Benchmade

Benchmade Knife Company, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	1979; 47 years ago
Founder	Les deAsis
Headquarters	Oregon City, Oregon
Key people	Jon deAsis, President and CEO
Products	Knives, pens, rescue tools
Number of employees	380
Website	benchmade.com

The Benchmade Knife Company is an American knife manufacturer based out of Oregon City, Oregon.

History

Benchmade originally started in California in 1979 as Bali-Song, then changed their name to Pacific Cutlery Corporation in the early 1980s, before settling on "Benchmade" in 1988. In 1990, the company moved to Clackamas, Oregon, to be closer to existing knife production companies in that area.^[1]^[2] As part of the process of moving their production from outside vendors to in-house production facilities, the company moved again in 1996, to their own 35,000 square foot facility in Oregon City, Oregon.^[3]^[4]

Benchmade became known primarily as a manufacturer of butterfly knives, or balisongs, and they continue to be manufactured under their registered trademark name "Ba“i-Song".^[5] ”Benchmade's original Bali-Song design by Jody Samson was awarded Blade Magazine's Knife of the Year Award in 1979.^[6] This connection to butterfly knives is the inspiration for the butterfly symbol in their logo.^[7]

Founder Les deAsis died February 21, 2020, following a stroke.^[8] His wife Roberta deAsis, took over the position of President and CEO following his death, and was succeeded by their son Jon deAsis in October of 2020.^[2]

Products

Blade steels such as 154CM, D2, CPM S30V steel, CPM S90V steel, CPM 20CV, N690 and M390 are used on many models. Benchmade also uses high speed M2 and CPM M4 tool steels.^[9]

Benchmade receives a significant amount of revenue from selling restricted-sales knives to the military and law enforcement.^[10] They produce a diverse selection of "auto", or switchblade knives, along with a range of hunting, fishing, utility and miscellaneous knives, though balisongs remain a core product. In recent years most balisongs have been discontinued, with the only remaining Balisong in production being the 85.^[11]^[12]

Benchmade has three different knife classes. The first class is the Blue Class, also known as the Recreation class. This type of Benchmade knife is made for typical use by the everyday person. The next class is the Black Class, also known as the Professional class. This type of Benchmade knife is made for military, law enforcement, and public safety workers. The last class is the Gold class, also known as the Collector class. This class of Benchmade knife is made for collectors and are limited edition.^[13]

Benchmade has a patent on the locking mechanism used in most of the switchblades they produce.^[14] Benchmade additionally holds an exclusive license on use of the McHenry / Williams "AXIS Lock", a spring-operated locking mechanism used in both automatic and manual action models.

The designers are Jody Samson, Ernest Emerson, Allen Elishewitz, Mel Pardue, Bill McHenry, Mike Snody, Jason Williams, Warren Osborne, Ken Steigerwalt, and Bob Lum.^[15] Several production Benchmade models based on the work of these designers have become influential within the industry.^[11]^[16]^[17]

Some of the Benchmade knife models include:

Benchmade Griptilian
Benchmade Freek
Benchmade Crooked River
Benchmade Bushcrafter
Benchmade Infidel
Benchmade SOCP
Benchmade 556 Mini Griptilian
Benchmade Contego (Discontinued)
Benchmade 940 Osborne
Benchmade BKC Bedlam Axis
Benchmade Serum (Discontinued)
Benchmade Mini Barrage
Benchmade Model 42
Benchmade Model 533 Mini-Bugout
Benchmade Model 535 Bugout
Benchmade Model 537 Bailout
Benchmade Model 4400 Casbah
Benchmade Model 51 Morpho

Awards and honors

Benchmade has won several awards and recognition for product innovation and design.^[18]

The Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence Knife of the Year Winner, Benchmade 915 Triage (2011)^[19]
Field & Stream Best Fixed Blade Knife Winner, Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter (2013)^[20]
Kokatat American Made Outdoor Gear 'Sassy' Award Winner, Benchmade (2014)^[21]
50 Campfires Gear of the Year Award Winner, Benchmade 551 Griptilian (2014)^[22]
Knife News Dealer's Choice Best Overall Award Winner, Benchmade (2016)^[23]
Oregon Manufacturing Awards, Product Innovation Category Winner, Benchmade (2017)^[24]

Gallery

Benchmade Bedlam Auto with CM 154 steel patented Axis Lock
Benchmade 4300 CLA Composite Lite Auto. Auto knife push button operation with side-mounted safety, reversible clip. Length 7.85- inches Blade length 3.4 inches. Blade Material CM154.
Benchmade 940 Osborne folding knife
Benchmade Model 42 butterfly knife
Benchmade Mini TI Pika II with Titanium handle scales and lanyard hole. Blade material: 9Cr13CoMoV (Model no.10402S-1)

