Benchmade 940 Osborne

Reviewed 01/23/2015 by Christian Konzett

-Price Paid: $240.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This is a fantastic EDC knife! US made, great overall estatics with a beautifull handle and blade shape while still beeing very functional. Probably the smoothest opengin knive i have seen to date in production blades. The only thing i would like Benchmade to change in the constructin is that the pivit screws can loosen up over time which results in a little blade play. When tightening the screws, you have to be carefull because if they are too tight the blade does not open as butterly smooths as you would expect - or not at all if you tighten it all the way. Maybe a look at the Spyderco Paramilitary 2's design in that respect could help.
Still because of it's beautiy, lightweight and great materials a great 10/10 from me.

Reviewed 07/01/2014 by Federico

-Price Paid: $270.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I have to say I'm from Italy, so you understand the high price of the knife and my faulty English.

This is a great looking and useful knife. The size, the S30V blade, the ergonomics are suited for a light all-around EDC.
The axis-lock works great, it is one of the knives that I more easily open/close with one hand. The titanium handle grip is superb.
I generally prefer a bit heavier handle (the balance of the knife is in the front of the knife) but this is a personal taste.
The problem, in Europe, is the price, you can't find this knife under 200 euros (270 bucks)...
At last I suggest this knife for those who need an all-around EDC, it is sporty and dressy in the same time.

Reviewed 11/08/2011 by Martin

-Price Paid: $139.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This has been the best knife that I have ever owned, when I first saw the axis lock I knew being a lefty that I just had to have it.

I bought the knife almost 2 years ago and I have carried it every day since I bought it, it's light weight and streamline with a steel that holds it's edge but is still not too hard to sharpen myself. I bought the plain edge version as I had no need for semi serration and only once has it gone hack to Benchmade for a FREE sharpening coming back with a better edge than when I first bought the knife.

I do like the green handles however the purple back spacer did take a little bit of time to get use too, but now I really don't care or notice it.

I am happy with both the knife and the customer service, not being a collector I just wanted a knife that worked right for me and this one ha with flying colors.

I also liked the idea of having something that's 100% American Made in my pocket..!!!

Reviewed 08/08/2011 by Tony

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

I do have a good collection of Benchmade Mini's and have been using a couple like the Mini Griptillian as EDC for many years now, but I was in the kitchen the other day cutting some vegetables and they where taking to long to do the job with a less than 3 inch blade.

I have bought larger Benchmades like the new 581 Series before which is a Masterpiece of engineering, however having smaller hands none of them have felt right and have just ended up either being given to my Son in the Marine Corp, Donated to the Wounded Warriors Project or added to my personal collection the sitting in my Gun Safe.

My wonderful Son after watching me said to me "Enough Dad find the knife that you need and I will buy it for you".

Well after painfully watching (I do mean PAINFULLY watching Weekend Warriors and Kids) in about 15 or more You Tube Videos reviewing the knife and reading every article I could find about it. I then decided to call my personal contact at Benchmade to get his honest opinion.

Thank GOD for his professionalism and product knowledge, not to mention he knows my back ground, carry habits and he gave me the straight talk regarding the 940 Series Options.

I must say next to the Axis Lock it has to be Benchmades World Class Customer Service that sets it's knives at the top of the production knife market in my mind...:)

So today was the day that my new Benchmade 940 arrived and believe me I was not disappointed in the least.

As a rule I only buy American Made Knives and at my advancing age I like a comfortable fit in my small hands, but I needed a larger blade and this knifes 3.40 Inch Reverse Tanto Plain Blade in S30V Steel is absolutely fantastic.

I wanted a knife that was as usable in the Kitchen as it would be Camping and boy does that Reverse Tanto fit the bill and is as good as a Drop Point but 10 times as strong.

The Ergonomics of the grip is very comfortable in my hand and not every longer bladed knife is going to be owned by a man with the hands of a Gorilla.

As to the color well it's what I would call Forest Green and the Titanium Purple back spine does make the knife very attractive indeed and YES I have already changed the clip over to a Silver Spit Arrow...!!!

