Benchmade vs Spyderco
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You forgot the "doesn't matter" option. 
Both are good companies owned by good guys.
Both produce quality products.
Both have large numbers of loyal customers.
Both contribute to the industry and both are innovators.
It's a question of preferences pretty much based on style.
Both are good companies owned by good guys.
Both produce quality products.
Both have large numbers of loyal customers.
Both contribute to the industry and both are innovators.
It's a question of preferences pretty much based on style.
I voted apples and oranges, as a cop-out.
Personally, I like them both, for different reasons. (I'm also not an expert or knife knut, so take this for what it's worth)
I think Spyderco, in general, operates at a real sweet spot on the cost/quality curve. There are a lot of knives that are nicer, for a lot more money. There are a lot of knives that are cheaper, but are not nearly as nice. In general, Spyderco sits at a real nice balance point between expense and quality.
Benchmade, again in general, is one of the knifemakers that is more expensive, but also makes a nicer product. The question is whether or not the more expensive price is worth it when you look at what you get.
Again, these are generalities. Benchmade makes some "lower end" knives, and Spyderco makes some "higher end" ones. The key is that both of them make some very nice production knives.
I own a Benchmade Axis AFCK and a Spyderco Calypso Jr. I like them both.
Mike
Personally, I like them both, for different reasons. (I'm also not an expert or knife knut, so take this for what it's worth)
I think Spyderco, in general, operates at a real sweet spot on the cost/quality curve. There are a lot of knives that are nicer, for a lot more money. There are a lot of knives that are cheaper, but are not nearly as nice. In general, Spyderco sits at a real nice balance point between expense and quality.
Benchmade, again in general, is one of the knifemakers that is more expensive, but also makes a nicer product. The question is whether or not the more expensive price is worth it when you look at what you get.
Again, these are generalities. Benchmade makes some "lower end" knives, and Spyderco makes some "higher end" ones. The key is that both of them make some very nice production knives.
I own a Benchmade Axis AFCK and a Spyderco Calypso Jr. I like them both.
Mike
Apples to oranges.
For folders, I like the benchmade axis lock a lot, but the liners make the knives thicker.
I like the relative thinness of some of the spyderco folders, and I like the fact that they generally use premium steels. The typical BM blade steel is 154cm, with a few d2 blades thrown in (and 440c in the lower-end knives). The typical spyderco steels are vg10 and s30v. If more BM knives used d2, that would shift the balance.
I carry a benchmade because it's easier to flick open with one hand.
For folders, I like the benchmade axis lock a lot, but the liners make the knives thicker.
I like the relative thinness of some of the spyderco folders, and I like the fact that they generally use premium steels. The typical BM blade steel is 154cm, with a few d2 blades thrown in (and 440c in the lower-end knives). The typical spyderco steels are vg10 and s30v. If more BM knives used d2, that would shift the balance.
I carry a benchmade because it's easier to flick open with one hand.
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I don't really like either, but I probably would choose BM as an overall
brand, simply because I am partial toward fixed blades and Spyderco has
a very limited history with this style of knife.
I live near the Spyderco factory store, and lately they seem pretty full of
themselves.
I think both are over hyped and over priced, frankly.
I don't really like either, but I probably would choose BM as an overall
brand, simply because I am partial toward fixed blades and Spyderco has
a very limited history with this style of knife.
I live near the Spyderco factory store, and lately they seem pretty full of
themselves.
I think both are over hyped and over priced, frankly.
waterhouse
Member
I own several knives from each company and they are all well made. I guess I like them each equally.
floridaboy
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- Feb 14, 2007
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- 334
I have at least one of each and am quite happy with them. Which one is better depends on how I'm feeling on a given day.
Spyderco=Acura/Honda, especially since alot of their stuff is actually Japanese.
Benchmade=BMW, if they did some light offshoring and were based in America.
