My Review: This knife isnt for everybody, thats for sure, however, if youre an avid hunter who would rather expend energy on the actual hunt itself as opposed to getting to your stomping grounds, this may be an alternative worth considering. The Axis Dual-Action is kind of a blend between the two aforementioned Axis mechanisms. The Tanto is specifically designed to be extremely lethal as its point is among the strongest of all blade shapes, giving it superior penetration and stabbing capabilities while also hosting a sharp and straight belly for slashing. 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. Before we evaluate the North Fork, lets establish some general evaluation criteria: The big question is what sort of knife you want to carry. Being one of the largest and most successful knife manufacturers in the world, Benchmade has a wide selection of knives across multiple categories. 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. Another thing that contributes to making this knife a prime choice for hunting is the gut hook that folds into the handle. Benchmade North Fork 1503 is excellent for campers, hikers and hunters. benchmade north fork vs bugout breaking news blue mountains. I feel like the other two are good options, but the northfork feels like it has a "soul". D2 tool steel is specifically engineered to survive a beating and thats what this blade is capable of doing. If I had to mention one downside to this blade, its the assisted opening thumb stud. Make no mistake, these Valox handles are seriously high quality and are only going to be found in premium knives with premium price tags. The Bugout is a supremely good design and easy choice only if weight and ease of carry is of primary concern. In the end, after tuning all of these, Benchmade does a dang fine job with the blade of the North Fork. Normally you might find Benchmade blades coated or uncoated and typically the user will decide which version to buy based on personal preference, but the Freek only has one option and that is a nice matte black Cerakote. Lastly, I certainly cannot go without mentioning the beautiful leather dangler loop sheath that comes with this knife. North Fork. 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. Both knives are enhanced with a lanyard hole. In this case we are talking about the different handle materials: the Bailout comes with a Grivory and an aluminium handle. As I mentioned before, Benchmade has released this knife in tons of different colors and styles and if that 3.24 blade is a little too long for your Bugout loadout, Id strongly recommend giving the Mini Bugout 533 a look as well which can be found here. 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. The mechanism works by giving you the regular pull-down and open motion of the original Axis Lock but, by pulling the bar just a bit further, the blade springs out instantly. The bugout never gets carried. That means although it has a natural wood base it wont swell or warp its just as stable as the G10 version. Now, Im really glad they chose to go with 154CM steel on this particular blade because for most people, resharpening this in one of the more premium steels like S30V would be a nightmare. Smaller knives (with no limit, really) are more portable. Folks, I really appreciate the responses so far. Theyre easier to sharpen, though. I can see that each knife has some advantages and disadvantages, as evidenced by all the varying opinions here. The Tanto blades make these appear quite aggressive but in my experience, these knives perform quite well as a daily use blade and can endure quite some abuse. It has a wide belly, so you can tackle heavier utility tasks without worries. The Bailout has a separate backspacer. 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. 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. 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. Benchmade Knives Custom Handle Scales Custom Bugout Scales Custom Bugout Scales These custom scales fit any version of the 535 Bugout from Benchmade. If that 3.45 blade is a tad too much and you prefer something a little more compact, you can check out the Benchmade Griptilian Mini 556 here. Benchmade is largely more expensive than a lot of other comparable knife options because of the incredible quality and unbeatable technologies theyve implemented into their knives. I personally chose the gut hook version of this knife because I think there are tons of other drop-point fixed blades from Benchmade and the gut hook makes this one stand out. Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight vs Benchmade Bugout, New Benchmade 2021 knives: Mini Osborne 945, Bugouts and more, Carryosity #1 Knife Only Edition: Top 3 Benchmade 2020 knives, Shot Show 2020: the newest Benchmade knives, Victorinox Swisstool Buying Guide: more about the SwissTool collection, Zwilling Four Star versus Zwilling Four Star II, Spyderco Paramilitary 2 vs Spyderco Manix 2, Chefs knife vs Santoku. Now you have a good idea of what sort of knife you should be looking for, but theres still a huge choice. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility. As such you don't have to worry about that. