Benchmade is a super popular knife company, but how good are their knives? Are they worth the steep price? Is Benchmade overrated? After some research and buying some knives from Benchmade, I can answer all those questions with confidence.
Here is the short answer:
Benchmade is an exceptional knife-making company. While they might have steep prices, this is because they use high-quality material. If you want reliable knives that will not fail on you no matter what, Benchmade is the company to look at.
Now we can take a more in-depth look at whether or not Benchmade is overrated, whether there are better companies out there, and if you should buy their knives or not.
Why Benchmade Knives are Good
We know Benchmade has good knives, but why are they good?
They are good because they use high-quality materials that won’t break. Benchmade uses premium quality steels like CPM-S30V, CPM-S90V, and CPM-154, these steels are among the best you can get for a reasonable price. Benchmade also has good heat treats, good handle materials, and good finishes.
Because Benchmade uses quality material, they have quality knives. These high-quality components make knives that are reliable, sharp, and durable.
Why Benchmade Is So Expensive
As most people know, Benchmade has expensive knives compared to most other companies. But why is this? Are they actually worth the price?
Benchmade knives are expensive because they use high-quality materials. And high-quality materials are expensive. So if you want a good knife, you have to pay more money. Hence why Benchmade knives are so expensive.
Should You Buy Benchmade Knives?
So we know Benchmade makes good knives, but should you buy them?
If you have the money and want a high-quality knife, then yes, I think you should buy a Benchmade knife. However, you might not want to have one as an EDC knife as if you lose it, you’re going to have to spend a lot of money to buy another one. But if you are going into a situation where you are going to need a good, reliable knife, you should buy a Benchmade.
If you are super hard on your knife, you might not want a Benchmade as if you break it, again, it’s a lot of money.
So if you are going into a situation where you may lose or break your knife, you might want to stick with a cheaper Kershaw or Buck knife.
Are There Better Companies?
How does Benchmade compare to other companies? Are there better knives you can buy for a cheaper price?
Benchmade vs. SOG
Generally speaking, SOG knives are going to be heavier and bigger. Most Benchmade knives are below 5 ounces. Comparatively, SOG’s lightest knives are around 5 ounces. Benchmade also uses better blade steel. SOG primarily uses D2 and Benchmade primarily uses S30V.
Benchmade vs. Spyderco
Depending on who you ask, one company is better than the other, but they are pretty equal. They both use good steel and they both are in relatively the same price range (Benchmade is slightly more expensive). I like Benchmade, as they have a better selection of blades and I think they just feel and look better. But at the end of the day, it’s pretty much up to personal preference.
Our favorite Benchmade knives
Now that we have gone through everything you need to know about Benchmade, we can look at what knives you should buy.
Benchmade Steep Country
The Steep Country is probably my favorite light-weight fixed blade knife. It has an ultra-light design that is strong enough that I feel comfortable using it for fixed blade tasks, but light enough that I don’t feel like it’s dragging me down when I carry it. The Steep Country has a 3.5-inch S30V blade, a Santoprene handle, and weighs only
3 ounces.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Benchmade Griptilian
The Griptilian is the ideal knife for someone who wants to get into more expensive knives without spending a ton of money. The Griptilian is an ideal EDC knife as it has a super smooth opening, Benchmade’s AXIS lock, a 3.45-inch S30V blade, and on top of that, it is completely ambidextrous.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Conclusion
Benchmade makes great knives, they use high-quality materials, have a great blade-making process, and, for the most part, outdo their competition. So if you are looking for a high-quality knife, consider checking out Benchmade.