Yeah man would love to add a couple more benchmades to my collection but not at the prices they want these days. I’ve purchased 7 knives from them over the years but they priced me out of their products.
You're certainly not alone, I love their products just not at this price and it's getting frustrating that the prices are going up while the quality is going down. Thanks for watching!
I agree with your assessment. I own 8 of their knives and was a huge fan 8-10 years ago, but I haven’t bought a Benchmade in 2 years. As you said their QC has gone down, their prices have skyrocketed, and so many other knife manufacturers have begun producing/ perfecting their knives. I honestly don’t know how they are still profitable, because I have talked to so many people who have walked away from their knives.
I don't want to be completely wrong here but I am under the impression that they make a significant portion of their revenue from government contracts and don't really need to worry much about everyday retail. Could be completely wrong but I think that would explain a lot of it... Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpeningyep. I got curious about the same things that you mentioned & did some digging .Last few years.Basically focused on 2020 election,C19,& some economic trends 2016-present ,# of employees,$ they spend on raw materials,where they purchase from,profits ect. Went way down the rabbit hole on that kind of stuff.On a subscription site for investors .Looked at some of their numbers from the beginning. Any kind of information on any company that you want look at is there. Had to take a break from BM .Made my brain hurt within an hour.Agree with you & points you made here. I won’t be a customer until they get back on track. Reside on the east coast also. Take care.
@@DXSharpening Benchmade used to make Doug Ritter's designs based on the Griptilians. When Benchmade stopped making them, Doug hooked up with Hogue (the Axis lock patent had expired).
Microtech doesn’t fix their knives for free unfortunately. It can be very expensive to send a broken knife to them and from my experience - they’ll tell you the knife was defective and they’ll swap it out for free, then say they can’t, then they’ll ignore you for TWO MONTHS before calling to say “okay, it’s fixed. Pay $200 and we’ll send it back”. Being that it’s already fixed I’d imagine they’ll hold it hostage until you can pay. They also never told me how much it would cost so I have $650 invested in a $450 knife that still doesn’t feel right. Terrible experience. Great video though man!
Really sorry to hear that! I hadn't heard of that poor an experience with Mucrotech customer service that sounds like a huge pain and is extremely off putting. I'm hoping in recent weeks and months they've made an effort to improve because that seems pretty inappropriate and deceptive to charge that much... glad you got everything figured out but that is a bit crazy. Thanks for watching!
I used to consider myself a Benchmade fan boy. They were one of my first "good" knives I bought. Like you, I also though about the warranty and free sharpening for life as a real bonus. Especially since I'm close enough I could drop off for service if I wanted. But over the last year or so I can't help but feel the same frustration as most about crazy pricing. I found myself branching out to other brands in the last year just because I felt I was getting more for the money. I would like to see Benchmade make some changes and become a solid choice again for everyone buying a knife. But I think if they keep going in the same direction they will start to only cater to the loyalists and the uneducated. I'm one of the lucky one that has yet to have a omgea spring break! Fingers crossed!
Sounds like we're in a very similar boat. I'm not going to completely write them off because they have some amazing designs but I think it's time to look elsewhere until they figure out the problems they're having with poor quality products coming from the factory and stop overly inflating the prices. I appreciate the comment and the support! Thanks for watching!
I own many Benchmade knives and used to swear by them but IMO the market has caught up to the quality vs price of Benchmade and I’d rather spend my money on other items.
Bought a 940-2 last year and after just a couple of months I believe, one of the omega springs broke. I tried taking the knife apart. I managed to remove all the screws but one. I've heard about Benchmade screws so I was very careful. My 'technique' had worked so far so I put in my Wiha T6 bit straight up and down. I made sure it was secure and I began to turn it slowly, pause, turn it slowly again, pause. I did this for s few times and without warning it's almost as if the teeth on the screw broke off.
Sorry to hear it! My first Benchmade was a 940-2 as well and I had a spring break I think in 2 or 3 months, sent it in to get it fixed, and after getting it back another spring broke in 2 or 3 months... pretty frustrating. Hopefully their warranty helps you out with the screws, I'm sure they will. Thanks for watching!
If you want one absolutely. Just shop around. Arizona custom knives has one barely used bugout for 125. 180 for one with AWT scales. With Benchmade warranty, that's a good value
If you can get a great deal on one they're still a decent product in today's market, I just think paying full retail is ridiculous for some of their models. I'm not a massive Benchmade hater like a lot of people but I try to be realistic... I have lots of Benchmades and I love them but it gets old having to pay ridiculous premiums for knives that are just as good as some other brands. Thanks for watching!
I totally agree. My g10 940 I smoked a spring in the first 2 weeks. Between that and my bugout I’ve lost count on how many springs I’ve changed it’s so annoying. So whenever I carry a Benchmade I have to carry a backup knife usually a Spyderco. So like you say what’s the point.
I have tons of knives, but I’ve always loved Benchmade designs. I had a mini barrage, then a 940-2, and couldn’t love either. I had many other similar knives since then and finally landed on the griptilian in s30v and I’m obsessed. Perfect size and shape and edge retention I just love it…it’s 2024 and I’m just realizing their 140$ knife is the one I need after spending 1000$ plus on others lol. I would strongly suggest go to a knife shop and handle all the knives you can then make a choice, I got lucky and mine was a cheap one! I do think bm is overpriced and overrated but here I am using one daily soooo
I paid the butterfly tax (with a cringe😬) for years, maybe 10-12 designs,, like the Freek,Griptilian all the standards. Still love the 940. They REALLY lost me at the Tagged Out. I pre-ordered it and looked at it again a week or so later and thought what are you doing? That's the last one I bought, wish the Full Immunity was -$120,,, it would be a cool lil secondary. I just can't do it. THANKS for the "worth it series" 👍👍🔪
I've already bought a clip for a 940................., Griptilian is still a fairly good price and no complaints. For most of the time, I'm using two hands to open my Bugout. I like them, despite the price 🙄🙄😏
They are still decent products and get a lot of hate just because of the pricing. Their heat treatment is phenomenal in my opinion and that's what really matters. Thanks for watching!