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support. By far my favorite benchmade edc even over my 940's. It is this size that seems to offer the best compromise of ergonomics and portability. Step 2 Construction:Along with size goes construction. Best Alternatives to Yeti Cooler | Coolers Like YETI. It is a boutique piece of equipment, and losing such an expensive pocket knife out on a camping trip would certainly be a tragedy. These are not an EDC style utility knife but more so something to use as a last resort in a sticky situation. Its not much in terms of versatility, although I suppose it is usable across many applications, however, its very clear this knife was designed to perform sustained damage in a combat situation. With that said, the Valox handles here are nothing to scoff at and trust me, they are super durable and ultra-strong, possibly just as strong as any other material. Blade Style: Spear-PointBlade Composition: CPM-S30VHandle Composition: G10Blade Length: 3.6Total Length: 8.42Total Weight: 4.11 ounces. Of course, if whipping this terrifying thing out doesnt scare off your attacker, it is just as easily used in disabling an attacker as it weighs nearly 6 ounces, hosts a very deadly reverse-tanto with a tight point, and is massive, coming in just under 10 when unfolded. The Anthem is super thin despite feeling hefty and strong and this makes for an excellent middle-ground between comfort when carrying and girth when holding the knife, something you usually have to give in on one side or the other. Larger knives (to a point) are easier to use. We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. To get the most out of the Barrage 583, Id suggest you break it in properly. It also retains its sharpness well. The spring-loaded characteristics are made possible by utilizing two omega springs custom-built in-house at Benchmade that push the locking bar into place when the tang of the blade exceeds their allotted tension. The Fact is everything I love about slender pocket knives while still being one lean mean little blade. However, if youre wearing work gloves, that problem vanishes. Benchmade North Fork 15031 Knife Drop-Point Review, Things to be aware of before making a purchase. He started this website while transitioning out of the Marines, and since has recruited several other Marines to help him work on the Marine Approved website. This extends the blades longevity and ensures it doesnt lose its razor sharp edge. benchmade north fork vs bugout. The gut hook is exceptionally sharp and perfectly angled so that it slides right through skin and hair like youre slicing paper. Benchmade Aller 380 Tiny But Mighty. The grind leaves a stiffening spine to about three-quarters of an inch from the point, and there are two grooved sections to give better purchase for your thumb just in front of the pivot, and at the front end of the spine. Benchmade 940 EDC 2. My Review: The Benchmade Griptilian is one of the most well-known multi-purpose folders in their lineup and this is due to its versatility-first approach. Bugout. JavaScript is disabled. As a finishing touch the pocket clip is identical. Benchmade - Bugout 535-191, EDC Folding Knife, Gold Class, Drop-Point Blade, Manual Open, Axis Locking Mechanism, Made in USA. My Review: The Benchmade Fact reminds me of a classy limousine in the knife world. Its not only suitable for hunting but also tackles utility tasks and performs well as a cord cutter. They offer some real advantages, especially when youre working blind inside a cavity; its much easier to predict where the smaller blade is going to be, so youre less likely to find it sticking in your other hand. If theres anything better than the blade on this knife, its the glass-filled nylon handle. The Puukko embodies what I think a lot of purist fix blade enthusiasts truly love. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veterans, age, disability or genetics. Its ambidextrous, anodized, and feels very luxurious in the grip. 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. 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! Traditional hunting knives have been a lot larger, but short blades like this are becoming a lot more popular. It opens smoothly, locks smoothly, and cuts smoothly. The Bugout has always come with a nice deep pocket clip which isnt as deep as some of the other clips they offer but it gets the job done nicely and has no play, something Ive learned to expect from all Benchmade products. Benchmade North Fork 15031-2 8. And they share the same opening and locking mechanisms. If youre willing to pony up a little extra cash, and I do recommend this if you can, you can find the stylish carbon fiber version of the Benchmade Nakamura here. 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. Both models are excellent, youll just need to choose what fits you the best! The Axis Lock comes integrated with three different action flavors: Axis Assist, Axis Automatic, and Axis Dual-Action Automatic. The Bailout is available with fine 'tool steels'. It's plenty sturdy IMO and the tiny pocket clip is fantastic. Can I Use a Lock Knife for Bushcraft Does It Work? The Wharncliffe design makes penetration and stabbing virtually impossible which means using this blade around sensitive material and even skin is much safer than a regular blade style. On the other hand, if you want a hard steel knife that you wouldnt twist or rock too much, you can pick a higher HRC. A: Their amazing quality is what made Benchmade knives stand apart from other kinds of knives. Between those two even with the variants of the mini grip, I would still choose the northfork all day. That is why the blades contain coatings. Step 3 Shape:Blade shape is a very personal choice. Customize your 535 Bugout knife with a plain drop-point or serrated drop-point blade, coupled with a CF Elite or Grivory handle. Bugout. As Ive already waxed poetic about the Griptilian, you know thats one of the best EDC knives from the house of Benchmade. 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. 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.