The best of breed Benchmades (Black and Gold Classes) smoke every offering ever made by Spyderco. Spyderco offers a better value than the butterfly in the mid to lower range that breaks at about $10+/- of $60.00.
Benchmade=BMW, if they did some light offshoring and were based in America.
The best of breed Benchmades (Black and Gold Classes) smoke every offering ever made by Spyderco. Spyderco offers a better value than the butterfly in the mid to lower range that breaks at about $10+/- of $60.00.
What Boats said is basically what I was driving at.
If you're looking for a good knife that will get the job done and not break the bank, Spyderco is great. If you're looking for something a little more polished, but still a production knife, Benchmade offers some very nice blades for twice the price.
Mike
If you're looking for a good knife that will get the job done and not break the bank, Spyderco is great. If you're looking for something a little more polished, but still a production knife, Benchmade offers some very nice blades for twice the price.
Mike
Ringer
Member
I own and am happy with both. Since the poll said "which do you prefer" I selected Benchmade. If it had said "which is better" I would have selected that they are equals. Comes down to personal preference. I think they both make decent knives, I just prefer the designs of the benchmades and like the axis lock.
I don't buy BM products on the simple basis that for a long time they put features Spyderco invented into their products (such as holes in their blades), but didn't license Spyderco's patents. BM of course got away with it thanks to slick lawyers, but legal =/= right. BM sells knives by stealing patented features from their competition.
I love knives and I think that's horrible that BM would steal one of the knife world's most important innovations. The controversy was of course stirred up again recently with the model 630 I believe it was, which featured the still patented Spyderco round hole once again without Spyderco's permission.
Spyderco is a much more innovative knife maker than BM can ever hope to be. One handed opening holes, clips on folders, compression locks, ball bearing locks and other features that have revolutionized modern knives as well as many of the very ideas of modern martial bladecraft are all Spyderco innovations. They use modern materials to their best effect and update designs regularly.
All that aside, BM knives are good too and I would probably get one if they'd ever show some integrity and go back to paying Spyderco for the right to use the Spyderhole.
However, Spyderco just makes a lot more sense for pragmatic people. Anything that goes over their price point is in general offering you either customization (which is not a bad thing I own a custom knife myself) or superior fit/finish/aesthetics.
I love knives and I think that's horrible that BM would steal one of the knife world's most important innovations. The controversy was of course stirred up again recently with the model 630 I believe it was, which featured the still patented Spyderco round hole once again without Spyderco's permission.
Spyderco is a much more innovative knife maker than BM can ever hope to be. One handed opening holes, clips on folders, compression locks, ball bearing locks and other features that have revolutionized modern knives as well as many of the very ideas of modern martial bladecraft are all Spyderco innovations. They use modern materials to their best effect and update designs regularly.
All that aside, BM knives are good too and I would probably get one if they'd ever show some integrity and go back to paying Spyderco for the right to use the Spyderhole.
However, Spyderco just makes a lot more sense for pragmatic people. Anything that goes over their price point is in general offering you either customization (which is not a bad thing I own a custom knife myself) or superior fit/finish/aesthetics.
auschip
Member
Sorry, I'm not buying the fact that Spyderco invented the hole. I'm pretty sure holes have been around for thousands of years if not longer. Now, Spyderco does use 1 round hole as a trademark on their knives, and at one point they sued Benchmade (later settling out of court - which =/= "getting away with it"). I think if they had a problem with it, they would sue again. So, my theory is that if it is alright with Spyderco, it's alright with me.
Spyderco's "hole" is the worst example of "intellectual property" in the business.
It was patented. Keyword is was. As the patent expired, Spyderco filed for a trademark on the hole, a trademark that Benchmade could easily challenge if they chose to.
Benchmade paid royalties for the patented hole when it used an unrelieved circular hole. They have an arrangement, (probably not to decertify Spyderco's noxious trademarking of an expired patent) even today.
