Benchmade

Benchmade 300-1 Axis Flipper Review

Last Updated: August 2, 2019
The Benchmade 300 is a knife that I originally passed on reviewing. This wasn’t an easy decision. As Benchmade’s first flipper, this is an important knife. But initial reports said that the flipping action was weak, and the knife seemed chunky. I was turned off for those reasons. Rather than going through the motions of reviewing a knife that I did not want to review, I decided to focus my efforts elsewhere.

Buy the Benchmade 300 at BladeHQ

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I think it was a mistake to ignore the 300. In a sea of somewhat boring and predictable Benchmade offerings, this knife offered a glimpse of something different for the company; even if it’s simply hitching on to the flipper wagon.

As I review some of Benchmade’s 2016 models, I see a few more flippers in the mix. I can’t help but wonder how the 300 has informed these new flippers, and future knives for Benchmade. That is what really drew me to examine the 300.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 300 has an overall length of 7.36″, a 3.18″ blade, weighs 4.85 ounces, and is made in the U.S.A. Technically, my knife with the black and blue G-10 handle scales is referred to as the 300-1. The original 300 comes with sand colored peel-ply G-10 handle scales and satin hardware. Beyond the scales and hardware you have the same knife. I am going to refer to my 300-1 as simply a “300” throughout this review.

The 300 knife is designed by Butch Ball, a nice man that I had the pleasure of meeting at the 2015 Blade Show. The 300 is aimed at the Every Day Carry (EDC) market. It is on the large side for my style of daily carry, although it makes for a nice “nights and weekends” knife when I can dress a little more casually. I have used it in an EDC capacity, and can see how others might do the same.

The 300 features a wide clip point blade. This is a dramatic blade that juts from the handle with a pronounced thumb ramp, deep belly, and large flipper. The high flat grind and bright satin finish contrast sharply with the dark handle and black hardware. There is a thin swedge that terminates with a fine tip.

In practice the 300 proved itself to be a capable slicer. Although the blade stock is relatively thick, this is a wide blade, and the high flat grind gets thin behind the edge. Standard fare like cardboard, rope, and apples are easily cleaved by the 300. A deep belly and strong tip are hallmarks of clip point blades, and these features aid the 300 in food prep and penetrating cuts. This versatile blade shape is well rounded and the 300 should handle most EDC chores without complaint.

Benchmade decided on 154CM for the blade steel. Knife fans will already know that this is a proven stainless steel, although it is now considered a mid range steel. Personally, I remain a big fan of 154CM. It takes a beautiful edge, holds it well, and is easy to sharpen. Like all steels (even stainless steels) you will need to keep the knife clean to avoid corrosion, but if adequately maintained this is an excellent working steel ideally suited for daily use.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

My 300 came with 3-d machined layered blue and black G10 handle scales over blackened stainless steel liners (again, technically this is considered the 300-1 in Benchmade’s catalog). The knife is held together with torx-head fasteners and 2 blackened stand offs. The 300 originally is offered in sand colored peel ply G10 with odd grooves cut into it. It was different, and I appreciate that, but it did not appeal to me. The blue/black G10 is a little more toned down, but it still offers the end user something besides a plain black handle. The steel liners have been skeletonized extensively. The fit and finish is excellent on my knife.

The entire knife looks wide and unwieldy, but it all makes sense in hand. There are a series of finger grooves, that I typically am not a huge fan of, but I was pleasantly surprised with how natural the 300 fit my fingers (I take a “large” glove for reference). The thumb ramp features 3 shallow notches (jimping) that more index your thumb than hold it in place. This is a stark contrast from the toothy jimping on the Griptilian.

The machined G10 handle scales offer traction, but the texture is not aggressive like peel ply G-10. The texture is similar to the handles of the Volli or the Bedlam. If you prefer the traction and feel of a peel ply G-10 handle, then check out the tan colored version of this knife.

In practice this is a comfortable work knife. It stayed in my hand and did not irritate me in use. The finger grooves actually worked here for my hand.

Benchmade chose a black parkerized deep carry pocket clip, and situated the 300 for ambidextrous tip up carry. I like the deep carry clip and clip placement. The 300 buries deep into the pocket and carries well considering this is a larger knife. And I do consider the 300 to be a larger knife. Despite having a sub 3.5″ blade it is still a wide and thick knife. For what it is, I think the 300 carries pretty well.

Deployment and Lockup

The big draw to the 300 is that it is Benchmade’s first flipper, and that this is an axis lock flipper. In a perfect world we would get exceptional flipping action combined with the safety and convenience of the axis lock.

I am here to report that this knife does not flip like a traditional liner lock or frame lock flipper. The axis lock simply does not provide enough resistance (or “detent strength” if you were to compare it to a traditional detent driven flipper) to provide snappy flipping action. However, my knife was not a total flipper fail. If you use a strong lightswitch flick it is possible to flip the knife completely open without using your wrist. It takes some practice, and doesn’t compare to a ball detent driven flipper, but the knife does flip open this way. On a “1 to 10” scale, I’d say this is a 3. It still flips better than my 3” XM-18 did, but this isn’t a Shirogorov by any means.

Benchmade wisely chose to include ambidextrous thumb studs on the 300. This is a more reliable means of opening the blade, and provides the user some options in how they want to manipulate their 300. The thumb studs deploy the blade as easily as a Griptilian or any other axis lock knife with thumb studs. And of course you can use the axis lock to flick the knife open as well.

Speaking of axis locks, the axis lock on my 300 is excellent. My knife is rock solid and devoid of any horizontal or vertical blade play. I remain a big fan of the axis lock because it is strong, easy to use, is fully ambidextrous, and you do not need to put your fingers in the path of the blade to close the knife.

Blade centering is near perfect on my 300.

Benchmade 300 Review – Final Thoughts

I am glad I finally bought a 300. This is an interesting and important knife for Benchmade, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. The big question is “How well does it flip?” I am here to confirm that the flipping action is nothing to write home about. It works, but requires practice and a strong index finger.