Definitely a valid point, switching from the thumb stud to the hole is much easier than switching from the hole to the thumb stud. Thanks for watching!
Has anyone noticed that the review section of the BM website has 3 parts & the 3rd part requires the extra step of pushing the read more button. That’s Convenient .I haven’t got the bug,not a collector, and if I were I’m glad I’m not dieing for a Benchmade specifically..You should never apologize for telling the truth,in this case you are even doing more of a public service announcement for the good of the community of ppl on here that are really into knives .940 design caught my eye around 2 months ago. I will have my slightly redesigned (bearings milled into uncoated titanium scales,rather than washers)asap. The overall inflation (not even talking about BM in this situation. I understand inflation…BM has lost it from what I see .wish everyone the best,but ….hmmm…?.)on everything is beginning to sting a little & back to school stuff for the little one is priority right now. I will need to go back and double check but I think the blades are for the most part,well done in D2(which is more than fine with me..heat treatment & everything else about them. Blades and scales are what they are described to be .Tested & proven.One I looked at was etched s30v,was brought to attention and corrected in description (?steel used in green 940s?. )Thousands of sales,small family of knife enthusiasts business on eBay since 2010 .fancy titanium baring modified model $50-$58 ..original green ones from the seller on eBay are in the 30-34.?.?range.proudly going to go that direction. & bet a mini deep pocket clip is included for the asking.like you,not trying to be ugly,no mob mentality or anything like that. Any sales of mid-high end luxury items has to have their ducks in a row & care,not the opposite while actively & irrationally going north with pricing. Not good. Bought a ultratech years ago. Showed my boss. He went to a convention and had the otf bug from mine. Treated himself to a infidel. I WAS NOT A BIT IMPRESSED,side by side. Tinny cheep feel & sound. Now,these days…I wish them the best!
@wbwills2 I appreciate the comment! It seems as though they still have a hardcore fan base but are slowly losing more and more customers with each wildly priced model that is released. There are plenty of other brands that make high end knives that are likely going to start swallowing up market share and it might actually help us out as consumers. Right now there are only a handful of companies that produce high end working knives that are made in America, but as more and more start to bring production back to the states I would imagine Benchmade will begin to realize they need to get more in touch with their average consumer. Thank you again for the comment and for watching!
The spings broke on my 940 and Adamas. They fixed them took to long but the did fix them. I love my 87's 42 and BHQ exclusive 51 Looking forward for the Necron natural G-10 and 82 Love my Balisong's
My first knife was a mini grip I bought on Amazon for I think $90. That tells you prices now. I've had great luck with the Microtech OTF so much so I'll just buy one of them before I buy any other OTF.
Awesome deals, glad you avoided the full price... that's much more reasonable pricing for what you're getting in my opinion. Great choices too, I love the design of the mini freek. Thanks for watching!
Everything cost more nowadays. Sign of the times. For the guy who buys several knives a year, sure they are expensive. For the guy who just wants a well made American knife to carry for the next several years, it’s reasonable.
@@cintageI don’t feel it’s unreasonable. Other USA made production knives command much higher price points, while a few others are at lower ones. Ultimately the market will decide.
@@cintage Agreed and very true, but a CRK will run double or more than a run of the mill Benchmade. I think people’s perception is skewed by the cost of Chinese knives, vs the price difference between a Benchmade and CRK.
Hey DX, I too love Benchmades (especially the entire Adamas line), but I have been getting some "sticker shock" lately from the knives they're releasing. I would have bought the Narrows if the price were not so high. I really like the PSK, but it is so #!@%ing expensive! I wonder if something is going on with the Libs forcing the mandatory minimum wage on companies? I'm sure Oregon is at the forefront of these policies like California. If your basic, newly-hired stock room worker/floor sweeper has to be paid $15/hour, they are also going to have to give substantial raises to highly skilled people on their team with years of experience who are actually making the knives. I don't know if this is the issue, but when businesses are forced to pay salaries that cause them to operate at a loss, they will have to pass that cost (or "Wealth Redistribution Tax") onto the consumer. I hope this does not become the norm for knives made in America, because I really prefer to buy American made.
Really appreciate the comment, typically companies will want to sustain their margins even through times of economic downturn which will lead to an increase in prices for consumers which is why we have seen prices increase pretty much across the board for American Knife companies, however Benchmade has had extremely high prices for longer than others and the quality does not seem to match. I believe they have made a lot from government contracts and thus do not really rely on the typical consumer for revenue much like Sig Sauer, but they know some people will still buy them at incredibly high prices. I'm sure there are a lot of factors at play, but I really do hope this doesn't become a trend across the whole market because it is a bit ridiculous. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
I love Benchmade. Never had a problem with any of their knives or any springs breaking. And we used them hard durind deployment. I did had to send two of my spydercos back to get the blade center. One was a Yohimbo, the other a PM3.
@@DXSharpening idk. Here is another one. Another time ups lost two of my BM that I sent to engrave and one to change the blade to Sheepfoot. One was a Griptillian, the other was an auto from deployment (forgot the model). UPS said they delivered which is bs because I was at home the whole day. Long story short, BM sent me two brand new knives. They sent me an auto Presidio since the one from deployment was discontinued. They didn't have to do that. It wasn't their fault. Say whatever you want to say about them but their customer service is top notch.
@hectorrivera6624 totally agree with you there, I have had nothing but a positive experience with them. Have a shootout on the way back to the factory now so hoping it gets back soon!
I remember thinking should I buy an Anthem for $425+ tax. I'm glad I did. It's my favorite knive when it comes to clicking. My favorite knife that I have right now the is my Microtech Brachial that fires like a .22
I'm looking into getting an out the side auto Microtech and got to hold a socom elite auto and it was probably the hardest firing auto I've held if not top 2 or 3!
Had to send my necron 99 back cause the tip of the blade was chipped and one of the torx screws stripped when I was trying to add the weights to the handle :(
Sorry to hear it! I guess it's good the warranty service will take care of it all but man that's annoying to have to send it in for service already. Thanks for watching!
