Product Description

More details are given in my Initial Report, but basically, this is a folding pocket knife of very simple construction: a blade, with a flat cover plate on each side. Most pocket knives have a locking mechanism to keep the blade in position when open (or shut): the one used here appears to be custom to Benchmade (US Patent 6,122,829) and they call it 'AXIS'. The blade can be opened with one hand as there is a little knob at the back of the blade (on both sides) which allows a thumb to push the blade open. This is different from the typical thumbnail groove one finds on many knives. Closing the blade requires that the user pulls back on the AXIS lock knob. These actions are illustrated in my Initial Report.

Engineering Matters

The literature on the web and with the knife mention that Benchmade use special screws to hold the knife together, and that they also sell a special tool to suit the screws. I didn't believe that they would have commissioned a custom fitting, so I tried matching the head to the range of 'special' (ie less common) drivers I have in the workshop. I found that a standard Torx T6 fitting was a perfect match. This meant I could 'go to town' on the construction. I also found that all the screws were the same size: all are Torx 6.

Having found the right driver for the screws, I set about checking all the screws for tightness. One has to remember that these are small screws, while the handle on the Torx driver is more 'hand-sized'. In consequence it would be fairly easy to over-drive one of these small screws and even destroy it. In my opinion Benchmade must have used a controlled-torque driver on the screws during assembly as they were all set at about the right torque or tightness. Well, all bar one: the hinge for the blade was different.

The tightness of the blade pivot or bearing is critical to the ease of use of this knife. As delivered the blade opened and shut with a very smooth action, which is partly due to thin brass shims placed on either side of the steel blade. The red line in the picture here points to one of these, but it is hard to see. A combination of brass shim and polished steel is always a good one for a smooth action. However, it is also necessary to get the right pressure on the bearing, and this is controlled by the tightness of one bolt, pointed to by the blue line in the picture here. Too loose and the blade could almost flop around. Well, it wouldn't really because there are other mechanisms inside the hinge to control the blade, but it would feel that way. Too tight and it would be hard to open the blade at all, let alone poke it open with a thumb. So 'just right' is necessary.

Of course, having said that, I have to specify what 'just right' feels like and how to get it. Having 'played' with the bearing screw it was of course no longer set to the right pressure. Well, I found the only reliable way of getting the tightness just right was to make small adjustments interleaved with waggling the blade open and shut. I dare say a controlled-torque driver could be set to just the right value, but I don't have one with that degree of sensitivity. In practice I found that it didn't take me long to get a tightness I liked by holding the body of the knife in a clamp, the driver in one hand and waggling the blade back and forwards with the other.

Field Experiences

Sharpness

The box the knife came in has the words 'Benchmade knives are packaged extremely sharp' clearly written on the outside. A Product Safety warning, or just boasting? Well, I found I was just able to shave with it when the edge was new, although it did drag a bit. I doubt it will replace my razor, but I have to say that it was sharp! Happiness is a fine tool.

Edge damage

However, the very fine edge is also more sensitive to damage, and after a while I did see a slight burring of the edge in one place. This is visible in the picture here as a sparkle on the top edge of the blade about halfway along. I don't know what caused this - I cannot remember mistreating the edge at any stage. I guess this sensitivity to misuse is inherent in having such an edge. In the event, it was only a short job with a fine whetstone to restore the edge to a straight line while preserving the edge angle.

Belt Clip

My initial reaction to the belt clip on the side was confirmed over time. I just don't like having that bit of metal sticking into my hand, no matter which side of the knife it might be located on. So in the end I simply took it off and put the bits away in the box. Since the instruction do mention the option of moving the clip from one side of the knife to the other, it seemed to me that removing it completely was also a user option. It feels much better without the clip.

Thumb rest

The design of the knife has some little serrations on the back, just where my thumb might rest, and there is also a 'bump' at the tip of my thumb (shown here in the right hand view of the knife in the picture to the left). These are good, but they are only on the 'top' side or back edge of the knife. This is fine when holding the knife with the edge downwards, but in fact I rarely use much force with the knife in this position. I do most serious cutting (or whittling) with the edge uppermost. But there are no metal serrations on the blade side (left hand view). Would it be better to have the metal serrations on both sides? I am not sure. However, the handle does have the small bump at the end for my thumb in this case.

Rear bumps

In addition to the bumps at the front of the handle, there are matching bumps at the rear end. These are shown in the picture to the right. I have to say I think these are a serious design error. They might be useful if I ever have to hold the knife in dagger mode, but even then they would really be useful only when pulling the knife out of a body. This is an unlikely scenario for me! The rest of the time the rear bumps are quite unnecessary in my opinion. In fact I found they were a bit of a pain as one of them was forever digging into the palm of my hand. This was uncomfortable, and I would much prefer a rounded back end for all tasks. The rest of the grip would be quite adequate to prevent any slippage in my opinion.

