There are a lot of things to love about a Benchmade pocket knife – and not the least of these are the unique blade profiles, general designs, and use of super steels.
But there is one thing that really drives the value in a Benchmade pocket knife, more than anything else.
It’s the AXIS lock, which has revolutionized folding pocket knife design over the last thirty years or so. Here’s why it’s been such a game-changer.
The AXIS Lock: What It Offers
Benchmade’s AXIS lock is hands down the best thing a Benchmade offers, and it is the single reason you’re going to love one of your knives, whether you buy it or you’re gifted it.
The AXIS lock is a crossbar lock. It consists of a bar of steel that sits between the knife’s scales and rides in a channel that goes through the knife.
A U or “omega” shaped spring holds the bar both open and closed, depending on the need at hand, and a channel at the base of the blade locks the black open when it is positioned accordingly
But that’s all well and good on paper, and hardly different from any knife lock. When it comes down to the proof of concept, it becomes abundantly apparent that it is the best knife locking mechanism that has ever been designed.
The strength alone is proof of this, although it is not the only proof. Partly due to its simplicity, and partly due to the fact that it physically can’t fail in the absence of the utter, cataclysmic, catastrophic failure of the entire knife itself, the AXIS lock is incredibly strong.
In other words, you can’t break the lock without completely destroying the knife. It is far too integral to the design of the knife itself.
But that strength is not the only thing to love about a Benchmade pocket knife’s AXIS lock. There is the ease of engagement or disengagement. The lock can be opened and closed with one hand, and it does not favor either a right or a left-handed user.
There is the element of safety, too. It doesn’t have a monopoly on safety; other other pocket knives offer the same, like button locks, but the fact of the matter is that to disengage the lock, you don’t need to put your fingers or hand in the path of the blade, as you would need to do with a liner lock or a frame lock.
And then there is also the fidget friendliness. Play with an AXIS lock or any other bar lock and you won’t be going back to anything else anytime soon.
Now, to be fair, this is just one single element of a Benchmade pocket knife that you are all but certain to appreciate, but there’s a whole lot more than this. There’s the use of super steels, the unique ergonomics and designs, and so much more.
The only thing left for you to do is add a Benchmade pocket knife to your collection, or better yet, start carrying one, and see for yourself and from experience what has made these knives so popular for as long as they’ve been on the market.
Where to Get Your Next Benchmade Pocket Knife
Interested in getting a new Benchmade pocket knife for your collection? Make your first stop White Mountain Knives. They carry a wide range of the brand’s most popular models, and they have some exclusives, too.
Whatever you’re looking for, whether it comes from the Benchmade brand or not, get what you need there.