Benchmade definitely had better quality back in the day. I still have my original north folk with the recurve i bought as my first "nice knife", it still has its original omega springs 10 years later. I now have a large collection of knives and the last 2 benchmades i bought were the M4 exclusive 940, and the aluminum and m390 bugout. Both knives had the omega springs break within 6 months. Ive since replaced them with a pack of omega springs off amazon for 8 bucks and they are noticeably better than benchmades springs.
Sounds like they've cut back significantly on the components being used to make their knives... most people I know who haven't ever had a spring break have knives that are quite old, and seems like the more recent production ones have springs break frequently. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Its really weird youre having so many issues because ive bought 2 bugouts and a mini adamas and one of my bugouts it perfectly made. No blade play, great acoustics, 20cv, no complaints. my other bugout is the cf s90 and the blade moves maybe a 10th of a milimeter when locked. I wouldnt call it play but it does budge a bit but otherwise its awesome and the same goes with my mini adamas. I was thinking about getting a 940 as my next pickup but im not sure if its worth the trouble of sending it back
It really seems to be hit or miss with Benchmade, there are a lot of people who have never had issues and there are a lot of people who have lots of issues... glad to hear you're enjoying the bugouts and hopefully you continue to not have to deal with parts breaking! Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpeningwhy do you think the same people seem to have a lot of issues? Based on that statement it doesn't seem random. Maybe Benchmade doesn't like them?
I have an 22$ alternative knife with an excellent Axis Lock and which never breaks if you are fine with 440C stainless steel and 58 HRC. The Ganzo 729. The Axis Lock of that is not fidgity but Ganzo did improve the Axis Lock to an "autoadjust Axis Lock". The axis bar has room to travel a few millimeters foreward to make up over the decades for any wear and tear on the axis bar and back blade ramp. The Omega springs will never break on the Ganzo 729. That is an PM2 close copy - a well made copy in 440C steel. None blade play whatsoever. I have 6 of them and only on one rifle green one the blade is a bit looser than on the others but no blade play at all.
The adamas line has optimal hrc ranges on both cruwear and magnacut. The 940 is outdated but still iconic. Worth $200-$400? Up to you. I've personally taken a liking to a good finger choil on a work knife and no benchmade knife has that. Left them behind for my demko ad20.
The fixed adamas was my favorite fixed blade until I started getting stuff from Toor... I don't hate Benchmade and I think a lot of people trash them and I do think they deserve criticism but I also like some of their "old school" styles like the 940. Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpening I got the jank shank s, wish it were in cruwear though. Still one of the three fixed blades I carry. I started on benchmade and used to like them a lot. We are no longer talking about the same company. Benchmade as it is now deserves all the failure coming to it.
@@DXSharpening They're up and coming, may become a bigger name eventually. I have the 37th jank shank s and gave my stepsister a jank shank w that she immediately took to work and snapped the tip off of. Only get her knives in like 3v now.
So I picked up my 1st Benchmade last month, a Bugout in Crater blue and FDE blade. QC was horrendous, especially at $180! I think they can throw in a sticker and cloth for that price when budget brands do. I hated the knife until I put on Unlocked Composites CF scales and a LynchNW clip. I like it a bit now, but it's become my most expensive knife and I have less expensive knives I like way more! I would recommend the scales and clip to anyone, but I won't recommend the knife...
While I'm sure they perform well there are a handful of videos online that show the difference in steel quality and quality of other components where Benchmade excels compared to the clones. That being said I'm still they sure work fine unless placed under any extreme stress... I also don't have any personal experience with the clones, I can only judge based on what I've watched. Thanks for watching!
@@hectorrivera6624Some clones have the same quality! That's what everyone is up I'm arms about. Benchmade has had some really bad quality and quality control issues recently. Knowing that clones of good quality become a reasonable alternative! Especially since most clones come in D2... Which is a really solid performing steel.
Imported Chinese clones ? You should have the skin, whipped off your back, excuses ! You’re just cheap and don’t give a crap you are undermining America manufacturing. If you have an issue with Benchmade buy another brand, don’t use excuses to buy a ripoff that just looks quality, be ashamed !
I purchased a bailout about a month ago and it got to me horribly off-center. Touching the scale. I sent it in for warranty and added detailed description and pictures of the problem. They sent me the exact same knife with a new clip and sharpened again. Still completely off center with the pivot torque’d to oblivion. LAST benchmade I’ll ever be buying
Benchmades quality control is really bad. Thats true. The new pricing is insane. But I have to say on all my Benchmades never ever broke an omega spring. And on my the materials were good. Sad sad to hear that.
Over the years I’ve bought 7 benchmade knives, I haven’t bought one in ages, I don’t even bother looking at benchmade reviews anymore, I know they’ve dropped their standards and increased their prices. They’ve priced me out of their market. It’ll take a hell of a lot to get me to buy another one.
Probably should mention too, I'm considering selling my 940-2 if you have any interest. Would be happy to sell at a steep discount, just shoot me a message.
I used to really love Benchmade but their pricing went from expensive to laughable and finally to insulting. Microtech has done the same to a lesser extent although they seem to be listening to their customers at the moment. Benchmade doesn’t care at ALL what their customers say.
I cannot confirm whether this is true or not but there have been a few people who have said they rely more on govt contract money than money from everyday consumers similar to Sig Sauer... not sure if it's true but it would certainly explain things. Thanks for the comments!
Pretty sure they're releasing a whole new wave of bugouts in the coming months, not sure if any are magnacut but the prices will definitely be jacked up... Thanks for watching!
I understand the push back on benchmade as of late. However they are my go to. I have never had omega springs break on any of them. I broke the tip of my griptilian because I was doing something stupid with it. And they replaced the blade and had it sent back right away. I like the style of their knives so the price is worth it to me. I have to be attracted to my knives if I'm going to want to carry them, and I am fortunate to have a well paying career that allows me to be able to afford it.
