axis lock

Benchmade Mini Bugout Review

Last Updated: July 17, 2021
If you have handled the original Benchmade Bugout, then it won’t take any explaining to understand why the Mini Bugout is such a big deal. The original Bugout was a home run for Benchmade. Slim, lightweight, capable, and attractive with its classic drop point hunter lines and vibrant blue handle.

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So the thought of shrinking down the full size Bugout to something approximating the dimensions of a Mini Griptilian is a no brainer. The question is whether it works. Most of the time you can’t simply shrink down a knife and expect it to feel and perform properly. Did Benchmade get it right with their Mini Bugout? That’s the eternal question.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini Bugout has an overall length of 6.49″, a 2.82″ blade, and weighs 1.5 ounces. Captain Obvious tells me this is a thin, light, and small knife. It’s perfect for EDC. It would be a great choice hiking, perhaps as a backup knife depending on what you are asking of your blade. The high visibility orange handle seems to suggest it was designed with outdoor use in mind. Personally, I use it for urban EDC, but in a situation where “ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain” this knife should save you some pain.

Here’s a size comparison with the full size Benchmade Bugout:

An obvious comparison would be with the Spyderco Dragonfly II. I’ve referred to the Dragonfly II as a “magic trick” in the past, and the Mini Bugout helps illustrate that point. While the Mini Bugout is very small, the Dragonfly II is still smaller thanks to it’s curved handle and finger choil. The DF2 is just a crazy small knife and it’s amazing that it still offers a full grip and all the utility of a larger folding knife.

Here’s the Mini Bugout next to the Dragonfly 2:

The blade is the same simple drop point on the full size Bugout. It has been shrunken down, but it’s still a lot of blade. That is one place where it outshines the DF2; you are getting a significantly longer blade, which could be more useful in some situations. That long blade is paired with a thin full flat grind and a simple swedge. The end result is excellent slicing blade geometry and a good tip.

My particular knife came with a blade made of S30V steel. S30V is now considered to be a classic stainless steel. Back in the day it was almost considered a super steel. It’s still a good upgrade over budget blade steels like 440c, AUS 8, 8Cr13MoV or even VG-10 and 154CM.

I have found that the heat treat plays a significant role in S30V. Obviously a good heat treat is significant for any knife, but I’ve found S30V blades on factory knives perform differently. For example, I’ve always considered the S30V on my Para 2 and Sage 1 to be reluctant to sharpen. In contrast, Benchmade heat treats their S30V in a way that is much easier to sharpen. That combined with their thin blade and edge geometry make their S30V blades a blast to use. For example, their old Volli model is a beast of a knife in S30V. All this to say, Benchmade seems to have mastered S30V and the Mini Bugout is no exception.

I’ve used mine mostly for opening packages. Lately I have been doing a lot of bulk buying and re-selling (of all sorts of things), so I’ve been working with a lot of cardboard. Whether that’s opening packages, resizing packages, or breaking down boxes, I have gone through an inordinate amount of cardboard in addition to my usual every day carry tasks. The Mini Bugout has been a laser. It is excellent at slicing, is easy to control, it holds a great edge, and is simple to sharpen. If you want a lightweight user this little Bugout will get the job done with style.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is a shock of bright orange Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon (FRN). You will have a harder time misplacing this knife, and it’s a great choice if you are going to take this knife camping. Benchmade also offers the knife with a white handle. That could be a cool. I’ve never owned a white knife before, and wonder how it will hold up with use. Hopefully they will offer some more colors in the future.

Inside the handle you have tiny steel liners. Contrast that with the heavier Mini Griptilian, which has steel liners stretching almost the entire handle. Despite the short liners, the Mini Bugout is still extremely rigid. That is likely due to the way they placed the standoff, and the engineering of the handle.

And much like the full size Bugout, Benchmade color matched the standoffs and thumb stud. That gives the knife almost a jewelry like quality. It’s a little thing, but I think it’s nice touch that you don’t see on many knives at this price point.

I had concerns regarding the ergonomics of the Mini Bugout. You can’t always shrink down a knife handle and expect it to work. In this case, it works. The Bugout had a simple handle design to begin with, which allowed the good ergos to shrink with the rest of the design. There is room for a full 4 finger grip (just barely), and Benchmade has used an appropriate amount of texturing. Mild jimping, diamond plate, and a soft texture to the rest of the handle all come together to offer grip without gripe.

Let’s turn to the pocket clip. It’s the exact same clip found on the full size Bugout. It’s a black oxidized deep carry clip. This is a shorter clip compared with Benchmade’s standard offering found on models like the Griptilian, but it still gets the job. And if you like deep carry clips, then you might say it gets the job done better then Benchmade’s standard clip.

Here’s your in the pocket shot:

As you can see the knife disappears into the pocket. It is uber discreet. And the clip has excellent spring retention as well. The knife is held firmly in place and doesn’t float around. As for how the knife carries, well, I hardly notice the knife. Much like the Dragonfly II I quickly forget it’s there until the time comes to use my knife. The original Bugout carried well, but it was a longer knife so it took up some real estate. This Mini Bugout is even less noticeable.

Deployment and Lockup

Like many Benchmade knives, the Mini Bugout comes with dual thumb studs and an axis lock. The thumb studs are easy to get to, and the blade pops out with the flick of a thumb. This knife comes with phospher bronze washers and the action is smooth and reliable. Really there isn’t much novel about the thumb studs or washers here. It’s exactly what you would expect if you have owned a Benchmade like this before.

