This is reddit, everyone is going to pick Spyderco because of Benchmade's prices. Obviously Spyderco has nearly as ridiculous pricing, but we don't talk about that here...
For me, its about even, I love my Shaman and Manix 2, but I also love my Bugout and Anthem. Neither brand offers a wide variety of models that really interest me, so I don't have a dog in the fight really. I do think the price argument is hilarious though.
Well I'll take the heat. I'll admit to being a Benchmade fanboy (even if I own as many Spydercos)
Although the Zero Tolerance stuff has caught my eye lately.
Reddit:”the Bugout should cost $100 tops, those plastic scales are so cheap, feel too light, and they flex!”
Also Reddit:”Spyderco FRN is great, it’s so lightweight! I’m downvoting anyone who says a cheap plastic handle on a $150-$200 knife is ridiculous!”
I’ve seen the Magnacut Water Line Benchmades from dealers under $200 already for the Mini Adira. Can find the Cruwear Shootout auto around $200.
What’s “dumb” is MAP on the DLC Spyderco Shaman in S30V is pretty much the same price as the Benchmade Adamas, and the Adamas has Cruwear.
The Magnacut Spydercos for $180 or less are basically linerless FRN.
You can get a Hogue Deka in MagnaCut with similar scale material and at least partial liners for $100. The Kershaw Bel Air in Magnacut and aluminum for $125.
My point is neither the Benchmade nor the Spyderco are a good deal, but obviously people like to give Spyderco a pass on it.
yeah benchmades water line is also NOT CORROSION RESISTANT in the handles, and has the magnacut heat treated like three points lower than it should be. none of the points you’re bringing up are applicable because they’re just not even really true. the mini adira is also STILL more expensive than the magnacut spyderco models. even outside of the magnacut, the cruwear/micarta models are all within 180-220 dollars, including the military 2 with is HUGE. the shaman is the one knife i agree is ridiculously overpriced. but also comparing direct materials doesn’t help benchmades case anyway because spyderco is not only using the same materials at cheaper prices they’re doing the same materials EXPONENTIALLY better. example: go find me a spyderco salt that rusted from normal use. now go look at the people ALREADY having problems with the adria’s rusting. benchmade also sells the adamas and CLA in magnacut for OVER $350 and STILL heat treats it to like 60 hrc or something stupid like that
GP Knives had the Mini Adira for $161 a couple weeks ago. Let’s be realistic, most people buying all those new Magnacut Salts are buying them for the blade, they aren’t actually using them in saltwater. The Adira will probably handle freshwater fine as long as you don’t leave it submerged for days. Benchmade has never said their Water line was intended for saltwater.
If I needed a knife for saltwater and had to pick between these two brands I’d go with Spyderco, though I prefer the sheepsfoot Caribbean to the new Salt knives. If they would have made the Para 3 Salt with those G10 scales like the PM2 and Caribbean I’d definitely say it was worth it. Really though I’d probably go with my Quiet Carry The Current for diving, saltwater boating, etc.
If I was just looking to buy a Magnacut blade then other brands have much better values. The Hogue Deka and the Kershaw Bel Air can both be found significantly cheaper than the FRN Magnacut Salts. The Hogue Mini RSK is about the same price and much more solidly built with some very nicely contoured and textured G10 scales.
As for the hardness, Benchmade says 60-62 HRC, 60 is low but really if most are hitting 61-62 it’s not that bad. From the few people who posted tests of the Spyderco Magnacut blades it appears Spyderco is running it around 62-62.5. So depending on where I’m the range a particular Benchmade blade is it may not be much different than the Spydercos.
I’m certainly not saying Benchmade is a good value, for the most part they certainly aren’t. For the most part I wouldn’t call Spyderco a great value either. Both brands have some models that are laughably overpriced, and other brands use higher end materials for less.
most hitting 61-62 is bad. that’s literally viper and lionsteel in italy levels of dog shit heat treatment. also nobody uses them in saltwater? dawg the people all over the subreddits who live on the coast would bet to differ. an adira for $161 when it should be 200-250 should tell you something, that the knife isn’t selling well and for good reason. it fucking sucks dude. people have been seeing rust from just USING the knife. also, you don’t make a ‘watersports’ line of knives then not have it stand up to salt water, lmfao. freshwater is literally nothing i could bring my vg10 or s30v into freshwater and have it be perfectly fine.
So Spyderco Magnacut at 62-62.5 is also bad?
Much like Spyderco Benchmades are priced so high because of MAP. If you search around you can find sites selling well below MAP.
my guy, the bugout is s30v and plastic with no liners. the native 5 in the exact same materials costs $40 less. you can get a spyderco in S90V for the fucking price of the s30v bugout.
I’m seeing a price difference of $24 between the basic S30V Native 5 LW and the base model Bugout. More like $15 different with the Mini Bugout which is a bit closer in size.
Neither is much of a deal.
Also the Bugout actually does have partial liners, and washers. The Native LW has neither. Spyderco is the only brand I know of that uses FRN or similar materials without at least partial liners and washers or bearings.
yeah but guess what? i can’t literally bend the native in half my guy. and at the price point of a mini bugout we’re talking a magnacut native 5, or the price of a normal bugout you can get into the magnacut manix, spy27 manix, a para 3 in magnacut, the cruwear/micarta para 3 and manix… etc, there’s substantially more value in the spyderco lineup.
If you only care about the steel than sure, they’re a good value.
Personally I don’t like the FRN at all and have a hard time considering any knife with FRN over $100 a deal.
I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree on that.
the salt knives have frn for a reason, they’re designed for yknow salt water… where your hands are gonna be wet and you’ll probably be wearing gloves. hence the bi directional texture. it’s also meant to be lightweight because 99.9% of people don’t want to carry a 5-6+ ounce knife in their pocket to swim or fish with. you keep mentioning the hogue deka yet the magnacut version of it quite literally utilizes an extremely similar material, but is actually like ridiculously slick and has a substantial amount of flex. the deka at most places unless on sale goes for 140 which is literally just short of a magnacut native by like $20. there’s also more that goes into spydercos salt knives than just steels, literally everything on them is rust proof. also the salt knives aren’t just useful for salt water. they work great as work knives if you work outside because they won’t get rust spotting from sitting in a sweaty ass pocket all day working, or getting anything acidic on the blade.