Great to hear that you've never had an omega spring break on you, and glad they took care of you with the warranty. I really enjoy a lot of their designs and their warranty has always taken care of me very well even if it takes a little while for shipping. If you have the money and want to spend on Benchmade that's great, they continue to put out new designs so I'm sure there are lots of people that have still been willing to buy their products and that's definitely a testament to their design. Myself and lots of others have also weighed the costs/benefits of Benchmade and decided to start choosing other brands likely for the time being. That's the beauty of the free market! Thanks for watching!
I would agree that inflation has hit them hard, but inflation has hit everyone hard and there are a lot of companies in CA which is likely worse than Oregon for business
I like Benchmade and own 6 or 7. Part of the fun in the hobby is tracking down the best absolute lowest price. Good deals to be had just wait for sales. You get what you pay for imo, made in America and an amazing lifetime warranty. Chinese knock offs won't be around to warranty their knives. Benchmade been around for decades..... If you don't like it don't buy it and move on......
Absolutely agree, I have a lot of fun just shopping around all the time Put together a Twitter/X Community here that compiles a lot of the stuff I see, feel free to check it out and let me know if there is something in particular that you're looking for! twitter.com/i/communities/1828473099274047638
They make semi decent knives th qc is horrible they last few I bought has actions as smooth as it being made in a sand factory on top of multiple broken omega springs all purchased from 100% reputable dealers. My hinderer xm18 3.5 was only like 425 after making mods it came out to about 730 I'm fine paying alot for a knife but not benchmade all you pay for is that logo
If they were consistent in their qc and actually figured out a way to not have components breaking left and right they would be awesome, but like you said it's a gamble whether the action will be great or terrible and the grinds are typically always terrible. Just ridiculous when you're paying overinflated prices already for a product that isn't made with quality parts or quality control. Thanks for watching!
They don't ship with their proprietary anti 2 A angle grinder with each knife, so NO I will never buy a Benchmade. Sold all I had when they did that nonsense, so many other great options to choose from.
I have heard/read about that whole situation and it was rather off putting, but I don't think it was as bad as people made it out to be... certainly doesn't instill any confidence but it seems to be a mistake they made in the past and have definitely done a 180 with supporting the firearms community. I absolutely respect the decision to not support any 2a company and I wish more people would do the same, I just didn't find the Benchmade situation to be as definitively anti 2a as they were made out to be. That being said, I also wasn't super involved in the knife community and I didn't own any Benchmades at the time and I would imagine that actively owning them during that time and being involved would've angered me enough in the moment to have sold mine. I appreciate the comment!
Credibility was lost when you broke 3 omega springs “barely” using them. I have become STUPENDOUSLY critical of Benchmade for many reasons. But there is absolutely no way you broke three omega springs without doing something nutty. They are certainly less durable than a lot of locks, but they cant possibly be breaking with “barely ever using them” absolutely no shot
I don't necessarily think thats true, some of the plastics/polymers used are extremely durable and lightweight but they shouldn't be extremely overpriced... thanks for watching
Bro, if benchmade is considered overpriced for an american, imagine how much they cost here in eastern europe... they even cost more due to imports so a goddamn knife costs like half os my monthly salary.
Fair enough, when they go on huge sales from time to time I'll typically pick one up and then get mad when it breaks several weeks after haha. Thanks for watching!
This is a bad and shortsighted strategy for BM to do their price hikes and reduce their QC in a time where even China is making really nice quality ones. I do wonder how they are doing as a company today and if people still pay full retail for their stuff. It just hurts because I've been a fan of them since the late 90s to see a company turn around and slap all of its supporters like that. Those idiots who started doing knives today may buy it full price but not long, they will become informed as well. There is no good end game here for BM treating their fans like that.
@@DXSharpening I'm still pissed about them for removing the Griptilian from the custom shop. I wanted to build and purchase another one from them, but noooOOOooo.. The only ones available have plastic handles.
Yeah man would love to add a couple more benchmades to my collection but not at the prices they want these days. I’ve purchased 7 knives from them over the years but they priced me out of their products.
You're certainly not alone, I love their products just not at this price and it's getting frustrating that the prices are going up while the quality is going down. Thanks for watching!
I agree with your assessment. I own 8 of their knives and was a huge fan 8-10 years ago, but I haven’t bought a Benchmade in 2 years. As you said their QC has gone down, their prices have skyrocketed, and so many other knife manufacturers have begun producing/ perfecting their knives. I honestly don’t know how they are still profitable, because I have talked to so many people who have walked away from their knives.
I don't want to be completely wrong here but I am under the impression that they make a significant portion of their revenue from government contracts and don't really need to worry much about everyday retail. Could be completely wrong but I think that would explain a lot of it...
Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpeningyep. I got curious about the same things that you mentioned & did some digging .Last few years.Basically focused on 2020 election,C19,& some economic trends 2016-present ,# of employees,$ they spend on raw materials,where they purchase from,profits ect. Went way down the rabbit hole on that kind of stuff.On a subscription site for investors .Looked at some of their numbers from the beginning. Any kind of information on any company that you want look at is there. Had to take a break from BM .Made my brain hurt within an hour.Agree with you & points you made here. I won’t be a customer until they get back on track. Reside on the east coast also. Take care.
@@wbwills2 would you mind sharing where you found that info? Would love to dive in and take a look myself. Thanks!
I bought a used Hogue Mini Ritter and it is my "Benchmade" of choice.
Those seem to be incredibly popular, I don't really have any experience with them. Thanks for the comment!
@@DXSharpening Benchmade used to make Doug Ritter's designs based on the Griptilians. When Benchmade stopped making them, Doug hooked up with Hogue (the Axis lock patent had expired).
@@kerryrwac awesome I'll definitely have to try to find one to check out!
Microtech doesn’t fix their knives for free unfortunately. It can be very expensive to send a broken knife to them and from my experience - they’ll tell you the knife was defective and they’ll swap it out for free, then say they can’t, then they’ll ignore you for TWO MONTHS before calling to say “okay, it’s fixed. Pay $200 and we’ll send it back”. Being that it’s already fixed I’d imagine they’ll hold it hostage until you can pay. They also never told me how much it would cost so I have $650 invested in a $450 knife that still doesn’t feel right. Terrible experience.
Great video though man!
