Best Benchmade Knife Guide

Produced in Oregon City, Oregon, the Benchmade brand of knives has built a great reputation for quality products over the last 30 years. Offering a wide variety of knife styles, each made with tremendous attention to detail, Benchmade has become an industry standard, and serious knife buyers know that this is one brand to watch carefully. When only the best will do, a Benchmade knife may be the easy selection. As you might expect, you shouldn’t count on finding a Benchmade knife for a bargain price. These are quality tools, and they have prices to match. However, if you are willing to make an investment in your next knife, you will receive a high-end product in return.

After reviewing all the top benchmade knives available, we’ve selected our top 7 picks in the comparison table below. We’re confident you’ll find the perfect model for your needs.

Comparison Table

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Made by talented professionals in their Oregon shop, Benchmade only puts out knives that they will be proud of for years to come. Many companies simply turn out as many knives as possible to flood the market, but Benchmade has committed to quality, and that commitment has paid off nicely indeed.

If you would like to own a Benchmade knife of your own, but you aren’t sure exactly which model will be the best fit for your needs, this guide has been created to help you through the buying process. We have identified some of the best Benchmade options on the market today, each of them with plenty of positive attributes to highlight. When it comes down to picking out the one that will be added to your tool collection, you will need to think about how you intend to use the knife, along with the budget you have in mind for this purchase. Rest assured, no matter which Benchmade knife you pick, you will be getting a well-made item that has been designed to impress even the toughest critic.

Buying Considerations for Benchmade Knives

Unlike when you are shopping between knives from a variety of manufacturers, you don’t really need to consider quality when trying to pick out a Benchmade knife. You know that you are going to get a solid piece of equipment, no matter which model you select. Sure, Benchmade has knives at various price points, but even the more-affordable pieces are going to be suitable for most tasks. So, instead of shopping on quality, you are going to want to shop on features, by thinking about how you will use the knife.

One look at the Benchmade product line will reveal the fact that there are more than a few various options to pick from. The company produces an incredible number of knife styles, including every day carry models, rescue knives, survival knives, tactical knives, and more. In fact, no matter what type of knife you happen to be looking for, there is a great chance that this company is going to have something that suits your tastes perfectly. In addition to the various design purposes for the knives, they also have automatic-opening models, fixed blade models, and manual-opening models.

1. What Size is Right?

Getting the proper size for your knife is one of the big considerations that needs to be made before a purchase. Benchmade, as you might expect, has plenty of knife sizes available, from blades that are less than an inch in length (hook knifes), on up to full five-inch blades on some of their largest models. Do you need a knife with a large blade, or will something more compact be better suited for your needs? A knife that is too small made not be able to get the job done, but a knife that is too big and heavy might find its way out of your pack to save space. Pick out a Benchmade model that is just the right size so you can get the maximum possible benefit from using the blade on a regular basis.

Of course, the ideal scenario may be to have a couple of Benchmade knives within your collection – one for larger jobs when you don’t mind carrying a bigger piece of gear, and one that is a small, more convenient size for regular use. This approach to buying your Benchmade knives would cost you more money up front, but you would have the luxury of being able to enjoy this quality product in a couple of different sizes.

2. Blade Preferences

As a quality knife producer, Benchmade offers more than just as a single type of steel or a single blade shape within their product line. You can pick from a number of blade shapes, such as tanto, reverse tanto, spear-point, clip-point, and more. Also, you can pick from many different blade steel, such as 440C, CPMS90V, 154CM, CPM-S30V, among others. To say the least, you have more than a few options when you decide to purchase a Benchmade knife.

Top Five Rated Benchmade Knives

1. Benchmade Griptilian Knife

This first Benchmade model is a great all-around option, frequently used by buyers as an every day carry knife. You could certainly find a cheaper option for your EDC knife, but you are unlikely to find one that is of better quality or durability. Some of the many features included with this knife include a valox handle, a steel pocket clip, a folding blade, ambidextrous design, and more. The blade itself is BK1-coated stainless steel, and the knife uses a thumb-stub opener to control the movement of the blade in and out of the handle.