References

^ Lewis, Jack; Roger Combs (1992). Gun Digest Book of knives. DBI. pp. 193–186. ISBN 978-0-87349-129-7.
^ ^a ^b Kish, Matthew (Oct 8, 2020). "Benchmade names son of founder as new CEO". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
^ Szostech, Michael (2 January 2017). "Benchmade Tactical Pen Review". PyramidReviews. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
^ "Benchmade History Page". Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
^ "Benchmade Copyright and Trademarks". Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
^ Burch, Michael (2007). "Butterfly Knives Take Wing". In Kertzman, Joe (ed.). Knives 2008. F&W Media. pp. 26–30. ISBN 978-0-89689-542-3.
^ Kaylene (June 13, 2013). "Benchmade's History with Butterfly Knives". Blade HQ. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
^ "Lester de Asis Obituary (1951 - 2020)". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
^ Bottorff, Steve (2002). Sharpening Made Easy: A Primer on Sharpening Knives and Other Edged Tools. Knife World Publications. pp. 87–88. ISBN 978-0-940362-19-2.
^ "Benchmade 'Public Safety' Military and Law Enforcement Page". Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
^ ^a ^b Dick, Steven (1997), The Working Folding Knife, Stoeger Publishing Company, p. 280, ISBN 978-0-88317-210-0
^ Quartzite, stone. "Quartzite". Retrieved 10 February 2019.
^ "Benchmade Knife Company". Benchmade.com. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
^ "Benchmade Locking Mechanism Page". Archived from the original on 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2006-11-22.
^ "Custom Designer & Knife Craftsmen Profiles". Benchmade Knife Company. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ Clarke, Christopher (1995). "Benchmade/Emerson CQC7: Double-Duty Folder". Tactical Knives. 1 (3): 58–60.
^ Kertzman, Joe (2001). 2002 sporting knives. Krause Publications. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-87349-266-9.
^ "Awards & Recognition | Benchmade Knife Company". Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ "Benchmade Knife Company Wins 2011 Knife of the Year". EMS World. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ "Best Fixed Blade Knife of 2013: Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter". Field & Stream. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ "Kokatat Presents American Made Outdoor Gear Awards at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market". Outdoor Industry Association. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ staff writer (2014-11-26). "Gear Of The Year: Benchmade 551 Griptilian". 50campfires.com. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ "KnifeNews Dealers' Choice Awards 2016 Mark the Eve of the Knife New Year". KnifeNews. 2016-11-27. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
^ "Oregon Manufacturing Awards". bizjournals.com. Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

External links

Official website

[GD-1] Lewis, Jack; Roger Combs (1992). Gun Digest Book of knives. DBI. pp. 193–186. ISBN 978-0-87349-129-7.

[:0-2] Kish, Matthew (Oct 8, 2020). "Benchmade names son of founder as new CEO". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[3] Szostech, Michael (2 January 2017). "Benchmade Tactical Pen Review". PyramidReviews. Retrieved 2 January 2017.

[4] "Benchmade History Page". Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-11-04.

[5] "Benchmade Copyright and Trademarks". Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2006-11-04.

[burch-6] Burch, Michael (2007). "Butterfly Knives Take Wing". In Kertzman, Joe (ed.). Knives 2008. F&W Media. pp. 26–30. ISBN 978-0-89689-542-3.

[7] Kaylene (June 13, 2013). "Benchmade's History with Butterfly Knives". Blade HQ. Retrieved November 3, 2024.

[8] "Lester de Asis Obituary (1951 - 2020)". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[9] Bottorff, Steve (2002). Sharpening Made Easy: A Primer on Sharpening Knives and Other Edged Tools. Knife World Publications. pp. 87–88. ISBN 978-0-940362-19-2.

[10] "Benchmade 'Public Safety' Military and Law Enforcement Page". Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-11-04.

[TWFK-11] Dick, Steven (1997), The Working Folding Knife, Stoeger Publishing Company, p. 280, ISBN 978-0-88317-210-0

[12] Quartzite, stone. "Quartzite". Retrieved 10 February 2019.

[13] "Benchmade Knife Company". Benchmade.com. Retrieved 2015-05-04.

[14] "Benchmade Locking Mechanism Page". Archived from the original on 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2006-11-22.

[15] "Custom Designer & Knife Craftsmen Profiles". Benchmade Knife Company. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[clarke-16] Clarke, Christopher (1995). "Benchmade/Emerson CQC7: Double-Duty Folder". Tactical Knives. 1 (3): 58–60.

[sporting-17] Kertzman, Joe (2001). 2002 sporting knives. Krause Publications. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-87349-266-9.

[18] "Awards & Recognition | Benchmade Knife Company". Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[19] "Benchmade Knife Company Wins 2011 Knife of the Year". EMS World. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[20] "Best Fixed Blade Knife of 2013: Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter". Field & Stream. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[21] "Kokatat Presents American Made Outdoor Gear Awards at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market". Outdoor Industry Association. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[22] staff writer (2014-11-26). "Gear Of The Year: Benchmade 551 Griptilian". 50campfires.com. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[23] "KnifeNews Dealers' Choice Awards 2016 Mark the Eve of the Knife New Year". KnifeNews. 2016-11-27. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[24] "Oregon Manufacturing Awards". bizjournals.com. Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-08-20.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

v t e Knives and daggers
List of daggers List of blade materials
Kitchen and table knives	Boning Boti Bread knife Butcher knife Butter knife Caidao Cheese knife Chef's knife Cleaver Electric knife Fillet knife Grapefruit knife Lame Mezzaluna Parmesan knife Pizza cutter Splayd Steak knife Tomato knife Japanese kitchen knives Deba bōchō Maguro bōchō Nakiri bōchō Santoku Sashimi bōchō Udon kiri Unagisaki hōchō Usuba bōchō Yanagi ba
Other knives	Aircrew Survival Egress Knife Athame Balisong/Butterfly Ballistic Ballpoint pen knife Bayonet Boline Bolo Boot knife Bowie Cane knife Ceramic knife Clip point Coin slasher Combat knife Commander Corvo CQC-6 Deba bōchō Diving knife Drop point Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife Gerber Mark II Ginsu Golok Gravity knife Guna Hacking knife Higonokami Hunting knife Husa knife Ivan's Knife Jacob's ladder Karambit Kard Kirpan Kitchen knife Kukri Laguiole knife Machete Mandau Marking knife Military knife wz. 98 Misericorde Mora knife Multi-tool Navaja Neck knife Nontron knife Opinel knife OSS Escape Utility Knife Palette knife Pantographic knife Parang Penknife Penny knife Pesh-kabz Pirah Pocketknife Phurba Putty knife Puukko Rampuri Resolza Sabatier Sami knife SARK Scalpel Seax Sgian dubh Sharpfinger Sheath knife Shiv Sliding knife Smatchet SOG Knife Straight razor Strider SMF Survival knife Swiss Army knife Switchblade Taping knife Throwing knife Trench knife Tumi Ulu Utility knife Verlängerungsmesser Warrior knife Wedung X-Acto Yakutian knife Yarara Parachute Knife Yatagan
Daggers	Anelace Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife Arkansas toothpick BC-41 Bagh nakh Balarao Baselard Bichuwa Bollock dagger Cinquedea Dha Dirk Ear dagger Emeici Facón French Nail Gunong Hunting dagger Jambiya Jile Kabutowari Kaiken Kalis Katar Khanjali Khanjar Kris Kunai Liaoning dagger Mark I trench knife Microtech Jagdkommando Parrying dagger Poignard Pugio Push dagger RAF Aircrew Knife Rondel dagger Seme Shobo Sica Stiletto Tantō U.S. Marine Raider stiletto V-42 Yoroi-dōshi
Manufacturers	Aitor Knife Company Al Mar Knives American Tomahawk Company Aritsugu Benchmade Böker Buck Knives Camillus Cutlery Company Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Chris Reeve Knives Chroma Cnife Clauss Cutlery Company Cobray Company Cold Steel Columbia River Knife & Tool Cuisinart Cutco Dalian Hanwei Metal Dexter-Russell Ek Commando Knife Co. EKA Emerson Knives F. Dick Fällkniven FAMAE Fiskars Gerber Legendary Blades Füritechnics Glock Ges.m.b.H. Imperial Schrade Ivan's Ka-Bar Kershaw Knives Korin Japanese Trading Company Kyocera Leatherman Mad Dog Knives Marble Arms Medford Knife and Tool Microtech Knives Morseth Muela Murphy Knives OLFA Ontario Knife Company Opinel Randall Made Knives Ranz Cuchillos Rösle Sabatier Shun Cutlery Slice, Inc. SOG Specialty Knives Spyderco STI Knives Strider Knives Thiers Issard TOPS Knives Tramontina Victorinox W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Carl Walther GmbH Wenger Western Knife Company Wilkinson Sword Wüsthof Yoshida Metal Industry Global Zero Tolerance Knives Zwilling J. A. Henckels
Knifemakers	Rex Applegate James Black Tom Brown Jr. Blackie Collins John Nelson Cooper Jack W. Crain Ernest Emerson Jerry Fisk Bill Harsey Jr. Phill Hartsfield Gil Hibben Jimmy Lile Bob Loveless William F. Moran Ken Onion Ralph Osterhout Bo Randall Chris Reeve A. G. Russell Jody Samson William Scagel Mike Snody Robert Terzuola Michael Walker Buster Warenski Daniel Winkler
Associations	American Bladesmith Society Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association Knifemakers' Guild
Category:Knives / Daggers