And the Axis Lock is just like all the other axis lock knives I have owned. It works great, and continues to be one of my favorite locks. In fact, I think Benchmade may have made tiny improvements over the years as this knife has absolutely no blade play, up or down. In the past a common critism is that Axis lock knives would have a little side to side blade play in them. I wouldn’t be shocked if that developed over time, but I’ve actually used this knife pretty hard.

We have had a lot of rain here in Florida, and our stand of bamboo in the back corner of the yard has started sending out runners all over the place. Within a few days you can have a 6 foot tall bamboo shoot sprout up. A few dozen of them came up in our yard and I used the Mini Bugout to slice through them. Probably a bit much for a little knife like this but the Mini Bugout was up to the task.

Here’s a parting size comparison with the Benchmade Mini Griptilian:

I like both knives, but the Mini Bugout is even thinner and lighter. Personally, the Mini Bugout gets the nod over the Mini Griptilian.

Blade centering is off by a hair, but still acceptable in my book.

Benchmade Mini Bugout Review – Final Thoughts

The Mini Bugout is a smaller version of the already great Bugout. And the nice thing is that you don’t give up much with this smaller knife. I have done everything with the Mini Bugout that I would have done with the original Bugout, and I suspect that’s going to be the same story for a lot of people. Sure, there is the occasional use case where it’s better to have a bigger folding knife, but for most tasks you will be fine with the Mini.

The knife is well made from premium materials. Fit and finish is great, and there are enough details to make it feel special. Unless you have Andre the Giant sized hands, I suspect you will find this Mini Bugout to be fully functional. It’s everything you need and nothing you don’t. It’s a great ultra light EDC piece and I can easily recommend it.

Benchmade Mini Bugout – From $250.00
From: BladeHQ

Benchmade - Mini Bugout 533 Knife with Orange Grivory Handle (533)

LIGHT AS A FEATHER: And incredibly tough; Ideal for hiking, camping, and backpacking, and made for everyday use; A lightweight, go-anywhere tool
AMERICAN MADE CPM-S30V STEEL: For first-rate edge retention and corrosion resistance; Precision drop-point construction for strength and versatility.
FULLY AMBIDEXTROUS GRIVORY HANDLE: Has an ergonomic textured grip and is molded from glass-filled nylon for superior durability.
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Reversible clip; Lanyard hole for versatile carry options.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Mini Bugout at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Benchmade Bailout Review

by Aaron Shapiro 2 Comments

There has been something interesting going on at Benchmade Knife Co. I’ve said it a few times in recent reviews, but it’s worth highlighting here. They used to be the dusty old gun-shop knife brand. That’s not to say the old mini Griptillians were terrible, but just that I don’t think many people would have called them, “exciting.” Some of their newer designs from the last 2-3 years have been on a different level, and the Bailout is no exception.

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The Benchmade Bailout is the companion to their also newish released Bugout. Both knives share almost every trait apart from steel, blade shape, and their vaguely prepper-ish names. I like these knives, but I’ve always had an affinity for tantos, so I opted for the Bailout.

Before we get too far into the review, let’s touch on some general specs…

(All Measurements are my personal measurements and may differ from manufacturers specs)

Blade: 3”
OAL: 8”
Thickness: .402” not counting clip .614” with clip
Blade Thickness: .93”
Steel: 3V
Weight: 2.1oz
Lock: Axis Lock

Blade and Steel

Before I get into the review too much, I want to address a potential elephant in the room. At the time of this review, there has just been a little scandal on Instagram regarding the Bailout.

Apparently, an Instagram account had one of these blades Rockwell tested by a friend. The knife came back with a mid 50’s Rockwell when it is advertised at 60 HRC. I have no real perspective on this apart from saying this: A single independent source is not something to base an entire opinion on. If ten knives had been randomly and all found to be lower in HRC than advertised, when tested by a reliable source, I would take a little more heed.

/rantoff let’s get on with it.

The Benchmade Bailout is a tanto shaped blade made out of 3V steel. The blade is then finished with a slick grey Cerakote to protect from corrosion and give it that “high-speed-low-drag,” appeal.

I’ve carried this knife in a lot of scenarios since first purchasing it. It was in my pocket when I built a fence around my house. It’s been in my pocket on river raft days. It’s also been with me whenever I’m doing something that I wouldn’t want to subject a custom knife to. In these contexts, it’s done a lot. I’ve split open Quik-crete bags with it, sharpened pencils, popped ties holding lumber together etc etc… It’s done all of these very well.

I’m not one to compare how something passed through a material or how many consecutive cardboard cuts it can do before failing. I am, however, someone that grabs for their pocket knife frequently and takes notice if it preforms the “real-world task,” the way I needed it to. The Bailout did this well, then stropped back to sharp easily.

The 3V steel that Benchmade has selected is a favorite of mine. I often request it on my custom knife orders. It’s also one of the nicer steels to sharpen, in my experience. 3V will take a fine edge with minimal effort and retain it for a long, long time. That being said, it’s not stainless. 3V has 7.5% Chromium, so it’s “nearly” stainless much like D2.

From what I’ve seen if you keep your knives cleaned and maintained you’ll avoid any staining and pitting. In the specific case of the Bailout, Benchmade has coated the steel, so you’re only really going to see any stain issues on the edges.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Bailout’s handle is made from textured Grivory, a polymer based material. The handle slabs are thin and skeletonized with a consistent matrix of pockets milled out to reduce weight but maintain strength. The slabs themselves are a svelte .12” thick. They feel good in the hand with enough grip that the knife feels secure but not so much that it begins to cause hot spots.

