It is just a simple blade in a handle. It is too small but got it on clearance from a big retailer for 46.00 new so it just sits in the box. The knife is made for hunting, but it can still be utilized for other tasks and in various outdoor activities.Unlike other Benchmade knives, the folding knife is crafted to deliver great performance coupled with enhanced durability.Even some of the most popular folding knives cant match the degree of versatility offered by Benchmade North Fork-1503.Again, even the market leaders cannot tackle as many tasks as the ones this folding knife can tackle. If you dont have a good sharpener, I recommend you buy one alongside your purchase as you will undoubtedly need one. The re curve does very well at cutting and it shines when you draw cut something as the re curve assists in cutting. Suggested Alternatives to the Benchmade North Fork, Black Friday / Cyber Monday Camping Deals: Gear, Hiking, Survival, Outdoor Deals. If the knife doesnt feel comfortable, then it is apparent the knife isnt manufactured by Benchmade itself. That drop-point is insanely strong due to S90Vs top tier tensile strength and hardness. As a bonus, the sheath also has a space to hold a Ferro rod, which will definitely help when youre out camping. Blade Style: Clip-PointBlade Composition: 154CMHandle Composition: Diamond Textured G10Blade Length: 6.44Total Length: 11.72Total Weight: 11.74 ounces. The Top 3 Best Two-Person Tents for Couples (or Close Friends). If youre worried about nicks and dings showing up, a plain or brushed finish would be good for you. 154CM was a tad surprising to me at first, but I think Benchmade is trying to reach a wide audience with this blade without sacrificing its menacing appearance and experience. Benchmade Anthem 781 3. A smaller angle cuts very well but won't last very long, which brings us to the other part of the blade and edge integrity. The 3V depends on personal prefernce but it won't break when prying and so on despite having a thin tip. The Bedlam features two blade finish options, one being a regular satin finish and the other being my personal favorite on this model, the black Cerakote, which matches up nicely to the hardware finish and the black G10 handles. 2. There is a choice you might care about, though, and thats whether you want a beautifully made custom Benchmade leather sheath or a lightweight and durable Kydex sheath to carry around this beast with. A much smaller blade, somewhere not too far from three inches long, is the right size for most tasks. Probably youre looking for some recommendations so heres one: The North Fork by Benchmade. The Ridges handle is accented with hunters orange so that if you ever lose your grip and drop it, you wont lose sight of it in the brush. My Review: The Anthem 781, to many, is just a pretty piece of expensive metal and thats unfortunate because I think this knife is far better than most people realize. Speaking of sliding into your pocket, youll be getting a reversible pocket clip that will allow you to carry it on either side. Were glad you dig this post! The Benchmade Bushcrafter is the perfect knife for someone that doesnt worry about knicks and dings, the guy/gal that abuses their knife and really puts the craftsmanship to the test. Created for hunting The knife's drop-point blade is ideal for the avid hunter. Benchmade invests a lot in making their handles good, and you can pick any one knife and be assured that the handle will be satisfactory. I carried a mini grip of one variety or another for several years. Furthermore, you can find this knife with a wood or G10 handle which actually changes the appearance and feel of the overall knife significantly, so choose wisely. Free shipping for many products! That has now morphed into a love for studying and researching different aspects of knives. Quality is just one of the many factors, another one is LifeSharp. If you already have a solid EDC and youre looking for something with a little flair and flavor, feast your eyes upon one of the gnarliest blades Benchmade has designed to date. I work at a store that sells Benchmade knives (most of which have the Axis Lock system) and I've never heard anyone say that their knife can just open without using the lock first. If you want a light slicer to disappear into the pocket then the bug out is probably the way to go. For the g10 handles. Blade Style: Double-Sided Spear-PointBlade Composition: D2Handle Composition: Scale Textured 6061-T6 AluminumBlade Length: 4.52Total Length: 9.21Total Weight: 5.11 ounces. The hardness gives the blade incredible rigidity and strength but requires a little love and care to keep in tip-top shape. These high-grip sections make it easy to control the blade for fine cutting, even when its wet or slimy if you like to hold your index finger along the spine while skinning theyll give you some extra security. Benchmade Contego 810 10. ProHuntingKnife.