Benchmade modernized and popularized the Balisong, (Spyderco's Spyderfly is the copycat there.) They have advanced the state of the art in automatics and have had several designs of their own shamelessly copied by competitors. They have made knives using unique steels-- M2 and D2 in mass production in particular. The "ball bearing lock" is clearly inspired by the market success of BM's Axis lock.
I am still looking for one Spyderco fan to tell me of just one other company in any industry that "licenses" its trademark to direct competitors.
It was patented. Keyword is was. As the patent expired, Spyderco filed for a trademark on the hole, a trademark that Benchmade could easily challenge if they chose to.
Benchmade paid royalties for the patented hole when it used an unrelieved circular hole. They have an arrangement, (probably not to decertify Spyderco's noxious trademarking of an expired patent) even today.
Benchmade modernized and popularized the Balisong, (Spyderco's Spyderfly is the copycat there.) They have advanced the state of the art in automatics and have had several designs of their own shamelessly copied by competitors. They have made knives using unique steels-- M2 and D2 in mass production in particular. The "ball bearing lock" is clearly inspired by the market success of BM's Axis lock.
I am still looking for one Spyderco fan to tell me of just one other company in any industry that "licenses" its trademark to direct competitors.
Eleven Mike
Member
Neither company has ever appealed to me that much.
cosine
Member
I like knives from both companies, but if I have to choose just one, give me Spydercos anyday.
tradja
Member
I voted equals.
I have 3 BM's and 3 Spydies. I really liked the Axis lock at first, but I seem to mostly carry a Delica 4 these days. Ergos are good, especially lefty or while wearing gloves. But, the Axis lock offers great lefty operation too.
IME, my Benchmades (all 154cm steel) have had better edge retention and take a keener edge, but one had a horrible obtuse factory grind that took a lot of effort to correct. I think that many/most BM's look great too. I do wish Spyderco had some tool steel offerings in D2/A2/M2, and BM did some affordable S30V knives.
FWIW, my wife EDC's a Spyderco. She's not "into" knives, but greatly appreciates their utility and convenience, thus Spyderco.
The poll question is pretty general. Both companies make many great knives and some real turkeys, in all price ranges.
EDIT: Yep, the politics and litigation between these two companies is a shame. That's business, I guess :shrug:
I have 3 BM's and 3 Spydies. I really liked the Axis lock at first, but I seem to mostly carry a Delica 4 these days. Ergos are good, especially lefty or while wearing gloves. But, the Axis lock offers great lefty operation too.
IME, my Benchmades (all 154cm steel) have had better edge retention and take a keener edge, but one had a horrible obtuse factory grind that took a lot of effort to correct. I think that many/most BM's look great too. I do wish Spyderco had some tool steel offerings in D2/A2/M2, and BM did some affordable S30V knives.
FWIW, my wife EDC's a Spyderco. She's not "into" knives, but greatly appreciates their utility and convenience, thus Spyderco.
The poll question is pretty general. Both companies make many great knives and some real turkeys, in all price ranges.
EDIT: Yep, the politics and litigation between these two companies is a shame. That's business, I guess :shrug:
Last edited:
coelacanth
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- Mar 5, 2007
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- 455
apples to oranges bro...
their product lines are divergent enough that liking one almost precludes liking the other. I'm not personally very fond of either brand as I think they are mostly over hyped and overpriced.
their product lines are divergent enough that liking one almost precludes liking the other. I'm not personally very fond of either brand as I think they are mostly over hyped and overpriced.
Diamondback
Member
I am not a lawyer ( nor do I dress up like one on Halloween
)......so I do not understand why applying for a trademark by a knife manufacturer on the "Hole" is "noxious" as they were the first to pioneer it's development, despite the original patent expiration. All of Spyderco's literature, marketing, and advertising right from the company's outset clearly associated their product with the "Hole". Perhaps their only mistake was not to initially apply for a trademark on it rather than a patent....my sense is, in our litigious world, if Benchmade thought they "could" successfully challenge the Spyderco trademark issue they would.....large companies don't "chose" not to litigate if they believe they can win in a court of law.
