Jump to content

Benchmade Knife Company


Recommended Posts

I use to be a Benchmade man, they have and still do from time to time make the best Bali songs (Butterfly Knives) on the planet. While they use to be strictly american made knives, Several years ago they began making some of their knives in China a lot of vendors, including Smokey mountain knife outlet dropped their line completely due to this.

The older Benchmades in my opinion were some of the best built knives ever made, They started this color class crap a while back, anyway a diver out here just sold one of my guys a RED class 10350, for $75.00 when he told me that he was buying a NIB Benchmade spring assited knife for $75.00 I thought he was getting a great deal

This knife is a piece of Crap compared to the older ones that I have owned. I think it was the dumbest move that company ever made when they decided to put their name on Cheaply made inferior knives, sorry I just had to Rant :lol:

Link to comment
  • Replies 22
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I agree with you there I quit buying them just for that reason, Now i try to find Emersons if i want that type of knife. Ernie Emerson worked for benchmade before he started his own company they are what benchmade use to be and then some.

Link to comment
Guest Halfpint

I have a pair of "Black" class knives, both made in the USA. I've had some issues with the "lower" classes, but the Black ones are good pieces of gear. Eventually I'll pick up an original Benchmade/Emerson CQC 7, whenever a buddy decides to sell it.

My EDC knife is actually the CQC-7's successor, as near as I can tell . . . extremely similiar in size, design, function, etc . . . 523 SBK, Mel Pardue Tanto. It's served me well . . .

Friends have killed a handful of Blue and Red class knives, but the few of us that have Black knives have beaten the hell out of them and they still work fine.

Link to comment
I have a pair of "Black" class knives, both made in the USA. I've had some issues with the "lower" classes, but the Black ones are good pieces of gear. Eventually I'll pick up an original Benchmade/Emerson CQC 7, whenever a buddy decides to sell it.

My EDC knife is actually the CQC-7's successor, as near as I can tell . . . extremely similiar in size, design, function, etc . . . 523 SBK, Mel Pardue Tanto. It's served me well . . .

Friends have killed a handful of Blue and Red class knives, but the few of us that have Black knives have beaten the hell out of them and they still work fine.

x2

Black class is the only way to go with Benchmade.

a lot of vendors, including Smokey mountain knife outlet dropped their line completely due to this.

I have a hard time believing this. With all the crap and bull**** SMKW sells that they drop Benchmade for something like that.

Link to comment
x2

Black class is the only way to go with Benchmade.

I have a hard time believing this. With all the crap and bull**** SMKW sells that they drop Benchmade for something like that.

Call and ask them Amigo, I went there 3 different times and heard this same story, no Benchmades to be found while they do sell a lot of crap, they also sell some high end knives, they use to consider Benchmade High end this is what I was told anyway

Edited by willis68
Link to comment

I went to Gatlinburg right before shipping out to Iraq in 2006. Stopped by Smoky Mountain on the way.

I asked about Benchmade's there and the story I got from an older employee was there was a dispute over price. Smoky Mountain wanted to sell Benchmade's at a lower price than Benchmade wanted them sold at so Benchmade stopped letting Smoky Mountain sell their knives...

That's the story I got.

I EDC a Benchmade 585 Mini-Barrage assited opening...

Link to comment
I agree with you there I quit buying them just for that reason, Now i try to find Emersons if i want that type of knife. Ernie Emerson worked for benchmade before he started his own company they are what benchmade use to be and then some.

Exactly why my last 2 blades were Emerson

Link to comment

I heard that BM pulled there knives from SMKWs because they were selling them for under the price point BM wanted.I think a store can do that but they can not show the price in an add.

I do not agree with companies doing this really but many do to keep the perceived value of the product where they want it.

I for one would not trust anything anyone at SMKWs told me.

Link to comment
I went to Gatlinburg right before shipping out to Iraq in 2006. Stopped by Smoky Mountain on the way.

I asked about Benchmade's there and the story I got from an older employee was there was a dispute over price. Smoky Mountain wanted to sell Benchmade's at a lower price than Benchmade wanted them sold at so Benchmade stopped letting Smoky Mountain sell their knives...

That's the story I got.

I EDC a Benchmade 585 Mini-Barrage assited opening...

This story is not only plausible but likely if there was even a split.