If we examine the other aspects of the 300 it reveals a thoughtful and well made knife. The fit and finish is good, the knife cuts well, the steel is good, the handle is comfortable, and the 300 carries decently given its size.

It’s a thick and larger knife, so don’t expect this to carry like a Valet, but for a sturdy working knife this fits the bill. If you are a fan of knives like the Rift, then I think you would appreciate the 300.

This is an interesting first attempt at an axis lock flipper from BM. I wouldn’t call it a home run, but I am glad I picked one up. I am curious to see how Benchmade’s new 2016 flippers stack up against the 300, and plan to review at least one of them in the not so distant future.

In closing, don’t buy the 300 if you are expecting a Zero Tolerance grade flipper with an axis lock. The flipping action is simply not up to par with a ZT. Buy the 300 if you are a Benchmade fan that likes larger EDC knives, and wants to try something a little different.

Benchmade - AXIS Flipper 300 Knife, Plain Drop-Point, Satin Finish, Sand Handle

HIGH-QUALITY: The 154CM stainless steel blade is tough, rust resistant, and holds an edge well. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures, making it great for outdoor use.
WELL-DESIGNED: The AXIS Flipper 300 offers the speed and function of AXIS Assist, with the convenience of a flipper. The 300 can be opened and closed quickly and single-handedly.
COMFORTABLE: The 300's contoured handle is attractive and comfortable to use and hold. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The AXIS Flipper 300's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 300 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 vs. Benchmade Griptilian – Knife Showdown

by Dan Jackson 30 Comments

2 Blades enter, 1 Blade leaves. That’s the premise behind a series of posts I’ve had sloshing around in my head for years now. A series of “vs” posts where I pit 2 knives against each other to see which blade comes out alive.

Buy the Griptilian or Para 2 at Amazon
Buy the Griptilian or Para 2 at BladeHQ

And when it comes to a knife showdown, I can think of no lower hanging fruit to start with than the Benchmade Griptilian and the Spyderco Paramilitary 2. Given that today is Superbowl Sunday, think of this as the “Knife Superbowl”.

These are 2 modern classics. 2 benchmark larger EDC blades with loyal followings from top shelf manufacturers. Both easily made their way to my best EDC knife page, and both are responsible for launching the knife addictions of thousands of people. So which knife wins in a head to head battle? There is only one way to find out.

General Dimensions

The specs of the Para 2 and Griptilian are as follows:

	Griptilian	Paramilitary 2
Overall Length:	8.07"	8.28"
Blade Length:	3.45"	3.44"
Weight:	3.82 oz	3.75 oz
Blade Thickness:	0.115"	0.14"
Handle Thickness:	.64"	.46"
Blade Material:	154CM	S30V
Handle Material:	Polymer/Steel	G10/Steel
Country of Origin:	USA	USA

Both are larger EDC knives. I suppose they could both be pressed into that nebulous “tactical” category as well.

In my mind, the biggest difference between the two is the thickness of the handle. The Griptilian’s handle is almost a quarter inch thicker.

Blade Geometry and Cutting Performance

The Para 2 comes with a fully flat ground leaf-shaped blade. No recurve, no serrations, no swedge. Just pure satin finished (or DLC coated) steel. The blade is ground reasonably thin, and offers a good balance of slicing performance and durability.

The Griptilian comes with a high flat ground drop point blade. There is a swedge that creates a fine tip, and the knife comes with or without serrations. Once again the blade is ground reasonably thin, and provides a balance of good slicing performance and durability. Benchmade also offers the Ritter Griptilian, which is a wider blade. It has more of a belly and is ground slightly thinner. I have one and think it’s a little better than the standard Griptilian blade.

Both the Paramilitary 2 and Griptilian have simple functional blades that cut well yet offer the end user decent toughness for harder use applications.

Personally I think it’s a toss up between the two, and it will boil down to your personal preference more than any competitive advantage.

Winner: Draw.

Blade Steel

The standard Para 2 comes with a S30V blade. The standard Griptilian comes with a 154CM blade. Both knives are offered in other steels. The Para 2 has been released in a myriad of sprint runs, with every type of exotic steel imaginable. The Griptilian has had some limited releases over the years, but is commonly offered in S30V.

S30V holds an edge slightly better than 154CM, while 154CM is slightly easier to sharpen than S30V. Both 154CM and S30V are fine working steels in my book, so I would not favor either knife simply for the blade steel chosen, although it would be fair to argue S30V is the superior steel.

Winner: Paramilitary 2, although it’s damn close in my book.

Handle Construction

The Paramilitary 2 features a G10 handle with nested steel liners. The Griptilian features a FRN (plastic) handle with nested steel liners. In late 2015 Benchmade finally announced that they are issuing the Griptilian in G10. These G10 handled Griptilians are apparently going to retail for a little under $200, which is quite steep. I haven’t acquired a G10 Griptilian yet, so for now I am going to limit my discussion to the FRN version.

If you read or watch nearly any Griptilian review, at some point the reviewer will gripe about the FRN handles. They are lightweight, and “plastic-y” feeling. It has never really bothered me, but I realize that people prefer G10 over standard plastic and it’s considered a more premium material. The Griptilian handles are also somewhat bulky, and it creates for a thicker knife. This feels better in hand, but it takes up more space in the pocket.

Fit and finish of the handles are basically on par. Both knives are made in the USA. I think the finish work is slightly better on the Griptilian, but both are screw together designs with partial stainless steel liners. The Para 2 has an open back / pillar construction design, while the Griptilian has a closed back design. Most people find open back designs to be preferable, as they are easier to clean.

Personally, I prefer a thinner handle, I prefer G10, and I prefer an open back design, so I will give the handle construction to the Paramilitary 2 over the standard FRN Griptilian.

Winner: Para 2.

Ergonomics

Both the Griptilian and Paramilitary 2 have reputations for being comfortable working knives. Both feature spacious handles that allow for a full grip for normal people. Both knives feature textured handles with thumb ramps and jimping on the spine, providing plenty of traction to the end user.

There are some differences between the two knives in hand. The Griptilian features a fat handle and is supremely comfortable. The Para 2’s handle is thinner and boxier. It’s still comfortable but I think it is less comfortable than the Griptilian.

