Spyderco, Kershaw, or Benchmade...?

[Jaygnar]

Re: Spyderco or Benchmade...?

I have both, both are top quality. They are equal in my experience so whatever your pleasure.

 

[luigi]

Re: Spyderco or Benchmade...?

I asked this to "Max" the Multivac computer we are training to take over the world and Max said the answer is impossible to answer so he defaulted his answer to 42.

I rotate a BM Mini griptilian and a Spydie Delica4 as my EDC knife and I love both, they are so good in different ways that I miss one or the other when I carry one.
About Spyderco's not being "normal" I disagree, the Delica can do all sort of normal stuff like cutting, chopping, opening boxes, cutting cord, etc.

Luigi

 

[EsthetiX]

Well after seeing what people say from both sides I can conclude the 2 companies are equal and more a matter of perference.

I'd now like to know if Kershaw is equal. What are your opinions?

PS. Please don't laugh at me haha

 

[Blades]

Re: Spyderco or Benchmade...?

i just dont really see any practical spydercos.

That's funny.

I think Spyderco and Benchmade both have excellent quality. Every now and then one bad one will slip by the QC inspectors, but everyone has a bad day.

Kershaw is getting to be an equal. They have some very nice knives now, and more coming out.
Don't forget the Emerson's.


Blades

 

[mahoney]

Both. This is a bit like asking who makes better cars, Honda or Toyota? Both Spyderco and Benchmade make really good knives, OK knives, and inexpensive knives, and within a given catagory I would say the quality is fairly comparable between the companies. Spyderco might have a slight edge on price. I have a few more Benchmades than Spydercos, but that's just based on personal preference issues like handle shape, etc

While I was typing you added in Kershaw. Kershaw is a good company that backs their product with a no-nonsense lifetime warranty. I would put their products at a similar quality level with Spyderco and Benchmade, but with the important caveat that most of Kershaw's offerings are at the low end of the price scale and should be compared with similar offerings from the other companies. The low-end Kershaw knives use a fairly soft steel that sharpens easily and takes a keen edge, but won't hold it for long. I have a 440V Kershaw that takes a very nice edge and holds it, but it's not easy to sharpen.

 

[KSH92474]

kershaw is probably equal too, it has great quality. One big characteristic about their blades is that a majority of them are assisted openers, again just preference and legality.

 

[cutlerylover]

Yes Kershaw is getting better and better and they do have very nice knives in their line, but keep in mind ofr the same price a Kerhsaw knife might not have as good of a steel as Benchmade or Spyderco uses, not every knife but generally Kershaws in the cheaper rpice range like $60 and under use cheaper steal, still works just fine for normal use but if you want to nit pick thats their only set abck in ym opinion, some of their designs make up for the steel though! If you Really want to use your knives ALL the time you might want to go with a more expensive Kershaw or stick with a benchmade or spyderco...but many of the cheaper kershaws are great for light work like opening mail, cutting strings off your shirt, opening up packages, etc...

Now there are MANY knife companies out there and some of them make awesome knives in many different price ranges...so Benchmade and Spyderco even though most known companies to many people are only the tip of the iceburg in the knife world!

 

[carrot]

Often overlooked is the Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, especially ones like the One-Handed Trekker and other one-handed lockblades.

I have both Benchmade and Spyderco. Both make great knives and I'd never say Spyderco is impractical. Quite the contrary, I find that the design of the Spydercos makes them more conducive to utility...

I don't know about Kershaw. I am not really a fan of assisted opening, but the Onion knives (Leek, Scallion, Chive) seem pretty enticing.

 

[guntotin_fool]

$$$ vs $$$ I would say bench made and Spyderco are equal when you rate a $80 benchmade vs $80 Spydie. Benchmade is making some $200 and up knives now and that is unfair to compare a $80 dollar knife against a $200 knife.

I like both, I find that many benchmades have too many lines and angles and are ungainly to me. Some of the newer oddly shaped Spydercos also offend my senses.

I do not find the Kershaws to be as well made as the others. They seem to have a bit more rough edges and little bit more grit feeling in the actions than i would expect. I looked at two today when out shopping and both were AUS 8 steel, had inconsistent edges, inconsistent polishing and just did not lock up tight like I would expect them to for the money.

Best knife for the money in this group is either the wally world Native or a discounted delica. both at or very close to 40 bucks. hard to go wrong with that. and the Native is made in the america.

 

[chamenos]

I would choose either Benchmade or Spyderco over Kershaw for sure. Generally speaking, Spyderco has a slight edge over Benchmade for prices, but Benchmade knives generally have a nicer fit and finish.

That said, the cheaper Spydercos might be a little more rough, but they are no less functional or rugged. The Spydercos might look more weird or ugly to most, but they'll cut and take a beating as well as any equivalent Benchmade. I would liken Spyderco and Benchmade to Toyota and Lexus respectively, in terms of utility and fit/finish only (I'm aware Lexus is Toyota). Although a Lexus might look better and be finished to a higher standard, both a Lexus and Toyota will be just as reliable and functional.

I usually prefer Benchmades, simply because I appreciate the better fit and finish mentioned above, and it is my humble opinion that Benchmade's Axis lock is simply the best in the industry, bar none. All it boils down to is your personal preference and the features you're looking for, really. e.g. if you want a rust-proof folder, you'd have to go with Spyderco's Salt series, simply because Benchmade does not have a comparable product. If you want auto or balisong anything, Benchmade is definitely the way to go.

Good luck with your decision. FWIW I just ordered a Benchmade 943, just because

 

[Topper]

I don't know where to start??? Kershaw knives are not bad at all but they are not up to par with Benchmade or the Spyderco knives. I have a few of each brand in question and I carry a Kershaw Leek quite often however Benchmade and Spyderco tend to use better steel (at least in the higher priced models).