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. But that is basically all they have in common. I have the North Fork g10 and it is edc perfection. Are Benchmade Knives Worth the Expensive Price Tag? They are, however, easy to sharpen in the field, even with limited means. And lastly, Benchmade has a reputation and thats it. At first glance, it kind of looks like a silly gimmick, but after closer inspection, youll realize how incredibly helpful and handy having this tiny little tool on you can be. It's really hard to pick against a mini grip. Being one of the largest and most successful knife manufacturers in the world, Benchmade has a wide selection of knives across multiple categories. I love the bugout but will be upgrading the scales. No, its not elegant, its not stylish, its not unique, but it is a solid workhorse that Id be incredibly surprised if it ever failed you. If you think that 7.25 total length would be tough to conceal or a bit overkill, you can check out the Benchmade Mini SOCP here. The North Fork's handle is made from wood that's been vacuum-impregnated with resin to increase durability. Shop around the Knife Exchange or Fleabay and you can easily find a slightly used CPM-20CV 555/556-1 with G10 scales for not much more than a new Bugout and less than a new North Fork with some patience. If youre looking for a hunting/outdoors inspired knife for EDC, I highly recommend this particular knife. In the end, after tuning all of these, Benchmade does a dang fine job with the blade of the North Fork. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The clip isnt exactly what Id call a deep carry clip, but it is strong, sturdy, and probably one of the most comfortable overall carries in knives of this class. The deep carry clip also makes it an ideal choice. You can think of the Benchmade North Fork knife as a special edition of the Benchmade Mini-Barrage 585. Notable differences include fewer customizable options, the wooden handle, and the lack of assisted opening. While you might be thinking this will be your next EDC of choice, Im thinking this would make a great gift! That good old homegrown quality and attention to detail dont come cheap and although I dont know the specifics, the information found here on Glassdoor indicates average wages that far exceed what Id expect most foreign knife manufacturers to offer their employees. Keep 'em coming. Blade Style: Trailing-Point / Clip-Point / ScimitarBlade Composition: 154CMHandle Composition: G10 Pistol Grip StyleBlade Length: 4Total Length: 9.76Total Weight: 7.2 Ounces. Along with fire its one of the most basic tools when you have a knife you can manufacture almost anything else youre likely to need, including shelter. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. All these attributes are difficult to balance and tune. That point is very strong and plenty capable of penetration while the belly has a ton of slashing real-estate along with a very nasty serration near the handle that is open and easily utilized against an assailant. The handle is rubberized Santoprene, and the texture wraps around the entirety of it. They are one of the widely recognized brands in the knife industry across the country. We are a granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing, bug spray-carrying group of hiking enthusiastswho specialize in finding the latest gear for outdoor adventures. The Benchmade North Fork knife is super smooth. A little fun fact before we get started: The Benchmade Butterfly logo originated from the early days of the company when they specialized primarily in the creation of premium grade butterfly (Balisong) knives! I was wondering if you had any recommendations for another Benchmade product, or another brand at a similar price point to the North Fork that might address some of the concerns I have. I will mention that, under the same exact circumstances, I would expect the Grizzly Creek to last a little longer since its handle is a bit more technologically advanced and perhaps a bit less prone to damage, but both knives are pretty equally amazing. On the entire continuum of pocket knife size, the North Fork is near the top. I think the blade deployment concerns are valid, depending on your application. Shipping costs depend on order amount and shipping destination. It's plenty sturdy IMO and the tiny pocket clip is fantastic. My Review: Oh boy, when I first saw this monstrosity I was pretty intrigued as to what the heck is going on with that blade, then I realized these were designed for aviation use and all I could think about was all the wack stuff Airmen have said to me. Sure, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to know that a knife consisting of a titanium handle is probably of decent quality but what a lot of people miss is that the chunk of titanium consists entirely of just one single piece. Before we jump into discussing the beautiful pieces of sharp and pointy steel offered by one of our favorite companies, you need to know the pros and cons of each blade shape as well as the steel they are made of. Benchmade 535 Bugout drop-point fine-edge knife was designed with modern outdoor adventurers in mind, incorporating lightweight, robust materials in an extremely slim, yet ergonomic package. Blade Style: Drop-Point With Saw-Tooth SpineBlade Composition: D2Handle Composition: Bare Skeletonized and SlottedBlade Length: 4.2Total Length: 9.03Total Weight: 5.6 ounces. Those people are right when it comes to personal preference and I understand where theyre coming from, I really enjoy many of Benchmades premium handles that arent plastic-based. They look about as tactically cool as you can make a knife and the fixed blade variant of the original OTF is solid. Check out our benchmade scales north fork selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Puukko embodies what I think a lot of purist fix blade enthusiasts truly love. Yeah, we put it in the camping section because thats what I actually use it for most, but this is an all-around EDC badass. All