If you recall Benchmade and Emerson used to have an arrangement wherein several designs were made and sold by Benchmade. This arrangement was discontinued b/c they "decided this was in the best interests of each company." I was personally told that by Les De Asis and Ernest Emerson at Blade the year the split took place.

That is nothing more than business and how things often go in the knife industry. It doesn't mean someone has dropped all their QC or lost their mind. Businesses and people change in order to survive all the time.

Link to comment

SMKW didn't quit selling BMs because of offshore manufacturing of some models. There's no logic in that explanation anyway considering the number of offshore manufactured knives you can purchase there.

The conflicts with BM are going to be over sales below the MAP (minimum advertised price) which BM enforces very strongly. Other conflicts can occur when a "retailer" also sells as a wholesaler as SMKW does.

So, the "won't sell Chinese crap" explanation isn't logical for a company that sells tons of "Chinese crap".

Link to comment
SMKW didn't quit selling BMs because of offshore manufacturing of some models. There's no logic in that explanation anyway considering the number of offshore manufactured knives you can purchase there.

The conflicts with BM are going to be over sales below the MAP (minimum advertised price) which BM enforces very strongly. Other conflicts can occur when a "retailer" also sells as a wholesaler as SMKW does.

So, the "won't sell Chinese crap" explanation isn't logical for a company that sells tons of "Chinese crap".

The Gentlemen that I spoke with there, said exactly this: they carried Benchmade products in the past, when they were all American made I went there to buy Benchmade Bali Song knives, and was told the reason they were not selling them is that people NOW considered them cheaply made knives from overseas, not the quality ones that I had come to know over the years, draw your own conclussions

Link to comment

I completely believe you. I just don't think that you were told the truth.

They could sell the American made or Japanese made lines of Benchmade and just exclude the Chinese knives if that's all there was to the reason.

Link to comment
I completely believe you. I just don't think that you were told the truth.

They could sell the American made or Japanese made lines of Benchmade and just exclude the Chinese knives if that's all there was to the reason.

Sound like the "random Walmart explanation" you get from all those oh so knowledge clerks that are oh so privy to corporate decision making. :rolleyes:

And speaking of Wally's, they had same type disagreement with Ruger products for a while, wanting to sell them cheaper than Ruger wanted them to.

- OS

Link to comment

I purchased a benchmade from Gander Mountain a month or so ago it has a US patent# Mel Pardu design. No made in china markings on it.

Link to comment

I've always wanted one, but I'm too cheap to drop that much on a knife. I finally got one at 1/2 price b/c the vendor was going to quit selling them. It didn't ocurr to me that some were made in China (mine is), so i didn't even look. After using it as my EDC for over a year, I have no complaints. It's still smooth and tight and holds a great edge.

Link to comment

They still make an Excellent Knife, the fact that they dropped their foreign made "Red class" has brightened my day, I ordered a Black class knife and I expect it will be excellent like all of the older ones that I have owned, we will soon see

Edited by willis68
Link to comment
I completely believe you. I just don't think that you were told the truth.

They could sell the American made or Japanese made lines of Benchmade and just exclude the Chinese knives if that's all there was to the reason.

Very possible, they may have told me that trying to sway me into purchasing another brand from them. I am just glad Benchmade still puts out some great products as I would miss their knives

Link to comment

I recently received my 9051BK AFO II, I have to say the quality of this one is as good if not better than the earlier ones that I have owned. I am very pleased with it, the first Black class knife I have owned my other Benchmade knives were either Bali-Song's or made before the color classes were done

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

TRADING POST NOTICE

Before engaging in any transaction of goods or services on TGO, all parties involved must know and follow the local, state and Federal laws regarding those transactions.

TGO makes no claims, guarantees or assurances regarding any such transactions.

THE FINE PRINT

Tennessee Gun Owners (TNGunOwners.com) is the premier Community and Discussion Forum for gun owners, firearm enthusiasts, sportsmen and Second Amendment proponents in the state of Tennessee and surrounding region.

TNGunOwners.com (TGO) is a presentation of Enthusiast Productions. The TGO state flag logo and the TGO tri-hole "icon" logo are trademarks of Tennessee Gun Owners. The TGO logos and all content presented on this site may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission. The opinions expressed on TGO are those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the site's owners or staff.

TNGunOwners.com (TGO) is not a lobbying organization and has no affiliation with any lobbying organizations.  Beware of scammers using the Tennessee Gun Owners name, purporting to be Pro-2A lobbying organizations!

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to the following.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines
 
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.