figured garage would be the perfect place to ask about steel...if you're wondering it's for a pocket-knife...just wondered what the pros and cons would be and if you could choose one and why...

thinking bout buying a benchmade if you have any input...

11/13/2007 5:05:08 PM

I've had a benchmade and it was nice but a waste of money. I broke it using it for something other cutting. Then I lost it.

Now I don't carry a pocketknife because I think it is toolish.

11/13/2007 5:45:52 PM

D2 is a non stainless higher carbon steel, 154cm is a stainless high carbon steel.
D2 - holds an edge, but easier to sharpen, corrodes faster in wet enviroments.
154Cm- still holds an edge well, but is a little harder to sharpen, more stain, rust resistant.
I prefer the 154cm in an everyday user, the D2 in a strictly skinning or hunting knife. I think I would go with 154cm steel. I own both benchmades with D2 and 154cm.

BM has seen declining quality in the past couple years, and dealing with their customer service for warranty work is a real pain in the ass. I own both benchmades with D2 and 154cm. I do have a bias because I carry and make high end custom knives. A benchmade would probably be fine for basic tasks.

There is a lot of other stuff to consider when choosing a knife, such as what you will be using it for, how large you want one, lockup types, etc. The axis lock on the benchmade is nice as are the thick liner locks. I would avoid anything with a thin liner lock.

Quote :

"Now I don't carry a pocketknife because I think it is toolish."

I always have a knife of some kind on me. usually I don't need it, but when you do, you really need it.

[Edited on November 13, 2007 at 5:50 PM. Reason : .]

11/13/2007 5:48:38 PM

you tell um Ben!

thats the best thing about tww. you can probably come over here asking how to teach a pig to rollerblade and there's gonna be an expert on it. TWW>internetz

[Edited on November 13, 2007 at 6:28 PM. Reason : .]

11/13/2007 6:28:30 PM

my benchmade is 154 cm, which is hard as hell to sharpen but an awesome steel. i usually just use a polishing stone if i need it but send it back to get sharpened/tuned for free. also if i remember correctly, benchmade's site has a ton of info on alloys

11/13/2007 10:53:54 PM

^ get some ceramic rods, like the lansky crock sticks to sharpen your knife. it makes cleaning up the edge on 154cm a hell of a lot easier

11/14/2007 9:53:15 AM

^^^^ You mentioned that before.. got any pictures of your work?

[Edited on November 14, 2007 at 11:57 AM. Reason : ^]

11/14/2007 11:57:35 AM

^^ so is it just a single rod? im assuming they come in varying hardnesses?

11/14/2007 1:14:19 PM

Y'all take this pocket knife thing way to seriously. Just buy one that looks cool.

11/14/2007 1:53:19 PM

its 2 rods, comes in a wooden block. you can get them at Davi's guns

yeah, I've got a portfolio. nothing on the computer though. I'll have to scan some in.

[Edited on November 14, 2007 at 4:33 PM. Reason : ..]

11/14/2007 4:32:22 PM

I'm a kind of person that always has to have a pocketknife on me...I may not need it everyday, but I consider it to be like insurance...you get what you pay for. I recently lost my buck knife during holloween and I HAVE GOT to get another. I've heard really good things about the axis lock and actually messed w/ a benchmade the other day and liked it.

I really don't need anythig too large...basically 3-4" blade, don't really want anything to big, as it will be an everyday carrier. I had heard good things about the D2 blade in the "mini-griptillian" (benchmade w/ axis lock, and coated D2 blade-rust/stain resistance) , but I could get the same knife in 154CM as well...just wondering if there were any major pros cons.

Quote :

"thats the best thing about tww. you can probably come over here asking how to teach a pig to rollerblade and there's gonna be an expert on it. TWW>internetz"

couldn't agree more...and thankx colter...btw which benchmades do you own and would you recommend the mini griptillian? and if not benchmade would you recommend spyderco or another quality brand? please keep within @80

[Edited on November 14, 2007 at 7:22 PM. Reason : thnxkbye]

[Edited on November 14, 2007 at 7:23 PM. Reason : damnit]

11/14/2007 7:20:14 PM

I have the ruckus, skirmish, cqc7, AFCK, and several older models. I like big folders with 3-4" blades and frame or axis locks.

I like the griptilian in 154cm, or a spyderco endura or delica in the same price range. The BM maodel 710 (mchenry & williams) in D2 is real nice, but may be out of your price range.

11/14/2007 8:58:14 PM

you ever find a need for combo edge (serrated)? or would I just be better off w/out it on an everyday...don't think sawing w/ a small knife like that would really be too usefull. specially cuz I'll keep it razor

11/14/2007 9:29:32 PM

I have the Pika knife from benchmade and I love it. It's a little too big to be considered a compact knife, but it feels really firm when I cut and slash things. I use it on my keychain and kind of stands out. I carry it everywhere though. Best $30 bucks on a knife so far.