As for steel every real knife guy knows it is in the heat treat not the steel. I like D2 best so far and will not buy any 440/420/AUS6A stuff any more. A2 and 51600 is good stuff if heat treated right. Spyderco has used some steel I have no knowledge of. G10 for one Spydy's are made in Japan and perhaps other places as well, so they have steel (or at least steel names I am not up on ) that I do not know. Some may not even know 154cm is almost the same as ATS34 (it's a vacuum thang). For me I find the Spideys round hole easier to open than some oval shapes. I do like the AXIS lock Benchmade uses. If I had to pick just one knife company I would pick Benchmade how ever I do not have to pick just one so I can stay happy with all 3 you asked about.
Topper

 

[Ignoramus]

I personally like more of Benchmade's and Spyderco's designs over Kershaw. As someone stated above, Kershaw truly is constantly improving in terms of getting up to date with the more popular steels.

Something you should be aware of is that Kershaw generally doesn't have steels that are as popular as Benchmade and Spyderco, however there is a huge controversy over the true performance abilities of newer popular steels verses other not-so-popular steels. What you will generally hear is that S30V or VG-10 or (name your steel) is "better" than steels like 440A, AUS-6 and others. To reiterate, there is quite a big controversy as to the validity of these statements (the steels named above were for example purposes). There's a big question about hype vs unbiased reality.

When choosing between these companies, I don't have to worry about customer service or quality. I choose based on the personal aesthetic preferences, which one is shaped in the "best" way to fit my particular needs and (almost more importantly) the fun factor. Kershaw has A LOT of assisted openers, Benchmade has the axis lock, balis andother fun stuff, and Spyderco has EXCELLENT practical designs and some other fun locks.

 

[EsthetiX]

Wow guys, some great posts. Just the type of replys I was hoping for!

 

[magic79]

I've carried a Spyderco Delica for three years (the same knife). It's still incredibly sharp.

Last Christmas, my wife bought me a beautiful Benchmade. I carried it for 3 months and it became dull. I was quite dissapointed. I went back to the same battered Spydie and it's still sharp. I realize Benchmade will sharpen it for free, but I just don't have the time to mess with sending it in when I have a sharp Spyderco...and can buy two more new ones for the the price of the BM.

My experience...YMMV.

 

[carrot]

I wrote a review of two of the better known knives at midrange prices ($50-60) from Spyderco and Benchmade.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=142924

 

[RedLED]

I have many of each brand in my knife collection, and I love them both.

I will say that I was very disappointed to see Spyderco offer some lower end models from Asia.

I have no problem with them making knives in Japan. I love Japanese products, however, I will not buy from China or Taiwan.

Good luck with your selection. Once you get a nice knife, you will want another, and another, and...

Best,

RL

 

[Solstice]

I would rank all three of these companies equally in terms of quality in that $50 sweet spot many companies aim for when producing good quality production knives a notch above the mass-market. The interesting thing about them is that each one approaches their knives differently, and each innovates where the other leaves off.

For example, Benchmade and Kershaw often focus on mechanical precision and clever engineering (Axis lock and Ken Onion Speed Safe). Benchmade pays more attention to blade steel and more traditional "tool" type knives, while Kershaw pays a bit more attention to aethetics and streamlined, compact, assisted opening designs that never cease to amaze.

Spyderco kind of marches to the beat of it's own drummer. Many designs look ungainly, they are not as compact as they could be for the blade, and they generally use the simple and comparitively stiff (albeit tried and true) lockback- no slick assisted openers for these folks. However, Spyderco founded their company on innovation and continue that trend while keeping a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality. First to use H1 rustless steel in a production knife. First to mass produce a waved knife in a consumer price range (And many folks say it actually works better than the Emerson knives that hold the patent). Updates to popular lines that directly incorporate feedback from using customers. And, of course, the use of the excellent VG10 steel in knives of these quality for the price really sets the standard for quality vs. price IMHO.

All three of these companies have something terrific to offer. Just to mention my EDC route in the past several years: Several Kershaws (chives and Leeks mostly), SOG Flash I (clever design, though the fit and finish isn't quite there), Benchmade 530 (thin and light with good steel- just a tad slower to open due to no AO and compact thumb studs), and, of course, Spyderco (Salt I, Cricket in SS, and my EDC for the past 3 months, an Endura 4 Wave). The Endura 4 Wave is definately a bigger knife than any other on the list, but it isn't too big in the pocket, opens even faster than an AO, and really feels like a solid tool in the hand. I've experimented with many options, but I can't imagine many other knives beating it out any time soon.

 

[COMMANDR]

You can't go wrong with a Spydie Native for the money. It is one of my EDC knives.

Gary

 

[Bill97z]

I like the new Native better.....

 

[Ignoramus]

I've carried a Spyderco Delica for three years (the same knife). It's still incredibly sharp.

Last Christmas, my wife bought me a beautiful Benchmade. I carried it for 3 months and it became dull. I was quite dissapointed. I went back to the same battered Spydie and it's still sharp. I realize Benchmade will sharpen it for free, but I just don't have the time to mess with sending it in when I have a sharp Spyderco...and can buy two more new ones for the the price of the BM.

My experience...YMMV.

I'm having a difficult time understanding how this would be possible if both knives are plain edge. It sounds to me that you probably have a serrated Spyderco and a plain edge Benchmade, is that right? In terms of steels between the companies, Spyderco and Benchmade knives are about the same. However, fully serrated blades will hold an edge WAY longer than a plain edge with comparable steel. Just trying to figure this out.