However, the Paramilitary 2 features a forward finger choil (or “50/50” choil). I really like forward finger choils as it gives the end user more options in using the knife. You can choke up for detail oriented tasks, and choke back for cuts that need more leverage. The Griptilian does not have a 50/50 choil and can basically only be used one way.

For extended cutting tasks I would pick the Griptilian, however, the Paramilitary 2 is more versatile. That said, I have carried and used both knives for years and think this is largely a toss up that will come down to personal preference. Both are capable of getting work done.

Winner: Para 2, but again, damn close.

Pocket Clips and Carry

Both the Paramilitary 2 and Griptilian feature large “spoon style” pocket clips. Neither have ultra deep carry clips. Both clips are stainless steel. The standard Para 2 comes with a satin finished clip and the standard Griptilian comes with a black coated clip. Both clips are strong. Both knives bury decently low in the pocket. The Para 2’s handle is drilled and tapped for 4 way ambidextrous carry. The Griptilian’s handle is designed for ambidextrous tip up carry (2 way carry).

Both knives are lightweight for their size and are easy to EDC for their size. There are certainly smaller more EDC friendly options out there, but if you are looking for a knife with a ~3.5″ blade, there are few options I can think of that carry better than a Para 2 or Griptilian.

However, I think the Para 2 carries slightly better thanks to its flatter handle. The Griptilian is a lightweight knife, but it’s thick and you will notice it more in the pocket. Because the Para 2 is materially thicker and offers 4 way carry, I am giving this round to the Para 2.

Winner: Para 2.

Deployment

Both knives are manual action (non spring assisted) folders. The Griptilian comes with thumb studs (shown) or a thumb hole. The Para 2 of course comes with a thumb hole. Both knives are easy to open and are equipped with phosphor bronze washers. Both knives can also be opened with gravity by manipulating their locks.

You can argue that a thumb hole is superior to thumb studs (and from a purely practical point of view, I would agree with that), but since Benchmade offers the Griptilian in both configurations I don’t see either knife being a clear winner.

Winner: Draw.

Lockup

The Paramilitary 2 features a compression lock, and the Griptilian features the axis lock. Both locks are similar in that they are located near the back of the handle, can be manipulated with one hand, and it’s possible to close the blade without getting your fingers in the way.

I think both locks are equally strong, although my guess is based upon their respective builds the Para 2 is a little stronger with its near full stainless steel liners and G10 handle scales. Personally, I prefer the axis lock as I think it is slightly less fiddly to use than the compression lock (especially as a lefty), but that is my personal bias creeping in. For all intents and purposes I’d say this category is basically a draw.

Winner: Draw – although I prefer the axis lock personally.

Price

Money is the great equalizer – or so they say. I know that Tony has equalized for price on his knife shootouts, and I think it’s important to do.

The Para 2 is considerably more expensive than the Griptilian. At the time of writing this article the Griptilian retails for around $90, while the Para 2 comes in around $125. So the Para 2 is about 35% more expensive than the Griptilian. Is the Para 2 35% better than the Griptilian? That’s a tough question to answer and I’ll try to consider it in my final thoughts.

Paramilitary 2 vs. Benchmade Griptilian – Final Thoughts

I would say that the race between the Griptilian and Paramilitary 2 is a close one. Where the Para 2 distances itself from the Griptilian is in the handle. It’s thinner, and is made of G10 vs. plastic. This results in a knife that is easier to carry, and is generally considered to be of higher quality. Other factors in favor of the Para 2’s is the use of S30V steel (widely regarded as superior to 154CM, although practically speaking I don’t think you will notice a huge difference) and the fact that the clip is a “4 corners” clip (vs. Benchmade’s clip only having 2 positions).

So I think you can objectively argue that the Paramilitary 2 is the better knife here. That said, the Para 2 is also 35% more expensive, so you have to determine whether the thinner handle, better materials, and 4 way clip are worth the price premium for you.

Personally, I think the Para 2 is worth the extra money, but when you factor in the added price the fight between the Para 2 and Griptilian gets very close. When you consider the premium in price, the real winner here isn’t so clear.

But no one came here to see a draw, so I’ll declare the Para 2 the champion. I think that the upgrades are worth the increase in price, and ultimately that leaves you with a better knife.

Still, the Griptilian is no slouch and remains one of my favorite EDCs of all time. I have carried and used both of these knives for years, and neither will be leaving my collection.

The G-10 Griptilian

I am guessing that a number of people reading this article will say “What about the new G-10 551 Griptilian?” That is a valid question. The G-10 Griptilian addresses many of the quibbles that I have pointed out about the original Griptilian (the plastic handles, closed back design, lack of a deep carry pocket clip, etc).

At the time of originally publishing this article, the G-10 Griptilian just hit the market. I picked one up and wrote a review on it in May of 2016. It is an awesome knife, and Benchmade did a great job with it. All things equal, I like it more than the Para 2. However, at close to $200 the G10 Grip is almost $100 more than the Para 2. At that great of a price delta I would hope that it beats out the Para 2, and it meets those expectations.

I think a more interesting comparison is the G-10 Grip vs. a Sprint Run Paramilitary 2. If you compare the G-10 Griptilian over a Sprint Run Para 2 with super steel, I’d go with the G-10 Griptilian. The machined handles of the G-10 Griptilian are amazing, and all of the other subtle refinements with the new Griptilian make it a much nicer knife than the Para 2 – even a Para 2 with upgraded blade steel.

I’d rather have a blinged out G-10 Griptilian than a Para 2 with super steel and no other upgrades.

My Final, Final Thoughts

So there you have it, the Paramilitary 2 vs. the Griptilian. This was actually pretty tough. The Para 2 wins here, but when you adjust for price it could slide either way.

Let me know what you thought of this “vs.” article and whether you want to see more of this. If so, what knives should I pit against each other next?