Mine is serrated and I can't imagine an everyday knife without it being serrated. Good to "saw" through tough cardboard at the ole cubical...

[Edited on November 14, 2007 at 10:56 PM. Reason : ]

11/14/2007 10:53:39 PM

I like plain edges. if its kept sharp, like on the above mentioned crock sticks, it will cut better than serrations. serrations are fine on a rescue knife, but on an EDC knife I don't care for them.

11/15/2007 8:53:33 AM

I have a mini-Griptilian with a 440c blade that I've had for about three years now. It's really nice, holds edge for a long time, and the axis lock still does not have any play. I also have a couple of Spydercos. I think the quality is the same between them both, but I admit that I like the feel of the benchmade more.

11/15/2007 12:39:28 PM

yeah ill agree with the plain edge, i have serrated edge knives and they really are not ideal at all for edc. with a good steel theyll cut through most things just as easy as a serr. edge.

11/15/2007 1:09:52 PM

thinking bout either the 556BKD2 (mini-griptillian D2 blade) or the 530sbk (154CM)...only really considering the 530 b/c the mini might be a little too thick for me, as far as the grips...the 530 seems thinner and more practical for pocket carry, it's just a little longer than what I really wanted...the 705 model would be perfect for me, but the price of that isn't realistic compared to what I want to pay for a knife...

sorry can't really put in pictures, but if you go here...
http://www.benchmade.com/products/index.asp
you can plug in those #'s and see what I'm talking about

11/15/2007 2:13:38 PM

i bought my dad the smaller griptilian for fathers day or something like that. its a pretty nice knife, the handle definitely isnt that much of a burden, slides out of a pocket pretty easily.

11/16/2007 1:58:26 PM

The handle is what I like about the mini-Griptilian. It feels balanced.

What do y'all use to lubricate your knives? The Gerber that I'm carrying today isn't opening smooth anymore. It has those little nylon washers and I know they aren't worn out yet. I'm betting I need to take it apart and clean the washers. Is there anything to put on them to keep it smooth?

11/16/2007 2:35:19 PM

get some tuff-glide lubricant. its in a little bottle with a needle type eye for dispensing it. most gun shops carry it.

that will cure the hard to open part.



[Edited on November 16, 2007 at 4:35 PM. Reason : //]

11/16/2007 4:33:15 PM

on order....


http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0022073516109a&type=product&cmCat=Search_Results_NYR&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=benchmade&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=benchmade&noImage=0

can't wait!

11/19/2007 5:17:25 PM

^^^militec 1. sold on the benchmade site, at least it was when i ordered it. good shit for knives and guns...or really anything metal. just blow it through with a can of air and you're good to go.

11/19/2007 7:24:18 PM

great so far...plan on buying more in the future...anyone own a busse? or have a good idea about a nice fixed blade @ 5 in long ?

[Edited on December 1, 2007 at 5:38 PM. Reason : how would I resize?]

12/1/2007 5:37:45 PM

what will you use it for most of the time?

12/1/2007 6:56:15 PM

Busse is the best using knife ever. period. the proprietary INFI steel is as good as it gets. easy to sharpen, incredibly tough, keeps an edge, etc. buying one on the secondary market is the only way to get one of the mdel you want because they are released in small runs. Be prepared to pay significantly more than original price for one because collectors force the price up. I've been using Busse's as hard use/ woods knives for around 5 years, and theres nothing out there that will touch them.

start here to purchase a busse, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=804

and go here to learn all about them, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=713

The Busse company is actually 3 companies- Busse knives using INFI steel, Scrapyard knives, using a high carbon tool steel SR101 ( a less expensive busse type knife, with similiar designs) and scrapyard knives, with SR77 steel and resiprene C rubberized handles ( the cheapest of the bunch, but still a great user.)

Busse's in mint condition will start at $200 and work on up to around $300+ for a 5" blade. if you're on a budget, swamprat may be a better bet.

[Edited on December 2, 2007 at 11:32 AM. Reason : .]

12/2/2007 11:28:39 AM

yeh...I've recently been using that forum a lot, around about the time I started this tread actually...so far I've gotten several new ideas for sharpening, camping shortcuts and several different tips and shortcuts for outdoor activities...very insightful place

I have the same username there colter...

12/3/2007 7:12:24 PM

^^^ camping, skinning game, very small amount of woodworking ie: making a temporary catfish pole-holder, (y branch) just things like that..small hiking too...just a little bit of everything here and there

12/3/2007 7:14:19 PM