Benchmade has flared the handle out near the pivot to reduce the possibility that you’ll slip onto the blade if you use it for a piercing task. This flaring also acts as a bit of a thumb ramp for me.

Moving to the back, we have an aluminum pommel. I suppose the idea behind this is for some last-ditch striking application. I would love to have seen hardened steel used instead, but I imagine it came down to a weight/strength type scenario.

The clip is excellent. It’s a short (in length) deep carry clip. It tucks right into the palm of your hand when you’re holding the knife and carry nice and deep in the pocket. I would love to see more makers take up the shorter clips instead of making them half the length of the knife itself. That being said, it’s a tight clip, so if you have thicker pockets, you may run into an issue getting it clipped on.

And speaking of pockets, the Bailout carries easily. At just over 2 ounces, this is a knife you will quickly forget you are carrying until you need it. The Bailout isn’t quite as discreet as the Bugout, as it has a has that slotted protruding pommel, but everything is blacked out for a low profile. Here is a picture of it in the pocket:

No complaints in the carry department.

Deployment and Lockup

The Bailout utilizes dual thumb studs and phosphor bronze washers to get the blade open. This is standard fare for Benchmade, and much like their other knives, the blade deploys smoothly and easily.

Ahh, the axis lock. I’ve talked about it before in previous reviews, but suffice to say I’m a fan. I like it when watch companies incorporate mechanisms that are ambidextrous. It opens the doors for left-handed users as well as potentials users that want to carry weak side.

The Axis lock itself is pretty great. It operates by moving a hardened steel bar along the curved tang of the blade until it reaches the open position. Once it does two springs, snap it in place blocking the knife from closing. The bar itself extends across the length of the knife’s handle allowing you to open it from either side, thus ambidextrous. The Axis lock has been historically proven to be a reliable and robust locking method for a good portion of Benchmade’s catalog.

Competitive Offerings

For the sake of argument, let’s look at some competitive options:

We have the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight, priced around $40 less than the Bailout. Same FRN style handles, somewhat ambidextrous compression lock, but the steel is where you’re making a compromise. The Para 3 uses CTS-BD1N, which is new to me, but it seems like it wouldn’t outperform 3V.

Or we could look at Zero Tolerance 0450. I like this knife, but it costs roughly $40 more than the Bailout, and due to the Titanium construction will weigh significantly more. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the Bailout is trying to fill a specific need in a folding knife. I doubt the 0450 would be a knife you’d literally throw in a Bailout (or Bugout) bag due primarily to weight and cost.

Benchmade Bailout Review – Final Thoughts

When I opened this review, I touched on the fact that Benchmade has been creating some incredibly fresh and cool designs that fit a little better into the landscape of 2019’s knife collecting. The Bailout (and it’s Bugout twin sibling) are perfect examples of this. Benchmade has taken tried and true materials and molded them into a configuration that the EDC community values greatly. It’s thin, light, and durable. Benchmade has selected top-tier steel that will take a beating and keep on cutting. On top of all of this, the knife looks cool! The Cerakoted blade with an aggressive tanto tip is primed and ready for some Instagram pocket-dump cred.

The best part, however, is the price: Currently, BladeHQ has the Bailout priced at $144.50. That’s a lot of value for your money in my opinion.

Benchmade - Bailout 537GY EDC Knife with Black Grivory Handle (537GY)

ULTRALIGHT DESIGN: A slim, sleek stealth knife that adds confidence to your kit; Lightweight design for optimal strength-to-weight ratio
AMERICAN MADE CPM-3V STEEL: A powder-metal tool steel engineered for high stress and extreme force; Exceptionally tough with good edge retention; Requires a little extra care to keep the rust off
6061-T6 ALUMINUM HANDLE: Originally developed as a premium aircraft grade aluminum it offers a solid handle and form at nominal weight.
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Mini tip-up reversible deep-carry pocket clip for ultimate accessibility

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Bailout from Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Benchmade 535 Bugout Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

The Benchmade Bugout is a knife I was interested in reviewing when it first came out. But my original role as the sole author of this website has transitioned to more of a “contributing author and editor” role, and the Bugout was on someone else’s list to review. These days I need to work with the other authors and not step on their toes if they want to review a particular knife. That’s OK. There are plenty of other knives to review.

Buy the Benchmade Bugout at BladeHQ

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So I forgot about the Bugout and moved on to other knives.

Fast forward a year or two later. I’m at a friend’s house party. He knows I have this “weird website dedicated to knives” and wanted to introduce me to his friend. As an aside, a handful of my friends know I operate this website, and the majority of them think it’s hilarious that someone could dedicate an entire website to pocket knives. Anyhow, at this party my buddy was excited to introduce me to a friend of his that carried a pocket knife. I showed him the Native 5 in FRN I happened to have in my pocket, and he produced his Benchmade Bugout.

