The Benchmade knives brand has garnered an international reputation for quality and craftsmanship that has made them one of the most coveted brands of knives in existence. The company has discovered ways to combine second-hand machinery, outsourcing and in-house craft in order to produce the products that the world has come to love so well.

As a part of its growth in the 1990s, Benchmade became one of the first companies of its kind to begin to use lasers in order to process pocket knives. Lasers allow designers and artisans to achieve the kind of craftsmanship that is generally associated with slowly produced, custom-made knives.

One of the guarantees the company has been able to make for the quality knife it produces is a warranty to any buyer that he can return any Benchmade knife without charge if he finds any defects in the workmanship or materials.

In addition, Benchmade knife owners have the guarantee of LifeSharp, a proprietary Benchmade service that sharpens knives for buyers. Customers simply ship their knives to a servicing center in Oregon, and technicians sharpen and service the knife for any warranty repairs.

Perhaps it is this kind of service combined with the design styles used to make the handles that make Benchmade customers so pleased with this product. Benchmade knives are made with a lot of different hands and sizes in mind, as well as a huge consideration for the kinds of materials that can be comfortably gripped in the hands.
Minimally weighted carbon fiber, for example, is composed of thin strands of carbon that are woven in patterns in order to be set in resin. Stabilized wood in Benchmade knives uses a vacuum technique to inject dyes and resins into the knife material. Some of the upscale Benchmade knives use micarta, which is linen cloths pressed together after they have been soaked in resin.

Benchmade knives tend to score on the high end of the knife market because of the quality of steel they use in the knife blades. Though they sell their knives too many consumers who can afford them, the bulk of their customer base is the U.S. military and law enforcement. The company has also built effective partnerships with quality knife makers like Mel Pardue, Ernest Emerson, Warren Osborne, Ellen Elishewitz, Mike Snodu and Bob Lum.

One of the most popular Benchmade knives is the Balisong. Not only is it gorgeously crafted, but it also is a great knife for beginners. One side of the blade is not sharpened, and is dubbed a “swedge.”

The Balisong has two knife handles – one called a safe handle, which the swedge side of the blade closes into. The other, called the opposite handle, allows the sharpened side of the blade to close into it. Holding the knife by the opposite handle will almost ensure a cut. Holding it by the safe handle is best.

There is a latch that comes with the Balisong, so it is always best to see which handle your latch is attached to (Benchmade attaches it to either handle, depending on the design). Before practicing opening and closing the knife or any fancy ice pick drop maneuvers, it is important to get comfortable with the knife and know how to make sure you are grabbing the handle safely.

There is both comfort and trust in relying on a name that has been around for decades like Benchmade knives. Beginning knife collectors receive tons of recommendations about the quality of this brand. Those who have been collecting the knives for years know it is a dependable product from a name they can trust and that any knife from this manufacturer is going to be a quality knife. Collectors who do not like the hassle of getting snubbed on the durability and performance of a brand could not ask for anything more.