Benchmade - Griptilian 551 Folding Knife, Plain Drop-Point, Coated Finish, Black Handle

Folding Knives

Sale

Spyderco Para Military 2 Signature Camo Knife with 3.42" CPM S45VN Steel Blade and Durable G-10 Handle - PlainEdge - C81GPCMO2

An Improved Classic: Undeniably one of Spyderco's most popular and in-demand designs, the Para Military 2 distills the world-class performance of our legendary Military Model into a more compact, Pocket-Friendly package.
Superior Quality: We kept the same high-performance full flat-ground blade but we've also lengthened the blade's tip and added additional surface jimping to both the spine and finger coil.
A Secure Grip: The G-10 handle is narrowed at the end improving the Ergonomics. The handle and blade have been profile thinner; removing uncomfortable angles when in the closed position.
Easy-to-Use: The Para Military 2 features extreme strength, reliability, and ease of use of our patented Compression Lock mechanism and versatility of a 4-position pocket clip.
Dependable: Refinements to overall construction may not be drastic but from the G-10 textured handle to the steel full flat blade, everything is sharper, smoother and guaranteed to provide performance and user comfort.

And as always, if you are considering buying a Paramilitary 2 or a Benchmade Griptilian, I recommend purchasing them at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Benchmade Small Summit Lake Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

Last Updated: August 14, 2019
Benchmade’s Hunt series (or “Munt”, depending on how you interpret their packaging), is a series of outdoor inspired hunter focused knives. I have never been a hunter, so my first impulse was to ignore the Hunt series. But a deeper dive into the line left me curious about a couple of their knives.

Buy the Benchmade Small Summit Lake at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Small Summit Lake had me intrigued, especially given my somewhat newfound interest in traditional knives. And especially in the wake of the success of the Boker Urban Trapper, which masterfully blends old timey pocket knife charisma with titanium, bearings, and stainless steel.

The Small Summit Lake is less of a mashup, but it takes things people appreciate about knives like the Buck 110, classic lines, rugged build quality, and a practical, time-proven design, and mate those qualities to 21st century manufacturing methods, high end steel, synthetic materials, and creature comforts like pocket clips and torx bolts instead of pinned construction. That combined with an EDC friendly footprint and reasonable price drew me to the Small Summit Lake.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Small Summit Lake has an overall length of 6.89″, a 2.89″ blade, weighs 3.04 ounces, and is made in the USA. Blade thickness is almost 3mm and this knife has full stainless steel liners, so it’s not the absolute lightest knife on the market, but it’s still certainly small enough for daily carry. The Small Summit Lake has a substantial feel to it. That makes sense, given how the Small Summit Lake is marketed as a hunting knife.

The Small Summit Lake features a modified drop point blade with a high flat grind. The edge of the knife rides along a near continuous belly. The tip is fine and pointy, but it is not delicate. The blade has been given an attractive two-tone satin finish.

Benchmade decided in CPM-S30V for the blade steel. I have had great success with Benchmade’s S30V in the past. Most notably, I have enjoyed the S30V in my Benchmade Volli. That knife continues to impress me, even though it has flown under the radar for most. At any rate, while I would prefer to see Benchmade upgrade all of their CPM-S30V knives to S35VN, I found that the S30V on this knife performed well. It’s reasonable to sharpen, holds a nice edge, and is resistant to corrosion. In short, it’s good stuff.

The blade is ground from thick stock. The thick stock combined with a narrow blade, and high flat grind all lend to a stouter geometry. This results in a stronger blade that doesn’t slice as well as something like a traditional slip joint. But the Small Summit Lake still slices, and it cuts well considering. I am guessing that the blade will also hold up a little better under the rigors of hunting and camping than a thinner ground knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Small Summit Lake’s handle scales are made of DymondWood. DymondWood is a resin-impregnated hardwood veneer designed to be used in place of real wood manufactured by Rutland Plywood Corporation. The pro to DymondWood is that you have a product that looks a lot like wood, so it should be tougher than natural wood. The con is that it’s not real wood, so you lose a little of that character and depth that only real wood provides. I like the DymondWood scales and think the material works nicely on this knife.

Underneath the DymondWood handle scales you have full steel liners. I suspect they did not skeletonize these liners to make cleaning easier. A wise choice if you are going to be using the knife to skin a deer. The backspacker and lock bar are all stainless steel and the handle is held together with 3 torx bolts and a pivot bolt. Fit and finish is excellent.

In hand the Small Summit Lake performs like an upgraded traditional slip joint. There is a generous amount of jimping on the spine and handle. The jimping runs a fine line between provided adequate traction without tearing up your hand. There is a further run of jimping on the spine of the blade towards the tip. This is supposed to aid hunters in skinning and breaking down carcasses – can’t say I have used this feature much. The handle itself is simple , inoffensive, and allows for a comfortable 4-finger grip. The DymondWood isn’t a high traction material, but it isn’t slippery either. For my purposes the Small Summit Lake has great ergonomics.

A nice surprise with the Small Summit Lake is that it comes with a deep carry pocket clip. This is something you don’t see on a traditional knife, and it’s a welcomed addition in my book. The handle has only been tapped for right side tip up carry. I would prefer an ambidextrous mounting option, making the entire knife (more or less) fully ambidextrous.

The knife carries deeply and discretely in your pocket. With a weight of 3.04 ounces and a closed length of 3.65″, I did not notice the Small Summit Lake as I carried it around. The clip all but completely buries the knife. And traditionalists could always take off the clip and let the knife ride free in the pocket or in a leather slip sheath if they wanted to.

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Deployment and Lockup

The Small Summit Lake comes equipped with a single (right side) nail nick. No thumb studs, flipper, or thumb hole on this knife. I don’t have a problem with this. The knife looks clean with the traditional nail nick, and the blade is easy to open with either hand. Inside Benchmade included phosphor bronze washes – another welcome modern touch. There is also an adjustable pivot which is great for on the fly tweaks, or a full take down. If you disengage the lock the blade swings freely, and there is even a little “half stop” milled into the tang of the blade. This is not something I have seen on a lock back before, but I like half stops, and I enjoy it here.

