One Knife To Rule Them All

Benchmade Bugout

If you are looking for one really solid knife that would make all of middle-earth jealous of you then this is the knife for you. You don't need to read further, just buy the Benchmade Bugout.

But if you are still reading then thank you. Ok, so while I don't own dozens of high end knives, I have a few. High end to me, being a mortal man, is around the $100 mark. Some of you are already thinking that is way too much for a knife. I used to as well until I upgraded. What makes them better you ask?

1. Blade Steel - lesser knives have to be sharpened way more often, corrode faster and if you are lazy like me probably drop out of your EDC rotation. I won't talk to much about blade shape as I usually go pretty traditional but I would say that I am not at all a fan of serrated knives. They are too hard to sharpen in my opinion but if you are a paramedic or need to cut certain materials like seatbelts they do excel at it.

2. Opening Style - if you haven't owned a knife that you can open one handed then you haven't lived. Serious, this sounds stupid but having to get your fingernail in a little grove or trying to manipulate a back lock knife without cutting yourself in the process is a legitimate concern. It is actually safer to operate than the knives of old. Sorry if you live somewhere where these knives are illegal.

3. Ergonomics - I would rank this a little lower as most folks are not using their knives for extended periods. If you are using your little EDC blade to the degree you have blisters and bruises then it is time to get a different tool. It is a pocket knife, you shouldn't be clearing a forest with the thing. But I will say that some knives do work better with a glove and are more comfortable, often contrary to aesthetics.

4. Looks - If they all looked exactly the same would you buy more than one? The thing is that looks do matter and it helps us justify yet another knife purchase. I do like black blades and you can get the Benchmade Bugout with a dark blade now which is cool. It isn't entirely about how it looks though as it also makes it less obvious if you are using it in public as some folks still get nervous around them.

Ok, I feel like I am getting off track and I am concerned why I can write about this for more than about 2 minutes.

I used to be fully in the Spyderco camp and then migrated over to Benchmade. I am not saying I don't still carry my Sypderco Paramilitary 2 but some of my lesser Spyderco knives are now resting in my drawer. To me there are 2 locking mechanisms you should consider when buying a knife.

So what does it come down to? Axis lock (Benchmade) vs. Compression lock (Spyderco).

Ok then, so which one is better? They both work really well if you like walking around flipping a knife open one handed...usually. I have had a few compression locks that without loosening up the pin the force it took to open them made me nervous I would throw the knife through the wall or right through the toe on my Redwing Iron Rangers. That reminds me, I also don't like auto or assisted knives. I prefer to be the one making it open and not being surprised by it if I happen to not have the best grip or if I am not looking at it.

The axis lock however is much smoother and in my opinion easier to operate as you slide it towards you instead of pinching the back of the knife. I also think you have more control over the knife while opening as you can keep more of your hand in contact with the knife than you can while operating the compression lock. Now if you open your knife like you are probably supposed to then maybe you don't care about this. However, I have been on a ladder or in some other awkward position when trying to open a knife and force and dexterity are not always an option. Or if you just really want to impress your wife as you open another Amazon package then that is a win too. I will say that the larger Spyderco knives that have some extra blade weight like the Paramilitary 2 do open better than some of the lighter ones, this is true of both locking mechanisms.

Bugout and Friends

So what about the Bugout makes it so special? Why would it be the one knife to rule them all? It is Blue. I mean what else could you ask for? But really it is crazy slim, rides deep in your pocket, weighs almost nothing and has great steel. It is easy to open and close and non-threatening which matters when you need to share it with someone or if you want to use it in public. Is it perfect? I hope not, or I won't buy any more knives but if I had to compare it with the others I own it is really, really close.

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PRODUCT

Benchmade Bugout

FEATURES

Axis Lock

Light Weight

US Made

Drop Point Blade

Lifesharp Service - All you have to do is pay to ship your knife to Benchmade and they will clean your knife up and sharpen it back to a factory edge.

MATERIALS

S30V Blade

Grivory (really strong plastic) Handle

DIMENSIONS

Blade - 3.24"

Open - 7.46"

Closed - 4.22"

Width - .42"

Weight - 1.85 oz.

CARE

Rubbing alcohol for cleaning the blade or gunk off the handle.

Sharpening stones to retain that edge, it is hard steel so expect it to take longer or just touch it up more often.

Mineral oil if your pivot gets stiff, use very sparingly as it also attracts more dust and dirt.