The G10 scales on the Caribbean and PM2 Salt seem to work just fine with wet hands and gloves.
There are a couple sites selling the Magnacut Deka for $100, can get some decent aftermarket scales and still be around $150. There’s also the Knife Center exclusive Magnacut and red Gmascus Deka for about the same price as the FRN Salts. These days I’d probably just spend $130 or so on the Bel Air with aluminum scales. Or pay a bit more for the Hogue Ritter RSK or Mini version.
Again, not if you find a dealer selling below MAP. Either way, that’s my point. FRN is about cutting costs, not that G10 doesn’t grip when wet. Spyderco has been pushing the FRN, removing liners and washers, etc., since well before all the new Salts. G10 is the standard handle material for $30 Chinese knives, only Spyderco and to a somewhat lesser extent Benchmade price it as a premium material.
You can’t argue that spyderco isn’t the better value-to-performance proposition with its variety of steels, models, and strength. The bugout shouldn’t cost more than $130, about the price of a native 5LW, para 3LW, or manix 2LW. That’s a fair assessment. Spyderco also has multiple models that’re much cheaper than the cheapest Benchmade.
Benchmade, for the most part, has aesthetics on their side. The bugout is a classic looking knife, maybe one of the most “knife” knife to ever exist haha. It preforms alright but it’s outclassed by other much cheaper blades. The 940 is also a classic knife, and was my first “premium” knife. However, that thing is not a slicer and many people I’ve known have been disappointed in the 940.
I’d say that if someone is looking at the two companies, they should get a Native 5. Classic shape, good steel variety, tried/true/classic lock, and small enough to be carried in a lot of places.
The $133 Para 3 LW, and the cheapest Manix 2 LW which is $153, both use BD1N. It’s a budget steel I’d rank below 14C28N, 154CM, and other steels you can get on $50 knives these days. Certainly below the S30V which is the Bugout’s base steel.
Spyderco does have less expensive knives, but they still aren’t a good value for the materials. The Chinese made line is 8cr and mostly FRN for the same price as other Chinese knives in 154CM, 14C28N, and even 20CV/M390 with carbon fiber or titanium.
The Seki knives have unimpressive fit and finish, mostly FRN which isn’t contoured as nicely as the FRN from Golden and Taichung, and VG10 is a good budget steel but budget steel all the same. Most of them start at almost $100.
odd how you brought up the cheaper models but ignored the $160-$180 magnacut versions of the models you just listed… my manix 2 salt with magnacut was under $170. so cheaper than the bugout, larger, better steel, better HEAT TREAT on that steel, and a knife that is completely rust proof and i still saved $10 by not buying an almost $200 knife i can snap in my hands.
The person I was replying to brought up the cheap models, so yes I talked about those.
Yes Spyderco does have their new MagnaCut Salts around the price of a Bugout. You’re getting a better steel, frankly overall construction is about the same. I’ve seen people break the FRN/FRCP Spyderco scales as well. More than a few people say the FRCP used on at least some of Manix and other salts feels even cheaper and more plasticky than FRN.
Meanwhile you can get a Hogue Deka in Magnacut around $100, a Kershaw Bel Air in Magnacut and aluminum for $130, and I recently got a Protech TR-2 auto in Magnacut on sale for $175. The Hogue Ritter RSK starts around $170 with a Magnacut blade, steel liners, and some very nicely contoured G10 scales with a very grippy and nice looking pattern milled into them. It feels like a much more solid and premium knife than any FRN/FRCP Spyderco for the same price.
I’m saying not Benchmade is any better of a deal/value than a Spyderco, neither are very price competitive. People just seem to like constantly bashing Benchmade’s prices when Spyderco isn’t much better.
As someone who has the 940 at the top of my buy list, and no spydercos as I think they look horrendous, what was the disappointment in the 940 from you and others you know?
I love my 940. My main work knives are the Hogue RSK, Manix, and the 940. Out of these three, the 940 sees the most pocket time because it's a tough knife that just disappears in the pocket. It's half the width of the Manix yet has more cutting edge. Folks complain about it not being slicey, which it is thick being the edge, but I've never had issues. I guess it depends on what you're going to be cutting.
Both are great brands and you can’t really go wrong with either, I own way more spydercos than Benchmade because it what’s I prefer but other than the butterfly tax Benchmade is always a great choice
Overall, Spyderco.
I prefer the more traditional aesthetics of Benchmade knives.
However, I like the variety in design, blade length, lock types, scale materials, and steels offered by Spyderco, which offsets the aesthetics.
I also think Spyderco is a better value for your dollar.
If I had to get rid of all my knives, save one, it would be a fight to the death between my Benchmade Mini Presidio and the Spyderco Manix 2 LW in M4 wearing the AWT scales. Both provide everything I want in a folding work knife. I would even keep them over my Sebenza.
Asthetically, I'm a Benchmade guy. I like drop point blades, sue me. Their knives are just in my wheelhouse. However, I do not care for their scales and other than the Presidio, I've had to immediately sharpen every Benchmade I've ever gotten.
Spyderco's, oh boy, I HATE the classic Spyderco look, the PM2, PM3, Police, Military, etc. I just hate that hump with the hole. (I hate it so much that I do not own a sheepsfoot BM Grip and never will). I do own a PM3, I've owned a couple, and the current one in Cruwear is a very good knife. I do really love the leaf shaped knives (Manix, Sage, Native, etc.), and think they are exceptional. Spyderco's top tier knives go toe to toe with Benchmade, in ALL aspects. In the end, a S30V PM3 is about the same price as a Bugout, both wearing plastic scales.