For lockup you have a traditional lock back. This tried and true design has worked for decades, and it continues to work with great success here on the Small Summit Lake. The lock is sturdy, popping in the blade in place with a satisfying “snap”, and it disengages with relative ease. Lock up is secure and as you would expect from a lockback with full steel liners. There is no side to side or up and down play in my knife. While it probably isn’t on par with a Tri-Ad lock, this is still a strong lock.

Blade centering is good on my knife, and favors the show side by a hair.

Benchmade Small Summit Lake Review – Final Thoughts

This is a surprisingly good knife from Benchmade, and I think it would be a mistake to gloss over the Small Summit Lake, even if you aren’t a hunter. The knife does a great job blending traditional with technical, and is a modern twist on a classic folding knife. And the price is reasonable too – at a little over $100, the Small Summit Lake isn’t cheap, but it isn’t a bank buster either.

I enjoy the addition of jimping, CPM-S30V blade steel, phosphor bronze washers, and pocket clip. These modern conveniences elevate this classic pattern, and I find little to fault with the Small Summit Lake. It would be great if Benchmade made this one fully ambidextrous. That would be nice.

I also would be curious to see Benchmade take this concept, slim it down, and offer a full on gent’s folder. It may not belong on the game trail at that point, but a refined and updated traditional folder from Benchmade could give something like the Indian River Jack a run for its money.

I think the Small Summit Lake could be a great choice for someone wanting an updated traditional folder, or a modern lock back with some traditional charm. This knife straddles a couple genres with surprising grace. The Small Summit Lake is just as at home by a camp fire as it is at a pocket dump on Instagram. For that reason it has earned my recommendation.

Benchmade - Small Summit Lake 15056-2, Drop-Point

BLADE STYLE: 2.89" (7.34cm) Drop-point style blade, weighing only 3.04oz. (86.18g)
AMERICAN MADE STEEL: CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC) premium stainless steel with well-rounded characteristics, including excellent corrosion resistance and superb edge qualities. The well-balanced stainless steel makes it one of the best choice for daily tasks.
DURABLE MATERIALS: The stabilized wood handle offers much more resistance to environmental hardships than natural wood. Also, includes a standard tip-down clip.
TRADITIONAL MECHANISM: A lockback gets its name from a rocker partially visible on top of the knife. Opening the blade causes the "rocker" to lock against the blade to lock open. Pushing down on the rocker releases it; enabling to close the blade.

I recommend buying the Benchmade Small Summit Lake at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading!

Benchmade 940-1 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 22 Comments

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
Benchmade is a company that prefers iteration over innovation. Most of the new knives fall comfortably, and somewhat uninspiringly, within the boundaries of its recognizable, slow-to-change design language. Even really good new Benchmade knives, like the Valet, aren’t that differently from the Benchmades of five, even ten years ago.

Buy the Benchmade 940-1 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I can understand Benchmade’s adherence to its own unchanging vision to a certain extent. When the stars align it results in some unforgettable knives. To my mind there are few knives under $100 that compare to the Mini-Griptilian as an all-purpose EDC knife, and I’ve always thought the 710 looked like an incredible large folder.

But, for a lot of folks, the Warren Osborne-designed 940 is the Benchmade knife, and one that I was long overdue in trying out – partly because I prefer smaller knives, and partly because in the gleeful, dizzying descent that is the first few years of knife collecting, you’re bound to miss a few standbys in all that whirl and headiness.

Once the honeymoon phase of my collecting was over, I wanted to settle down with a nice, mid-sized Benchmade, and started to consider the 940 seriously. By the time I was ready to pull the trigger the Benchmade 940-1, a ‘premium’ rendition of the beloved blade, had released.

‘Premium’ doesn’t always mean ‘better,’ (unless there are performance benefits to Damasteel I am unaware of), and, with Benchmade’s Gold Class models it also means a 100+% increase in price. Thankfully Benchmade kept the 940-1 in their Blue Class line – the standard line for knives intended to be used. And while there is an increase in price over the vanilla 940, all of the changes Benchmade made – the carbon fiber scales and the slightly retooled handle, S90V steel – are performance-oriented. In short, while the 940 was already a classic, and I would’ve adored owning it, the 940-1 is, to my mind, the ideal version of an already incredible knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 940-1 has a blade length of 3 7/16”, a handle length of 4 ¾”, and an overall length of 7 7/8”. The weight is the first indication that the 940-1’s premium materials were chosen with performance in mind: this medium-sized folder weighs just 2.44 oz. To put that in perspective: the Spyderco Paramilitary 2, a knife that is widely lauded for the way it crams a lot of blade into a fairly lightweight package, is more than an ounce heavier (still a wonderful knife though).

The 940-1 features the iconic Osborne modified reverse tanto blade shape. Normally when I hear ‘reverse tanto’ I roll my eyes and expect tacticool sub-par performance, but thankfully that is not the case here. As a mid-sized knife, the 940-1 does everything I would expect it to do well. Punching through cardboard, whittling, even slicing an apple – it’s versatile and accommodating. Like all the best blade shapes, you feel like it was designed to do specifically whatever task you’re currently performing. I don’t love it for fine or delicate cutting tasks, but really there’s only one larger folder I know of that works well in those roles (smooches, PM2, sorry I called you fat earlier).

This good all-around performance can be attributed partly to the grind. When it comes to blade grinding, Benchmade has a lot of bad habits – swedges, facets, that sort of thing. Indeed, on paper, this grind is a mess: big swedge, the thinning-and-then-thickening out of the blade, the somewhat bulbous tip. You’d think there would be no way to make this a good slicer, but the bladesmiths at Benchmade pulled it off – if only just.

The reverse tanto can slice, pull cut, pierce, everything. It’s hardy without feeling bulky. I can cut up plastic or wood but when I slice up an apple with it I don’t get that ‘driving a railroad spike’ feeling I do from my Strider PT CC. My 940-1 is adequately thin behind the edge, but with such a small primary bevel I can see (and have heard of) unnecessary thickness before the edge bevel. In short, it’s a fine line, but, on my 940-1, they managed to walk it and make a good performer out of a very flamboyant design.

