What knife did you get today?

I remember carrying a very similar knife with me in elementary school. One of the blades was really tough to open. Cut myself a few times because of that. Seems odd now that kids used to carry knifes in school.

That model 555 looks comfortable. :+1:

thanks for commenting
yes, the hole makes it really easy to open, and the blade is a Joy to use.

The grip shape is nice and hand filling… I went over the grips with 600 grit emery paper, followed by a Sunshine polishing cloth, just to soften the bite of the knurling…

This one is a gift for my son, for use as a camping knife.

thanks for taking the time to share photos… thats a beautiful knife

here are a few more fancy handles… they are GEC Barlows…
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Those GEC’s look really nice ! I’ve just bought my first GEC , a Barlow at that ! Hoping it arrives sometime this upcoming week .

congrats, I hope you enjoy it… I look forward to a photo :slight_smile:

I just got a 555-1… G10 scales, upgraded steel, 20CV… the bottom knife

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Amazes me how much the Griptilian looks like a Spyderco knife. And I mean that in a good way. I don’t own a Benchmade as yet, though the Griptilian has been tucked somewhere in my acquisition list. I’d long pined for a 940… but too pricey for my blood at this point.

Same here. I’ve bought a couple of knives from AliExpress sellers, always with over 97% feedback. Not bad value overall, but man… the weight. So many of those EDC folder knives for sale come with thick blades and heavy bodies. I make a point of checking weight and always consider relative to the weight of knives I own. I’ve passed on so many because of that.

> I’d long pined for a 940

there are 940 clones from DHGate for $20

I just watched a comparison video, and the size and weight match the original, only the steel is different… I think D2, need to verify that…

I like sub 3” sizes…
unfortunately there are no clones of the Mini Osborne 945


I just received another, fancier Mini Grip, with gray G10 scales, model 555-1
the bottom one:
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the top knife is a Doug Ritter Mini Griptilian, has been with me for many years…

compare and contrast the two sheep:

  1. a Mini Grip 555-1 w 20CM steel and G10 handle scales.
    The blade is 0.9” thick (2.3mm), FLAT grind, the knife weighs 82 grams, carry weight with clip.

2. a Mini Grip 555 w 154CM steel and FRN handle scales (very aggressive knurling)
The blade is 0.8” thick (2.0 mm), and HOLLOW ground, carry weigh 69 grams

both knives have excellent action. The 555-1 feels noticeably heavier. The blade is thicker, and the G10 grips are heavier too. The handle scales on the 555-1 feel nice and smooth, I like them a lot.

The long deep carry clip of the 555-1 is my personal favorite. I ordered a spare long deep carry clip, to put on the 555.

personal preferences
Imo the 555 w 154CM, has a LOT going for it, and is an favorite. It has the lowest carry weight, the thinnest blade, and is HOLLOW ground.

I reduced the bite of the 555 grips by going over the whole handle with 600 grit emery paper, followed by Sunshine Polishing Cloth. They feel very nice now.

Loving the Sheepfoot blade with spydie hole, both in operation and looks. Also like that the hole does not interfere with a deep cut, the way studs do.

Although the Axis lock is touted as very secure, I find the buttons bite into my fingers more than I like… I sand them down lightly…

fwiw
The new 555 w S30V blade steel, is FLAT ground and uses the thicker blade…

Fortunately I can resist the new 555, despite the fancy steel. They lost me at NOT Hollow Ground.

Pretty amazing video. Looks like the clones have gotten extremely close, with the actual steel quality being the last thing they likely lack. Can’t imagine M390 or S30VN used in those. Still, if it’s D2 that’s really not bad. They even have some with carbon fiber inlay scales, although in this linked one it looks like the backspacer is omitted. There’s an option for jade scales, which also includes the purple tinted backspacer—looks decent.

afaict they all come with the coined backspacer

I do like the jade scales… which blade color will you choose?:slight_smile:

on that listing the claim is that the blade is S30V… I dont know if that is accurate, but unlike other clone listings, there is no mention of 440C nor D2…

