Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Not really a Benchmade

Thought I'd post this here, rather than the Knives Forum, since it's a little broader in scope.

I bought a Benchmade High Country Hunter NRA model from Sierra Trading Post, and low and behold, it's not even marked as Benchmade. Oh sure, the box has one small word in fine print. But the blade is marked "Hinderer Knives." Anyone know the deal? Is Hinderer any good? I'm not real fond of the handle design but the blade and D2 steel was attractive.

"Benchmade" at STP

I am betting its not a genuine "Benchmade" nor is it a genuine "High Country Knife"...the trading name of the company making this knife is "Benchmade High Country" and given its RRP of $100 and its actual price of $65, I am guessing its Chinese made, and they are cashing in by using a similar sounding name...I also bet Benchmade's butterfly logo is not present on the blade either???

That knife looked awfully familiar so I did a little searching..

It very much reminds be of the Gerber Freeman fixed blade



While looking I also found that Hinder has designed knives for Gerber too...

Pete, no there's no butterfly on the blade...first thing I noticed. It was $50 when I bought it, but now second-guessing my decision.

I was really hoping to find a all-around BIG game (ie not just deer) knife for $100 or less, with a nice rounded skinning blade. But maybe it's impossible to get around paying $200 and waiting for a Dozier.

Maybe a Fallkniven F1 would fill the bill? They're about $100, or just a tad over.

JRaw

pm sent

Tim

An all-around knife for big game might be tough to find in a fixed blade. You might want to consider a big two-blade, folding trapper. Though no longer in production, the Camillus Double Lock Back Trapper should work. (You can still find them, if you look hard enough.)

I kinda like that knife....Source??

I have an F1 which I use primarily for deer stalking...Do not get the leather sheath though...first time I but the knife back into the sheath, the blade sliced right through it!

Did I mention they are scary sharp when the come from the factory?

When i bought mine, you could also get a Kydex (sp?) sheath and that is what I ended up buying..

Edited to add I just found this site which sells these really cheap compared to what we pay in the UK!

Premium Knives

How does the knife feel in the hand?

Although I dislike the copycat marketing approach, as a factory knife it looks like its well worth $50...The acid test will be how well the heat treatment has been done...D2 is an excellent steel and if they've got the temper right, it should perform admirably.

As beautiful and functional as custom knives are, I haven't gone that route yet as I am sure I would loose it while hunting! While $50 is still $50, I would rather that go missing than a quality custom knife...

Thanks for the info......May just buy one!

GPA,

The only thing I would say to be careful about is the profile of the handle seems pretty "skinny" and I suspect best suits somebody with smaller hands..

To give you an idea, I've snapped the pic below with the F1 next to my SRK for comparison...




I actually like the handle shape and find it nicely proportioned, but I know some people like something a bit more chunky..


Regards,

Pete

I have small hands......just might work for me!

Thanks,
GPA

That knife is from the Benchmade NRA line, and was designed by Rick Hinderer, very much along his signature lines. Rick is a very talented maker who's been around 2 decades or more, and is currently offering probably the hottest tactical folder in the game, the XM-18. I have a Firetac and can say Rick's work is second to none.

Although I fail to see much similarity to the Gerber I would offer that Rick has done several collaborations with Gerber as well through the years, before the Freeman design hit the market.

Back to the Benchmade - I've not seen one in D2. The example I played with was the 12550 in 440C.

About the only thing I agree with on this thread is the F1 - "great" knife in both steels, though a regrind to flatten it out and lose some heft from the prybar thick blade makes it an "excellent" knife...I keep F1s in all my vehicles.

If it is not good enough to carry the Benchmade brand marking it just ain't a Benchmade to me

It is a Benchmade, no doubt about that. BM has made knives for many other groups in the past including Leupold, NRA, and others.

If a group is willing to commission 800 or so production knives, BM will make it.