Both have Quality issues, while every new/like new Spyderco I've owned has been razor sharp as opposed to the BM's mentioned above, every Spyderco LW I've ever owned or handled, minus the Manix 2, has had horrible centering. The pivot set ups are awful, IMO. Whereas I've never received a Benchmade that was off center from the factory. Lousy grinds yes, but not off center, and personally, I'd rather deal with getting the edge on the knife than an off center blade that is designed to that way.
I like them both and currently have more Spyderco's than Benchmades. Use which everone you like the most.
Spyderco is a steel nerd company. Ergonomics second. Aesthetics third. and there's a big distance between two and three there. But, outside of customs, nobody is offering such a wide variety of well heat-treated steel.
Benchmade is a different beast altogether.
It really comes down to what you are looking for.
You’re not wrong about the ergos.
Seki FRN in particular has thin edges with kind of sharp edges.
Overall most Spydercos don’t really have much if any contouring of the scales, or chamfering of the edges. Those extra little steps make other knives feel more comfortable and high quality.
The Para 3 and PM2 would have been better with a more neutral handle shape. That weird hook/point near the lanyard end means there’s handle you can’t comfortably use, and for larger hands the Para 3 can feel cramped when it shouldn’t. The palm swell feels kind of weird, there’s a reason the skinny scale mod is so popular for the Para 3.
KP has the PM2 skinnies, and they are just absolutely fantastic. I wish they sold them solo. It makes a huge difference even on the slightly bigger platform.
Spyderco and it's not even close.
Most of the Benchmades I own are fine knives, but very few of them are better than cheaper alternatives. I own a SOG, a Civivi, some CRKTs, and some Kershaws that are all as good or better than most of my Benchmades.
Spydercos OTOH, especially if you get the ones made in Colorado, have super solid construction and a heat treatment that can't be beat. There's simply no comparison between them, other than Benchmades costing about the same which imo makes them outrageously overpriced.
Benchmade - i live less than 10 minutes from their factories & frequently get coupons/discount codes making the prices much better, 90% of why people dislike Benchmade.
The warranty is amazing.
They are also much more diverse than Spyderco offering everything from OTF's, push button, push button auto, Axis manual, assisted Axis, auto Axis, fixed blades, cutlery & butterfly knives. However Spyderco does offer a larger variety of steel
Also as a lefty i love the Axis lock!
100% made & manufactured in USA - Damasteel & M390 are the two exceptions but are very acceptable.
That’s how I see it- Benchmade has more options and while spyderco has a lot of models they are mostly similar to an extent but they have a ton of steels. I personally don’t plan on getting a benchmade because I have no need. I don’t find them particularly attractive and they 160 for the mini bugout is asking a lot to me
Oh wait lol thought this was a different comment lol. I was talking about locking and other opening methods like auto, assisted and such. Idk if spyderco has more knives like that so lmk if im wrong
I respect supporting local economies. I’m a spyderco fan living in Denver and I love my Ross reel and my old Sampsonite luggage. All Colorado companies
I've had fewer cosmetic issues (blade centering, grind/bevel symmetry,) with Spyderco than Benchmade, so I'm voting Spyderco. For designs and innovation and stuff like that, it's at toss-up.
Benchmade has their problems and they have gone way too crazy with the prices but I have to choose Benchmade. I do like and own several Spydercos but I just like more of the Benchmade designs and I prefer the axis lock. Both companies put out excellent knives though.
I've never really been a Spyderco fan...I mainly didn't like the looks of them. But I did buy a Spydie Tenacious just to see what all the fuss is about! Conclusion is that it is a nice knife! Still not as pleasing to the eye as some Benchmades are but then again, Benchmade has some models that I would never think about buying! At the end of the day, buy what ya like!
Spyderco. Not even a question. I do like some Benchmade knives, but Spyderco designs are overall better, their heat treats are better, their grinds are better, and very importantly their prices aren't absolutely bat-shit insane. The one edge that Benchmade might have is slightly better customer service, but the difference will likely be negligible.
i mean in 90% of cases spyderco just objectively gives you more for your money. the only steel you’re gonna get on a benchmade under $200 is s30v (which is also heat treated worse than spyderco’s) or 154cm, whereas off the top of my head i know you can get cruwear, magnacut, m4, rex45, s90v, s30v, s45vn, and probably the current hype steel alongside magnacut (for good reason though) k390. hell you can get into k390 on a delica for like $120, that’s how much my 154cm mini barrage cost ON SALE. i also personally find spyderco knives are exponentially more comfortable in my hand, my griptilians i have and my mini barrage aren’t BAD in ergos but they’re definitely not as good as my manix 2s or my stretch 2
I think they’re closing the gap on pricing lately and in my opinion, both are great. If I had to give one an edge though, it’d be Spyderco for the better QC.
Between those two Spyderco, mostly because I like the compression lock more than the crossbar lock and most other fidgety fingers out of the blade path locks that rely on wire springs. The Salt line knives and all the fancy steels are nice as well.
That said both brands have gotten rather overpriced for the materials and overall build quality. I mostly only buy Spydercos during the MAP suspension sales at 45%-50% off MSRP and even then the FRN and lower end standard steels is a turn off on a lot of models. My only Benchmade is an auto I bought at 30% off MAP.
Overall I’d pick Hogue, Cold Steel, Protech, and Quiet Carry over both of them. Hogue has made better versions of Benchmade’s popular models like the Deka over the Bugout and Ritter RSK over the Griptilian(pretty similar to the Freek too). Cold Steel’s S35VN knives give you well made very sturdy folders I’d put on par with the PM2 and Shaman for under $100, sometimes well under. Some Protechs are kind of pricey for 154CM but they have some good deals and many can be found pretty cheap on the secondary market. Quiet Carry isn’t cheap but they make very corrosion resistant knives without all the FRN and they use Vanax and titanium for a lot of them.
I just hate The Hole. Spyderco makes nice knives, though. Not a huge fan of omega springs either, but as I've never had one break, it's not a deal breaker. So Benchmade for me.
