As always, Benchmade delivers a high quality knife. I use my 950 Rift for EDC (every day carry) and have used it for everything from opening boxes to shaving wood to cutting vegetables on a camping trip. I deducted one star for the small amount of blade play that has developed, but more on that later.
Good points:
-154cm steel is one of the best steels available for knives. 154cm and S30V are what the best blades are made of. This blade holds a razor edge for about two weeks of fairly heavy use in my experience. That length of time may vary based upon how much you use the knife. Out of the box, the knife is sharp enough to shave hairs.
-Reverse tanto blade style looks very gorgeous. Definitely the most attractive style, in my opinion.
-G10 scales (scales are the two flat pieces on the handle that you hold) give a firm grip. The scales have a good level of texture, allowing good grip without the G10 hurting your hand. I had to use sandpaper and reduce the sharpness of the G10 around the corners since it dug into my hand when I gripped tightly, but it was an easy fix.
-The Benchmade Axis Lock takes a little time to get used to, but is a very solid locking mechanism. My last EDC (Kershaw Cryo) used a linerlock mechanism and transitioning to Axis lock took me about two weeks of playing with the knife every once in a while. The lock itself is very powerful and will never fail.
-Amazon price of $165 is significantly below Benchmade price ($225).
Bad points:
-Out of the box, the G10 scales are a little sharp around the corners. I used 150 grit sandpaper for ten minutes and rounded the edges a little bit. I now have a comfortable grip even when I hold the knife very tightly.
-I carry in places where I prefer to be discrete, so I prefer a deep carry clip. This knife does not come with a deep carry clip. I visited my local Benchmade dealer but was unable to buy a clip, so I emailed Benchmade. Benchmade mailed me two deep carry clips normally used on the 810 Contego and I was able to replace it.
-I personally would prefer a slightly smaller knife of around 3.0 - 3.2 inches. This is not a small knife. I chose this anyway because the reverse tanto blade is so attractive. I do not regret this decision.
-My blade has developed a little play in the blade. This is uncommon in Benchmade knives and I am uncertain what caused it. I may have used it too hard at some point or otherwise twisted the blade out of place slightly. Possibly taking it apart and reassembling it will remove the issue, but I won't be able to try until I get a new set of wrenches. This is not good and I rated this knife only four stars because of this. However, this may have been caused because I have used it for things that should normally only be done by a fixed blade (such as batoning wood).
Overall, this knife is strong and looks good. If treated properly, it should do well for you.
| Manufacturer | Benchmade |
|---|---|
| Part Number | BKC950-1 |
| Item Weight | 4.8 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 6 x 3 x 1.5 inches |
| Item model number | 950-1 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Handle Material | Fiberglass |
| Special Features | Locking |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
