BENCHMADE KNIVES

Benchmade Knives - Why are they so good?

Benchmade Knives was originally founded in California in 1988. Benchmade Knives opened shop in Clackamas, Oregon in 1990. The initial line of Benchmade Knives consisted mostly of their Bali-song knives. Benchmade Knives used a combination of outsourcing, second hand machinery and in-house processing to produce those Benchmade Knives. Their passion for quality lead to tremendous growth for Benchmade Knives. As Benchmade Knives was able expand their product line they were able to do more work in-house, using new equipment and technology. Benchmade knives became the first knife maker to have lasers in-house.

The use of non-traditional materials and innovative processes allowed Benchmade knives to make better knives. The Benchmade knives philosophy - “Make it cool, make it solid, make it happen and definitely make it Benchmade." Benchmade Knives combined custom knife makers knowledge with Benchmade knives innovations and in 1991 they released their Designer Series with several custom knives.

The commitment to quality and innovation led to several years of incredible growth. Benchmade knives moving into their own 35,000 square foot building in 1996 with modern equipment. The equipment used in producing Benchmade knives now includes modern lasers and machine centers that can achieve tolerances of .00005”. Most of the Benchmade knives products are hand assembled for a fit and finish that is normally associated with custom knives.

Benchmade knives warrants to the original owner that the knife will be free from defects in materials and workmanship. Benchmade knives will without charge, repair or replace at their option, any knife returned for Warranty work and found to be defective by Benchmade knives. The knife must be shipped by owner, prepaid and insured, together with a description of the problem and must be accompanied by the original bill of sale, your charge or credit receipt or any satisfactory proof of the original date of purchase.

Benchmade knives also offers LifeSharp. This is a service for Benchmade knives customers where Benchmade knives will resharpen your Benchmade knife. Simply ship your knife to the Benchmade knives address: LifeSharp, 300 Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, Oregon 97045. Make sure you insure your shipment, include your shipping address, and return shipping fees of $5 for the first knife and $2.50 for each additional knife. They will also inspect the knife for any warranty repairs and “tune” your knife.

Benchmade knives uses a wide variety of materials to make the handles and liners for Benchmade knives. The handles on Benchmade knives also come in many shapes and sizes. People have different size hands and knives fit differently in each hand. Benchmade knives designs enough grip and stability in each model so that it will still be functional in a lot of different hands. Likewise, with their liners Benchmade knives uses different materials to produce their superior Benchmade products. What are the materials used to produce the world famous Benchmade knives?

BENCHMADE KNIVES HANDLES & SCALES

CARBON FIBER: A contemporary, premium composite of thin strands of carbon tightly woven into various weave patterns, then set in resin, which is most commonly clear but can be color tinted. It offers great looks and is exceptionally strong for its minimal weight.

STABILIZED WOOD: Select hardwood veneers are vacuum impregnated with special dyes and resins. Sheets are layered and combined under tremendous heat and pressure to adhere the veneers for a durable real wood medium.

MICARTA: Layers of linen cloths soaked in resin and pressured together. Most commonly used on more stylish knives due to its rich color finish qualities.

6061 T-6 ALUMINUM: A nonferrous metal originally developed as a premium aircraft grade aluminum, it offers a solid handle form and function at a nominal weight. Most typically color anodized to spec.

KRATON®: A thermoplastic elastomer offering excellent flexibility and memory elasticity even under harsh conditions. It is over-molded onto the handle for added grip surface and tactile qualities.

NORYL GTX®: A modern engineered plastic offering high-strength, minimal flex and optimally lightweight properties. Molded to form.

G10: An extremely durable makeup of layers of fiberglass soaked in resin, then highly compressed and baked. Impervious to moisture or liquid and physically stable under climate change. Most commonly black, but is available in various colors, too.

ZYTEL®: A lightweight glass filled nylon engineered for strength and durability. Widely used throughout the auto industry in engine related components. Molded to form.

KYDEX®: A mixture of acrylic and PVC, which offers outstanding impact and chemical resistance as well as fire retardancy. Widely used in the auto and aerospace industry. Molded or thermo-formed.

DELRIN®: A lightweight and durable engineered polymer with low wear properties. Used throughout the auto industry. Molded to form.

VALOX®: A reinforced resin with excellent stiffness, strength and dimensional stability. Molded to form.

ANODIZATION: An electrochemical process used for adding color to titanium surfaces. A combination of chemical bath and electrical voltage level generates the desired color. A similar process is used for aluminum with the addition of a chemical coloring bath.

BENCHMADE KNIVES LINERS

6AL 4V-TITANIUM: Considered an exotic metal alloy (Titanium + 6% Aluminum + 4% Vanadium) with an excellent strength to weight ratio, which offers exceptional performance in a knife. Titanium is corrosion resistant to natural elements as well as many industrial chemicals.

420J STAINLESS STEEL: A common grade knife steel with low carbon, high chromium content which offers excellent bend toughness and wear ability. It offers excellent corrosion resistant characteristics as well. Also used in handles.

BENCHMADE KNIVES SHEATHS

BALLISTICS NYLON: A heavy-duty woven nylon fabric originally developed for use in bulletproof vests and body armor. Offers great lightweight sheath durability.

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