TimboKhan
Member
I was recently wondering around Big 5 for lack of anything better to do, and l noticed that they had all of their HK Knives on sale for $20 bucks.
I ended up purchasing the assisted opening Unsub model with green G-10 handles and partially serrated blade. From what I can determine, the blade is constructed from 8Cr14Mov.
Aesthetically, its a good looking knife. The titanium coated blade looks sharp with the OD green G-10. It came out of the box centered, and the assisted opening is crisp. The liner lock is functional without being a nightmare to use. The blade itself was shaving sharp, as I would expect from a Benchmade-made knife. On that note, I add that I believe that these are just the dying dregs of the Benchmade HK line. I cant't find anything that indicates that I am wrong about that, but if I am please correct me!
It is unlikely that this knife will overtake my favorites (Blur, Endura), but after having carried it for two weeks and having used it quite a bit in that time, my reactions are positive. The edge has held up OK, but it is not as robust as other knives I own. This is to be expected with 8Cr14Mov, so no big deal. I am not an expert on sharpening, but researching the steel indicates that it sharpens easily, which is the logical trade off you get with less robust edge retention. The clip is good, and this comes from a guy who pops/bends clips on a frequent basis. It carries well, the action is still crisp and it has remained centered.
On the con side, not much there except a personal preference issue: it can only be carried tip down. I prefer tip up. There is no option to change orientation. Its a minor beef, and for some may not be a beef at all.
My final analysis, based upon two weeks of use and paying attention to how it performed, is this: Its a pretty good cheap knife at $35 bucks, and a great cheap knife at $20. Above $50, there are better options in terms of steel, but even at that price (and I did find it for $44 on some sites) it wouldn't be the worst choice. I believe there are better choices at that price, but it wouldn't be a bad choice. It appears to more than be capable of handling average daily use. I would not recommend it for heavy-duty use based upon the steel, but better steel is going to cost more as well. I don't carry knives with self defense in mind specifically, but I do think about it. I prefer my Endura for that given the longer blade, but I certainly think this particular knife would do the job if I needed it to. I have come to deeply like assisted-opening knives, and the fact is some are not as good as others. This one isn't perfect, but it is good. I personally like it enough that I will very likely buy another one if they are available on the next sales rotation at Big 5.
I ended up purchasing the assisted opening Unsub model with green G-10 handles and partially serrated blade. From what I can determine, the blade is constructed from 8Cr14Mov.
Aesthetically, its a good looking knife. The titanium coated blade looks sharp with the OD green G-10. It came out of the box centered, and the assisted opening is crisp. The liner lock is functional without being a nightmare to use. The blade itself was shaving sharp, as I would expect from a Benchmade-made knife. On that note, I add that I believe that these are just the dying dregs of the Benchmade HK line. I cant't find anything that indicates that I am wrong about that, but if I am please correct me!
It is unlikely that this knife will overtake my favorites (Blur, Endura), but after having carried it for two weeks and having used it quite a bit in that time, my reactions are positive. The edge has held up OK, but it is not as robust as other knives I own. This is to be expected with 8Cr14Mov, so no big deal. I am not an expert on sharpening, but researching the steel indicates that it sharpens easily, which is the logical trade off you get with less robust edge retention. The clip is good, and this comes from a guy who pops/bends clips on a frequent basis. It carries well, the action is still crisp and it has remained centered.
On the con side, not much there except a personal preference issue: it can only be carried tip down. I prefer tip up. There is no option to change orientation. Its a minor beef, and for some may not be a beef at all.
My final analysis, based upon two weeks of use and paying attention to how it performed, is this: Its a pretty good cheap knife at $35 bucks, and a great cheap knife at $20. Above $50, there are better options in terms of steel, but even at that price (and I did find it for $44 on some sites) it wouldn't be the worst choice. I believe there are better choices at that price, but it wouldn't be a bad choice. It appears to more than be capable of handling average daily use. I would not recommend it for heavy-duty use based upon the steel, but better steel is going to cost more as well. I don't carry knives with self defense in mind specifically, but I do think about it. I prefer my Endura for that given the longer blade, but I certainly think this particular knife would do the job if I needed it to. I have come to deeply like assisted-opening knives, and the fact is some are not as good as others. This one isn't perfect, but it is good. I personally like it enough that I will very likely buy another one if they are available on the next sales rotation at Big 5.