Handling the knife for about 30 seconds was all it took. It has a beautiful thin profile, wonderful tactile handles, is light as a feather, and the bright blue anodized hardware gave the knife an almost jewelry like quality. I could immediately tell it was a knife I wanted to add to my collection. I followed up with one of my writers, who confirmed the Bugout had fallen off his radar, and that I was clear for takeoff to acquire my own Bugout for purposes of today’s review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Bugout has an overall length of 7.46″, a 3.24″ blade, and weighs 1.85 ounces. In some ways it can be considered a largish EDC knife with its over 3″ blade, but on the other hand, it’s so damn slim and light how could you not recommend this for daily carry? It’s only half an ounce heavier than the revered Dragonfly 2, but it packs an extra inch in blade and almost 2 inches of overall length. Incredible really.

As usual, your local laws and preferences in terms of size and blade length will come into play here, but personally the Bugout has been a great choice for daily carry. And I don’t think anyone will kick it out of their pocket for being too heavy.

The Bugout features a long drop point blade. In many ways it reminds me of my Volli, but I suppose the profile is a little closer to the discontinued 707 Sequel. Regardless, it’s a classic looking drop point with a high flat grind and a swedge running half the length of the blade. The knife has been given a combination satin / stonewashed finish that you find on pretty much all of Benchmade’s uncoated knives. The blade shape is classically appealing and the execution is excellent.

Here is a size comparison with the Spyderco Native 5. Another excellent FRN clad USA made EDC knife:

My favorite thing about this blade is how well it cuts. I realize that sounds a little odd as most will agree the purpose of a knife is to cut stuff, but not every pocket knife cuts that well. Sometimes it’s a conscious design decision (ie, a thick “hard use” blade), and sometimes it’s a form over function thing. I’m pleased to report the Bugout cuts well.

Benchmade went with S30V for the blade steel. S30V may turn some folks off as it has a reputation for being an older steel that can be difficult to sharpen, but here it’s a great choice. Benchmade does a tremendous job with their S30V. It’s easy to sharpen and holds a great edge. I have some Spydercos in S30V and the steel is stubborn to sharpen. The Bugout is a lot like the Volli, knife that is a proven slicer and an underrated Benchmade. Like the Volli, the Bugout features thin blade stock that has been thinly ground. The end result is an exceptional slicing knife.

I have used my Bugout extensively and have been polishing the edge up on my newly acquired Spyderco Golden Stone. As I mentioned in my recent Wayfarer 247 review, I have been having a ton of fun with this new sharpening stone. I’m able to take my edges to the next level, and have gotten some truly exceptional results out of the stone on this Bugout.

I will eventually review the Golden Stone, but for now I want to comment that I’ve been getting some scary sharp edges on my knives, and the Bugout has taken to the Golden Stone like a duck to water. I have a mean working edge on this knife. It pops hair, push cuts paper, and zips through cardboard like no one’s business.

The S30V blade takes a wonderful edge and holds it for a long time. I prefer Benchmade’s S30V over their classic 154CM because I find it to be just as easy to sharpen, but has the advantages of more corrosion resistance and better edge retention.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Bugout has a textured high density plastic handle with partial stainless steel liners. The steel liners mainly serve to house the omega springs for the Axis Lock, and the handle construction is similar to a Benchmade Griptilian. Here Benchmade has developed a handle that is super thin, but features a minimal amount of flex.

If this was a 2 sentence review on Amazon, this may be the part where the reviewer bitches about the plastic handle scales. Frankly, I haven’t read any of those reviews, but it’s almost a requirement that if you are going to review the Griptilian you will at some point gripe about the FRN handles. I assume that’s a complaint some may register with the Bugout as well. Personally, this is a lightweight light to medium duty EDC knife, and I have no problem treating it as such. The handles feel high quality to me. The knife lacks the heft of a full liner and G10 scaled knife, but that’s a good thing in my book. Plenty of heavier duty knives out there if that is what you need.

Fit and finish is great on this knife. I have yet to find an issue in the fit & finish department, and the handle is a great place to search for flaws. All the parts line up, everything is nicely finished, the screws are flush, and the blue anodized hardware give the knife just a touch of zazz.

While this is a sub 2 ounce folder, the Bugout has the ergonomics of a full size knife. That’s because it is a full size knife. The handle is simple and there is plenty of it to grab onto. I take an “XL” size glove and have plenty of room for a full 4 finger grip. I think most people will have no problem using the Bugout in a forward or reverse grip.

The simple handle design benefits from a couple small traction features. First you have a short row of mild jimping on the spine of the handle. That works well without tearing up your thumb. In addition to the jimping you have a nice textured FRN handle. Benchmade included a good deal of diamond patterned texturing, but even the naked parts of the handle have a good gritty feel to it. Good traction on this knife.

The pocket clip is another interesting aspect of the Bugout. Benchmade went with a stubby low rider clip. It’s a discreet deep carry pocket clip. This sounds good in theory, but I’m kind of on the fence about it. While on one hand I think it looks super cool, the knife has popped out of my pocket a couple times. The Bugout has always fallen into my pocket, rather than onto the floor, but still this is concerning. Granted, I wear shorts a lot of the time, and I have big fat legs, so I don’t know if you will have the same issues. Regardless, the combination of a long knife and short clip haven’t 100% jived with my style of carry.

This knife will accept a standard Benchmade clip, which Benchmade will probably send for free if you ask nicely or use their Lifesharp service. So if you have issues like me you can always swap out the clip. I will be curious to hear if anyone else has experienced this issue. If so please leave a comment about it below.

Deployment and Lockup

The Bugout makes use of two blue anodized thumb studs to get the blade open. One of my few criticisms of this knife is is that the thumb studs are placed close to the handle in the closed position. It makes it a little hard to get the blade out. Contrast this with a knife like the Griptilian where there is more room, and the blade flies open. However, the thumb studs do work, and if you played around with the design too much you would spoil the lines of the Bugout.