Really sorry to hear that! I hadn't heard of that poor an experience with Mucrotech customer service that sounds like a huge pain and is extremely off putting. I'm hoping in recent weeks and months they've made an effort to improve because that seems pretty inappropriate and deceptive to charge that much... glad you got everything figured out but that is a bit crazy. Thanks for watching!
Yeah F them that's shady BM sends out 2 pocket clips in 12 months & screws love the warranty.
Don’t pay! Fight them on it get ahold of the boss trust me it’s not going to stand they have to give you a quote before repair it’s illegal not to.
I used to consider myself a Benchmade fan boy. They were one of my first "good" knives I bought. Like you, I also though about the warranty and free sharpening for life as a real bonus. Especially since I'm close enough I could drop off for service if I wanted. But over the last year or so I can't help but feel the same frustration as most about crazy pricing. I found myself branching out to other brands in the last year just because I felt I was getting more for the money. I would like to see Benchmade make some changes and become a solid choice again for everyone buying a knife. But I think if they keep going in the same direction they will start to only cater to the loyalists and the uneducated. I'm one of the lucky one that has yet to have a omgea spring break! Fingers crossed!
Sounds like we're in a very similar boat. I'm not going to completely write them off because they have some amazing designs but I think it's time to look elsewhere until they figure out the problems they're having with poor quality products coming from the factory and stop overly inflating the prices. I appreciate the comment and the support! Thanks for watching!
I own many Benchmade knives and used to swear by them but IMO the market has caught up to the quality vs price of Benchmade and I’d rather spend my money on other items.
Definitely would agree! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Bought a 940-2 last year and after just a couple of months I believe, one of the omega springs broke. I tried taking the knife apart. I managed to remove all the screws but one. I've heard about Benchmade screws so I was very careful. My 'technique' had worked so far so I put in my Wiha T6 bit straight up and down. I made sure it was secure and I began to turn it slowly, pause, turn it slowly again, pause. I did this for s few times and without warning it's almost as if the teeth on the screw broke off.
Sorry to hear it! My first Benchmade was a 940-2 as well and I had a spring break I think in 2 or 3 months, sent it in to get it fixed, and after getting it back another spring broke in 2 or 3 months... pretty frustrating. Hopefully their warranty helps you out with the screws, I'm sure they will. Thanks for watching!
If you want one absolutely. Just shop around. Arizona custom knives has one barely used bugout for 125. 180 for one with AWT scales. With Benchmade warranty, that's a good value
If you can get a great deal on one they're still a decent product in today's market, I just think paying full retail is ridiculous for some of their models. I'm not a massive Benchmade hater like a lot of people but I try to be realistic... I have lots of Benchmades and I love them but it gets old having to pay ridiculous premiums for knives that are just as good as some other brands. Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpening Absolutely, MSRP is wild. Only worth it if you get a very good deal
@@griff7749 absolutely true, thanks for the comment!
I totally agree. My g10 940 I smoked a spring in the first 2 weeks. Between that and my bugout I’ve lost count on how many springs I’ve changed it’s so annoying. So whenever I carry a Benchmade I have to carry a backup knife usually a Spyderco. So like you say what’s the point.
Sorry to hear it, I have no idea what it is about the g10 one that causes that it's really weird
I have tons of knives, but I’ve always loved Benchmade designs. I had a mini barrage, then a 940-2, and couldn’t love either. I had many other similar knives since then and finally landed on the griptilian in s30v and I’m obsessed. Perfect size and shape and edge retention I just love it…it’s 2024 and I’m just realizing their 140$ knife is the one I need after spending 1000$ plus on others lol. I would strongly suggest go to a knife shop and handle all the knives you can then make a choice, I got lucky and mine was a cheap one! I do think bm is overpriced and overrated but here I am using one daily soooo
I paid the butterfly tax (with a cringe😬) for years, maybe 10-12 designs,, like the Freek,Griptilian all the standards. Still love the 940. They REALLY lost me at the Tagged Out. I pre-ordered it and looked at it again a week or so later and thought what are you doing?
That's the last one I bought, wish the Full Immunity was -$120,,, it would be a cool lil secondary. I just can't do it. THANKS for the "worth it series" 👍👍🔪
Ha! They are decent knives just really pricey when you can spend the same and get way more with another company. Thanks for watching!
I've already bought a clip for a 940................., Griptilian is still a fairly good price and no complaints. For most of the time, I'm using two hands to open my Bugout. I like them, despite the price 🙄🙄😏
They are still decent products and get a lot of hate just because of the pricing. Their heat treatment is phenomenal in my opinion and that's what really matters. Thanks for watching!
thing about benchmade that always steered me away is the thumb opening, just much harder to operate compared to the spyderco ones
Definitely a valid point, switching from the thumb stud to the hole is much easier than switching from the hole to the thumb stud. Thanks for watching!
Has anyone noticed that the review section of the BM website has 3 parts & the 3rd part requires the extra step of pushing the read more button. That’s Convenient .I haven’t got the bug,not a collector, and if I were I’m glad I’m not dieing for a Benchmade specifically..You should never apologize for telling the truth,in this case you are even doing more of a public service announcement for the good of the community of ppl on here that are really into knives .940 design caught my eye around 2 months ago. I will have my slightly redesigned (bearings milled into uncoated titanium scales,rather than washers)asap. The overall inflation (not even talking about BM in this situation. I understand inflation…BM has lost it from what I see .wish everyone the best,but ….hmmm…?.)on everything is beginning to sting a little & back to school stuff for the little one is priority right now. I will need to go back and double check but I think the blades are for the most part,well done in D2(which is more than fine with me..heat treatment & everything else about them. Blades and scales are what they are described to be .Tested & proven.One I looked at was etched s30v,was brought to attention and corrected in description (?steel used in green 940s?. )Thousands of sales,small family of knife enthusiasts business on eBay since 2010 .fancy titanium baring modified model $50-$58 ..original green ones from the seller on eBay are in the 30-34.?.?range.proudly going to go that direction. & bet a mini deep pocket clip is included for the asking.like you,not trying to be ugly,no mob mentality or anything like that. Any sales of mid-high end luxury items has to have their ducks in a row & care,not the opposite while actively & irrationally going north with pricing. Not good.
