The 481-1 is so good, i just wish it was bigger. A 940 was my only knife for 3 years in the Marine Corps, and about 5 years after. It survived, and i cant think of a better compliment than that. Just not what i look for in a knife, now. The 781 and 425 are probably my favorites, but the Anthem is interchangeable with the Vicar depending how much i hate crossbar locks on the particular day the question comes up. I have a beater anthem that i think about selling every so often, then i carry it and remember what made me use it enough to consider it a beater. Great knife.
It's easy to hate on benchmade these days but I do. Still the adamas line comes in magnacut or cruwear in the 63-65 hrc range, optimal for both steels. Mini adamas I think was my favorite benchmade before I gave it to someone but the design was never my favorite. I want a forward choil on my work knife and no axis lock on my business knife. Didn't mind the holes though. 940 is good, obviously. Received one from the warehouse with an uncentered blade, gritty action and soft, flaky s90v. Received a second from off the custom shop for $400 with a perfect fit and finish, no problems. Good to keep in mind when buying benchmade. Loved the classic if slightly archaic design but s90v wasn't handling my abuse well at all. Sold one, gave one to my mom. I'm being spiteful but I'd say the best benchmade knife is the hogue ritter. Still not a fan of omega springs (never had one break, it's just weak logistically) but I've bought two of these. Green and purple g-mascus and magnacut, excellent fit and finish. The feel of the g10 is great. These were given away too but I can recommend them if you don't want to choke up. Personally think it's boring but I recognize it as a great and comfortable cutting tool. I didn't buy a bugout. It was too obviously cheaply manufactured plastic trash that could be folded in half the unintended way. So strange that knife created today's meta. But yeah. Nothing else nice to say.
The 481-1 is so good, i just wish it was bigger. A 940 was my only knife for 3 years in the Marine Corps, and about 5 years after. It survived, and i cant think of a better compliment than that. Just not what i look for in a knife, now.
The 781 and 425 are probably my favorites, but the Anthem is interchangeable with the Vicar depending how much i hate crossbar locks on the particular day the question comes up.
I have a beater anthem that i think about selling every so often, then i carry it and remember what made me use it enough to consider it a beater. Great knife.
It's easy to hate on benchmade these days but I do. Still the adamas line comes in magnacut or cruwear in the 63-65 hrc range, optimal for both steels. Mini adamas I think was my favorite benchmade before I gave it to someone but the design was never my favorite. I want a forward choil on my work knife and no axis lock on my business knife. Didn't mind the holes though.
940 is good, obviously. Received one from the warehouse with an uncentered blade, gritty action and soft, flaky s90v. Received a second from off the custom shop for $400 with a perfect fit and finish, no problems. Good to keep in mind when buying benchmade. Loved the classic if slightly archaic design but s90v wasn't handling my abuse well at all. Sold one, gave one to my mom.
I'm being spiteful but I'd say the best benchmade knife is the hogue ritter. Still not a fan of omega springs (never had one break, it's just weak logistically) but I've bought two of these. Green and purple g-mascus and magnacut, excellent fit and finish. The feel of the g10 is great. These were given away too but I can recommend them if you don't want to choke up. Personally think it's boring but I recognize it as a great and comfortable cutting tool.
I didn't buy a bugout. It was too obviously cheaply manufactured plastic trash that could be folded in half the unintended way. So strange that knife created today's meta.
But yeah. Nothing else nice to say.
Another really good discontinued Benchmade is the arcane.
Super Freak and the Osbourne would be my picks.
I'm hit and miss on the Crooked River. I have one but don't carry it much.