Benchmade went with phosphor bronze washers. This is standard fare for their axis lock knives and should come as no surprise. The action is smooth and fluid. It isn’t as glassy as the G-10 Griptilian, but it’s definitely workable for my purposes.

With a sub 2 ounce plastic handled axis lock knife, you would think there would be some blade play. After all, I’ve experienced that in a lot of earlier Benchmades. It’s just part of the gambit when you buy a FRN clad axis lock knife. Or so I thought. Oddly enough my little Bugout has no blade play at all. It’s as tight as a drum. Really nice to see.

Here is a shot with the significantly more expensive, yet still excellent, 940-1:

The Axis lock itself remains as easy and fun to use as ever. This is a fully ambidextrous knife. There is not much new I can add to this section. The lack of blade play is surprising, as traditionally that is the only compromise I can note in a FRN handled Axis lock knife.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Benchmade 535 Bugout Review – Final Thoughts

I know I’m a little late to my party with the review of the Bugout. The knife has been out for over a year. Old news for those who track the knife industry. But this is a great knife adding to a string of impressive releases for the Benchmade. I can recall just a few years ago when folks thought Benchmade had nothing left to offer. Then they release the G10 Griptilian, 940-1, Anthem, Crooked River, and Proper. All top shelf pieces.

The Bugout is a worthy addition to that long list of excellence. But the Bugout is unique from these other knives (save the Proper) in that it’s priced a little over $100. While that’s still a good amount of money for the average person to plunk down for a pocket knife, I think it’s a fair price for the Bugout and is relatively inexpensive for a Benchmade. You get an attractively built USA made knife that is completely dialed in, and packs all of the function of a full size folder into a sub 2 ounce package. Pretty amazing when you stop to think about it.

My only nits are that the small pocket clip, while attractive, doesn’t work as well for me as a full size clip, and the thumb studs are close to the handle. As a result you need to pay a little more attention when trying to flick open the knife. That’s all I got.

So it should be no surprise that my review echos the near universal acclaim for the Bugout. It is a great piece. While it took me a while to resist the knife when I initially saw it on the internet, the first time I saw one in person it had me in it’s thrall in under 30 seconds.

Benchmade - Bugout 535 EDC Knife with Blue Grivory Handle (535)

Sport Type: Recreation
LIGHT AS A FEATHER: And incredibly tough; Ideal for hiking, camping, and backpacking, and made for everyday use; A lightweight, go-anywhere tool
FULLY AMBIDEXTROUS GRIVORY HANDLE: Has an ergonomic textured grip and is molded from glass-filled nylon for superior durability
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Reversible clip; Lanyard hole for versatile carry options

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Bugout at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying 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 Anthem 781 Review

by Aaron Shapiro 3 Comments

Last Updated: July 18, 2019

There was a time when Benchmade was kinda the sleepy “Gunshop Knife Brand.” There would always be a few dusty Griptillians sitting in the case next to the preowned Glocks, and while the Grips might be fantastic value-props, they a bit vanilla-icecream-y if you get my meaning.

Buy the Benchmade Anthem at BladeHQ

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However, something has been changing in the last few years. I don’t know if someone put some sriracha on the break table over there in Oregon City, or what, but something has injected some pep into their design team. Introducing the Anthem 781, Benchmade’s first Integral Titanium folding knife. There are lots to say about this one, but before I get too deep let’s go over some specs:

(Please note these measurements are according to my ruler and calipers, manufacturer’s listed measurements may vary.)

Blade Length: 3.25” of cutting edge, 3.375
Overall Length: 8.125”
Thickness: .585” with clip, .421 handle only
Blade Thickness: .115”
Steel: 20CV
Weight: 3.7oz
Lock: The famed Axis Lock
Country of Origin: USA

Blade Details

With a knife like the Anthem, I believe that it’s intended to be a daily carry type piece. It’s not overly large, doesn’t have any sort of complicated aspect to it, and the functional bits are designed to be, well, functional.

The blade is a great example of this: drop pointed shaped with a rounded (or crowned) spine. Eyeballing it, I’d guess that it’s flat ground but I suppose it could be a shallow hollow grind as well; either way, it’s a great slicer. It came out of the box with a very nice, toothy, utility edge and I didn’t feel the need to change this on my wicked edge. In the couple of weeks that I’ve been carrying it I have had occasion to break down boxes, slice up food, and perform just daily “knife-stuff” tasks with it, nothing crazy, no batoning or zombie apocalypse type stuff, but in terms of daily EDC tasks, it excelled.

In terms of the steel, I will briefly comment on it: Benchmade chose 20CV for this blade, and I believe that to be an excellent choice for a knife like this. 20CV is a high toughness and corrosion resistance steel, that hardens to around 62HRC. I have no means testing to see if my knife is in that range, but I can tell you that it’s performed beautifully and has been easily maintained on a strop. 20CV is very similar to M390 (one of my favorite steels) and I have been really pleased with it in this application.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Ah yes… The INTEGRAL handle. This is really what makes this knife stand out, isn’t it? This is the first Integral from Benchmade. For those of you not familiar with the term: Integral means that the handle of this knife is milled out of a single block of Titanium as opposed to two that are screwed together. There aren’t any screws holding the knife handle together. In the past, this level of knife making was reserved to custom makers that had a lot of time on their hands (it takes a while to mill a channel out of a block of Ti) but recently a few companies have started incorporating integrals into their lineup.

