That S30V steel is found across Benchmades lineup because its some of the most versatile and user-friendly steels out there and since this knife hosts a simple drop-point, you can pretty much use it for anything on anything at any time. The Axis Lock by Benchmade consists of a spring-loaded bar that can move back and forth in its designated slot that is between both liners typically high-quality steel liners. 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. A quick last note here, the Griptilian sometimes receives a little hate because it doesnt have the G10 or carbon fiber handle. The handle is rubberized Santoprene, and the texture wraps around the entirety of it. Usually, locking mechanisms are good for around 50 to 100lbs of pressure but Benchmade, of course, took things many steps further and now their absolute minimum lock strength on any AXIS equipped knife is 200lbs, with most of their knives exceeding that. Its an ambidextrous knife. This site contains affiliate links. Dont buy a non-locking folder, though theyre dangerous. Are you going to wiggle, rock, and twist the blade often to get your job done? The Dymondwood handle on the North Fork is a thing of beauty. Were glad you dig this post! This is not a knife that fits into that category. What?! Yeah, you do, because this knife is so sharp and the way its designed will slice right through even thick and tough leather in no time at all. Personally, I prefer a subtle matte or black coated blade, even though they tend to get scratched quite easily. Youd be amazed at how this knife would start to feel like an extension of your arm. Check out the Benchmades official page for more information on the Lifesharp program here. It is this size that seems to offer the best compromise of ergonomics and portability. Understanding the shape and the steel of your future blade will be the largest deciding factor of how the blade behaves when used in your specific environment and situations! The knife is of a Sheepsfoot blade, and its quite useful in daily utility works. Glass breaker, rescue hook, lanyard hole, drop-point with three different serrated or fine edge options, super light but durable G10 resin-soaked fiberglass body, and the ever so loved AXIS locking mechanism. Aside from one major variable, the ergonomics of the North Fork knife are virtually identical to those of the Benchmade Mini-Barrage 585. I'm do not hunt regularly or work in an industry which requires knife work, etc. CPM-20CV is not a steel Benchmade is known to use but this particular steel offers incredible corrosion resistance while still being close in hardness to the other ultra-premium steels. Of course, if youre not a hunter or fisherman, the gut hook likely wouldnt be of much use to you and in terms of actually using a gut hook, Id personally prefer a fixed blade, but this knife is more than usable in each and every way that the Saddle Mountain is. Youll find that the Griptilian can do every single one of them. That drop-point is insanely strong due to S90Vs top tier tensile strength and hardness. While that large selection to choose from is great, most of our readers arent going to pony up thousands of dollars to buy and test them all. How to Choose the Best Benchmade Knife for All Purposes? UPDATE:Also, as the reader Clayton mentioned in a comment to this review, the quick release is more sensitive than most knives (and isnt spring-loaded). North Fork 1503 comes with Benchmade's AXIS lock, which is fully ambidextrous and extremely strong. For being a manual opening knife, this thing sure is buttery smooth and that thumb stud is perfectly implemented in a way that allows you to flip open the knife as you pull it from your pocket, making a seamless transition between its carried state and its deployed state. A: Great high-quality steel such as 154CM and CPM-s30v are used to create Benchmade knives. 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. This will also give you the advantage of a stronger knife. 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. The Benchmade Freek (actually known as the 'Super Freek') is the Bugout's big brother and delivers all of the same components but just makes them bigger. The drop-point blade makes North Fork 1503 a handy hunting tool for skinning and slicing wildlife. A quality blade will help with minor repairs to your gear, like cutting improvised tent stakes. This is definitely not the run of the mill Benchmade experience Ive known to expect but it is a refreshing design that gives the user plenty of deployability options. Free shipping for many products! We will start with the fact that there are different editions of the Bailout and the Bugout. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. As such you don't have to worry about that. This knife is a tad bit heavier for its size than what I would normally carry, however, the classic design is exactly what a lot of people are searching for in an EDC and as I said, its versatility can rival any of the top EDC knives around today. Spyderco folding knives tend to come with a thumb hole in the spine instead of a thumb stud to open the blade, and thats called a Spydie hole. By far my favorite benchmade edc even over my 940's. This is one knife that even a Marine wouldnt stand much chance against. Its long and slender with a very high-class elegant finish that really exudes craftsmanship without being over-engineered or snarky in appearance. Evaluate whether the Benchmade North Fork-1503 you intend to get is engineered for high-quality.For instance, check whether the knife has a CPM-S30V stainless steel blade and a balanced handle among other key features associated with high quality. My Review: This knife feels like youd find Rambo pulling it out of his boot after exhausting his arsenal of other weapons for that finishing kill. Gerber Sharkbelly Folding Knife- this versatile folding knife boasts a 320HC stainless steel blade for both precision cutting and for cutting remarkably tough materials.The scratch-resistant pocket clip offers a tip down carry that prevents the knifes razor sharp blade from tearing your pockets. If youre like me and you arent a huge fan of partially serrated blades, you can find this knife with a plain edge as well and that may save you a couple of extra bucks! My Review: The Benchmade Fact reminds me of a classy limousine in the knife world. The Benchmade North Fork is a handsome folding knife designed for hunting, but it has all the right features to make for a great everyday carry blade as well. The owner of this website does not guarantee offers on this site, and all offers should be viewed as recommendations only. This is by far one of the smoothest and most incredible integral bodied knives we have reviewed thus far. Two thumb studs on either side of the blade allow for fast and easy opening with either hand. Glass-filled nylon handles are generally