What was benchmade thinking when they designed the 761???

K

knife chop

Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
816
Not trolling......just disapointed!! My 2 main disappointments are 1) the lock is way too thin and the cut out is way way thinner. 2) there's no or little detent.
 
Sounds like you're basing your bias on misinformation. The lockbar cut out only appears thin at the edge of the frame.
 
@LeathermanGX said:
Sounds like you're basing your bias on misinformation. The lockbar cut out only appears thin at the edge of the frame.
Click to expand...

Admittedly, I'd probably have that knife if it wasn't for the lack of tip up carry and the presentation in that video.....it was a video that clearly illustrated lack of detent and a thin lock bar (at blade engagement). I find it a bit weird that 761 owners have been discounting that video. It's not like it was created with CGI.
 
I don't doubt anyone who actually owns the knife, and that video was disturbing, but I wonder just how much a thin lock-bar matters. I mean, if you use the knife to cut things, is it really a problem? Also, the stop pin is supposedly designed to be able to be adjusted to move the lock-up earlier, when and if, it is running out of travel. The detent doesn't seem to be a big deal either, at least to me. You only really need a great detent on a flipper, and this one is tip-down, so I doubt there will be a safety issue. I too was disappointed in the lack of choices on the pocket-clip (especially when the liner-lock Vicar is being released with a tip-up pocket-clip), but otherwise looks like a real nice knife.
 
Warning: Off topic whine

I know that BM a lot more often than not designs their framelocks tip down over the years but why in 20 freakin 14 would they stay with tip down.

I love this design, really everything, materials looks right... but I do like tip up THAT much. :( That's my only gripe and it's keeping me from parting from my $300+ in post MAP goodness.
 
I handled this knife in store. I didn't find the lock bar to be too thin at all, seemed much the same as my sebenza in that regard. However it has some kind of lock stop thing that's very thin on the edge of the lock bar. I don't understand it at all. It's a stop to stop the lock from engaging farther. The way I see it that stop will prevent the lock from compensating for wear by pushing farther over. I have no understand as to why they would do that. Especially since they didn't go with a steel lock insert, something I think everyone should be doing at this point for that amount of money. ZT certainly has been.

So that's issue one with this knife, then there's the fact that they put bearing in it, but no flipper. I think benchmade desperately needs a good flipper and this could have been it. I think they're really falling behind there. Everyone loves flippers these days. I think they need to get on that trend immediately. They're already pretty late to the party.

And of course the biggest issue is the tip down carry. Not that it's horrible in the pocket or anything, but the nicely machined clip on the wrong end of the knife seemed to ruin the ergonomics of the knife in my hand when actually using it.

This one was so close to being an amazing knife, yet so far.
 
Last edited:
deathofallthings said:
I handled this knife in store. I didn't fine the lock bar to be too thin at all, seemed much the same as my sebenza in that regard. However it has some kind of lock stop thing that's very thin on the edge of the lock bar. I don't understand it at all. It's a stop to stop the lock from engaging farther. The way I see it that stop will prevent the lock from compensating for wear by pushing farther over. I have no understand as to why they would do that. Especially since they didn't go with a steel lock insert, something I think everyone should be doing at this point for that amount of money. ZT certainly has been.
Click to expand...

I had one, but ended up returning it. There were several things centering around the lock bar that did not sit right with me, and your comment about the small ledge acting as a lock stop was one of them. On the copy of the knife I had the lock bar was flexible enough that if you pushed in on it when the knife was open, it would nudge over until that little ledge stopped it. I found that first by grasping the knife firmly and I felt it move. I realized that the lock bar was too flexible and I suspect that ledge was added in the design to stop it from wedging too tightly onto the blade tang, thus making it difficult to disengage.

I didn't worry too much about the possibility of over-travel when unlocking because I knew the pocket clip was there to act as an over-travel stop, but the closed position detent was so weak on that particular knife it could be opened all the way to locking by simply shaking the blade out. Again, that told me that lock bar was just too flexible for the long haul.

I think most of the production copies will be very close but not identical, so many folks will have units that have a good solid lock (and yes, I tried to adjust the octagonal stop pin) and sufficient or reasonable closed detent.

I have plenty of Benchmade knives and like them all-- but the 761 failed to meet expectations, and especially in that price range.
 
I think if they add a lock bar insert and tip up or down carry at 250.00 price point it would be perfect. For 240.00 you can get a zero tolerance 0620cf with all that. Just sayin.
 
Personally, I have one. I love it. I can't think of anything I just don't like about it.
 
Maybe there was something different about the first production run because the detent in my example (not numbered) is strong and the blade will not come out with vigorous shaking. I would be bummed if it were otherwise.

I do not have any concerns that the 761 was mis or under-engineered. It wouldn't make sense for a company that knows how to make a titanium framelock to make something less good than they are capable, right? :confused:

15477641523_77966f4f71_z.jpg


15911563147_c383112cc4_z.jpg


Digging it. Watching it scuff up will be a fun process. :cool:
 
jazub said:
Maybe there was something different about the first production run because the detent in my example (not numbered) is strong and the blade will not come out with vigorous shaking. I would be bummed if it were otherwise.

I do not have any concerns that the 761 was mis or under-engineered. It wouldn't make sense for a company that knows how to make a titanium framelock to make something less good than they are capable, right? :confused:

15477641523_77966f4f71_z.jpg


15911563147_c383112cc4_z.jpg


Digging it. Watching it scuff up will be a fun process. :cool:
Click to expand...

Great looking knife, thanks for the pics!
 
I've read good and bad about this knife. I will own one when the time is right, and much preferring a regular production model will reserve judgment until it's here in front of me. Until then it's much ado about nothing.
 
My subrosa has a lockbar that also takes very little effort to disengage. also has that lip on the lockbar and the hex shaped blade stop.difference is I bought it used for 125, this one is almost triple that. after seeing this, not sure how crazy I am about this knife now.Tip down, no left thumb lug which id have to get; I might just stay with my sebenza and zaan for now...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top