The other half of the equation is the steel: S90V. This is an exotic steel. I use the word ‘exotic’ purposefully because, even more so than something like ZDP-189 or M390, S90V feels very different from your standard steels. Its edge retention is totally singular – not in terms of how long, but rather in what manner it holds an edge.

I’ve written at length about my preference for ‘clean’ edge retention, and S90V flies in the face of my predilection: even when very sharp I found its edge quite toothy. For a long time I thought I didn’t like S90V. I didn’t expect such vicious-feeling edge from a super steel.

But when I started testing the 940-1 for review, I came to appreciate it. Again, the 940-1 is a mid-sized knife, and for mid-sized tasks that toothiness is a boon: this thing chews through wood, cardboard, plastic, and other materials, with no appreciable diminishment in its cutting capabilities. S90V is aggressive, and I approve. Don’t let the classiness of the CF fool you: the 940-1 is a barbarian in a tuxedo.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The 940-1’s handle is a textbook example of the grip-neutral handle, and I love it. A straightforward, clean-lined handle that lets you hold it however you need to – more of this please, knife makers.

Whereas the vanilla 940’s handle is composed of two aluminum scales with a titanium spacer between them, the 940-1’s carbon fiber scales are separated by two gorgeous blue standoffs. There are nested partial liners, and everything feels sturdy and durable in the hand. The carbon fiber isn’t slick, and all the edges are rounded to avoid hotspots. The knife is slim and narrow: you will barely noticed this medium-sized knife in your pocket. The clip stays nice and low and doesn’t muck up your grip.

That clip is the standard Benchmade number, the same you see on the Mini-Griptilian – although here it appears to be Parkerized instead of painted. It’s a real B+ of a clip: better than adequate, less than stellar. I like the way at looks, and I like that it’s tough, because I’m pretty hard on clips, but in a perfect world the deep-carry butterfly clip from the Contego would come standard on the 940-1.

At least, if they can get the fit just right. I know Everyday Commentary did the swap and it worked great, but when I gave the Contego clip a try, it didn’t sit flush against the scales, and clacked obnoxiously every time I held the knife, so I went back to the default clip – which, lest we forget, is good at worst.

All of these good things come together and make the 940-1 a top-tier carry in-pocket. Narrow, thin, easy to retrieve, and totally unnoticeable in carry. Wonderful. Better even than my beloved PM2 (I’m sorry baby, come back!).

Deployment and Lockup

When you’re talking about an Axis Lock, deployment and lockup are intertwined, to the extent that the nature of the Axis Lock allows for a very recognizable, friction-free deployment. Once you break in an Axis Lock you have a glass-smooth deployment for years and years. I only own one other Blue Class Benchmade knife, a Mini-Griptilian, and as good as that feels to deploy, the 940-1 is even better: this thing closes on its own if I disengage the lock and it is at any kind of angle. This is a classic Benchmade-ism I wouldn’t change.

Here is a shot of the 940-1 next to the Spyderco Para 2:

The only downside to this super-smooth deployment is a modicum of side-to-side bladeplay. Not enough to worry me on my pass/fail system for bladeplay, but definitely noticeable. But I’ve personally never had a larger knife that didn’t have a little play. It doesn’t make cutting any harder, and it doesn’t signify a weak lock. If I were using this knife for hard-use tasks it might bother me more (and I also wouldn’t want an Axis Lock for true hard use), but in the sort of things this knife is designed to do, it’s great.

And here is a parting shot of the 940-1 next to the Benchmade 551-1 G-10 Griptilian:

Benchmade 940-1 Review – Final Thoughts

When I first picked up the 940-1, I was really hoping that it would quickly get discontinued so that it became a collector’s piece and I could flip it for an exorbitant, Hinderer-esque profit. Now that I’ve really thought about the thing, though, I’m glad it’s still around. I’m fairly comfortable calling this the version of the 940 to get: you get a really rad steel and better-looking and lighter scales on top of all the other things that make the 940 a classic, and it deserves to be carried, used, and loved by as many people as possible. And when you consider that, depending on where you shop, you’re only paying about a $70 premium for it, it seems like a no-brainer.

The 940-1 is the best version of one of the best pocket knives ever designed.

Benchmade - Osborne 940 EDC Knife with Black Carbon Fiber Handle (940-1)

ALL-AROUND UTILITY: A quintessential EDC tool that combines simplicity with unmatched function, no matter the application; Ideal for pretty much everything.
HIGH-END CPM-S90V STEEL: Uniform microstructure gives it a superior edge when it comes to wear and corrosion resistance ; Reverse tanto blade is nimble, versatile, and made for the outdoors.
ULTRALIGHT CARBON FIBER HANDLE: Exceptionally strong with a featherweight feel in the hand and gnarled texture across the board for a sure grip
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Standard clip; Light as a feather for easy carrying and a comfortable grip.
EVERYDAY CARRY: With its slim profile and lightweight design, the 940-1 is the perfect addition to your gear collection, backpack, survival kit, tackle box, and more.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 940-1 at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Benchmade 485 Valet Review

by Dan Jackson 16 Comments

Last Updated: February 2, 2019

2013 and 2014 marked pretty quiet years for Benchmade. Not a whole lot of interesting stuff rolled off their shelves. The Volli was my favorite and has proven itself to be an excellent knife. Beyond that there wasn’t a whole lot to report.

Buy the Benchmade Valet at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Benchmade’s 2015 SHOT Show releases actually looked pretty strong. The 485 Valet was one model that caught my eye. Perhaps most surprising was that the knives became available about a week after the show. Gone are the days of lusting over pre-production tools at SHOT only to find them released sometimes years later. Initially I was going to hold off on acquiring a Valet, but all it took were a couple positive affirmations from Tony regarding his knife and I had a Valet en-route to my office.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Valet has an overall length of 6.69″, a 2.96″ blade, and it weighs 2.18 ounces. The knife compares favorably to the Benchmade Mini Griptilian although it’s much sleeker. The low profile handle and spear point blade were innately appealing. This is a slim every day carry (EDC) piece that easily doubles as a gentleman’s folder with a more modern flair.

The Valet’s packs plenty of cutting edge, a high flat grind, and a sturdy tip all into a sub 3″ blade. The blade is ground thin and it almost cuts like classic slip joint (not a bad thing). I had no trouble zipping through boxes, bags, and all the little stuff that comes across my path. Everything from sliding between the folds of an envelope free a cable bill to de-boning chicken thighs for a stir fry.

Benchmade went with Bohler M390 stainless steel for the Valet. I have been putting M390 through its paces between this Valet and my ZT 0620. Heat treated to 60-62HRc, M390 is a super steel with superior edge holding abilities, yet it is still easy to maintain. I have been putting the Valet through it’s paces, and I’ve been happy with the results. I sliced up a big stack of cardboard in an informal “cut test” and managed to wear the edge down a bit after a while. I ended up sharpening the knife on the fine stones of my Sharpmaker. After just a few passes I could tell the edge was coming back, and I was able to quickly restore the edge to hair shaving, paper slicing performance. M390 is also very corrosion resistant.

M390 is apparently very expensive (on a podcast Tony and I determined that it appears to sell for 3x as much as a more normal steel). Given the option I would have selected a S30V or 154CM version if it meant a substantial reduction in purchase price, but I appreciate that Benchmade is interested in offering a premium product.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Valet has a sleek gray handle with smooth G10 over milled out stainless steel liners, and a gray G10 backspacer. Handle construction is typical Benchmade quality. The G10 is contoured (3D machined) has been nicely finished. The steel liners are flush, and the backspacer sits solidly in the middle. I like the gray. It’s different, but nothing crazy. This isn’t a big handle, but it’s well made.

The Valet is a small knife and it feels like a small knife. I’m able to get a full grip on it, but there isn’t much room beyond that. It’s perfectly fine for little EDC tasks. There is no jimping, or much in the way of notable ergonomic features. The little knife sits in your hand well enough, and is more than adequate for normal use. I did not find the smooth G10 to be “slippery” and did not have any issues using the knife normally.

The pocket clip is a nice stainless steel deep carry clip. It buries almost completely into the pocket and is discrete. The handle is drilled and tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry. I like this clip and I think it works well.

The Valet also carries really well. At under 3 ounces and you quickly forget the knife is in your pocket. Perfect as either a discrete primary EDC or a lightweight backup knife.

Deployment and Lockup

This is an axis lock knife, with thumb studs. Usually, that would be all I need to hear, but I am concerned that this time Benchmade may have tried to do too much with too little. The positioning of the thumb studs and axis lock feels cramped. The axis lock is smaller than on other axis lock knives, and the thumb studs sit very close to the handle. The knife looks cool, and it certainly works, but it isn’t the most comfortable knife to open and close repeatedly. I’ll be curious to see if anyone shares that opinion with me.

Lockup on my knife is good. Out of the box there was a tiny bit of horizontal blade play, and a little more developed after a month of use. Pretty much all of my axis lock knives have a little play in them unless I tear them down and loctite the pivot. I know some people aren’t fans of the axis lock (too many moving parts and small springs to break), but I have always liked them. This one is smaller than I’m used to, but it still works.

Benchmade Valet Review – Final Thoughts

I am a little divided on the Valet. On one hand, it is a really slick little folder. I have been getting more and more into gents folders for daily carry, and visually this one ticks a lot of boxes for me. I like the smooth G10 handles, and the thin flat grind and spearpoint blade are excellent. My knife came well finished, and I didn’t run into any major QC issues that some folks have reported on first run Benchmades.

But a couple things turn me off on the Valet. The fiddly “landing gear” (small thumb studs placed very close to the knife and small axis lock) is my biggest concern. I would not recommend this knife for people with larger hands. I’m not Andre the Giant, but the position of the lock and thumb studs seems too tight for repeated use (or the mindless flicking open and closed of pocket knives while watching TV). Certainly this could be a “Your Mileage May Vary” thing. This is a beautiful knife, but I think BM leaned a little into far into “form over function” territory on this one.

I also think the price is also worth mentioning. $170 is a large sum for a small knife. I would have loved to see the Valet on the tail end of $150, and not on the tail end of $200. I realize that M390 is expensive material, and I think that folks who really appreciate a premium steel will have an easier time justifying the cost. Personally, I am not convinced this steel is worth the extra money.

But I don’t mean to end this review on a down note. The Valet potentially has a lot to offer. If it fits your hand well then there is little left to complain about. The Mini Griptilian is still my go to small Benchmade, but the Valet could be a worthy upgrade if it fits your hand and budget.

Benchmade - 485 Valet Knife, Drop-Point Blade, Plain Edge, Gray G10 Handle

HIGH-QUALITY: The M390 premium stainless steel blade offers exceptional cutting ability, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures.
WELL-DESIGNED: Benchmade's AXIS lock is exceptionally strong and fully ambidextrous. The 485 is a manual knife that can be opened and closed with one hand.
COMFORTABLE: The 485's lightweight design and contoured handle make it comfortable to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Valet 485's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry and use.

I recommend purchasing the Valet at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Benchmade Volli Review

by Dan Jackson 19 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
I’m not sure how to put this delicately, so I’ll just come out and say it: Benchmade hasn’t done a whole lot of exciting stuff in 2013, and it has resulted in a lack of reviews on new Benchmade knives. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the lack of cool new stuff to examine makes for boring blogging.

Buy the Benchmade Volli at BladeHQ

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One 2013 Benchmade has been on my radar for some time, and that is the Volli. It hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, probably because it appears to be some sort of a rehash between the Griptilian and Barrage, but again that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And frankly there is a lot to like here. In the time I’ve spent testing out the Volli I’ve found it to be a very functional and practical knife. We sometimes overlook those qualities as the industry focuses more and more on big names and exotic materials, but I still think there is room in many people’s pockets for a robust EDC/tactical knife without a lot of frills or hype.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Volli runs the gamut from an urban EDC to a “tactical” pocket knife depending on where your needs and preferences lie. For me, it’s more of a nights and weekends knife than a true daily carry, but for many I’m sure it would do well as an EDC. It has a feature set that I would think appeals to the law enforcement / military crowd, and I’m sure Benchmade also had those types of users in mind when they put this knife together.

