pack.
One thing I have noticed over the years is, it really doesn't matter how much rain or snow we get, they still say it will be very dry. I never have been able to figure that out.

Helderberg · Feb 15, 2014

I just bought that exact knife and I have to agree with you that it is a great knife. Thanks for the post and I hope you enjoy it.

338375 · Feb 16, 2014

Helderberg said:
I just bought that exact knife and I have to agree with you that it is a great knife. Thanks for the post and I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks. I hope you enjoy yours as well. I've owned enough Mini Grip's to be perrty certain that you will

aquaman67 · Feb 19, 2014

Glad you got what you wanted. I found a mini 555 with an oval hole in 154CM. Those are kinda rare as they were only made around 2006. Previous versions were 440C and they went to a round "Spydie" hole in 2007.

338375 · Feb 23, 2014

aquaman67 said:
Glad you got what you wanted. I found a mini 555 with an oval hole in 154CM. Those are kinda rare as they were only made around 2006. Previous versions were 440C and they went to a round "Spydie" hole in 2007.

The quest is part of the fun