Disassembly

Having found a way to disassemble the knife, I now have the option to do just that. I have not done so yet, but it means that I can strip it down for cleaning. It is amazing just how much fluff and grit seems to get inside the mechanism when all the knife does is travel in my pocket or bum-bag! That said, I have yet to see any corrosion anywhere: it remains nice and shiny despite a certain amount of dampness. I will report further on this in the Long Term Report.

Field Use

Moving to actual use of the knife, I have to say it has both good and bad aspects. It cuts most things - string, packaging tape, cardboard boxes, various foods like bread and sausage, very easily. It whittles hardwood just fine, and just eats softwoods. Both the blade and the handle are just fine here, and the edge lasts really well. Where the knife has limitations is when I try to use it during meals on walking trips. It is far too sharp and far too pointy for things like spreading butter and jam on bread. Well, actually, it spreads just fine, but getting the butter and jam out of the plastic containers is hazardous to the containers. I went back to a more conventional round-tipped knife, as shown in the first picture.

Appearances

This section may not apply in America, but it does apply in Australia. We have a very strong anti-weapon culture here: the carriage of weapons is generally illegal. Hand guns are completely out, and even large knives are banned on the street. The legal limit of 4 inches (100 mm) of blade length means the typical Swiss Army Knife (SAK) is technically OK, but the police can still confiscate it if they think your behaviour is unruly. This social attitude sits very well with most of the population, with the possible exception of young teenage males in street gangs. Well, this knife is legal under the general definition, but I suspect the police would be extremely unhappy if I started to wave it around. Unlike an SAK, this knife looks seriously lethal!

Test Plan Results

I mentioned three different test environments in my Initial Report: day walks, extended walks, and daily use.

On day walks there isn't all that much which needs a serious knife. I have tried using the knife for lunch: cutting up buns and cheese and sometimes sausage, spreading butter and jam, and occasionally cutting up fruit. But as mentioned above, the sharpness and pointy tip turned out to be a disadvantage.

I haven't had to use it for First Aid apart from extracting the odd spike or splinter: we have some very aggressive vegetation in places. The fine point works fine for that, although a proper splinter removal tool is better.

I have taken the knife on extended walks, but have had little extra use for it beyond the above. We just don't use knives in the bush much.

On the other hand, it has been quite useful during daily routines at home. It has been used for opening packages and making packages, for repairs to our micro-irrigation system, for cutting numerous small things, and just being there when I need it. The sharpness, light weight and excellent locking action are key features here. It is a great utility knife.

Answers to some specific questions

• The shape of the knife
• How balanced does it feel in my hand?
  Good. The thumb serrations are neat, giving good control for high-force cases. They could be added to the other side to advantage. The rear bumps are a bit of a pain.
• How well does the edge 'flow' when I am cutting something hard?
  The blade has a fairly straight section near the hinge which is good for cutting. The curved tip is good for a slicing action. The point is good for poking, but out of respect for the blade I do little of this. The whole blade has a very good shape for more lethal activities, but these have not been attempted.
• The blade
• Does the 440C steel show any corrosion?
  None so far, but I take great care of all my tools.
• Does the 440C steel hold a good edge for a while (shaving?)
  Yes, although shaving is pushing it.
• How easy is it to resharpen the 440C steel (by hand of course)?
  The limited amount of honing I have done seems to have been painless and successful.
• Is 440C steel as good as a 'real' carbon steel blade?
  Seems almost as good, almost.
• How stiff is the quite thin blade?
  Very, and it isn't really that thin in the middle.
• How well does it cut 'things' in general?
  Fast!
• The Axis mechanism
• How easy is it to open out the blade?
  This depends on the tightness of the screw and the skill of the adjuster. There could be a concern over the screw becoming loose and falling out, but so far there has been no sign of this at all.
• How stable is the catch holding the blade open?
  Very good.
• How easy is it to close the blade?
  Easy.
• How stable is the blade when shut?
  Good.
• Do the bits of the mechanism get in the way in use?
  No.
• Does the mechanism clog up after use?
  It has quite a large mechanism which is fairly 'open', and it hasn't clogged up so far.
• How easy is it to clean out the inside of the knife?
  It's large and open, so cleaning is fairly easy.
• The Noryl handle
• How easy is it to hold the knife?
  The shape at the rear could be significantly improved.
• How well does the surface of the Noryl handle grip?
  Pretty good.
• Is the handle large enough for me to apply some force?
  Certainly, but note the pestiferous bump at rear.
• Is the very thinness of the handle a problem?
  Not per se.
• Do the serrations on the handle cause any damage to my hand in hard use?
  No.