a bit lighter than G10 handles as well as significantly cheaper than carbon fiber, so I believe the handle they chose fits perfectly with the ideology behind the knife, versatility, and usability above all! The Benchmade Bailout, on the other hand, was designed for soldiers and other professionals who ask a lot from their tools. This Scandinavian inspired Puukko knife is a small, light, and nifty tool despite being fixed and needing a sheath. The Arvensis is an excellent all-around general use camp knife with a rather ominous feel to it and I think youll agree! The Bailout, however, is enhanced with a tanto blade. This is a greater feat. Hold this thing in real life before you judge! My Review: Oh boy the Bedlam is a beaut of a blade but I swear, this is not the knife for everyone! Best Arcteryx Hiking Shorts Guide: Which Is Right for You? Slicing? Copyright All Outdoors Guide 2023 | About Us. Simply, I have to apply intended pressure to get the blade out, which is more reassuring to me given my concerns with the North Fork. Some of our team have accomplished amazing feats like climbing 6000 feet to the top of mountains, others have explored every dirt trail they could find and we even have some people that have backpacked solo on various continents. benchmade north fork vs bugout. benchmade north fork vs bugout. Benchmade North Fork Review February 5, 2015 GEAR INSTITUTE RATINGS 98 Construction & Materials 10 Ease of Use Steel Quality & Edge Retention 10 Durability 10 The Good Good value Well made Dymondwood handle scales Works well as back-up or secondary hunting knife The Bad Blade is too small to be a primary hunting tool Feels a bit small in hand That passion has led me to build this site, Read on for my story. Their edge holds well, and they do not deteriorate or rust for a long time. That exceptionally high hardness level allows this blade to retain its edge even when highly abused for an extremely long time, making this blade very low maintenance and ready to go when you need it most. luke86 Joined Mar 29, 2015 Messages 825 My Review: The Nimravus is host to one of the strongest penetrating points of any blade offered by Benchmade. This particular steel is especially strong in terms of tensile strength which allows this knife to be heavily abused and put through the wringer whether youre a camper, fisherman, or using the knife to work. The FRN handle gives a good grip, and a big thumbhole allows easy opening without studs getting in the way. The 15003-1 comes with a black molded Kydex style sheath that, in my opinion, would last longer and likely give you a bit more value. Oh, and if you have butterfingers and youre always dropping your knives in the woods, only to take the next 15 minutes kicking leaves looking for your knife, you can grab this baby in some hot hunters orange and ensure you never lose your beloved Benchmade Altitude. The Benchmade North Fork is a handsome folding knife designed for hunting, but it has all the right features to make for a great everyday carry blade as well. As a bonus, the sheath also has a space to hold a Ferro rod, which will definitely help when youre out camping. My Review: The Nakamura is one of my personal favorites as I believe it blends the beautiful craftsmanship Benchmade is capable of with ultimate versatility and toughness. 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. Have some money burning a hole in your pockets and you need something that your buddies are sure to gawk at? Now you have a good idea of what sort of knife you should be looking for, but theres still a huge choice. Its not for everyone and its not the most versatile thing Benchmade has ever made, but it is beautiful and its extremely slim and low profile. My final thoughts are this: This knife is not worth the money if youre looking for a tough and durable do-it-all EDC knife. No self-respecting sailor will ever be without a knife to help with rigging repairs or clearing damaged gear. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Benchmade uses CPM S30V stainless steel that's known for its sharpness and ability to shed corrosives without enduring . Being one of the largest and most successful knife manufacturers in the world, Benchmade has a wide selection of knives across multiple categories. It finally made sense. For self-propelled, wild travels, the Benchmade Bugout is arguably the best pocket knife we have tested. On the back its straight for about half its blade length then curves gently down to give a fine, slim tip. A: The Benchmade Knife Company is behind Benchmade knives. Youre a simple old school kind of guy and you dont need no stinkin nylon in your leather sheath do ya? It's extremely lightweight for a knife this capable, and due to the axis locking mechanism, it's very user friendly as well. 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. These knives come in two colors, Forest Green or Sand Tan, although if youre the type of person looking for this kind of knife, I doubt you care much about what color it is. I don't like my mini grip. These are among the safest and most reliable locking mechanisms found in folding knives on the market thus far. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. In addition to federal law requirements, Benchmade complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Blade Style: Drop-PointBlade Composition: CPM-S90VHandle Composition: Full-Tang handleless with Micro Carbon ScalesBlade Length: 3.08Total Length: 7.38Total Weight: 1.67 ounces. Any outdoor memories you plan to make should include this knife and hey, perhaps those memories can be passed down through generations alongside the knife, as itll probably outlast your trekking legs. The Benchmade Bugout is a medium-sized utility knife. Some of the reasons I personally prefer the Bugout over the Mini Grip include the longer blade length at 3.25" vs 2.91", the blade shape lending itself better for slicing, the weight reduction, and the awesome short carry clip. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I have not tried the North Fork yet. It's been in the box since I bought it. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Made in USA. Benchmade Bugout 535 5. It also retains its sharpness well. My Review: The Grizzly Ridge is essentially the same knife as the Grizzly Creek but with an arguably better handle. As a last tidbit here, when you grab yourself the Nimravus you also get a very well made MOLLE compatible sheath. Benchmade makes sturdy knives that are lightweight. The Benchmade North Fork Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review 50,039 views Oct 6, 2018 763 Dislike Share Save Nick Shabazz 148K subscribers Today, we're going to take a look at a great. This uses an internal sprung bolt that locks into the rear of the blade when its opened. No, not you, youve chosen the Altitude because you have attitude. r/Knife_Swap.