Dang it . You really gotta know your stuff to be able to tell the difference. :stuck_out_tongue:

very true
cant trust the posted specs for weight nor blade thickness
and, cant know what blade steel is being used… (unless you can tell 440C or D2 from S30V… some people claim they can tell when sharpening)

its really a first world problem… 440C is still a perfectly adequate blade material, IF I was actually cutting stuff… instead of just fantasizing about how good the steel is in the blade Im carrying…

do I actually cut stuff so much that S30V would prove superior to 440C after repeated sharpening? … no, I cant tell… 440C cuts paper just fine… LOL

new question
though the 20CV steel on my 555-1 cuts paper just fine… the factory Benchmade grind looks very toothy… nothing I would be proud of if I did it myself…

now Im getting ready to put a polished edge on the blade… debating buying a guided sharpening system… vs using my Japanese Water Stones freehand…

of course, the moment I sharpen the blade, my “investment value” is ruined… so…. do I sharpen it, or just sell the knife?

first world problems:
investment value?
importance of steel type?
USA made price vs China made price?

clearly I have too much time on my hands… lol

I like to think I buy a knife to use . They are tools after all . I haven’t purchased for investment value , however I have been acquiring various vintage knives. Therein the dilemma you mention . If I use a 60 year old knife in mint , unused condition , I basically ruin it as a collectible item . I also must bare the guilt of taking an item which has survived in pristine condition, and being the dolt to screw it up because I got my hands on it . So I guess your not the only one with too much time on hand :wink:

For most people, 440C and D2 would be ample performers. These higher end steels are more resilient with edge holding and rust resistance, but then they’re tougher to sharpen. You have to have the equipment and skills to get those M390, S30V, S35VN, etc. steels properly sharp… but that’s if you put knives through tough paces. Frankly, if you’re generally soft on your knives, some simple honing can help keep a nicely sharp edge for years. The only time I’ve used sharpening stones was on cheap knives that dulled too much for honing to yield decent results.

If you really like the knife, sharpen it and use it. As far as resale goes, if you tend to flip knives, but also like to use them, just be adept and doing excellent sharpening while preserving the aesthetics. If your buyer wants a knife to use, versus collecting, a blade that was properly sharpened would be welcomed, IMHO…

Some collectors want that untouched, factory edge . I have a few of those, and they are useless to me other than to look at . Not really what I enjoy with a knife. So I’m not buying those anymore .
But What I did just get is this …

FINCH 1929 Nightcrawler Red Sawcut Bone . Second Finch I’ve bought . They are very well made and reasonably priced .

Don’t get your hopes up. In a $20 counterfeit stamped S30V, you’ll be lucky to get 8Cr13Mov. There is an equally probable chance of 5Cr15 or even 3Cr13.

And that’s what is messed up with that . You have no idea what your really getting. Even if it is what is stated , the heat treat is so inconsistent . One D2 is great , the next one sucks .

Kizer Sheepdog mini with thumb flipper hole. Very nice little knife.

agree with this “….useless to me other than to look at.”

therefore, for my recent acquisitions, it either works or it does not.
i sold several NIB on Craig’s List since i was never going to use them.

yes, people invest in art to “look at”, so knives might be the same.
rarity and resell value entice others, but not me. not anymore.

Yeah, you’re probably right. At that price, likely not even D2. But as Rdubya18 said:

Yeah, just because they actually might use a metal alloy blend that qualifies as a specific blade steel type doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a quality one. That’s the thing too, about consistency… and that’s what keeps the clone market alive. All it takes is a few people hitting the “lottery” with a reasonably good rendition of the claimed steel, then other buyers think they’ll be getting that too.

Hence… brand importance.
Rdubya, that Finch looks really nice. I’d seen a review on that brand a while back and was impressed.

agree
some of the clone listings show the actual steel:
for example, I ordered one of these Mini Griptilians for $16

that listing discloses
“Blade:440C stainless steel”

the one I bought of ebay for $90, I believe is the same $16 knife… That one got mailed out of state, to my son, before I realized it was a counterfeit.

If Benchmade insists on him sending them the knife for verification, so they can shut down the ebay seller, I will give my son a different knife, probably the genuine 555-1 that I also bought last week…

the top knife…
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it has a genuine box, and genuine blade thickness… I have learned how to recognize the genuine ones, thanks to my ebay seminar