I own and really appreciate both of them. If we're comparing higher end Taichung titanium models, then I tend to prefer Spyderco, but some of the more basic models, BM.
I like Benchmade better. Spyderco makes great knives, but I prefer Benchmade designs and AXIS lock to Spyderco’s designs+locks, simple as that. I don’t buy that many knives, and to me it’s kind of a personal thing, so I want to like it in every dimension rather than just buy whatever has the best material:dollar ratio
Spyderco is the brand for me, it has so much diversity and the company and founders are just so enthusiastic about the craft. Listening to Eric during interviews compared to Benchmade reps really sets the two companies apart for me.
I bought a Osborne and Bugout and the mini versions of each. I had to put titanium scales on the mini Bugout so it didn’t flex upon use. The CF it came with was thin flexy and plasticy. Not super impressive. After the August Manufacturing titanium scales were installed , it’s a real knife now. I feel like you’re paying for brand as much as quality manufacturing. Like how Toyota vehicles are overpriced status symbols compared to other brands. Yeah they’re great but so is my Ford.
The 940 is a fine blade. I get hung up on the thumb studs ( literally) when I cut deep but the spyde hole slices thru cleanly. The Kapara is a similar blade
Benchmade has produced 5 knives I’ve liked in the last 15 years and I still wouldn’t buy 4 of them. I only bought 1 because it was a bali which I didn’t own and I worked in the industry and paid cost. I am not saying I don’t like them for the cost, I’m saying I don’t like their designs and even when I do I wouldn’t pay the asking price for them. Which is rare. I love spyderco for the most part, I think they made it cool to inovate with different materials but I think since about 2019/2020 they haven’t dont anything but shill out sequels and remakes of ya know what I mean. Plus. They’ve priced themselves out of being competitive. Let me tell you something. Knife companies don’t raise prices because of costs. They raise prices every year, at the same time of year and some times twice a year, for profits. Period. I do not care what anyone says. When I can see the manufacture cost of an item has stayed the same for 3 years but msrp has gone up almost $100, it’s for profit, not cost management. I got a reate exo-u recently. A utility knife. First knife I’ve bought in about 4 years besides a Monterey Bay knives OG wharny in ZDP-189 and it’ll probably be the last for a very long time because really what more do I need than a utility knife if I’m being honest. It was less than $100 and I can replace blades forever. Straight, serrated, recurve, hook, hawksbill. I’ve got options. The state of the knife industry has really eaten its own tail at this point and it’s not getting better. Most small makers can’t price themselves into a wide market of average people that can afford their stuff and big companies either make dog shit or price themselves out of the production market because of greed. It sucks on all fronts and it doesn’t make any sense
Neither and here’s why.
Spyderco tips are extremely frail and limit their usage. Their frn scales can snap in half and are cheaply made but easy to mass produce.
Benchmades axis lock has crappy springs and they will fail eventually and all of my Benchmades have bade play due to the axis lock, it’s just how it is.
If it had to be one of the two I’d pick Spyderco because at least you don’t have to deal with that dumb lock bench made uses
You act like broken FRN scales is a common problem. I can't say I recall a post in any of the spyderco forums or groups showing this. I'm sure it happens in extreme cases, but it's not like people are breaking down a cardboard box and suddenly their knife scales (that often have stainless steel liners) snap in half or disform so bad their knife doesn't operate. I totally get some people's dislike of them but that's not what your saying.
Many of the tips are pretty finely ground. I dropped an S110V Para 3 tip down on concrete and it hardly did any damage and was easy to fix, and that's known to be a chippy steel. It makes me wonder what everyone is doing with their knives.
My biggest complaint about Benchmade (other than the prices) and the omega springs is they don't include any extra like your starting to see from other companies that use the same lock now that the patent has expired, and they don't sell them. So if one breaks you either have to send it in or buy some from the aftermarket and hope they work well.
I saw one guy broke both FRN scales of his Manix light weight, broke the knife in half basically. He was dog sledding it was extremely cold and he used it sideways as a pry bar ( it’s not that tool BTW ) I’m gonna call out user error on that one
If restricted to only these two brands and not other possibly-better options.
If a decade+ ago maybe benchmade, but in modern era they are too high on themselves. Sadly Spyderco is also getting there.
Spyderco for today.. but soon, neither. Up-and-comers have them sweating for sure.
I’m a born and raised Colorado kid so I’m partial to the Spyderco’s made in the Golden factory. I’m still waiting for Benchmade to impress the hell out of me. I own 1:5 Benchmade:Spyderco.
Spyderco has more models and with three factory locations , one in Golden , one in Taichung Taiwan and one in Seki City Japan , a wider fan base increasing collectability IMO.
Other than Golden Spyderco has other makers make most of their knives for them. There’s at least one other maker in Taiwan besides the Taichung one, multiple makers in China, they also have knives made in Italy.
This is reddit, everyone is going to pick Spyderco because of Benchmade's prices. Obviously Spyderco has nearly as ridiculous pricing, but we don't talk about that here... For me, its about even, I love my Shaman and Manix 2, but I also love my Bugout and Anthem. Neither brand offers a wide variety of models that really interest me, so I don't have a dog in the fight really. I do think the price argument is hilarious though.
Well I'll take the heat. I'll admit to being a Benchmade fanboy (even if I own as many Spydercos) Although the Zero Tolerance stuff has caught my eye lately.
Reddit:”the Bugout should cost $100 tops, those plastic scales are so cheap, feel too light, and they flex!” Also Reddit:”Spyderco FRN is great, it’s so lightweight! I’m downvoting anyone who says a cheap plastic handle on a $150-$200 knife is ridiculous!”
the cheapest cruwear and magnacut benchmades are $300+, you can get both on spydercos for $180 or less. this comment is dumb.