One of the interesting things about Benchmade’s execution of the integral handle is how they incorporated the axis lock into it. When you look at the spine of the knife (the money shot of any integral) you’ll see two screws hidden in the decorative milling, these hold the locking method in place.

In the hand the first thing that came to mind for me was how thin the knife is; It carries very well in the pocket and feels great in hand. The handle itself is trim in both dimensions thickness and height, but there is a sort of faux-choil towards the blade that locks the hand in securely when holding the knife open. Otherwise, the milled texture gives you a little bit of grip on what would otherwise be a pretty slick knife.

The pocket clip is an ambidextrous milled Ti clip that is more than a little phallic, but it is also very functional. There are several makers out there that are offering custom clips made from Moku-Ti so if you want something different there are options for you. The knife carries well with approx 1/2” sticking out of the pocket, offering a perfect grip to withdraw it.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade on the Anthem opens by way of ambidextrous thumb studs. The blade deploys easily thanks in part to bearings washers. The action is smooth and easy.

For lockup, the Anthem comes equipped with Benchmade’s Axis lock. I’m not sure there’s much to say about the Axis lock that hasn’t already been said. It’s an incredibly solid lock mechanism that isn’t prone to lock rock, doesn’t really suffer from failures in the way a liner or frame lock might, and it is completely ambidextrous to use. The execution of the Axis lock is worth noting on the Anthem, there’s a block screwed to the spine of the knife that acts as the anchor point for the axis lock mechanism.

Benchmade Anthem Review – Final Thoughts

So to wrap all this up…the Benchmade 781 Anthem is a great step forward for Benchmade knives. I think it shows a focus shift on Benchmade’s part too, hopefully, starting to produce some higher-end knives. I am also very pleased to see their adoption of some different steels. I love CPM154 and S30V, but it’s good to have some variety. Between the 20CV here and the S90 in the 940-1, it’s been refreshing.

Now, the caveat to this entire review: This is an expensive knife. MSRP is around $500, with retail landing closer to $425 on BladeHQ and Amazon. Competitively, this puts you in the ballpark of a Chris Reeve, or above the ballpark of some really nice Zero Tolerances, but what you’re paying for here is the time and difficulty in making the handle. It’s a remarkable feat, but you have to decide if it’s worth it to you, for me it was too cool to pass up. The nice thing, however, is that you won’t be getting a gimmicky integral for that price—you’re going to be putting a knife that will make a great daily carry in your pocket.

Sale

Cold Steel AD-10 and AD-15 Tactical Folding Knife with Lock and Pocket Clip - Premium S35VN Steel Blade, AD-10

PREMIUM, ALL-PURPOSE BLADE: Features an ultra-wide saber ground blade with a sturdy drop point perfect for everyday carry (EDC), a big game hunt, dangerous expedition, or exciting adventure; Made with premium, ultra tough S35VN steel
HIGH PERFORMANCE IN EVERY SITUATION: Ground thin at the edge and honed to razor sharpness for unprecedented cutting, shearing, and piercing power in a sub 4-inch blade while remaining remarkably resistant to bending, breaking or chipping
COMFORTABLE, SECURE GRIP: The handle is strong and user-friendly with heat-treated, full-length aluminum liners, 3D machined G-10 scales, and oversized pins and bolts; Fits snugly in the hand due to precise contouring and integral finger guard
ULTRA-RELIABLE LOCKING MECHANISM: Uses custom knife-maker Andrew Demko's famous TriAd lock that has been proven over time to be unsurpassed in strength, shock resistance and durability and gives unrivaled protection for your irreplaceable fingers
USER-FRIENDLY FEATURES: Equipped with an ambidextrous thumb stud and dual pocket clips for lightning quick deployment and convenient carry

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Anthem at BladeHQ or Amazon. Please consider that buying 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 Mini Boost Review

by Josh Wussow 1 Comment

As a rule of thumb, most knife nerds steer clear of blades with assisted openers. They’re regarded as obnoxious, tough to maintain, and not as prestigious as something with a truly dialed in detent. But can you guess which type of folks tend to prefer assisted openers? In my experience, the answer is simple – Those who actually use their knife as an everyday tool.

Buy the Benchmade Mini Bost at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

This brings me to the Benchmade Mini Boost. I know about AXIS Locks, but I’d never handled an assisted one. So, when the company offered to send one over for review, I leapt at the opportunity. Here’s my review of the Mini Boost, a blade which just might change the way you think about spring-fired knives.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

As its name would indicate, this is the compact version of Benchmade’s USA-made Boost design. It sheds nearly an inch and a half of its predecessor’s length, now reaching a modest 7.18-inches open. Blade span has been reduced from 3.7-inches to 3.11, while slimming the stock from 0.12-inches to a demure 0.10. The CMP-S30V steel remains the same, as does its drop point, flat ground nature. Last is the weight, plunging from 4.59-ounces to 3.31.

Enough numbers. Let’s flick the thumb stud, fire the AXIS Assist, and get to business.

As you can see from the cutting board photos, the Boost’s thin blade is an excellent slicer. Despite its American roots, the knife proved invaluable in the preparation of homemade General Tso’s Chicken. I had no trouble producing finely chopped pieces of ginger, garlic, and green onion. It proved equally capable in other daily chores, breezing through bags of dogfood and those annoying boxes for the toner cartridges at work.

