Review: Benchmade 940-1 carbon fibre clone *PIC HEAVY*

Hate, it is more just total disgust I feel. :person_facepalming:
And no, the knife in this thread is just a complete FAKE. Not a copy, just a fake; right down to the fake logo and fake name placed on a fake knife.

Benchmade was started in 1988. Shortly after they moved from California to Clackamas, Oregon producing knives there under the name Benchmade. I think it was in 1996 they relocated to Oregon City, Oregon to a much larger facility.

Apart from some Red Class products, which were produced in their “off shore facilities” for a few short years; Benchmade has produced more than 90% of its knives in Oregon. Also since 2010, all Red Class production knives have been discontinued, and as such, every Benchmade labeled knife is made in the United States.

A “copy” is one thing, a “fake” takes it to a whole new detestable level……… IMO.

I did not create this review to offend anyone or begin a debate on clones. I did not purchase the knife to claim it as authentic in any way either. I purchased it out of curiousity to see what sort of actual quality and attention to detail goes into making the knife. With that being said, I am surprised by the overall quality of it, and I love the knife overall.

I do not disagree with you folks who are offended by the clones. I do own and have owned plenty of expensive and authentic knives including benchmades so this was simply a purchase made out of curiousity.

The blade is not perpendicular to the handle, its an huge turn-off.

mizjif, I have nothing against you or your review. I apologize if I came across otherwise.In fact it was a fantastic review with amazing pictures.

I have heard about Benchmade fakes for some time, but this is in fact the first one I have ever actually taken the time to see. (due to your pictures & detailed review)

It has been very enlightrning to say the least…

I appreciate your review, I learned a lot from it. :slight_smile:

It was my first knife review so I appreciate your compliments. I felt compelled to write the review as I hadn’t seen another review on this knife clone and I figured I could shed some light on it. I have many other knives but they’ve all been reviewed a million times before :slight_smile:

Please explain, I do not understand.

Sorry I meant; parallel. But the original have the same problem.

I think he means that the knife design doesn’t carry the blade in a straight through manner with the handle giving it the effect that the blade may not be open all of the way.

My pleasure, I meant everything I said. :+1:
I amazed at how exact the fake is. :open_mouth: :open_mouth:
It is a shame they just don’t do an original design of their own……

I agree. If they have the capacity to copy a knife to such exact measures and produce it in such a surprisingly quality manner, why can’t they implement that into a unique original design? They aren’t marketing the benchmade as authentic so what is the point for them?

Oh…. OK. Thanks for explaining that. :+1:

To each his own, that is one feature I have always loved about this model & series. :slight_smile:

Exactly…… :+1:

Quick update. After a quick session on the sharpmaker, this knife took one of the sharpest edges I’ve seen in a while!

It’s been awhile but if I recall correctly then by design BM940/943 blade had a very slight recurve. In addition to the blade orientation with the handle being ever slightly offline (by design) the slicing of things such as rope will be enhanced. Again, my memory is shoddy & I never did carry my BM 940/943 knives much before I sold them & thus cannot say if this is the case. The knife was too dainty for me & when I wanted to carry a “gentlemanly” blade back then I usually opted for something else.

& to OP. I was in no way offended by you for your review but it was one on clones was that I actually paid attention to & found informative. Thank you for that.

In addition, your sharpening of the “S90V” blade is very interesting. I wonder if Crucible did send off a bunch of S90V to china? Back then I would have been 95–99 sure that it would never be the case but your review leads me to consider the possibility. Back then I mostly carry knives with ZDP189 & M4 blades(& thus sharpened those the most.) I think I only had an S90V blade on one of my militarys. I only retouched that minimally (& w/ no regrinding.) In addition I wonder if you intend to carry this BM940 clone/fake/copy/etc? If so how you find it’s edge retention will be most interesting. I’m going to sub this thread just in case you do.

Thanks again :+1:

AZ

The 940’s may have looked “dainty” to you ‘alphazeta’…. but in practical use they were/are far from it. :wink:

I agree. That’s similar to the 1st time I heard that China was making fake eggs that basically cooked similar to real eggs & such (the same goes for fake rice made from plastic bags & etc.) I was like -> “…for real?…” Why not spend your time on something else like finding a cure for cancer? I mean wasting away skill & resources to come up with fake eggs. I mean to each their own. C’mon. But still.

Okay, before my ranting goes too far off tangent let’s get back on track to chat about how accurate this fake BM940 is made/acts (let’s not touch on the ethics on the existence of the knife. Like myself, I’m sure it also makes the blood of others boil.)

AZ

Thank you for your review, it is a good one. Like others, this blatant counterfeit is not for me. I wish these companies would do their own designs and try to make their own name, rather than stealing from others. The kicker is, for $70, you can buy a decent knife, from a reputable brand, with better blade steel and hardening. I know it isn’t S90V, which is more lying. The sharp edge it took quickly will dull quickly also. I’m not disparaging here, it’s just not for me, and it’s not really cheap either.

*
Fair enough.* I don’t abusive my knives but the BM940 never felt rock solid to me. Eventually I ended up only using framelocks.

The BM940 never felt like it was going to just fall apart on me. In all fairness I eventually did not carry knives w/ the axis lock. But I never felt those things would fail on me. I mean the 1st few years I was into knives I carried & heavily used(but not abused) a BM710.

AZ

BTW for me when I drastically pared down my knife stash a few years ago the only production knife that I kept duplicates in my stash was the ZT30* I just love those things. Of course only after a major regrind b/c the stock blades were almost like a prybar(& no hate b/c you might need/want that in a knife but just not me.) & yes, I like these ZTs so much that I didn’t even keep the user Sebbies in my stash.

It is a very nice review! Well done. And I will admit my bias that if it had made in on the clip instead of USA I probably wouldn’t care as much. I should I’d like to think that I’d still be disgusted by the principle of the thing. But in all honesty probably would have provoked a “meh” at worst. So I can’t blame those from other countries not being as upset as me.

I understand AZ, I don’t abuse mine either; they cost to much for that. :wink:
I use them to do what they were designed to do… cut.
I have several users and a bunch of “safe queens”……… :person_facepalming:
I need to do what you did and “pare down the stash” a lot…. a whole lot.

When the AXIS first came out I was suspicious of it, but after using a 940 a bunch I was sold on it’s reliability.
I know what your saying about the ZT’s also… they are stout to say the least. :wink: But I really do like them also.
That is my problem…. I “like” them all. :person_facepalming: … :money_mouth_face: … :wink:

Oh yeah, when they first came out, I had a friend who got one of these………

A Blue 940.
IIRC they first had a 154CM blade.

I wish you could have seen his knife! He worked in a factory and he used this knife every day, multiple times a day; for various things I would have never dreamed of doing with a knife. The handles on that knife looked like they had been through a war. :smiley:
But that knife never failed him, it was amazing.

I knew the 940 was tough from my own experience, but if I had been unsure; seeing his would have taken away any doubt. :wink: