Opinion

A Trip to Smoky Mountain Knife Works

I had the opportunity to visit Knoxville, TN for Thanksgiving this year. And I just so happened to be staying in a cabin at an RV park a stones throw away from Smoky Mountain Knife Works, the world’s largest knife retail store. I usually spend part of Black Friday writing about the various knife deals found around the internet. This year I got to live it.

I arrived to the store on Thanksgiving day. It was closed, but I decided to ride my bicycle over there anyways to get a lay of the land. It’s a massive 3 story building. Actually, it appears to be a couple buildings stuck together. As usual, I didn’t do any research before my trip, so I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect, but this certainly exceeded any expectations. I snapped a cell phone picture for posterity and proceeded back to my cabin for the evening.

Also, let me apologize in advance for all the crappy pictures I took. Looking back they are poorly composed. Sorry.

Usually Black Friday is not something I want to participate in. I generally believe that if there is a crowd forming to see something, it’s a good sign to go somewhere else. But in order to get the full Black Friday SMKW experience to share with you I selflessly decided get there before the store opened at 7AM. We arrived around 6:45. There was a good crowd forming at both entrances and a line of a couple hundred people or so. We waited in the car for a while and stepped out onto the tarmac once the doors opened and the line started to move.

As we entered the building we were greeted by a gal who handed us a goody bag of stuff, including an inexpensive kitchen knife and some other schwag. Free stuff is always cool, but I was here to experience the largest cutlery retail store in the world, so I didn’t spend much time on this and proceeded into the store.

The store was impressive. This is a multi-level building with a number of different rooms. The main floor is almost 100% dedicated to knives. The store was set up with display cases. Each case had one or a couple brands, and then there was plenty of shelf space and stuff for accessories and blister packs. Pretty much every brand you can imagine is there. Certainly all the big brands are there: Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, SOG, Cold Steel, Case, Boker, etc. There were also a lot of cheap knives there including Rough Ryder, Frost, and Colt.

All the employees I interacted with at the store were friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to show you stuff. I asked the guy at the Cold Steel section if he had the 4-Max, and he proceeded to pull one out from behind the counter without missing a beat. We ogled this $400 folding knife for a few minutes along with the Colossus. I chatted with the lady at the Boker counter and she was nice and helpful as well.

I got to handle some other knives I have been meaning to check out, like the Boker FR (excellent – expect a review of it at some point), and some of the WE Knives (very impressive).

The store itself is also cool, with lots of things on the walls to look at. The store is also a museum of sorts with a couple areas dedicated to discussing knife collecting history. It was crowded and chaotic, but it was fun and I took my time slowly trawling the aisles.

The only thing the store was missing was much in the way of modern custom knives. I know this is probably a tough thing for a big retailer to put their finger on, but it would have been interesting to see.

Downstairs was more of a gift shop type area. They had a knifemaking section, a sharpening section, and a big area dedicated to kitchen knives, but they also had stuffed animals, camping gear, kitchen gadgets and areas with odds and ends like sharks teeth, primitive tools, semi-precious stones, confederate war memorabilia, fossils, foreign currency, and basically any kind of odd ball thing you could imagine.

Here is a shot of their kitchen knife counter:

And some sweet Cold Steel kitchen knives:

I visited SMKW one other time during my trip. It’s a lot of store to absorb and I couldn’t fully appreciate it within one trip. I came back and checked out some of the novelty knives, swords, and the gun section. That was later on Friday and the store was even more crowded. I rode my bicycle this time, and the security guard commented that I was the only “smart person” who rode their bike to SMKW that day.

It’s worth noting that a Bass Pro-Shops, Gun Store (and indoor shooting range), Lodge Cast Iron factory store, Harley Davidson dealership, and budget tool store are all within a mile radius of Smoky Mountain Knife Works. This is redneck heaven, and an impressive display of retail might.

I was also impressed with the amount of billboards and things SMKW has used to advertise. It seems like the bulk of their business comes from the retail store and their mail order catalog. That is interesting as most of my experience in this industry is on the online retail side. It shows a different side to the industry.

I can’t imagine that everyone that comes into the store is a die hard knife fan who can rattle off specs and discuss the merits of steel in a casual conversation. I think a big part of the draw is just the novelty of the store. Apparently it is always packed. And that’s not a bad thing. I hope business is great and continues to be great. The knife industry can’t be supported by the fickle connoisseur alone. For every 4-Max that they sell, I’m sure they sell hundreds of Swiss Army Knives and $14.99 Schrade specials.

