Benchmade Griptilian Knife Help

LEDBE
I own a Doug Ritter version of the full-size Griptilian. It has a plain edge (I'm not a fan of combo edges) and a nice blade shape. It is one of my favorite knives for EDC in the pocket of my blue jeans. I haven't noticed any blade play when its open, the Axis lock is excellent, its fairly light, good grip, and the handles are comfortable for the light duty use that I put it to. Overall I think this is a great knife.

2578749657_1b73ea2733_o.jpg


The Benchmade versions are less expensive than the Ritters. I like them enough that I bought one as a present for a friend heading to the Horn of Africa for a year or two.
 
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Proven design that has been updated numerous times. It's a great knife for the money.
I personally like the latest model with Spyderco's trademarked hole.
 
The Griptilian sounds like a great choice. They are very sturdy without being too heavy. The axis lock is one of the best, IMO. Nothing to worry about there. I really like the 154cm blade steel as well. I'm sure you've seen it, but there is also a mini griptilian which may suit your needs well too. Good luck!
 
I've got both combo edge and plain edge BM Mini-Grips, great solid little knives, but I don't care for serrations much anymore, I'd recommend the plain edge Grip over combo.
 
NeonLights said:
I don't care for serrations much anymore, I'd recommend the plain edge Grip over combo.
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I agree. If the plain edge gets really trashed you can always send it in to Benchmade and have them put a factory edge back on it for $5.

EDIT: DOH!:ohgeez:, the original poster is in New Zealand. Sending the knife to Benchmade is probably not a viable option.
 
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This one will be spending 90% of it's time (hopefully) sitting in a pouch on my medic belt next to a leatherman wave and a surefire G2 with lighthound LED drop in.

It will mostly be used as first line gear as I will (usually) have my EDC bag nearby with additional gear in it, if needed.
 
Dr Jekell said:
This one will be spending 90% of it's time (hopefully) sitting in a pouch on my medic belt next to a leatherman wave and a surefire G2 with lighthound LED drop in.

It will mostly be used as first line gear as I will (usually) have my EDC bag nearby with additional gear in it, if needed.
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I carry a full size Griptilian 550HG with a plain, hollow ground blade. It easily cuts clothing, seat belts, and tape/bandages. I think that any knife in the Griptilian family would serve you well. I don't carry mine on a pouch; it rides clipped to the strong side back slash pocket of my 5.11 or Woolrich Elite pants. I haven't had any issues with the knife moving or coming unclipped, even during a fairly rough 4x4 ambulance ride.
 
Nice view. Looks like a popular spot to get close-up view of a volcanic crater. Is it Turrialba?

How do you like the mini? The full size seems just right to me, I can get a good full grip on the handle.
 
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PG5768 said:
How do you like the mini? The full size seems just right to me, I can get a good full grip on the handle.
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I got both, but decided that for my needs the mini works best. If I got *really* picky I could say the mini was ever so slightly too short for my hand, but it disappears in my pocket so much better than the full size.

The full size, OTOH, feels a tad big for a folder (although I can handle the opening/closing so much easier with it). If I were to carry a blade that size, I might as well carry a fixed one is my current thinking. Or, if I carried the full size Grip, I would probably carry it in a belt pouch, whereas I can comfortably carry the mini clipped to my pocket.
 
greenLED said:
I got both, but decided that for my needs the mini works best. If I got *really* picky I could say the mini was ever so slightly too short for my hand, but it disappears in my pocket so much better than the full size.

The full size, OTOH, feels a tad big for a folder (although I can handle the opening/closing so much easier with it). If I were to carry a blade that size, I might as well carry a fixed one is my current thinking. Or, if I carried the full size Grip, I would probably carry it in a belt pouch, whereas I can comfortably carry the mini clipped to my pocket.
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Right now, this is my only Grip. I find myself carrying it quite often. It actually fits in my jeans pocket perfectly, clipped to the back seam on the left side.

I'm sure that I'll be picking up a mini in the future (either Ritter or BM or both), as well as another full size or two. They're just too good not to. Plus there are also the Cabela D2 versions to consider.
 
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PG5768 said:
RI'm sure that I'll be picking up a mini in the future (either Ritter or BM or both), as well as another full size or two. They're just too good not to. Plus there are also the Cabela D2 versions to consider.
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Hope this is not too far off-topic, but what are the major differences between the three versions of the Griptilian knives? I'm talking about

  1. Regular Benchmade
  2. Doug Ritter MK1's (BTW, thanks to PG5768 and GreenLED for the delicious pics)
  3. Cabela D2 versions
other than the different materials? I am particularly interested in learning their differences in terms of application. For instance, does one rust easier than the other, or does one hold the edge better? In addition, because I simply know too little about knives, what are the practical differences in the blade shapes? Does one slice better while the other shape punctures easier? :candle: How about prying?

With Aloha,

Clarence
 
cl0123 said:
Hope this is not too far off-topic, but what are the major differences between the three versions of the Griptilian knives? I'm talking about

  1. Regular Benchmade
  2. Doug Ritter MK1's (BTW, thanks to PG5768 and GreenLED for the delicious pics)
  3. Cabela D2 versions
other than the different materials? I am particularly interested in learning their differences in terms of application. For instance, does one rust easier than the other, or does one hold the edge better? In addition, because I simply know too little about knives, what are the practical differences in the blade shapes? Does one slice better while the other shape punctures easier? :candle: How about prying?

With Aloha,

Clarence
Click to expand...

I think much of the difference is aesthetic as far as blade shape. The blade grinds, flat versus hollow do have some effect on performance, I just don't know enough to tell. The steels; S30V, 154CM and D2 have varying degrees of rust resistance, toughness, ease of sharpening (here's a link to info on steels: http://zknives.zvis.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml).

As far as prying, I'd be very reluctant to use a knife (especially a folder) for prying, I've got scars on my fingers to prove that its not a good idea.
 
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Knives cut, pry bars pry, screwdrivers screw, hammers hammer... using a tool for other than its intended purpose is seldom a good idea, both for the user and the tool...
 
You're welcome cl023. I forget where I posted this, but it might come in handy (in case I didn't post on CPF) - size difference between the full size and mini Grips (same applies to the Ritter Grips).


Full size vs. Mini vs. Cross pen:


Full size:


Mini:
 
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