BenchmadeGriptilian Knife, Plain Edge, Nylon Handle

I bought this knife because I wanted a nice Benchmade with a black blade and a nice handle. The Griptilian delivers on both of these. The olive drab handle looks perfect with the black blade. The AXIS lock system is excellently designed and is so strong that it can hold 850 inch pounds of pressure, ensuring that this knife will stay locked under any cutting conditions. There are two ways you can open the knife with one hand: You can use the thumbstud, or, you can pull the AXIS lock down and flick your wrist, the blade will open immediately. The Griptilian also also has a nice black pocketclip, which matches the blade because they're both black. The pocketclip is tip-up carry, meaning that when it is in your pocket, if you pull the knife out, it will be in your hand ready to use. There is also stainless steel around the handle for better gripping, along with stainless steel liners inside the handle for durability. The grip on the handle itself is very nice and gives you a very comfortable and firm grip. There is also a lanyard hole in the handle in case you want to put a lanyard in it. The Griptilian is an ambidexturous knife, meaning that it's comfortable to open and use with either the left or right hand, and the pocket clip can be put on the other side of the knife for left-handed use. The Benchmade logo is on the blade, with U.S.A. under the logo, and under that there is the number 551 signifying the model #. On the other side of the blade, it has the Mel Pardue Design logo with the U.S. patent number, 154CM, signifying the type of steel, and BK for black, signifying the color of the blade.The Griptilian is a great knife and I love it. It comes shipped to you in a nice blue box and the knife itself will be in a slipcase pouch with the Benchmade logo on it. It has a limited lifetime warranty and comes very sharp straight out of the box. However, if you ever need it sharpened, you can send it to Benchmade and have it sharpened for free. I'm very satisfied with my new Griptilian and I look forward to carrying it with me and using it whenever I need it.

The media could not be loaded. I just received my Griptilian in the mail today, and I can see where people are saying it may be the best edc knife to carry. However, I noticed some other things that people have been complaining about in other reviews.Pros:The knife is SHARP. I was easily able to shave with it, and as you might imagine, it glides through paper as easy as it would butter. The handle makes this knife feel incredibly secure in my hand, and opening and closing it with tight working gloves was easy, (the axis lock really shines here).Cons:These are very small issues that I didn’t feel warranted removing a star. The blade seems like it’s been lightly used. There was a small brown mark (not rust) on the tip of the blade that I easily removed with my thumbnail, and the clip has small scratches which I imagine result from quality assurance tests. The handle material is a fairly light reinforced plastic of some sort, which makes some feel uneasy, but I’ve heard this is something you get over fast as you realize how durable and reliable this product is. And finally, this knife may be a bit too large for some, which is why Benchmade offers a miniature version of the Griptilian.Overall I think I am going to love this knife for years to come, I’ll update after some extended use.

Let me start by saying this. I’m your average knife guy. Many knives I’ve ever carried were given to me and cost me or someone else no more than $40. I liked some of them, but they either didn’t last long, were hard to sharpen, or didn’t feel good in my hand. I’ve held a couple benchmades in the past and loved all of them, so I decided to step in with them. Guys, this is night and day difference. It comes arm hair popping sharp, packaged beautifully, and comes with a microfiber bag. (Not sure why, but it does) Spending over $100 dollars is a big jump, I know. But for those of you out there like me, this is worth the investment. You’re buying a knife that’ll last forever. Plus you’re buying something that will always be on you, unlike many other purchases one might make for that kind of money. The other thing I’d like to address, some reviewers are complaining about the grip feeling “cheap.” Don’t get me wrong, they certainly could’ve used a better quality plastic/polymer, but this knife is intended to be light and comfortable to carry for any length of time, and it does that very well! I’d prefer this plastic over steel, which is less durable and less comfortable. I had a steel leatherman that I dropped on the pavement one time and the clip snapped off. The other thing, if you’re overly aggressive in deploying the knife, yup, it’s gonna get sticky. That’s your fault for flinging the thing open like mad man when you’re showing off for your mom. You don’t need to be gentle with it, just don’t be friggin idiot about opening it. This knife is a beauty, and I love carrying it, and will continue to use it for as long as I own it. Props to benchmade for keeping American manufacturing alive, and for making my money worth it and giving me the greatest knife I’ve ever owned. 🇺🇸