...........I'm sure their trademark licensing is purely a business decision to increase revenues.......what is the "moral dilemma" with this approach. I'm not certain I see an issue with this if Spyderco was the first to "originally" develop and employ the "Hole" ?
However, as disclosed in the outset, I am not a lawyer so perhaps my contentions are way off base. Irregardless, I own folding knives manufactured by both companies and think Benchmade's "Griptilian" and Spyderco's Endura/Delica/Native fall into the "Best Buy" category in the knife world.
- Regards
.
I don't fit the "Spyderco fan" part, but I can provide an example of this for
you. Years ago, Specialized Bicycles let other companies that they were in
direct competition with use their patented "Horst Link", which is an integral
part of most of the better rear suspension designs.
I don't fit the "Spyderco fan" part, but I can provide an example of this for
you. Years ago, Specialized Bicycles let other companies that they were in
direct competition with use their patented "Horst Link", which is an integral
part of most of the better rear suspension designs.
auschip
Member
A patented part is different from a trademark. In your case, it would be like Specialized allowing Giant Mountain bikes to put the Specialized logo on their bikes.
Long story short. A patent protects an idea, a process, a product improvement, or a new invention and gives its holder a market monopoly to the extent that the patent is defended by the holder.
A trademark is trade dress protection. A trademark can only protect a mark or other signifier whose sole presence on or around a product is to impart consumer information. A trademark cannot, by the terms of its issuance, protect a function. Spyderco apparently hoodwinked the trademark office into thinking the hole was adornment, not an actual feature to aid in the one handed opening of the blade.
It is also notable that until this year, no hole ever appeared on a Spyderco fixed blade anywhere other than as a lanyard attachment. The idea of a hole in a fixed blade when that hole has no dedicated function is rather ludicrous, but they appear now to protect the spurious trademark. Spyderco's real trademark is their short legged spider figure, analogous to Benchmade's butterfly.
Ever see the Swoosh on a pair of Adidas?
The Golden Arches over a Burger King?
The Mercedes Tri-star on a Kia?
Colt's Rampant Pony on a Springfield?
Thought so. No one out there licenses their trade dress to direct competitors, though many do to co-branders of complimentary merchandise. Spyderco's hole is out of patent and I very much doubt Spyderco could do anything to anyone using it wholesale on folding knives. Few people I know want a gratuitous hole in their fixed blade knife, so I doubt we'll see that copied.
A trademark is trade dress protection. A trademark can only protect a mark or other signifier whose sole presence on or around a product is to impart consumer information. A trademark cannot, by the terms of its issuance, protect a function. Spyderco apparently hoodwinked the trademark office into thinking the hole was adornment, not an actual feature to aid in the one handed opening of the blade.
It is also notable that until this year, no hole ever appeared on a Spyderco fixed blade anywhere other than as a lanyard attachment. The idea of a hole in a fixed blade when that hole has no dedicated function is rather ludicrous, but they appear now to protect the spurious trademark. Spyderco's real trademark is their short legged spider figure, analogous to Benchmade's butterfly.
Ever see the Swoosh on a pair of Adidas?
The Golden Arches over a Burger King?
The Mercedes Tri-star on a Kia?
Colt's Rampant Pony on a Springfield?
Thought so. No one out there licenses their trade dress to direct competitors, though many do to co-branders of complimentary merchandise. Spyderco's hole is out of patent and I very much doubt Spyderco could do anything to anyone using it wholesale on folding knives. Few people I know want a gratuitous hole in their fixed blade knife, so I doubt we'll see that copied.
I've read and heard the term "Spyderco's "trademark" hole..." for years. That's certainly a misapplication of the term like "trademark special sauce" or "trademark eyebrows and cigar", but may provide and explanation for the trademarking of a hole.
Eleven Mike
Member
Why does anyone want the stupid hole, anyway? Why not just use a stud? A disk?
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