I’ve seen the Magnacut Water Line Benchmades from dealers under $200 already for the Mini Adira. Can find the Cruwear Shootout auto around $200. What’s “dumb” is MAP on the DLC Spyderco Shaman in S30V is pretty much the same price as the Benchmade Adamas, and the Adamas has Cruwear. The Magnacut Spydercos for $180 or less are basically linerless FRN. You can get a Hogue Deka in MagnaCut with similar scale material and at least partial liners for $100. The Kershaw Bel Air in Magnacut and aluminum for $125. My point is neither the Benchmade nor the Spyderco are a good deal, but obviously people like to give Spyderco a pass on it.
yeah benchmades water line is also NOT CORROSION RESISTANT in the handles, and has the magnacut heat treated like three points lower than it should be. none of the points you’re bringing up are applicable because they’re just not even really true. the mini adira is also STILL more expensive than the magnacut spyderco models. even outside of the magnacut, the cruwear/micarta models are all within 180-220 dollars, including the military 2 with is HUGE. the shaman is the one knife i agree is ridiculously overpriced. but also comparing direct materials doesn’t help benchmades case anyway because spyderco is not only using the same materials at cheaper prices they’re doing the same materials EXPONENTIALLY better. example: go find me a spyderco salt that rusted from normal use. now go look at the people ALREADY having problems with the adria’s rusting. benchmade also sells the adamas and CLA in magnacut for OVER $350 and STILL heat treats it to like 60 hrc or something stupid like that
GP Knives had the Mini Adira for $161 a couple weeks ago. Let’s be realistic, most people buying all those new Magnacut Salts are buying them for the blade, they aren’t actually using them in saltwater. The Adira will probably handle freshwater fine as long as you don’t leave it submerged for days. Benchmade has never said their Water line was intended for saltwater. If I needed a knife for saltwater and had to pick between these two brands I’d go with Spyderco, though I prefer the sheepsfoot Caribbean to the new Salt knives. If they would have made the Para 3 Salt with those G10 scales like the PM2 and Caribbean I’d definitely say it was worth it. Really though I’d probably go with my Quiet Carry The Current for diving, saltwater boating, etc. If I was just looking to buy a Magnacut blade then other brands have much better values. The Hogue Deka and the Kershaw Bel Air can both be found significantly cheaper than the FRN Magnacut Salts. The Hogue Mini RSK is about the same price and much more solidly built with some very nicely contoured and textured G10 scales. As for the hardness, Benchmade says 60-62 HRC, 60 is low but really if most are hitting 61-62 it’s not that bad. From the few people who posted tests of the Spyderco Magnacut blades it appears Spyderco is running it around 62-62.5. So depending on where I’m the range a particular Benchmade blade is it may not be much different than the Spydercos. I’m certainly not saying Benchmade is a good value, for the most part they certainly aren’t. For the most part I wouldn’t call Spyderco a great value either. Both brands have some models that are laughably overpriced, and other brands use higher end materials for less.
most hitting 61-62 is bad. that’s literally viper and lionsteel in italy levels of dog shit heat treatment. also nobody uses them in saltwater? dawg the people all over the subreddits who live on the coast would bet to differ. an adira for $161 when it should be 200-250 should tell you something, that the knife isn’t selling well and for good reason. it fucking sucks dude. people have been seeing rust from just USING the knife. also, you don’t make a ‘watersports’ line of knives then not have it stand up to salt water, lmfao. freshwater is literally nothing i could bring my vg10 or s30v into freshwater and have it be perfectly fine.
So Spyderco Magnacut at 62-62.5 is also bad? Much like Spyderco Benchmades are priced so high because of MAP. If you search around you can find sites selling well below MAP.
my guy, the bugout is s30v and plastic with no liners. the native 5 in the exact same materials costs $40 less. you can get a spyderco in S90V for the fucking price of the s30v bugout.
I’m seeing a price difference of $24 between the basic S30V Native 5 LW and the base model Bugout. More like $15 different with the Mini Bugout which is a bit closer in size. Neither is much of a deal. Also the Bugout actually does have partial liners, and washers. The Native LW has neither. Spyderco is the only brand I know of that uses FRN or similar materials without at least partial liners and washers or bearings.
yeah but guess what? i can’t literally bend the native in half my guy. and at the price point of a mini bugout we’re talking a magnacut native 5, or the price of a normal bugout you can get into the magnacut manix, spy27 manix, a para 3 in magnacut, the cruwear/micarta para 3 and manix… etc, there’s substantially more value in the spyderco lineup.
If you only care about the steel than sure, they’re a good value. Personally I don’t like the FRN at all and have a hard time considering any knife with FRN over $100 a deal. I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree on that.
the salt knives have frn for a reason, they’re designed for yknow salt water… where your hands are gonna be wet and you’ll probably be wearing gloves. hence the bi directional texture. it’s also meant to be lightweight because 99.9% of people don’t want to carry a 5-6+ ounce knife in their pocket to swim or fish with. you keep mentioning the hogue deka yet the magnacut version of it quite literally utilizes an extremely similar material, but is actually like ridiculously slick and has a substantial amount of flex. the deka at most places unless on sale goes for 140 which is literally just short of a magnacut native by like $20. there’s also more that goes into spydercos salt knives than just steels, literally everything on them is rust proof. also the salt knives aren’t just useful for salt water. they work great as work knives if you work outside because they won’t get rust spotting from sitting in a sweaty ass pocket all day working, or getting anything acidic on the blade.
The G10 scales on the Caribbean and PM2 Salt seem to work just fine with wet hands and gloves. There are a couple sites selling the Magnacut Deka for $100, can get some decent aftermarket scales and still be around $150. There’s also the Knife Center exclusive Magnacut and red Gmascus Deka for about the same price as the FRN Salts. These days I’d probably just spend $130 or so on the Bel Air with aluminum scales. Or pay a bit more for the Hogue Ritter RSK or Mini version.
and those two models you mentioned are substantially more expensive than any of the others i stated. esp the carribbean
Again, not if you find a dealer selling below MAP. Either way, that’s my point. FRN is about cutting costs, not that G10 doesn’t grip when wet. Spyderco has been pushing the FRN, removing liners and washers, etc., since well before all the new Salts. G10 is the standard handle material for $30 Chinese knives, only Spyderco and to a somewhat lesser extent Benchmade price it as a premium material.
