Creating a list of the best Benchmade knives isn’t easy. Benchmade has such a wide selection of top-notch cutlery, and all of it is purpose-built for something. You can bet your life on any Benchmade knife, but I did my best to find the best of the best for this article. The knives below have made especially big waves in their respective categories and become favorites of hobbyists and professionals worldwide.
So, without further ado, here are the best Benchmade knives!
Best Benchmade Knife – 940 Osborne
For almost two decades, the Benchmade 940 has dazzled knife users the world over because it’s just so dang versatile. It’s small and slim enough to slip into EDC roles, but robust enough for long days of hard work. It was designed by Warren Osborne as the perfect knife for ranchers, but it’s good for so much more. We’ve seen everyone from survivalists to cops to programmers carrying the 940, and they all love it!
Best Benchmade EDC Knife – Bugout
The Bugout isn’t just a great EDC knife – it single-handedly revolutionized the concept of an EDC knife. It packed a premium blade steel, a strong and ambidextrous lock, and a tasteful design all into less than two ounces. All that combined with Benchmade’s warranty makes this one of the best EDC knives you can get at any price. As you might imagine, lots of other knife companies have come out with an ultra-light-3-inch-drop-point-crossbar-lock folder in search of a piece of the Bugout pie, but in our opinion, the original is still the king!
Best Benchmade Outdoor Knife – Freek
For hikers and campers, it’s difficult to beat the Freek. It shares many characteristics with EDC knives, but it’s a bit bigger and beefier, and it uses a CPM M4 blade steel. That steel is popular in outdoor knives for its incredible toughness and edge retention, but it is susceptible to rust. Benchmade gave it a Cerakote finish for protection, so you get the best of both worlds! The Freek is light enough to not weigh you down on a long hike, but strong enough for harder camp tasks. We love the Freek!
Best Benchmade Hunting Knife – Meatcrafter
The purpose of a hunting knife is to convert your fresh kill into either edible meat or a mountable trophy. For this job, not just any knife will do. The Benchmade Meatcrafter takes the job very seriously. Its blade is thin and flexy like a filet knife, and features Benchmade’s SelectEdge, an extremely thin 28°-inclusive edge for effortless slicing. In the hand, it almost feels like it belongs in the kitchen, but its kydex sheath and rubberized handle allow you to carry it and use it in the field. It’s a perfect addition to any hunting loadout!
Best Benchmade Tactical Knife – Adamas
When military and police personnel need a knife, it’s for everything from utility cuts to extrication and combat. That’s where the Adamas comes in. This beast of a folder has a heavy, overbuilt handle and a tough CPM CruWear blade. These features give you a bomb-proof knife capable of anything you can dish it that fits right in your pocket!
If you like the Adamas, you should also check out the Adamas Mini, Automatic, Mini Automatic, and Fixed Blade variants!
Best Benchmade Fixed Blade – Bushcrafter
Bushcraft is about using quality tools to make the most of your surroundings, and for that job, I’d happily pick the Benchmade Bushcrafter. This knife was re-designed this year to be more faithful to the Shane Sibert custom, and it’s better than ever. Its thick, contoured handle is comfortable for long carving sessions, its S30V blade has superior edge retention to many common fixed blade steels, and its leather sheath holds the knife securely when not in use. They did a great job with this one!
Best Benchmade Folding Knife – Narrows
If you’re after the finest Benchmade knife, no holds barred, you’re looking for the Narrows. I’ve held the Narrows many times, and every single time I do, I’m surprised by how thin it is. I don’t know how Benchmade managed to pack an entire AXIS Lock mechanism in to such a thin piece of titanium, but they did! And it doesn’t stop there, it has a Bohler M390 blade and Benchmade’s Mini Deep Carry pocket clip. Often, high-end knives are big, loud, and call attention to themselves. Not the Narrows – it’s as low-key as you want a knife to be, but as premium as any knife I’ve ever held!
Best Benchmade Automatic Knife – Claymore
Benchmade has built a reputation for maximum strength with minimum weight, and the Claymore is one of the best examples. Its blade is made of CPM D2. I know D2 is a steel we’ve seen for decades, but CPM D2 takes the formula to a whole new level. Thanks to its finer grain structure, it’s much tougher and offers more edge retention. The Claymore’s handle saves weight by trading the traditional solid aluminum handle for FRN scales, which are much lighter than aluminum, over steel liners, which are much stronger than aluminum. The result is a battle-ready auto with a total weight of only 3.87 ounces.
Best Benchmade OTF – Shootout
All OTF’s have a rail system, and that system must be bedded. Most OTF’s, and many Benchmade OTF’s, do this by bedding in solid aluminum. This makes a great knife, but it’s heavy and expensive. The Shootout made waves with its revolutionary build, using a carbon fiber reinforced nylon called CF Elite for the handle. Through some clever engineering, Benchmade bedded the rail system in the CF Elite, giving you an OTF that’s much lighter, and much cheaper, than most alternatives. And I don’t know if it’s “stronger” or not, but I can tell you this: I have seen a Shootout run over by a truck with my own eyes, and it still functions perfectly. Is that strong enough for you?
Best Benchmade Bali-Song – Necron
Even though they have become more focused on other knives, make no mistake. Benchmade created the modern Balisong market. In fact, many discontinued Benchmade Bali-Songs are hot collector’s items now. But in 2024, the new Necron is the Bali-Song we’ve been waiting for. It takes Benchmade back to its roots of butterfly knives for self defense. To that end, it has a user-customizable adjustable weight system and Benchmade’s scary-sharp SelectEdge. The Necron has a few other tricks up its sleeve, you should check it out if you want to learn more!
Are Benchmade Knives the best?
Benchmade knives are absolutely some of the best. One of my favorite things about Benchmade is their blatant rejection of planned obsolescence. They’re not like a phone that’s designed to break after five years, a lightbulb that’s meant to burn out, or a graphics card that won’t fit into next year’s computer. Benchmade knives are purpose built and backed by a great warranty. If you buy a Benchmade, rest assured that it will be Yours, for Life.