Axis locks are ambidextrous and most of them are easily used with one-handed operation. Both the Grizzly Creek and Saddle Mountain knives consist of S30V steel which is arguably one of the best stainless steels around for skinning due to their incredible tensile strength, ability to hold an edge even after heavy contact with joints and bones, and exceptional resistance to corrosion. The one way in which these two are different is in the assisted opening function. It has a base G10 layer and a gray and black layered and milled G10 layer on top. Step 2 Construction:Along with size goes construction. The Barrage is also available in either a partially serrated blade or a full plain edge and overall, the Barrage feels a lot like many of the other 3.6 EDC related pocket knives and it comes equipped with the Benchmade AXIS-ASSIST mechanism, meaning its perfect for quick one-handed operation. Features AXIS lock folding mechanism Drop-point, CPM-S30V premium stainless-steel blade (58-60HRC) Blue Grivory handles with anodized aluminum barrel spacers The lock ensures the knife opens and closes single-handedly. Keep in mind that a higher HRC also means a more brittle knife, and its going to be a nightmare to sharpen. These knives were developed to be used by first responders and contain the tools you would expect to use to pull someone out of a wrecked vehicle. You might be asking yourself, there are so many factors to consider, how could you ever choose just one? A flick of the wrist sends the blade out, and it worries me that if I were to drop it by accident, etc. The differences are namely quite clear. Our only wish with the North Fork knife is that it was assisted opening. What this program really is, is a service for those of us too busy or lazy to sit down and properly maintain our knives. The Griptilian fits in just about any pocket you slide it into and after just a few minutes, it sits so lightly and comfortably that you may forget its even there until of course, you need it! As part of the Hunt series from Benchmade, the North Fork joins the ranks as one of the most advanced hunting knives ever, thanks to its use of premium materials and the renowned AXIS locking mechanism. Need to do some piercing? Never heard of that in any forums ether so I'm guessing if you give it a try on your North Fork you'll find it isn't the case. This is not a knife that fits into that category. Another difference is that the original Freek came equipped with lower quality handles called Versaflex but the Super Freek comes with those G10 handles we all know and love so much. Im a huge fan of small slender blades because they tend to lack the tensile strength required for a rugged lifestyle. Well, I guess that would be up to you to decide but for me, its an obvious no brainer. But what are the other differences between the two? That reason is the Benchmade Lifesharp program. Benchmade Nakamura 484 7. The full tang construction makes sure that the blade is more durable and steadier than folded knives. Yeah, I know, that sounds lame, but sometimes having a professional do it for you is the way to go, especially when they can use tools and equipment that would cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy and operate. We only review top-scoring products, and top-performing pocket knives are all well made of excellent materials. Benchmade is the kind of knife that follow my favorite mantra buy once cry once. In short, it is smoothness. My vote is for the mini grip. Kershaw 1660 Review - The Ultimate EDC Knife? The FRN handle gives a good grip, and a big thumbhole allows easy opening without studs getting in the way. My Review: Before we get started its important to note that the Infidel 133 was originally an out the front automatic knife (OTF) whereas the knife I am reviewing is a fixed blade. The manual axis lock can also be released one-handedly. We independently buy, test, and rate all the products we review. In all reality, this knife was designed to be abused and it will withstand constant daily abuse in harsh elements with no problems and thats why the Crooked River is a solid choice among outdoor sportsmen. The Bugout has a fairly standard drop-point blade. In fact, the Bugout is probably the best, general use knife in the Benchmade line up given its price, design, performance, size, and weight. Hold this thing in real life before you judge! This dude Steve Tarani designed the Aileron with a, get this, Tarani Two-handed opening mechanism, thats meant to ensure no accidental opening while traveling through our lower atmosphere. A massive 9.1cm CPM M4 blade is hidden within a smooth and click G10 handle that's got loads of size to give you maximum power. My Review: The Turret has been a Marine Approved favorite since it came out and thats due to the fact that this knife is an absolute monster no matter how you use it. For steller cutting, piercing, and prying tasks, this is the best Benchmade knife you can hope to find. Its so smooth that I cant help but to open it each and every time I pull it out! Their edge holds well, and they do not deteriorate or rust for a long time. This is the last self defense knife on this list, but we have an entire guide dedicated to self defense knives here if youre interested. Many of these use their Monolock feature thats basically a regular locking mechanism but with the knife liner and the knife handle being made out of the same casting, thus increasing its strength and durability drastically.