Bought a ultratech years ago. Showed my boss. He went to a convention and had the otf bug from mine. Treated himself to a infidel. I WAS NOT A BIT IMPRESSED,side by side. Tinny cheep feel & sound. Now,these days…I wish them the best!
@wbwills2 I appreciate the comment! It seems as though they still have a hardcore fan base but are slowly losing more and more customers with each wildly priced model that is released. There are plenty of other brands that make high end knives that are likely going to start swallowing up market share and it might actually help us out as consumers. Right now there are only a handful of companies that produce high end working knives that are made in America, but as more and more start to bring production back to the states I would imagine Benchmade will begin to realize they need to get more in touch with their average consumer. Thank you again for the comment and for watching!
The spings broke on my 940 and Adamas.
They fixed them took to long but the did fix them.
I love my 87's
42 and BHQ exclusive 51
Looking forward for the Necron natural G-10 and 82
Love my Balisong's
Never tried out a balisong before, might have to look into it!
My first knife was a mini grip I bought on Amazon for I think $90. That tells you prices now. I've had great luck with the Microtech OTF so much so I'll just buy one of them before I buy any other OTF.
That's awesome, such a shame to see how much prices have shot up in recent years. Thanks for watching!
Kaviso had a killer 4th of July sale on Benchmades. Got myself both the 533-3 bugout and 565-1 mini freek for $180 each..
Awesome deals, glad you avoided the full price... that's much more reasonable pricing for what you're getting in my opinion. Great choices too, I love the design of the mini freek. Thanks for watching!
Everything cost more nowadays. Sign of the times. For the guy who buys several knives a year, sure they are expensive. For the guy who just wants a well made American knife to carry for the next several years, it’s reasonable.
Totally fair point and a different way to look at everything! Thanks for watching!
It equally unreasonable, it just doesn’t hurt as much.
@@cintageI don’t feel it’s unreasonable. Other USA made production knives command much higher price points, while a few others are at lower ones. Ultimately the market will decide.
@@kds471 Well, if you compare to CRK knives and the like. But those are rather mid-tech whereas BM is entirely production.
@@cintage Agreed and very true, but a CRK will run double or more than a run of the mill Benchmade. I think people’s perception is skewed by the cost of Chinese knives, vs the price difference between a Benchmade and CRK.
Hey DX, I too love Benchmades (especially the entire Adamas line), but I have been getting some "sticker shock" lately from the knives they're releasing. I would have bought the Narrows if the price were not so high. I really like the PSK, but it is so #!@%ing expensive! I wonder if something is going on with the Libs forcing the mandatory minimum wage on companies? I'm sure Oregon is at the forefront of these policies like California. If your basic, newly-hired stock room worker/floor sweeper has to be paid $15/hour, they are also going to have to give substantial raises to highly skilled people on their team with years of experience who are actually making the knives. I don't know if this is the issue, but when businesses are forced to pay salaries that cause them to operate at a loss, they will have to pass that cost (or "Wealth Redistribution Tax") onto the consumer. I hope this does not become the norm for knives made in America, because I really prefer to buy American made.
Really appreciate the comment, typically companies will want to sustain their margins even through times of economic downturn which will lead to an increase in prices for consumers which is why we have seen prices increase pretty much across the board for American Knife companies, however Benchmade has had extremely high prices for longer than others and the quality does not seem to match. I believe they have made a lot from government contracts and thus do not really rely on the typical consumer for revenue much like Sig Sauer, but they know some people will still buy them at incredibly high prices. I'm sure there are a lot of factors at play, but I really do hope this doesn't become a trend across the whole market because it is a bit ridiculous.
Thanks for watching and for the comment!
I love Benchmade. Never had a problem with any of their knives or any springs breaking. And we used them hard durind deployment. I did had to send two of my spydercos back to get the blade center. One was a Yohimbo, the other a PM3.
Definitely seems to be uncommon, but glad you've had a great experience with them! Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpening idk. Here is another one. Another time ups lost two of my BM that I sent to engrave and one to change the blade to Sheepfoot. One was a Griptillian, the other was an auto from deployment (forgot the model). UPS said they delivered which is bs because I was at home the whole day. Long story short, BM sent me two brand new knives. They sent me an auto Presidio since the one from deployment was discontinued. They didn't have to do that. It wasn't their fault. Say whatever you want to say about them but their customer service is top notch.
@hectorrivera6624 totally agree with you there, I have had nothing but a positive experience with them. Have a shootout on the way back to the factory now so hoping it gets back soon!
@@hectorrivera6624 Im glad to hear stories like that, atleast their cs did not take a hit and they still care in that respect.
I remember thinking should I buy an Anthem for $425+ tax. I'm glad I did. It's my favorite knive when it comes to clicking. My favorite knife that I have right now the is my Microtech Brachial that fires like a .22
I'm looking into getting an out the side auto Microtech and got to hold a socom elite auto and it was probably the hardest firing auto I've held if not top 2 or 3!
Had to send my necron 99 back cause the tip of the blade was chipped and one of the torx screws stripped when I was trying to add the weights to the handle :(
Sorry to hear it! I guess it's good the warranty service will take care of it all but man that's annoying to have to send it in for service already. Thanks for watching!
Benchmade definitely had better quality back in the day. I still have my original north folk with the recurve i bought as my first "nice knife", it still has its original omega springs 10 years later. I now have a large collection of knives and the last 2 benchmades i bought were the M4 exclusive 940, and the aluminum and m390 bugout. Both knives had the omega springs break within 6 months. Ive since replaced them with a pack of omega springs off amazon for 8 bucks and they are noticeably better than benchmades springs.