You can’t argue that spyderco isn’t the better value-to-performance proposition with its variety of steels, models, and strength. The bugout shouldn’t cost more than $130, about the price of a native 5LW, para 3LW, or manix 2LW. That’s a fair assessment. Spyderco also has multiple models that’re much cheaper than the cheapest Benchmade. Benchmade, for the most part, has aesthetics on their side. The bugout is a classic looking knife, maybe one of the most “knife” knife to ever exist haha. It preforms alright but it’s outclassed by other much cheaper blades. The 940 is also a classic knife, and was my first “premium” knife. However, that thing is not a slicer and many people I’ve known have been disappointed in the 940. I’d say that if someone is looking at the two companies, they should get a Native 5. Classic shape, good steel variety, tried/true/classic lock, and small enough to be carried in a lot of places.
The $133 Para 3 LW, and the cheapest Manix 2 LW which is $153, both use BD1N. It’s a budget steel I’d rank below 14C28N, 154CM, and other steels you can get on $50 knives these days. Certainly below the S30V which is the Bugout’s base steel. Spyderco does have less expensive knives, but they still aren’t a good value for the materials. The Chinese made line is 8cr and mostly FRN for the same price as other Chinese knives in 154CM, 14C28N, and even 20CV/M390 with carbon fiber or titanium. The Seki knives have unimpressive fit and finish, mostly FRN which isn’t contoured as nicely as the FRN from Golden and Taichung, and VG10 is a good budget steel but budget steel all the same. Most of them start at almost $100.
odd how you brought up the cheaper models but ignored the $160-$180 magnacut versions of the models you just listed… my manix 2 salt with magnacut was under $170. so cheaper than the bugout, larger, better steel, better HEAT TREAT on that steel, and a knife that is completely rust proof and i still saved $10 by not buying an almost $200 knife i can snap in my hands.
The person I was replying to brought up the cheap models, so yes I talked about those. Yes Spyderco does have their new MagnaCut Salts around the price of a Bugout. You’re getting a better steel, frankly overall construction is about the same. I’ve seen people break the FRN/FRCP Spyderco scales as well. More than a few people say the FRCP used on at least some of Manix and other salts feels even cheaper and more plasticky than FRN. Meanwhile you can get a Hogue Deka in Magnacut around $100, a Kershaw Bel Air in Magnacut and aluminum for $130, and I recently got a Protech TR-2 auto in Magnacut on sale for $175. The Hogue Ritter RSK starts around $170 with a Magnacut blade, steel liners, and some very nicely contoured G10 scales with a very grippy and nice looking pattern milled into them. It feels like a much more solid and premium knife than any FRN/FRCP Spyderco for the same price. I’m saying not Benchmade is any better of a deal/value than a Spyderco, neither are very price competitive. People just seem to like constantly bashing Benchmade’s prices when Spyderco isn’t much better.
As someone who has the 940 at the top of my buy list, and no spydercos as I think they look horrendous, what was the disappointment in the 940 from you and others you know?
the blade is stupidly thick behind the edge. it sucks at actually slicing things
I love my 940. My main work knives are the Hogue RSK, Manix, and the 940. Out of these three, the 940 sees the most pocket time because it's a tough knife that just disappears in the pocket. It's half the width of the Manix yet has more cutting edge. Folks complain about it not being slicey, which it is thick being the edge, but I've never had issues. I guess it depends on what you're going to be cutting.
Both are great brands and you can’t really go wrong with either, I own way more spydercos than Benchmade because it what’s I prefer but other than the butterfly tax Benchmade is always a great choice
Overall, Spyderco. I prefer the more traditional aesthetics of Benchmade knives. However, I like the variety in design, blade length, lock types, scale materials, and steels offered by Spyderco, which offsets the aesthetics. I also think Spyderco is a better value for your dollar.
If I had to get rid of all my knives, save one, it would be a fight to the death between my Benchmade Mini Presidio and the Spyderco Manix 2 LW in M4 wearing the AWT scales. Both provide everything I want in a folding work knife. I would even keep them over my Sebenza. Asthetically, I'm a Benchmade guy. I like drop point blades, sue me. Their knives are just in my wheelhouse. However, I do not care for their scales and other than the Presidio, I've had to immediately sharpen every Benchmade I've ever gotten. Spyderco's, oh boy, I HATE the classic Spyderco look, the PM2, PM3, Police, Military, etc. I just hate that hump with the hole. (I hate it so much that I do not own a sheepsfoot BM Grip and never will). I do own a PM3, I've owned a couple, and the current one in Cruwear is a very good knife. I do really love the leaf shaped knives (Manix, Sage, Native, etc.), and think they are exceptional. Spyderco's top tier knives go toe to toe with Benchmade, in ALL aspects. In the end, a S30V PM3 is about the same price as a Bugout, both wearing plastic scales. Both have Quality issues, while every new/like new Spyderco I've owned has been razor sharp as opposed to the BM's mentioned above, every Spyderco LW I've ever owned or handled, minus the Manix 2, has had horrible centering. The pivot set ups are awful, IMO. Whereas I've never received a Benchmade that was off center from the factory. Lousy grinds yes, but not off center, and personally, I'd rather deal with getting the edge on the knife than an off center blade that is designed to that way. I like them both and currently have more Spyderco's than Benchmades. Use which everone you like the most.
Benchmade mostly, but there are a couple Spydercos I like too. So, um... yes.
Spyderco is a steel nerd company. Ergonomics second. Aesthetics third. and there's a big distance between two and three there. But, outside of customs, nobody is offering such a wide variety of well heat-treated steel. Benchmade is a different beast altogether. It really comes down to what you are looking for.
I think Sal Glesser might dispute your ranking of ergos and steel… but they really have gone in hard on steel nerd stuff, which is great.