I do realize that with Benchades the Anodizing Finish on the Aluminum Scales are subject to rubbing off, BUT I just don't care about it with this one and I have prepared myself mentally to just accept it as giving the knife some Character (as my wife said, as I get older my gray hair gives me more character also..:)

With a weight of just 2.90 oz's it's perfect for clipping in the corner of my pants pocket and won't do any damage, this knife is by no means Cheap and should be shopped around for. You know the old saying "if you pay Peanuts, you get Monkeys" this one is what I would call a lifetime knife and one that some day my Grandson will be telling his son how it was handed down to him from me.

I can now see why every review for this knife here is a VERY Positive one here and this one will just reinforce that opinion....:)

Reviewed 02/06/2011 by Charlie

-Price Paid: $130.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

There is a valid reason why I have bought more than one of these knives; this is because they are probably one of the most versatile light/medium use knives available. The slim design with the light weight handle makes this knife easy to carry and at the same time, applicable to every day tasks.

Blade:

The blade is in the 3.5" range with a modified reverse tanto shape. Typically, the blade will come in S30V steel (but the older models might have 154CM). The blade shape is great for most everyday tasks. With a long blade sweep and reinforced blade tip, it can handle slicing and piercing tasks easily. The S30V steel retains the blade edge fairly well, and doesn't need to be resharpened as much. However, when it does need to be resharpened, I find it easy to touch up on a rod to bring it back to a sharp edge.

Handle/Ergonomics:

The handle is made of anodized aluminum. A small complaint that would have to be made of the handle is the fact that it is a scratch magnet. If you have long fingernails and you scratch it as you pull it out of your pocket, it will probably stay there. However, this is similar to titanium handles, so it's not too big of a problem. The knife feels comfortable in the hand as it is somewhat contoured to fit in them. The clip can be modified for left/right handed carry, and is only for tip up carry. There is some minor gimping on the back of the handle, but very minor and hardly serves a purpose.

History:

I've carried and used this knife for longer than a year and I have to say it is probably one of the easiest knives to carry. It is lightweight with a long blade, slim, and tough. Additionally, because it is an axis lock, it acts as an ambidextrous knife. I believe this is a great knife, HOWEVER, I think that the price of the knife is somewhat inflated. I got it for $130 (MSRP is around $175), but honestly, I think the knife should range somewhere between $100-$110. Despite that, I still believe this knife is a great knife, and useful for any occasion.

Reviewed 09/13/2010 by Jesse

-Price Paid: $165.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I've owned this knife for many years now and it has withstood the test of time. It's been camping, cut through hundreds of boxes, and was my Every Day Carry knife for at least 5 years. The version I have is the black-coated serrated version in 154CM, which isn't what I'd choose today but I did then because I thought it looked cool.

What you get is an extremely useful, well-built, well-designed knife in a very thin, lightweight package. With a little practice the knife flicks open in an instant. As with some other Benchmade knives, my 940 seems to have a "sweet spot" which relates to the tightness of the pivot screw. Too tight and the knife is difficult to open and close; too loose and there is a little blade play. However, once you find the sweet spot and the knife is properly lubricated, most people should be reasonably satisfied.

The aluminum handle is strong and lightweight, though as has been mentioned is not chip-proof. After close to 10 years of ownership, about less than 2% of the total surface area of the handle and less than 1% of the black coating on the blade has visible wear. The handle is cut out in a sleek fashion and has jimping on both the top and bottom for a pretty secure grip, though you wouldn't want to handle the knife with greasy hands.

The cutting edge of the blade is about 3" -- suitable for many tasks indoors and out -- yet nearly disappears into your pocket given how thin and lightweight the handle is. The knife is now made with S30V steel but I've always been happy with 154CM. It holds an edge well enough and is easy to sharpen. The serrations are a little under-powered which is why I'd recommend a plain-edged model. The modified reverse tanto style of the blade assures a very strong tip.

The Benchmade 940 is a great EDC option. I wouldn't want to skin a crocodile or fell a tree with it but it works great for most tasks and doesn't take up much real estate if you wear it inside your pocket. A near-perfect combination of function, design, and quality. Highly recommended.

Reviewed 01/18/2010 by knifefan

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

The one I have has a black handle,PE and 154 CM. Benchmade did a very good job designing this knife. It's a very quick opener and very easy to deploy. The modified tanto blade is great. It is also easy to sharpen. It fits good in your pocket. The only downside I can think of is the 6061 aluminum handles scratch a little too easy.