The drop point blade is clean and simple with a high flat grind, and fine tip. My model comes in a bright satin finish although they do offer a black coated version as well. The grind lines are crisp and the knife came wickedly sharp out of the box. This is a simple drop point pattern but it has been done right.

The blade is S30V, a steel that I haven’t always been a huge fan of despite it’s popularity and billing as a premium knife steel. In practice I’ve found that S30V has a reluctance to take a really fine edge, especially on a couple Spydercos that I own, and I’ve sometimes dismissed it as more trouble than it’s worth. Well, I’m pleased to say that whatever Benchmade did with the S30V on my Volli, they really did it right. This is one of the nicest S30V blades I have owned.

The Volli came screaming sharp out of the box, which is always nice, but more importantly I’ve been able to keep that screaming edge with some judicious stropping. The knife has proven itself to be a really capable cutter. As always, I did test this knife thoroughly. I went through a great deal of 1/2″ sissal rope without any problem – it was almost comical how easily it cut through the rope. Eventually the edge slowed down, but I was able to quickly bring it back with my strop. Same went for wood and cardboard – it cut large amounts of both with no problem. This is because of the relatively (2.5mm) thin blade stock and the nice lean grind. 2.5mm isn’t alarmingly thin but many EDC blades (like my Spyderco Sage 1 – also in S30V) comes in at 3mm. While some may find the thinner stock a turn off, I like it because the knife cuts, and it cuts damn well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Volli is G10 over full skelotonized stainless steel liners. Probably the first thing you will notice is the heavy texturing to the handle, but it’s also important to point out that it has a full plastic backspacer and you can’t access the pivot without taking off the display side scale. Construction is sturdy. All the parts line nicely while corner of the handle has been broken to accommodate your hand. There is a small unobtrusive lanyard hole and all the hardware is of the torx variety.

Ergonomically, this is a straight forward and practical handle design. Relative to something like the Griptilian this is a thin handle, but there is still plenty there to fill your palm and all the corners are nicely contoured. I found it to be comfortable, even under hard use. There isn’t any jimping, which is fine in my book. I was able to really bear down on the knife when carving and cutting and I didn’t notice any major hotspots. Much like the simple blade shape this is a practical handle, and I found it to largely be a pleasure to work with.

The pocket clip is Benchmade’s classic split arrow clip. This time it has been configured for ambidextrous tip up carry. The aggressive texture to the G10 means this knife will destroy your pockets if you aren’t careful (you will never find me carrying this with slacks), and that may be my greatest gripe. I understand that there is a fine line when designing a knife like this, and you don’t want something that offers no grip at all. Aside from the pant shredding texture the Volli carries well. This is a classic pocket clip and it holds the knife securely and discretely.

Deployment and Lockup

The Volli takes advantage of Benchmade’s axis assisted opening technology. It snaps opens quickly with the brush of a thumb. An assisted opening knife is mostly a novelty for me, but I can see the advantage if you are in a line of work where you really need your knife to open. Benchmade included a safety located on the back of the handle. It stays out of the way but can lock the knife in both the open and closed position, a nice feature when you have a tip up carry assisted opening knife.

For lockup Benchmade went with their trusty axis lock, a personal favorite. My knife came with a small amount of lateral play, and I had to tweak the pivot by removing the G10 scale. The covered pivot looks nice, but it’s a departure from the otherwise practical design and I’d be remiss to not consider it a problem with the design.

In addition to the axis lock there is a secondary locking mechanism on the spine of the handle. It allows the user to lock the blade in either the open or closed position. It’s not a bad feature to have on a tip-up assisted open knife. It’s unobtrusive and functional.

I have to say that after Michael commented on this post (see below) I both de-assisted the knife and I took the secondary lock out. I don’t proclaim to be an expert when it comes to disassembling knives, but I’ve taken down plenty. The Volli was a little tricky to take apart and the whole process took me the better part of a half hour. That said, if you are patient and don’t mind potentially voiding your warranty it shouldn’t be impossible. The knife works just fine without the spring and the safety.

Benchmade Volli Review – Final Thoughts

The Volli isn’t a show stopper. It isn’t the latest and greatest. It’s no ZT 0560 or Spyderco Domino as far as the “wow” factor is concerned. But I’m still pleased with the knife and it seems to fill a spot in Benchmade’s catalog. Detractors of the Griptilian’s plastic handles may have finally met their match, and I’m impressed with how nicely the knife cuts and feels in hand. The thinly ground blade is one of the best slicers I’ve handled in recent memory, and the S30V steel performed way better than I’m used to seeing out of S30V.

If I were designing it from scratch I’d tweak a couple things. I’d leave it so the pivot could be readily adjusted, tone back the texture slightly and (if it were me) remove the spring assist. But these are all pretty minor and subjective complaints that may not be relevant to your needs or preferences. While I’m not completely head over heels with the Volli, it is still a very nice knife, and I’d go so far to say that if you are someone looking for a robust folder in the 3.5″ blade category with S30V steel I’d put it above the Zero Tolerance 0350 and say it is very strong competition for the Spyderco Paramilitary 2.

It may not be a runaway blockbuster blade of 2013, but that isn’t because it’s a bad knife, it’s because it has been overshadowed by some very interesting and very adventurous offerings in a very competitive marketplace. If you are in the market for a sturdy high performance folder in S30V with a ~3.5″ blade, then the Volli is well worth your consideration.

Benchmade - Volli 1000001 Knife, Plain Drop-Point, Coated Finish

HIGH-QUALITY: The CPM-S30V stainless steel blade is extremely well-balanced, offering superb edge qualities and rust resistance. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Volli 1000001 features Benchmade's AXIS Assist mechanism. It can be opened and closed quickly with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 1000001's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Volli 1000001's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry.
SERVICES AND BENEFITS: For information and terms regarding Benchmade's Limited Warranty and LifeSharp Service, please visit Benchmade's website.

Benchmade Volli – $153.95
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Volli at BladeHQ or Amazon. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated – thank you very much.