About Benchmade Knives
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to cover Benchmade. Well-known for their cutlery and blades, Benchmade is one of the most iconic names in
knives. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of the company and delve into things such as their traits and product offerings. Without further ado, let’s talk Benchmade.
What is Benchmade?
Benchmade, originally Bali-Song, was initially founded in 1979 in California by Les De Asis. The company eventually changed its name to the familiar “Benchmade” name in 1988. The company moved to its present location in Oregon City, Oregon in 1996 and acquired a 144,000 square foot facility. Benchmade produces a wide variety of
knives for both private citizens and law enforcement and military use. The company also produces a wide range of
knives intended for a variety of use cases. These purpose-built
knife offerings include
knives for hunting, fishing, everyday carry, and other use cases.
Where are Benchmade Knives Made?
As of 2010, all of the
knives produced by Benchmade are made in the United States. Production takes place in the company’s facility in Oregon. Prior to 2010, the company touted that 90% of its
knives were made in Oregon City, with the exceptions being their Red Class offerings which were manufactured overseas. Simply put, Benchmade products are made in America.
Purchase Knives
Product Offerings
Benchmade produces a wide variety of
knives. Most of the
knives offered by the company fall into three established categories: Blue Class, Black Class, and Gold Class
knives. Blue Class
knives represent the compan’y general purpose
knife offerings, specifically those intended for recreational or everyday carry. The Black Class offerings are catered more towards professional use and are typically marketed towards first responders and military users. Like the name suggests, the Gold Class of
knives produced by Benchmade represent premium
knives made for collectors. The company also denotes their outdoor and hunting oriented
knives differently than the rest of their
knives. These
knives include boxes which feature a rustic wooden appearance.
The company produces
knives of various types.
Knife types offered by Benchmade include fixed blade, folding, out the front (OTF) automatic, and butterfly
knives to name a few. The company’s catalog consists of purpose-built offerings which are intended for either specific use cases or general use. The company produces
knives optimized for defensive use such as their SOCP dagger, a product of the company’s collaboration with Greg Thompson. Many of the company’s
knives, such as their Griptilian and Bugout, can be utilized in an everyday carry, general purpose role.
Benchmade also offers multiple variants of many of their
knife models. Variants can feature different colorways, handles, finishes, blade types, and mechanisms. For example, one can acquire a Bugout from Benchmade with colored handles in colors such as blue, green, and red to name a few. Bugouts can also be found with carbon fiber handles, providing a lightweight and aesthetically pleasing grip. Many of the offerings from Benchmade, such as their Claymore, are available in different blade styles such as Tanto and drop-point forms.
Knives such as the Claymore and Adamas are also available in a variety of forms such as fixed, folding, auto, or OTF form.
Some of Benchmade’s most popular
knife designs:
- Adamas (Mini and Full-Size/Folding and Fixed)
- Bugout (Mini and Full-Size)
- Claymore (Auto and OTF/Many Blade Styles)
- Crooked River
- Griptilian (Mini and Full-Size)
- Shootout (OTF)
- SOCP Dagger (Mini, Full-Size, Serrated, and Trainer)
Simply put, the company produces a wide variety of
knives that appeal to users of all types and preferences. Whether you want a practical
knife for everyday carry and general-purpose use, or you want something for a specific use case such as hunting or fishing, Benchmade has something for you.
Quality Materials and Manufacturing
Benchmade utilizes high-quality materials and manufacturing processes with their products. Many of the blades in Benchmade
knives are laser cut from sheets of high-grade steel before being ground, beveled, and finished. Benchmade utilizes various types of steel for their blades. Common types of steel include CPM-30SV premium stainless steel, CPM-CruWear® Super Strong Tool Steel (63-65HRC), and CPM-S90V super premium stainless steel (59-61HRC) to name a few.
Grip handles for the
knives are also constructed from a variety of materials. Wood, steel, aluminum, G10, and Micarta are among some of the common materials used for handles. The company even utilizes carbon fiber in some of their models to save on weight. Some
knives, such as the Crooked River (stabilized wood) will feature a combination of materials, such as wood and aluminum.
Benchmade also offers blades in a variety of finishes. These finishes include Cerakote, satin, etched, DLC, stonewashed, and black oxide to name a few. Some
knives, specifically those of the stainless steel variety, are available in a “bare” finish which showcases the stainless steel material of the blade.
Collaborations With Notable Knife Designers
Benchmade produces many
knives which are designed by and feature blades designed by prominent
knife designers. Notable names such as Jody Samson, Ernest Emmerson, Mel Pardue, Warren Osborne, and Mike Snody are among the designers who have worked with Benchmade to produce
knives. Simply put, in addition to utilizing quality materials and manufacturing, the company also collaborates with respected designers in the
knife industry. By doing so, the company is able to produce unique products which are versatile and dependable.
Purchase Knives
Benchmade LifeSharp Guarantee
Benchmade’s
knives are covered by the company’s LifeSharp guarantee. This guarantee essentially allows customers to send their
knives in to the company for servicing. Benchmade goes over the
knives they receive and will oil, sharpen, adjust, and clean the
knife. To take advantage of this service, customers can simply make a claim on the
company’s website and send the
knife to Benchmade. The customer will pay to ship the
knife, but Benchmade covers return shipping. Additionally, the
knives produced by Benchmade are covered by the company’s warranty. If the need arises, Benchmade will take care of you and stand behind their product.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Benchmade is one of the most well-known
knife manufacturers in the world. With products designed by industry experts, high-quality materials, exacting standards, and a reputation among professional end users, you cannot go wrong with a Benchmade. In addition to the wide variety of
ammunition we carry, we here at True Shot Ammo also carry a variety of
knives. Our
knife offerings include multiple Benchmade
knives. Whether you are after
knives or
ammunition, we here at True Shot have you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
View more posts about gear:
