Benchmade – Mini Griptilian EDC Knife with CPM-S30V Steel, Drop-Point Blade, Made in the USA

I’ve had this a few days now. This is my first Benchmade knife and so far it has lived up to all expectations. Fit and finish is superb and the action is glassy smooth. From the factory the tension is just about right to open it with a nudge on the opening stud and a flick of the wrist. The blade locks into place solidly with no movement at all. The Axis lock releases easily with one hand. I read good things about the Axis lock but haven’t used the knife enough to comment on them beyond the solid lockup and easy release. The OD green Valox handle feels very dense and hard and I expect it to be durable. The blade is a 2.9″ modified drop point with partially serrated edge. Mine is very sharp right out of the box and shaves my forearm hair with no trouble at all. The blade is matte black and looks very good with the green handle. There is a gold Benchmade logo on one side of the blade and the Mel Pardue signature and type of steel, 154CM, on the other. I have read complaints about the jimping on the top and bottom of the knife not being sharp enough. I think it’s just about right. You can slide your finger over it easily when applying little pressure but it grips well enough when you apply the kind of pressure you would doing heavy work with the knife. I have large hands and even though my little finger is not on the handle when gripping it for cutting between the jimping and the knurling on the handles it feels very secure. The reversible pocket clip is nice looking and sturdy. Amazon didn’t have the best price but it wasn’t bad either. I bought from Amazon because delivery is always prompt and I’ve never had a problem with them. I didn’t want to deal with an unknown vendor for a couple of bucks. I’m very happy with the knife and now carry it daily. Anyone looking for a discreet high quality EDC folder should take a look at the Mini-Griptillian. I would definitely recommend this knife.