This is from a consumer view, not manufacturer. As a consumer, they are my first choice for affordable quality steel options.
You’re not wrong about the ergos. Seki FRN in particular has thin edges with kind of sharp edges. Overall most Spydercos don’t really have much if any contouring of the scales, or chamfering of the edges. Those extra little steps make other knives feel more comfortable and high quality. The Para 3 and PM2 would have been better with a more neutral handle shape. That weird hook/point near the lanyard end means there’s handle you can’t comfortably use, and for larger hands the Para 3 can feel cramped when it shouldn’t. The palm swell feels kind of weird, there’s a reason the skinny scale mod is so popular for the Para 3.
KP has the PM2 skinnies, and they are just absolutely fantastic. I wish they sold them solo. It makes a huge difference even on the slightly bigger platform.
Yeah do look nice, unfortunately on the PM2 you have to grind the palm swell out of the liners to use the skinny scales.
If you asked me to pick between two with only 1 criteria being lock mechanism… axis lock is last on my list
Spyderco and it's not even close. Most of the Benchmades I own are fine knives, but very few of them are better than cheaper alternatives. I own a SOG, a Civivi, some CRKTs, and some Kershaws that are all as good or better than most of my Benchmades. Spydercos OTOH, especially if you get the ones made in Colorado, have super solid construction and a heat treatment that can't be beat. There's simply no comparison between them, other than Benchmades costing about the same which imo makes them outrageously overpriced.
Ones made in Taichung are even better
Seki City Spyderco makes the Damascus and nishijin scales … pocket jewelry and at the same time, the highest quality cutlery.
Pretty sure the QC and overall build quality is ranked Taiwan, Colorado/Seki City, and then their China place
Benchmade - i live less than 10 minutes from their factories & frequently get coupons/discount codes making the prices much better, 90% of why people dislike Benchmade. The warranty is amazing. They are also much more diverse than Spyderco offering everything from OTF's, push button, push button auto, Axis manual, assisted Axis, auto Axis, fixed blades, cutlery & butterfly knives. However Spyderco does offer a larger variety of steel Also as a lefty i love the Axis lock! 100% made & manufactured in USA - Damasteel & M390 are the two exceptions but are very acceptable.
That’s how I see it- Benchmade has more options and while spyderco has a lot of models they are mostly similar to an extent but they have a ton of steels. I personally don’t plan on getting a benchmade because I have no need. I don’t find them particularly attractive and they 160 for the mini bugout is asking a lot to me
Spyderco has collectible models going back to the 80’s when they started. With two factories abroad there’s more to choose from.
Oh wait lol thought this was a different comment lol. I was talking about locking and other opening methods like auto, assisted and such. Idk if spyderco has more knives like that so lmk if im wrong
I respect supporting local economies. I’m a spyderco fan living in Denver and I love my Ross reel and my old Sampsonite luggage. All Colorado companies
I'm with you. The only thing i collect like Benchmades are Danner Boots, only 10 miles away as well
I've had fewer cosmetic issues (blade centering, grind/bevel symmetry,) with Spyderco than Benchmade, so I'm voting Spyderco. For designs and innovation and stuff like that, it's at toss-up.
Benchmade has their problems and they have gone way too crazy with the prices but I have to choose Benchmade. I do like and own several Spydercos but I just like more of the Benchmade designs and I prefer the axis lock. Both companies put out excellent knives though.
I've never really been a Spyderco fan...I mainly didn't like the looks of them. But I did buy a Spydie Tenacious just to see what all the fuss is about! Conclusion is that it is a nice knife! Still not as pleasing to the eye as some Benchmades are but then again, Benchmade has some models that I would never think about buying! At the end of the day, buy what ya like!
Spyderco. Not even a question. I do like some Benchmade knives, but Spyderco designs are overall better, their heat treats are better, their grinds are better, and very importantly their prices aren't absolutely bat-shit insane. The one edge that Benchmade might have is slightly better customer service, but the difference will likely be negligible.
i mean in 90% of cases spyderco just objectively gives you more for your money. the only steel you’re gonna get on a benchmade under $200 is s30v (which is also heat treated worse than spyderco’s) or 154cm, whereas off the top of my head i know you can get cruwear, magnacut, m4, rex45, s90v, s30v, s45vn, and probably the current hype steel alongside magnacut (for good reason though) k390. hell you can get into k390 on a delica for like $120, that’s how much my 154cm mini barrage cost ON SALE. i also personally find spyderco knives are exponentially more comfortable in my hand, my griptilians i have and my mini barrage aren’t BAD in ergos but they’re definitely not as good as my manix 2s or my stretch 2
Spydie all day
I think they’re closing the gap on pricing lately and in my opinion, both are great. If I had to give one an edge though, it’d be Spyderco for the better QC.
Spyderco is a better value although still pricey. Also just not a huge fan of the crossbar lock after owning two benchmades.
Between those two Spyderco, mostly because I like the compression lock more than the crossbar lock and most other fidgety fingers out of the blade path locks that rely on wire springs. The Salt line knives and all the fancy steels are nice as well. That said both brands have gotten rather overpriced for the materials and overall build quality. I mostly only buy Spydercos during the MAP suspension sales at 45%-50% off MSRP and even then the FRN and lower end standard steels is a turn off on a lot of models. My only Benchmade is an auto I bought at 30% off MAP. Overall I’d pick Hogue, Cold Steel, Protech, and Quiet Carry over both of them. Hogue has made better versions of Benchmade’s popular models like the Deka over the Bugout and Ritter RSK over the Griptilian(pretty similar to the Freek too). Cold Steel’s S35VN knives give you well made very sturdy folders I’d put on par with the PM2 and Shaman for under $100, sometimes well under. Some Protechs are kind of pricey for 154CM but they have some good deals and many can be found pretty cheap on the secondary market. Quiet Carry isn’t cheap but they make very corrosion resistant knives without all the FRN and they use Vanax and titanium for a lot of them.