This does bring up something of a sore spot. When you use things, they tend to get dirty. I like to maintain my tools, which usually involves some form of disassembly and cleaning. The Mini Boost, however, will get no such treatment from me. AXIS locks are fiddly to take down in the first place, but add in what I assume is some form of torsion bar or coil setup and, man, I don’t need that kind of frustration in my life. The bronze washers are easily accessible, and a periodic application of oil may be all you need to keep it firing reliably.

Speaking of reliability, I must have picked a good time to start reviewing Benchmades. While I’ve heard and read many complaints about their production and quality control, each of the three blades I’ve handled had zero problems. Maybe they’re closely monitoring the reviews samples, but I have nothing negative to report.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

First impressions count for a lot, but they can also be deceiving. Take the Mini Boost’s width, for instance. My immediate in-hand reaction was, “Wow, this thing is thick.” And it is: 0.63-inches from a statistical standpoint. But take a look at this side-by-side comparison with the Spyderco Native 5.

See that? The spines are pretty much identical, though the Boost’s sides swell out a bit further. In the pocket, this width is surprisingly comfortable. Part of this is due to its excellent deep-carry clip. The knife rides low in the back of my pocket, where its girth actually puffs out the seam and makes the rest of my tools more accessible. I prefer thinner knives, sure, but this slightly wide feel also helps with grip. The polymer scales are a perfect pairing, though they can accumulate a bit of pocket grit. Still, I consider this to be an acceptable hazard for a work-first blade.

Let’s revisit the assist. Because of its sensitive thumb-stud deployment, Benchmade has included a safety switch above the AXIS Lock. This sends a piece of metal sliding into the mechanism, preventing the knife from accidentally deploying in your pocket. While I applaud their prudence in including this safety measure, it does cut down on some of the quick-fire appeal of an assisted blade. It leaves me wondering if assists and AXIS Locks are really meant to go together. It works, but the process definitely takes some getting used to. And while you certainly can carry it with the safety retracted, I was never quite comfortable with the idea of a loaded blade in my pocket.

That being said, management of the AXIS Assist quickly becomes second nature. I carried this blade for nearly a month before completing the review, during which time I grew to appreciate both its deployment quirks and slicing prowess. One-handed closing is tricky, sure. But I kept fidgeting with it, over and over, just for the satisfying SNAKT noise of the blade leaping into place. For all its added complication over something like the Kershaw SpeedSafe, this assist is much more fun.

Benchmade Mini Boost Review – Final Thoughts

Let’s close with a thought experiment. Imagine you’re working a manual labor job in a dusty, grimy environment. Would you prefer a slick-firing folder running on ball bearings or an easy-opening blade sandwiched between phosphor bronze washers? For me, the answer is simple – Assist all the way. Because, sweet as that bearing action may be, it’s only a matter of time before job site gunk finds its way into the action. The solid washers and spring will run faster, longer, and more reliably in most hard-use situations.

As such, I consider the Mini Boost to be a solid argument for the existence of assisted knives. This, along with the Zero Tolerance 0566, is a solid example of spring-fired excellence. Yes, it’s trickier to maintain. But when it comes to down and dirty work, most of the calloused-handed folks I know prefer a blade with fast-deploy capability. I can’t tell you how many Kershaw Leeks and Ozark Trail folders I’ve seen peaking above the pockets of coveralls and dusty jeans.

In the end, the Boost proved to be a perfectly acceptable single-solution knife. It carries easily, cuts like crazy, and holds a decent edge. I’m still perplexed by the sudden resurgence of S30V, and I’d certainly prefer a better steel at this price point. But aside from the S30 and its pudgy width, there’s not a lot to dislike here. While I still prefer the mechanical precision of a dialed in detent, I’m also not the sort of hard user who cuts through boxes and bags all day. If that’s you, then consider checking out the Benchmade Mini Boost.

ESEE Knives Black CANDIRU Fixed Blade Knife w/Polymer Sheath

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Mini Boost at Amazon or BladeHQ.

Benchmade 560 Freek Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: July 15, 2019

As much as I enjoy picking up the latest “gee whiz” must have knife of the moment, I get the most satisfaction in sharing a great knife that may have flown under the radar. This particular knife has flown so far under the radar, I would not have even heard about it if reader Darren hadn’t gone out of his way to send me a couple emails about the knife and how much he enjoyed it. Thank you, Darren.

Buy the Benchmade Freek at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Enter the Benchmade 560 Freek. Like our friend the Bruised Forehead, the Freek didn’t win the knife name lottery. It also doesn’t benefit from being designed by a high profile knifemaker. And I don’t recall much in the way of fanfare from Benchmade or the knife collector community when the Freek arrived on the scene. It was quietly released. Rather than being a subject of media attention, the Freek has slowly earned a reputation for being a practical tool from those who have given this unassuming knife a chance.

I liken the Freek to the Benchmade Volli, another no-frills knife that didn’t get much attention, but may be be one of the best all-round EDC knives that Benchmade has released in the past 5 years. The Freek is cut from the same cloth. It’s another function over form design that is worth consideration if you are in the marketing for a largish EDC knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Freek has an overall length of 8.46″, a 3.6″ blade, and it weighs 3.72 ounces. This knife is made in America. As I mentioned earlier, I’d classify the 560 Freek as a large EDC knife. It could possibly be used as a hunting knife, as it has a good belly and shares the blade profile of their Saddle Mountain Skinner. Of course a knife of this size could also be used as a duty knife for a police officer, or perhaps pressed in to other self defense type applications. This is a versatile knife.