As you would expect with a Benchmade product, the reviews for this knife are highly complimentary. Many owners have praised the durability of the knife along with the incredible sharpness of the blade itself. At an overall length of 8.07 inches with the blade extended, this is a compact piece of gear which can easily be slipped into your pocket while the blade is put away. If you are looking for a solid all-around performer that is capable of completing many tasks with ease, the Benchmade Griptilian would be a great place to start your search.

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2. North Fork Knife by Benchmade

If you are after a knife that will grab attention simply through its stunning looks, the North Fork is one to watch. This is a similar knife regarding design and function to the Griptilian model, but it offers a significantly different appearance thanks to a stunning Dymondwood handle. The wood grain look that this handle presents is sure to turn heads, and of course, you can count on this knife to perform as good as it looks. Reviews for this knife from current owners are nearly perfect, and you will have to look long and hard to find anyone with a bad word to say about this product.

Some of the features you will find on the North Fork include a reversible pocket clip, stainless steel liners, a CPM-S30V premium stainless steel blade, and the AXIS locking mechanism. When extended, this knife is a total of 6.87’’ long, with a blade length of 2.97’’. It features a modified drop-point blade. While it will take a serious investment to own this knife for yourself, you are sure to be impressed with both the look and performance once you have it in hand.

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3. Benchmade Knife 484-1 Nakamura

Another Benchmade knife, another product with stellar reviews across the board. As mentioned earlier in the article, it isn’t really the quality that you need to consider when picking out a Benchmade – it is only the style and function that you have to weigh because the quality will be there in the end. It features CPM-S90V Super Premium Stainless Steel, a carbon fiber handle, and blue anodized aluminum pivot ring.

As expected, it is the quality of the product, and the beauty of the finish that are addressed in many of the reviews left on this product. Good looks might not have anything to do with the actual function of the knife, but they are appreciated nonetheless. Most buyers state that they use this knife as an every day carry tool, with its compact size working nicely to for that purpose. When a folding knife is required for your purposes, turning to this Benchmade is likely to make you a very happy customer.

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4. Benchmade BKC Bedlam Axis Folding Knife

Yes – this is another folding option from Benchmade, but this one takes on a slightly different shape from the rest. This Bedlam model is nearly 10’’ in length when the blade is extended, making it longer than the others listed above. Also, it has a more-slender profile, which might be a good fit for your needs depending on how you wish to carry and use this knife. Users of this knife appreciate the comfort of the grip, as well as the sharpness of the blade right from the box.  This knife also includes the AXIS locking mechanism, it uses 154CM stainless steel, and has a reversible pocket clip.

The reviews left for this knife have been nearly flawless across the board, with some claiming that this is the one of the best knives they have owned. If the features and size of the Bedlam suit your needs, you should carefully consider this impressive model.

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5. Benchmade 940 Osborne Design Knife

This last option is somewhat of a blend between the previous knives on this list, as it has a slender design but is still less than 8’’ long when fully extended. With a folded length of just 4.47 inches, you should easily be able to fit this knife in your pocket if you would like to use it as an EDC knife. The blade is a reverse tanto design which is 3.4’’ in length, and it is made from S30V stainless steel. This model uses a green anodized aluminum handle, and it also includes a reversible pocket clip.

This is one of the more affordable options on our list, and it also has earned rave reviews from buyers. The quality is there, as it is with all Benchmade knives, and users appreciate the versatility of this product. It is at home completing a variety of tasks, and it is built to last even with regular use. Whether you are shopping for a knife that is going to be put to the test every day, or if you just need something for the occasional trip, the 940 Osborne is up to the challenge.

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Conclusion

Benchmade knives are quite simply some of the best tools on the market today. If you have a specific idea in mind of what you want your new knife to be able to do, there is a good chance that you will find a capable tool within the Benchmade lineup. Sure, you are going to have to invest a fair amount of money to purchase one of these knives, but most buyers are more than happy with the value that they receive once they put their new Benchmade knife into use.

Other Knife Guides

• Boker Models
• Machete
• Keychain Style
• Neck Knife
• Balisong
• Boot Knife
• Combat Category
• OTF Types
• Buck 110
• Skinning Types

Additional Resource

• edc Forums

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