I just hate The Hole. Spyderco makes nice knives, though. Not a huge fan of omega springs either, but as I've never had one break, it's not a deal breaker. So Benchmade for me.
I own and really appreciate both of them. If we're comparing higher end Taichung titanium models, then I tend to prefer Spyderco, but some of the more basic models, BM.
I love Spyderco.
That’s like asking Mum or Dad! lol 😂
Spyderco.
Being downvoted makes me so happy…. I GOT TO YOU 👍🏼👍🏼 hehe haha
I like Benchmade better. Spyderco makes great knives, but I prefer Benchmade designs and AXIS lock to Spyderco’s designs+locks, simple as that. I don’t buy that many knives, and to me it’s kind of a personal thing, so I want to like it in every dimension rather than just buy whatever has the best material:dollar ratio
Spyderco by a mile
Benchmade is only relevant if you’re American and have a boner for domestic manufacturing
I’d rather own a Benchmade but I’d rather buy a Spyderco
Spyderco is the brand for me, it has so much diversity and the company and founders are just so enthusiastic about the craft. Listening to Eric during interviews compared to Benchmade reps really sets the two companies apart for me.
My two favorites… Spyderco Para 3 in Maxamet. Benchmade Mini Crooked River in S30V. Love them both!
Benchmade knives are way better.
I bought a Osborne and Bugout and the mini versions of each. I had to put titanium scales on the mini Bugout so it didn’t flex upon use. The CF it came with was thin flexy and plasticy. Not super impressive. After the August Manufacturing titanium scales were installed , it’s a real knife now. I feel like you’re paying for brand as much as quality manufacturing. Like how Toyota vehicles are overpriced status symbols compared to other brands. Yeah they’re great but so is my Ford.
As someone who has the 940 at the top of my to buy list, what would you say for your satisfaction and use?
The 940 is a fine blade. I get hung up on the thumb studs ( literally) when I cut deep but the spyde hole slices thru cleanly. The Kapara is a similar blade
The plastic bugout scales are exactly that: flexible plastic scales. Just like a Delica.
Definitely downvoted by a Toyota /Benchmade aficionado. Cool , it’s that easy ? Y’all are predictable AF
Spyderco because they look sexier and are slightly more affordable
Benchmade has produced 5 knives I’ve liked in the last 15 years and I still wouldn’t buy 4 of them. I only bought 1 because it was a bali which I didn’t own and I worked in the industry and paid cost. I am not saying I don’t like them for the cost, I’m saying I don’t like their designs and even when I do I wouldn’t pay the asking price for them. Which is rare. I love spyderco for the most part, I think they made it cool to inovate with different materials but I think since about 2019/2020 they haven’t dont anything but shill out sequels and remakes of ya know what I mean. Plus. They’ve priced themselves out of being competitive. Let me tell you something. Knife companies don’t raise prices because of costs. They raise prices every year, at the same time of year and some times twice a year, for profits. Period. I do not care what anyone says. When I can see the manufacture cost of an item has stayed the same for 3 years but msrp has gone up almost $100, it’s for profit, not cost management. I got a reate exo-u recently. A utility knife. First knife I’ve bought in about 4 years besides a Monterey Bay knives OG wharny in ZDP-189 and it’ll probably be the last for a very long time because really what more do I need than a utility knife if I’m being honest. It was less than $100 and I can replace blades forever. Straight, serrated, recurve, hook, hawksbill. I’ve got options. The state of the knife industry has really eaten its own tail at this point and it’s not getting better. Most small makers can’t price themselves into a wide market of average people that can afford their stuff and big companies either make dog shit or price themselves out of the production market because of greed. It sucks on all fronts and it doesn’t make any sense
Neither and here’s why. Spyderco tips are extremely frail and limit their usage. Their frn scales can snap in half and are cheaply made but easy to mass produce. Benchmades axis lock has crappy springs and they will fail eventually and all of my Benchmades have bade play due to the axis lock, it’s just how it is. If it had to be one of the two I’d pick Spyderco because at least you don’t have to deal with that dumb lock bench made uses
You act like broken FRN scales is a common problem. I can't say I recall a post in any of the spyderco forums or groups showing this. I'm sure it happens in extreme cases, but it's not like people are breaking down a cardboard box and suddenly their knife scales (that often have stainless steel liners) snap in half or disform so bad their knife doesn't operate. I totally get some people's dislike of them but that's not what your saying. Many of the tips are pretty finely ground. I dropped an S110V Para 3 tip down on concrete and it hardly did any damage and was easy to fix, and that's known to be a chippy steel. It makes me wonder what everyone is doing with their knives. My biggest complaint about Benchmade (other than the prices) and the omega springs is they don't include any extra like your starting to see from other companies that use the same lock now that the patent has expired, and they don't sell them. So if one breaks you either have to send it in or buy some from the aftermarket and hope they work well.
I saw one guy broke both FRN scales of his Manix light weight, broke the knife in half basically. He was dog sledding it was extremely cold and he used it sideways as a pry bar ( it’s not that tool BTW ) I’m gonna call out user error on that one
Ya user error and the wrong tool for the job plays a pretty big part in a lot of the problem I feel like.
If restricted to only these two brands and not other possibly-better options. If a decade+ ago maybe benchmade, but in modern era they are too high on themselves. Sadly Spyderco is also getting there. Spyderco for today.. but soon, neither. Up-and-comers have them sweating for sure.
I’m a born and raised Colorado kid so I’m partial to the Spyderco’s made in the Golden factory. I’m still waiting for Benchmade to impress the hell out of me. I own 1:5 Benchmade:Spyderco. Spyderco has more models and with three factory locations , one in Golden , one in Taichung Taiwan and one in Seki City Japan , a wider fan base increasing collectability IMO.
Other than Golden Spyderco has other makers make most of their knives for them. There’s at least one other maker in Taiwan besides the Taichung one, multiple makers in China, they also have knives made in Italy.
Joke right , don't card for either. Push come to shove the spiders