Sounds like they've cut back significantly on the components being used to make their knives... most people I know who haven't ever had a spring break have knives that are quite old, and seems like the more recent production ones have springs break frequently. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Its really weird youre having so many issues because ive bought 2 bugouts and a mini adamas and one of my bugouts it perfectly made. No blade play, great acoustics, 20cv, no complaints. my other bugout is the cf s90 and the blade moves maybe a 10th of a milimeter when locked. I wouldnt call it play but it does budge a bit but otherwise its awesome and the same goes with my mini adamas. I was thinking about getting a 940 as my next pickup but im not sure if its worth the trouble of sending it back
It really seems to be hit or miss with Benchmade, there are a lot of people who have never had issues and there are a lot of people who have lots of issues... glad to hear you're enjoying the bugouts and hopefully you continue to not have to deal with parts breaking! Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpeningwhy do you think the same people seem to have a lot of issues? Based on that statement it doesn't seem random. Maybe Benchmade doesn't like them?
I have an 22$ alternative knife with an excellent Axis Lock and which never breaks if you are fine with 440C stainless steel and 58 HRC.
The Ganzo 729. The Axis Lock of that is not fidgity but Ganzo did improve the Axis Lock to an "autoadjust Axis Lock". The axis bar has room to travel a few millimeters foreward to make up over the decades for any wear and tear on the axis bar and back blade ramp. The Omega springs will never break on the Ganzo 729. That is an PM2 close copy - a well made copy in 440C steel. None blade play whatsoever. I have 6 of them and only on one rifle green one the blade is a bit looser than on the others but no blade play at all.
Thanks for watching!
The adamas line has optimal hrc ranges on both cruwear and magnacut. The 940 is outdated but still iconic. Worth $200-$400? Up to you. I've personally taken a liking to a good finger choil on a work knife and no benchmade knife has that. Left them behind for my demko ad20.
The fixed adamas was my favorite fixed blade until I started getting stuff from Toor... I don't hate Benchmade and I think a lot of people trash them and I do think they deserve criticism but I also like some of their "old school" styles like the 940. Thanks for watching!
@@DXSharpening I got the jank shank s, wish it were in cruwear though. Still one of the three fixed blades I carry.
I started on benchmade and used to like them a lot. We are no longer talking about the same company. Benchmade as it is now deserves all the failure coming to it.
@@deadvikingtrolls fair enough! Got some videos about toor in the near future, might be one of my new favorite brands...
@@DXSharpening They're up and coming, may become a bigger name eventually. I have the 37th jank shank s and gave my stepsister a jank shank w that she immediately took to work and snapped the tip off of. Only get her knives in like 3v now.
They changed the omega springs in recent months supposedly they are now bulletproof but only time will tell.
Hadn't heard about this, where did you see that?
So I picked up my 1st Benchmade last month, a Bugout in Crater blue and FDE blade. QC was horrendous, especially at $180! I think they can throw in a sticker and cloth for that price when budget brands do. I hated the knife until I put on Unlocked Composites CF scales and a LynchNW clip. I like it a bit now, but it's become my most expensive knife and I have less expensive knives I like way more! I would recommend the scales and clip to anyone, but I won't recommend the knife...
Shame to hear yet another story of poor Benchmade QC, hope it's treating you well now though. Thanks for watching!
I own all the top brands and here lately I have kept them in the drawer. I have discovered Civivi with the button lock and haven't looked back...
I'm not a huge fan of the button lock but I certainly understand the appeal!
Short answer... NO! There are Chinese clones that are a 10th the price and perform the same! Many of the clones are amazing! Screw benchmade!
While I'm sure they perform well there are a handful of videos online that show the difference in steel quality and quality of other components where Benchmade excels compared to the clones. That being said I'm still they sure work fine unless placed under any extreme stress... I also don't have any personal experience with the clones, I can only judge based on what I've watched. Thanks for watching!
You lost me at chinese clone. If you dont care about quality, then sure, a knife is a knife.
@@hectorrivera6624Some clones have the same quality! That's what everyone is up I'm arms about. Benchmade has had some really bad quality and quality control issues recently. Knowing that clones of good quality become a reasonable alternative! Especially since most clones come in D2... Which is a really solid performing steel.
Imported Chinese clones ? You should have the skin, whipped off your back, excuses ! You’re just cheap and don’t give a crap you are undermining America manufacturing. If you have an issue with Benchmade buy another brand, don’t use excuses to buy a ripoff that just looks quality, be ashamed !
NO
Just too expensive for what you get
Definitely a valid point! Thanks for watching!
Spyderco for life.
Can't go wrong with a Spyderco, thanks for watching!
I purchased a bailout about a month ago and it got to me horribly off-center. Touching the scale. I sent it in for warranty and added detailed description and pictures of the problem. They sent me the exact same knife with a new clip and sharpened again. Still completely off center with the pivot torque’d to oblivion. LAST benchmade I’ll ever be buying
Sorry to hear it, definitely just another example added to the list of many featuring poor QC from Benchmade. Thanks for watching!
How TF are there no stickers in these purchases either?
Benchmades quality control is really bad. Thats true. The new pricing is insane. But I have to say on all my Benchmades never ever broke an omega spring. And on my the materials were good. Sad sad to hear that.
Glad to hear you've been lucky with the springs! You're definitely one of the few. Thanks for watching!
Over the years I’ve bought 7 benchmade knives, I haven’t bought one in ages, I don’t even bother looking at benchmade reviews anymore, I know they’ve dropped their standards and increased their prices. They’ve priced me out of their market. It’ll take a hell of a lot to get me to buy another one.
Hoping they can turn the quality issues around with the new AXIS Lock with the flat springs and slowly bring prices down!
I want a 940 and I know it’ll last a lifetime but it’s essentially a grail knife for me at this point
If you have X send me a DM and I'll see if I can find some sales for you, fantastic knife!
Probably should mention too, I'm considering selling my 940-2 if you have any interest. Would be happy to sell at a steep discount, just shoot me a message.
I used to really love Benchmade but their pricing went from expensive to laughable and finally to insulting. Microtech has done the same to a lesser extent although they seem to be listening to their customers at the moment. Benchmade doesn’t care at ALL what their customers say.
I cannot confirm whether this is true or not but there have been a few people who have said they rely more on govt contract money than money from everyday consumers similar to Sig Sauer... not sure if it's true but it would certainly explain things. Thanks for the comments!
