I have owned more Benchmade knives than any other brand. Each of them have served my needs quite well and I have not had any problems with any of them.
I'm not sure why you're so sour on this brand, companies don't get good reputations for no reason. Just get a used one and if it's not for you resell it for pretty much the same amount, or trade it for something else you want to try.
Benchmade makes great knives. They're on par with Spyderco as far as fit and finish and quality. The Axis lock is the best locking mechanism I've ever used. Benchmade and Spyderco have different design philosophies, and, while most people who've owned both brands recognize the quality of both, most also have a preference. Spyderco knives have to be very wide (from edge to spine), whether the knife is open or closed, to allow for the hole. Benchmade knives are more long and skinny, which makes for a smaller footprint in your hand and pocket. It's a matter of aesthetics and preference. Benchmade has earned their reputation for making great knives, by making great knives. My favorite models have been the 710, 730, 806, and 94x, though many others look good too. I'm still carrying the 710hs I bought in 2000, and it's still my favorite knife.
I have never owned a BM, i almost pull the trigger with a 530 here in the BST, I am glad I was able to go to a knife store before I got it, the knife felt great in hand and you could tell it was a quality folder, but the blade was too small for me, so I passed. If only they made a 530 with a 4 inch blade!!!!
I own a nimravus with polymer handles, and a gravitator. Both blades didn't arrive as shrap as my kershaw and spyderco knives, and the black coating on the blade seems to wear off pretty easily. The polimer sheath that came with the nimravus is poorly designed and not very useful, and the gravitator blade pivot seem to loosen and de-center the blade. Generally I find benchmade and spyderco to be overpriced for what you're getting. I have a slight understanding of manufacturing procedures and material processing, and I always find myself amazed by the INSANE pricetags on benchmade knives. Prices aside, i'm sure that almost all benchmade knives will serve you well if you'll get them.
You should try the Doug Ritter mini RSK MK1, and you'll forget the Sage (unless you are used to the finger choil that Spyderco provides).
The spring is not weak, and won't give away even if you open and close it a few thousand times (unless there is a manufacturing defect). The AXIS lock itself is sufficiently different to own a BM. Rather than different, it is a matter of preference - Spyderco has the hole, ZT are "beefy", and BM has the AXIS lock. All of them have good fit and finish. If you want a slightly better BM, opt for the Doug Ritter mini-RSK MK1 (or the full sized MK1) - a variation on the Grip series, with better steel (S30V), stone washed blade which looks cool (subjective), a different blade shape, and surely much better tolerances than standard Grip. If you are eyeing a Bone Collector, please consider the Ritter Grip as well, and you won't be disappointed. I have pretty much settled on the Ritter mini-grip as my ideal EDC.
Thanks for all the help guys. I'll keep my eye on the BST, and see if anyone posts up some Benchmade's.
It's a solid company that makes solid knives. Some are a little wonky, but if you stick with some of the more popular models you should be fine buying online. Personally, I have a 710, 760, and a 530. They're all pretty awesome. The stock edge of the 710 is quite blunt. I had it professionally taken up and it's an amazing slicer now. The 760 is pretty and a lot of knife for its size. The 530 is weightless and my go to running knife. Don't get hung up on a manufacturer, but determine your needs and/or desires on an individual basis. Just because one or two knives are great or terrible doesn't mean the entire company is like that.
Best advice I can offer is to try out a griptillian and see if it fits your bill. You get a very high quality knife at a very good price (if you shop around), and if you don't like it you won't lose much on the resale. I recommend the griptillian solely because its benchmade's flagship entry model. You will get a decent feel for the axis lock and the overall fit and finish of the knife without shelling out top dollar. The only gripe I have about my griptillian is the handles. I would say they are pretty mediocre. As the name implies, you will get a solid grip on the knife from the textured panels, but the material leaves something to be desired. This is likely my brain telling me its not titanium so it can't be very strong, because my mini grip has withstood a lot of abuse and has not seen any trouble. If you like the lock on the Manix, you will LOVE the axis lock. I hated the bearing lock on my manix, solely because it wasn't an axis.
Benchmade axis lock knives are fantastic. Their liner and frame locks often have a "quirk" built in, often poor blade retention in the closed position compared with Spyderco for example. Their customer service is second to no one.
I have a benchmade Vex and it is a great knife. I think Benchmade makes a really quality product and their knives are a good price as well.
I only have a Mini Grip so I can't say a lot, but I can tell you that it's a much better knife than the full size Grip. Overall I think Benchmade makes good knives, just a tad bit overpriced compared to their competitors' knives with the same materials
Yeah, pretty much that. I don't get the need for "something that sells [you] on this brand." If something appeals to you, try it. If nothing appeals to you, leave it be. I know that Porsche and Movado are respected brands, but I don't own any of their products and that's ok. The best thing to do is to go to a local outfitter/sporting store and try them in person. This is true for any knife because ergos and designs are hard to gauge from pictures alone.
Not a big fan of a lot of their designs, but I feel the same about a lot of Spyderco's as well, but I own a few from both. I've got a full-size Nimravus and a Stryker automatic, and just picked up a full-size Grip not too long ago. I carried the Nimravus everyday on my last deployment, the Stryker on my last two. No issues with either of them. If taken care of properly they'll serve you well.
i like the axis lock. super STRONG, DEPENDABLE. it is not some POS lockback design that spyderco would have you believe is not borderline dangerous to use. you will have WAY better QC with benchmade than with spyderco. but then again the usual asking price[around $80] for a mini grip is really stupid.
Despite being a frothing-at-the-mouth Benchmade fan with over 10x as many Benchmades as any other brand, I wouldn't agree with the post above. Execution is worth a lot, and you can have lockback and liner lock knives that are better or worse as a result of design and execution. While I love the AXIS lock and am personally biased against lockbacks, I don't think they have to be dangerous or poorly made. I'm not aware of any widespread history of Spyderco locks failing, and in fact I'd count Spyderco as one of the better brands of production knives. Their dedication to the enthusiast community is also unusual and commendable. It's just their aesthetic that doesn't agree with me.