I enjoyed my time and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. It has almost every production piece imaginable under one roof, and you can check out any knife you want. That’s a knife guy’s dream right there. I am glad I made the pilgrimage, and will be back if I ever find myself in Eastern Tennessee again. It is well worth the trip if you are in the area.

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

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.

Opinion: YouTube’s Counterfeit Culture

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

As someone who regularly creates video content, I often find myself watching a lot of YouTube videos about knives and gear. It is a fun pastime, living vicarious gear adventures through the many personalities populating the ‘tube. YouTube is a melting pot and a social network – a great way share ideas and to stay on top of the latest trends.

Unfortunately, the trends aren’t always pretty. No, I’m not talking about the inane zombie apocalypse gimmick where everything needs to be emblazoned with “toxic green” handles and bio-hazard symbols (although I must admit that is a most unfortunate turn). Instead I am talking about an even more disturbing trend, the alarming rise of counterfeit and knockoff goods gracing the silver screens of YouTube’s evanescent underbelly. I’m talking about blatant rip-offs of high-end American made knives mercilessly copied by overseas manufacturers and then readily sold for pennies on the dollar.

Now counterfeit and knockoff goods are nothing new, even in the knife industry. Although our first thoughts after hearing the word “counterfeit” might be dollar bills, Rolex watches, and designer handbags, the phenomena is widespread – extending to virtually every industry.

And really it shouldn’t come as a surprise, as counterfeiting is based on simple economics. When a company builds a successful brand based on high end products that people come to covet there is plenty of profit margin for overseas manufacturers to come in and make cheap copies.

These counterfeit companies don’t have to pay for bothersome things like research and development, licensing, advertising, patents, trademarks, and the other needless trappings of a legitimate business. Sure the finished product isn’t nearly as good as the real thing, but some consumers will accept the trade off when a decent fake can be had for a fraction of the price – to the point where the sale of counterfeit goods is estimated to make up as much as 8% of China’s GDP.

Now I know that ultimately counterfeiting will never end, and I’ve got no grand illusions that this rant will magically stop the purchase of these knives. Which is why my problem isn’t actually with the purchase of counterfeit knives in itself. Sure, counterfeiting is a terrible practice that is illegal and causes real companies real harm (currently to the tune of $800 billion a year, one fake Emerson at a time), but can we really stop it? In some ways, it’s like the war on drugs. The economics are there, the global political situation is what it is… sometimes you just need to pick your battles…

Which is why my beef is with some of the guys on YouTube and this bizarre situation where people are filming videos of their knock-off knives. A sub-culture is emerging where it has become socially acceptable to buy counterfeit goods.

It is still a relatively new trend, but is already gaining ground to the point where we tip-toe around the issue; creating euphemisms like “clones,” and setting aside the inconvenient moral analysis so we can get to the more weighty discussion of finding the most faithful ripoff. Such discussions are usually claimed to be for educational purposes only (of course). Like I said it is extremely bizarre, and I’ve yet to really see this phenomena in any other hobby. You don’t see videos of watch collectors ogling the latest Submariner knockoff, so why the hell are we so fascinated by how tight the tolerances are on the latest Hinderer “clone”?

The guys (and 4 gals) on YouTube currently filming knives represent some of the most dedicated enthusiasts in the space right now. These also happen to be the tastemakers and the trend-setters of our hyper-connected information age and they wield a lot of power. But with great power comes great responsibility, which is why it pains me to see this kind of technology used to encourage the purchase of counterfeit knives by giving them all this air time.

With that said, I’m not here to tell you how to spend your money. I may not agree with it but purchasing a counterfeit knife is not a crime, and I’m certainly no angel myself. So this wasn’t meant to be some sort of “holier then thou” thing either.

My point is, if we are going through the trouble of recording our misgivings in 1080p, lets at least be real with ourselves and call a spade a spade. If your Chinese made XM-18 says “Hinderer” on the side, it’s a counterfeit. If it doesn’t, it’s a knockoff.

So if you want to buy a counterfeit knife, fine. But please, if you are going to make a video about it, don’t piss on my leg and tell me its raining. Call it what it is, the purchase of a counterfeit. And think twice before glossing over the moral argument. In an industry where we claim to value things like original designs and USA manufacturing, the moral ambiguities are just as important as any issues concerning the fit and finish.

At the very least, do it for the people who don’t know any better. Or better yet, do it because it’s the right thing.