- Joined
- Oct 20, 2009
- Messages
- 1,955
I see your point and agree that any change to a design will change the overall effect or feel to some extent. But you can still retain enough of the core design to maintain the desired attributes. Just a little bigger in this case but the same applies to smaller also.
Apples to apples comparison would be the Mini Grip to the Full size. They're different but close enough. An argument could be made that making the full size lost the characteristic's that make the Mini so desirable and vise versa, although the Full size came first. What if the Mini came first? one could argue adding the extra 1/2 inch would also "further in the direction of adding flex/vibration within the handle material and would move the center of gravity further forward" but it seems to work?
The difference in cost between the standard Mini and the full size is about $8 so it's conceivable that for about $10 another .5" could be added to the full size making it cost effective / affordable which has always been my impression of the main reason for the Grips popularity. An affordable quality BM.
Around 2002 when they released the Grip it offered the first Benchmade "proper" not a part of the budget Redline or HK, HD ext, that you could buy for under $100 and have a true BM with the quality and warranty that comes with it.
I've watched as the grip's popularity has really grown and developed a hardcore group of fans and I mean that in a good way. I just think there's room for a 4" version that could still retain enough of the original core design to still be desirable to fans of the design and still be affordable enough that there would be a market for it. As is people already "pimp" their Grip's and buy after market scales for it that cost more then the base knife itself, adding weight and negating the saving's of the buying a Grip in the first place. Some look like completely different knives after so why not a bigger one? even if it costs a little bit more or is slightly heavier.
As an aside, I'm a big fan of the Hogue Extreme series. My fav being the EX-04 (4" blade) The only complaints I read before getting one was it was blade heavy because it's G-10 with only a steel plate and that effected the balance. To tell you the truth, once in hand, the balance issues people spoke of had no impact at all. Not for me anyway.
I've always carried what some might consider a larger sized blade. AFCK, 910 Stryker, Rift, Contego and so on. For me a 4" blade isn't big at all, I see it as normal really but I completely understand that many if not the majority prefer a smaller sized blade and that fine too.
IMO of course lol!
Apples to apples comparison would be the Mini Grip to the Full size. They're different but close enough. An argument could be made that making the full size lost the characteristic's that make the Mini so desirable and vise versa, although the Full size came first. What if the Mini came first? one could argue adding the extra 1/2 inch would also "further in the direction of adding flex/vibration within the handle material and would move the center of gravity further forward" but it seems to work?
The difference in cost between the standard Mini and the full size is about $8 so it's conceivable that for about $10 another .5" could be added to the full size making it cost effective / affordable which has always been my impression of the main reason for the Grips popularity. An affordable quality BM.
Around 2002 when they released the Grip it offered the first Benchmade "proper" not a part of the budget Redline or HK, HD ext, that you could buy for under $100 and have a true BM with the quality and warranty that comes with it.
I've watched as the grip's popularity has really grown and developed a hardcore group of fans and I mean that in a good way. I just think there's room for a 4" version that could still retain enough of the original core design to still be desirable to fans of the design and still be affordable enough that there would be a market for it. As is people already "pimp" their Grip's and buy after market scales for it that cost more then the base knife itself, adding weight and negating the saving's of the buying a Grip in the first place. Some look like completely different knives after so why not a bigger one? even if it costs a little bit more or is slightly heavier.
As an aside, I'm a big fan of the Hogue Extreme series. My fav being the EX-04 (4" blade) The only complaints I read before getting one was it was blade heavy because it's G-10 with only a steel plate and that effected the balance. To tell you the truth, once in hand, the balance issues people spoke of had no impact at all. Not for me anyway.
I've always carried what some might consider a larger sized blade. AFCK, 910 Stryker, Rift, Contego and so on. For me a 4" blade isn't big at all, I see it as normal really but I completely understand that many if not the majority prefer a smaller sized blade and that fine too.
IMO of course lol!
