Benchmade Griptilian Family

A great quality blade with a unique and fun locking mechanism. The only downside are the handles. Everything else about this knife is fantastic.

The Benchmade Griptillian is a fantastic knife. The blade steel is amazing. It comes with a great edge and holds that edge very well. The blade is large and performs well in various EDC and outdoor tasks. Its size makes it great for whittling wood.

The axis lock is not only fun to play with, but is also reliable. It holds the blade fast in its place. There is no play in the blade or pivot.

The handle has a lot of jimping on the top, which I guess gives the “grip” in griptillian. However, the sides of the handle is very jimpy as well. I see how it gives you a better grip on the knife, but the odd texture of the handle is sometimes uncomfortable and even painful in my hand when I am using the knife.

The pocket clip is great. It is not deep carry, but I am okay with that. It’s a pocket clip that does its job. I will say that with the handle, because it is made from that plastic material, it takes away some weight from the knife making it a great option for hiking or backpacking.

Background

Four months. Positive experience.

I carry two of these knives for everyday carry. I find that they are light but robust, the blade has a very thick spine, with the main edge of the knife not starting until 3/5 of the blade, the tip is also reinforced, with the main thickness of the blade jutting to almost the point where it could not go any longer and still penetrate.

The Axis is a rock solid, lightning fast locking set-up that has been well proven over the years, and it is the same in this knife. You definitely get top notch Made In the USA quality with an affordable price, with a light enough knife that won't pull your pants or shorts down, and you can even forget that you are carrying it.

Only thing that is a problem, espeically for someone like me who wears these knives for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is that after five or more years, the pocket clips came loose on mine, since there are three metal screws going into a polymer, is that the clip will tend to loosen laterly, about 1mm of play both ways. Good thing about it being a Benchmade is the lifetime warranty, and if you send it to them, they will correct the problem.

A somewhat larger version of the Mini-Griptilian (also reviewed by yours truly), big brother here rates just as highly, and for the same reasons.

Benchmade knives are razor-sharp out of the box, and keep an edge very well. (They'll re-sharpen knives for $5 if one is so inclined, as well.) A good multi-purpose drop point lbade design, the knife also boasts the AXXIS locking mechanism, a Benchmade-patented feature, which is worth every penny. Extremely solidly holding the blade in position of use, it's also easily released by one hand, allowing single-hand closure of the blade with only modest dexterity required.

The rubberized zytel handle is very durable, and the checkered grip allows for a very secure hold.

I keep the Griptilian clipped to my pack in an easily accessible spot on a shoulder strap, where it's reached with one hand without difficulty, without releasing belts, straps, etc. or digging in pockets. Got the Griptilian after having fallen in love with the Mini-Griptilian. Cannot recommend a knife more highly.