Whenever they come out with a
Magnacut bugout in CF, g10 or Ti scales I bet they will be at least $350 dollars.
Pretty sure they're releasing a whole new wave of bugouts in the coming months, not sure if any are magnacut but the prices will definitely be jacked up...
Thanks for watching!
I understand the push back on benchmade as of late. However they are my go to. I have never had omega springs break on any of them. I broke the tip of my griptilian because I was doing something stupid with it. And they replaced the blade and had it sent back right away. I like the style of their knives so the price is worth it to me. I have to be attracted to my knives if I'm going to want to carry them, and I am fortunate to have a well paying career that allows me to be able to afford it.
Great to hear that you've never had an omega spring break on you, and glad they took care of you with the warranty. I really enjoy a lot of their designs and their warranty has always taken care of me very well even if it takes a little while for shipping. If you have the money and want to spend on Benchmade that's great, they continue to put out new designs so I'm sure there are lots of people that have still been willing to buy their products and that's definitely a testament to their design. Myself and lots of others have also weighed the costs/benefits of Benchmade and decided to start choosing other brands likely for the time being. That's the beauty of the free market! Thanks for watching!
The problem is they are located in Oregon and inflation has hit them hard.
I would agree that inflation has hit them hard, but inflation has hit everyone hard and there are a lot of companies in CA which is likely worse than Oregon for business
@ and the are all about the same price if your making quality it isn’t cheap their blade steels are undeniably quality.
I like Benchmade and own 6 or 7. Part of the fun in the hobby is tracking down the best absolute lowest price. Good deals to be had just wait for sales. You get what you pay for imo, made in America and an amazing lifetime warranty. Chinese knock offs won't be around to warranty their knives. Benchmade been around for decades..... If you don't like it don't buy it and move on......
Absolutely agree, I have a lot of fun just shopping around all the time
Put together a Twitter/X Community here that compiles a lot of the stuff I see, feel free to check it out and let me know if there is something in particular that you're looking for!
twitter.com/i/communities/1828473099274047638
They make semi decent knives th qc is horrible they last few I bought has actions as smooth as it being made in a sand factory on top of multiple broken omega springs all purchased from 100% reputable dealers. My hinderer xm18 3.5 was only like 425 after making mods it came out to about 730 I'm fine paying alot for a knife but not benchmade all you pay for is that logo
If they were consistent in their qc and actually figured out a way to not have components breaking left and right they would be awesome, but like you said it's a gamble whether the action will be great or terrible and the grinds are typically always terrible. Just ridiculous when you're paying overinflated prices already for a product that isn't made with quality parts or quality control. Thanks for watching!
only the ones that are price respectfully i would buy
Fair enough!
They don't ship with their proprietary anti 2 A angle grinder with each knife, so NO I will never buy a Benchmade. Sold all I had when they did that nonsense, so many other great options to choose from.
I have heard/read about that whole situation and it was rather off putting, but I don't think it was as bad as people made it out to be... certainly doesn't instill any confidence but it seems to be a mistake they made in the past and have definitely done a 180 with supporting the firearms community. I absolutely respect the decision to not support any 2a company and I wish more people would do the same, I just didn't find the Benchmade situation to be as definitively anti 2a as they were made out to be. That being said, I also wasn't super involved in the knife community and I didn't own any Benchmades at the time and I would imagine that actively owning them during that time and being involved would've angered me enough in the moment to have sold mine. I appreciate the comment!
Credibility was lost when you broke 3 omega springs “barely” using them. I have become STUPENDOUSLY critical of Benchmade for many reasons. But there is absolutely no way you broke three omega springs without doing something nutty. They are certainly less durable than a lot of locks, but they cant possibly be breaking with “barely ever using them” absolutely no shot
Don't for get BM will send you 2 pocket clips and screws per year love BM Warranty service used it with no issues.
They do have a great warranty. Thanks for watching!
i bought the benchmade bugout in 2019 for $114
Great price for it!
Anything with plastic is not quality.
I don't necessarily think thats true, some of the plastics/polymers used are extremely durable and lightweight but they shouldn't be extremely overpriced... thanks for watching
Bro, if benchmade is considered overpriced for an american, imagine how much they cost here in eastern europe... they even cost more due to imports so a goddamn knife costs like half os my monthly salary.
Yeah I certainly don't envy that... thanks for watching!
I will probably never buy a benchmade. My choice of overpriced knives is spyderco.
Ha, great point! Thanks for watching!
They are decent knives but you can get better quality for less money nowadays.
That's the truth, thanks for watching!
Don't own any. Way over priced for what they are.
Fair enough, when they go on huge sales from time to time I'll typically pick one up and then get mad when it breaks several weeks after haha. Thanks for watching!
This is a bad and shortsighted strategy for BM to do their price hikes and reduce their QC in a time where even China is making really nice quality ones. I do wonder how they are doing as a company today and if people still pay full retail for their stuff. It just hurts because I've been a fan of them since the late 90s to see a company turn around and slap all of its supporters like that. Those idiots who started doing knives today may buy it full price but not long, they will become informed as well. There is no good end game here for BM treating their fans like that.
Definitely raising a great point here, we'll have to see if they course correct in the near future...
Benchmade Freek $280-$340, GIVE ME A BREAK!
Pretty insane
No custom Griptilian, no purchase.
Not sure I understand?
@@DXSharpening
I'm still pissed about them for removing the Griptilian from the custom shop.
I wanted to build and purchase another one from them, but noooOOOooo..
The only ones available have plastic handles.
@@JustinCase-em6ql yeah that's a shame, I wish they had more custom shop options to be honest
tl;dr : overpriced AF
Yep, thanks for watching!
Benchmade’s prices are too high and their politics are too Liberal & Woke
Thanks for watching!
So that's a no. I down own any Benchsmade, and I wont buy one.
Fair enough, thanks for watching!
Benchmade and Spyderco are insanely overpriced just like everything else the last 4 years
Definitely true!
Jon DeAsis sucks. His father ran the Benchmade company better. rip Les DeAsis.
Thanks for watching!
No
Thanks for watching!
Benchmade is way overpriced
Definitely agree! Thanks for watching