would you choose a Sage 3 or a Griptilain

K

kalifornia

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Nov 14, 2013
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Ive been reading alot about these two knives thanks to this site and Im ready to pull the trigger on one of these knives. The price is the same. It'll be carried once in awhile but wouldn't ever expect to use it hard, mostly a pocket queen. What would you choose? I appreciate your responses!
 
I have a sage 1 and a sage 4 and 3 kinds of griptilians. I don t own a sage 3 and don t plan to get one. The griptilians are fine heavy duty edc knives. My sage 1 is one of the very best knives I own. You might consider a manix 2 instead of the sage 3.
 
A mini-grip is about $65 Internet-retail price, the Sage3 almost $120. Either will be great knives for you, which can you afford?
 
The prices aren't the same new as mentioned. Both are going to serve well, but if it is going to be a pocket queen then it's a toss up. I'd say the axis lock on the BM is going to be a bit more fun than the bolt action. If we are to compare steel performance then a mini-Ritter would be a better match. Both knives are desirable and an easy trade should you decide to opt for something else. Do you mind Smurf-Blue scales?
 
I never carried Benchmade Axis lock knives in the front pant pocket for fear of scratching my wallet. Does anyone here do the same? Does the Sage 3 have the same problem?
 
I'd go for anyone of the sage series (except the sage 4) before the griptilian. I have a sage 1 and plan on getting the 2 as well. I love my sage 1. It's one of my regular go to edc blades even sometimes over my high end production and custom knives.
 
gwgang said:
I never carried Benchmade Axis lock knives in the front pant pocket for fear of scratching my wallet. Does anyone here do the same? Does the Sage 3 have the same problem?
Click to expand...

:Confused:

What problem? I have zero issues with my axis lock and I can't envision the problem your talkin about... Scratching your wallet?! Is that a real problem or a joke about price?
 
My Benchmade Mel Pardue has two parts that scratched my wallet. The thumbstud and the axis lock. They are slightly pround of the scale, and the machined edges/surfaces are a little sharp. I never put it in the same pocket after I noticed the scratches.
 
Full size Griptillian all the way. I've handled a mini-grip and didn't like it. No idea about the sage 3, but I'd rather have the Sage 1.
 
That same knife's clip scratched my car paint too, and that's a fact. My driveway is a little narrow, so I sometimes had to squeeze through the door. I got 3 scratches that I had to touch up. Now I round off the tip of most of my pocket carry knives, or be very careful when I enter the car.
 
Both are wonderful knives. If you are going to use it really hard and are worried about blemishes. Then get the grip for durability and being a work horse. If not The Sage is a nice lighter duty EDC.
Make sure its the full size, the mini is not nearly as useful.
Good luck
 
looks like we have a toss up.. dang. Problem being I haven't held either of the two knives. I think my hands are medium sized or a tad larger than medium sized. From what I've read the spydie is built with incredibly tight tolerances and is much more complex (which I don't mind) and people have mentioned the blue scales are more people friendly. The easier axis lock on the BM is the only thing I can see as an advantage over the spydie. Oh well like you said if I make a mistake I can trade it away and get the other. thanks
 
A couple months ago I decided I wanted to get a Sage. 4 was out of the question, just not my style. 2 is a great option but was a little more pricey. 3 was tempting but if you watch videos or look at pics you'll see its considerably more 'blocky' than the 1. I'm a sucker for carbon fiber so I ended up getting a used Sage 1 on the exchange for $80.

I can't speak highly enough of this knife. I know some people highly dislike liner locks but I'm a big fan. They're strong enough for my tasks and are just easy to operate, specifically with only one hand. The Sage 1 fits my hand perfectly and I wear size large gloves.

I used to own a large grip and it's a great knife, and although I miss the axis lock, I MUCH prefer the carbon fiber and the overall fit of the Sage 1 compared to the grip.

If you like liner locks I'd say get a Sage 1 now! If not, I can't speak on the Sage 3, but I would recommend the 551 Griptilian as I owned one and it was a great knife.
 
Definitely go for the Sage. Every knife person should own at least one Taiwan made Spyderco. Finger choil on the Spydies make a pretty big difference in EDC folders. Also comes in a better steel (You can get a Griptilian with CPM-S30V but you have to buy it from Benchmade's website, which means buying at MSRP plus the cost of upgrading the steel).

If you decide to not get the Sage, I would like to note that the Grip comes in various colors (including blue), so don't let that influence your decision. Since you have medium sized hands, consider getting the Mini-Grip over the Grip, which can accommodate a full four fingered grip for medium sized hands, and is lighter than the Grip (this matters a lot) and unlike the Grip has liners all across the scales instead of just at the area around the AXIS lock making it more durable than the full sized Grip.
 
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