The drop point blade is distinguished by a curving thumb ramp and high flat grind. The blade is 2.9mm thick, and gets thin behind the edge thanks in part to that high flat grind. The edge has been neatly applied, and like on pretty much all the Benchmades I’ve owned over the years there, is a sharpening choil allowing you to sharpen the edge all the way down to the heel. The tip is fine, but the the deep belly keeps it out of the way. Again, this lends me to believe this could be a decent hunting knife, although frankly I’ve never been on a hunt in my life.

Benchmade has gone with tried and true S30V steel for the Freek. Although S30V has fallen slightly out of favor thanks to the widespread adoption of it’s more exotic cousin S35VN, I find that Benchmade does a particularly good job with their S30V. Case in point my Volli with its 2.5mm thick blade cuts like almost nothing else I own. That thing is a laser. The Freek is right up there. This knife is a phenomenal slicer, the S30V blade holds an excellent edge, and I found it to be an easy edge to maintain with strops and the ceramic rods from my Spyderco Sharpmaker.

This knife makes quick work of cardboard, laughs in the face of of your lunchtime apple, and will capably assist you with all those odd cutting tasks that crop up in our daily lives. Much like the Volli, the Freek is a knife that I looked forward to busting out when it came time to break down a box or open a package. It’s a performer and the S30V blade steel punches above its weight thanks to the heat treat and grind.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things get interesting, and also where the knife is bound to alienate a significant section of the audience. Like the Griptilian, this is a plastic handled knife with partial stainless steel liners. Unlike the Griptilian, the Freek has a unique high density rubber (“Versaflex”) overmold that is bonded to the plastic. The end result is a lightweight grippy design that is unlike anything else in my collection.

Some will love the lightweight nature of the design and the non-slip feel to the handle. Others will dismiss it as being cheap and plasticy. If you couldn’t stand the feel of the handles of the original Griptilian, then my guess is you will want to skip the Freek. But if you don’t mind trading G10 for a large ultra light knife, then the Freek could be a winner for you.

The ergonomics of the Freek benefit from a streamlined handle design. There are few curves, and little reliance on jimping except for the thumb ramp. Although the handle is textured, it’s not an abrasive knife in the hand. The end result is a no-frills handle that is comfortable and secure in all kinds of conditions. The Freek easily accommodates my larger hand, and the handle is well suited for extended use and hard tasks.

This knife comes from the factory with Benchmade’s split arrow clip. I’ve long been a fan of this clip, and here it is situated for ambidextrous tip-up only carry. This is a discrete knife that and buries deeply in the pocket. Benchmade left part of the FRN endoskeleton exposed where the pocket clip meets the handle, and that makes for easy insertion and extraction of the knife from your pocket.

At well under 4 ounces I found the Freek to be an easy knife to tote around. It’s about as thick as the Griptilian and carries comparably. On that note, it’s worth stating that the Freek is actually almost half an inch longer than the Griptilian but weighs .16 ounces less.

Deployment and Lockup

There isn’t a whole heck of a lot new here to say in this section. This is a thumb stud axis lock knife. A tried and true design. Here the thumb studs and phosphor bronze washers work just as great as they did on my original Griptilian. While bearings are all the rage, I think something needs to be said for bronze washers. Especially for a thumb stud equipped user knife like the Freek. Bronze washers are still exceptionally smooth and are ideal for working knives like this.

I continue to appreciate the axis lock for it’s simple and intuitive design. Plus I always appreciate that this is a fully ambidextrous knife. Lockup is secure, but as you would expect from a plastic handled partial liner axis lock knife, there is a little side to side blade play. Nothing to get upset about, just a trade off in the design. Personally, I’m happy to exchange a modicum of side to side blade play for all the practicality and utility that this design offers. Your mileage may vary.

Blade centering is pretty good. It slightly favors the pocket clip side of my knife, and is far from rubbing.

Benchmade 560 Freek Review – Final Thoughts

For those wanting a premium lightweight work knife with an over 3.5″ blade, I think the Freek is a no-brainer. Benchmade has been refining this type of knife for years. It’s like a Griptilian but it is leaner and meaner, yet also slightly larger. Perhaps it’s oriented slightly more towards the lightweight camping and hunting ground. Benchmade doesn’t offer much insight in their product descriptions, but for some reason I keep going back to hunting when I consider the Freek.

Those that can’t stand the plastic scales on the original Griptilian would be well served to steer clear of the Freek. Instead check out the Volli or the G-10 Griptilian. Those models will also provide you with great cutting performance and ergonomics, but will also be a little stouter than the Freek.

I am glad Darren called this model to my attention. I hope in writing this review I have turned at least a couple people on to an excellent “sleeper” knife from Benchmade.

Benchmade - Freek 560, Drop-Point Blade, Plain Edge, Satin Finish, Black/Grey Versaflex Handle, Made in the USA

HIGH-QUALITY: The CPM-S30V stainless steel blade is extremely well-balanced, offering superb edge qualities and rust resistance. The Grivory and Versaflex dual durometer handle offers strength, comfort, and grip.
WELL-DESIGNED: Benchmade's AXIS lock is exceptionally strong and fully ambidextrous. The Freek 560 is a manual knife that can be opened and closed with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 560's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Freek 560's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 560 Freek 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.