Benchmade - Mini Griptilian EDC Knife with CPM-S30V Steel, Drop-Point Blade, Made in the USA

I've had this a few days now. This is my first Benchmade knife and so far it has lived up to all expectations. Fit and finish is superb and the action is glassy smooth. From the factory the tension is just about right to open it with a nudge on the opening stud and a flick of the wrist. The blade locks into place solidly with no movement at all. The Axis lock releases easily with one hand. I read good things about the Axis lock but haven't used the knife enough to comment on them beyond the solid lockup and easy release. The OD green Valox handle feels very dense and hard and I expect it to be durable. The blade is a 2.9" modified drop point with partially serrated edge. Mine is very sharp right out of the box and shaves my forearm hair with no trouble at all. The blade is matte black and looks very good with the green handle. There is a gold Benchmade logo on one side of the blade and the Mel Pardue signature and type of steel, 154CM, on the other. I have read complaints about the jimping on the top and bottom of the knife not being sharp enough. I think it's just about right. You can slide your finger over it easily when applying little pressure but it grips well enough when you apply the kind of pressure you would doing heavy work with the knife. I have large hands and even though my little finger is not on the handle when gripping it for cutting between the jimping and the knurling on the handles it feels very secure. The reversible pocket clip is nice looking and sturdy. Amazon didn't have the best price but it wasn't bad either. I bought from Amazon because delivery is always prompt and I've never had a problem with them. I didn't want to deal with an unknown vendor for a couple of bucks. I'm very happy with the knife and now carry it daily. Anyone looking for a discreet high quality EDC folder should take a look at the Mini-Griptillian. I would definitely recommend this knife.

The Mini-Griptillian is a good EDC knife. It is not as big as the regular/large Griptillian, but that makes it less cumbersome when clipped onto the pant pocket. Sharp out of the box, easy to flick open and the lock mechanism is rock solid. Benchmade quality.

The perfect EDC knife, period. I have owned 3 of these (they tend to grow legs and find new owners..) and I have given 4 as gifts. This knife is truly perfect for the majority of your daily edged tool needs. Everything from double corrugated boxes to deer hide cuts like butter if the blade is kept sharp, and it holds an edge very well! Not too hard or brittle and not nearly soft enough that the cutting edge dulls quickly. It sharpens easily and gets RAZOR sharp. When you take it out the box it is sharp enough to shave with. Benchmade's locking system is top of the line, the perpendicular lock bar combined with the reinforced pivot joint gives you comfort that it will never buckle on your fingers. The two material choices for handles are both great, I have owned both. My next mini-grip will likely be a sheepsfoot with the hole in the blade instead of thumb studs; just to have some variety in the family ;-)I highly recommend the mini-grip for anyone who wants to carry a high quality blade.

Like most guys I have owned dozens of folding knives over the years from just about every major brand you have heard of. After several years of owning the Griptilian Mini it became clear nothing could unseat it as my every day carry knife. It is very well made which is what you get from a $100-ish knife versus a $30 CRKT but is still cheap enough that you don't have to take out a second mortgage if you lose it which tends to happen from time to time with true everyday carry knives. I love the blade deployment options, it fits and works well in the hand, it holds a decent (but not $400 knife great) edge, and best of all IT FITS IN YOUR POCKET like a POCKET knife should. Most guys I know carry the folding version of the Crocodile Dundee knife and now while I like my Zero Tolerance 0350 it is WAY too much knife for 99% of what I use my POCKET knife for every day. Now while the Griptilian Mini can't function as an improvised boat anchor like those larger knives it works great for opening boxes, cutting cordage, and a (Gasp! I'm going to say it because we have all done it) emergency/I'm too lazy to go get a real one impromptu screwdriver.

wonderful, unique blade lock design.smooth action (took a short time to break in).comfortable, non-slip grip.comfortingly legal 2.9" blade length.nice serrations for cutting cord, straps, etc.the locking action was slightly rough when I first got the knife. The blade pivot itself was very smooth with no perceptible looseness. When opening the blade very fast, however, the lock would stick a bit when trying to close the blade, requiring quite a bit of pressure to release. However, this stickiness disappeared after several weeks of light use, as I think some of the rough edges may have worn off a bit. Now it is perfect.As a larger adult male, the knife is slightly small in my hands. However, this makes me more comfortable pulling it out at work to open boxes and slice apples.The paint is starting to scratch off the clip, which I wear on the outside of my jeans pocket (knife inside the pocket.) I think it would be preferable for Benchmade to make the clip with a brushed/bead-blasted metal finish, but mine is headed that direction anyway with a few more years of use :)My previous knife was a Gerber 45860 Air Ranger Serrated Edge Knife, which was slightly larger, and a bit thinner, making it a nice EDC. However, it didn't hold its sharpness all that well, and the all-metal handle wasn't all that comfortable. I have yet to evaluate the edge-retention of the Benchmade, but the better (harder) steel makes me confident it will perform well in that regard. (I'd recommend the Gerber as a cheaper knife for a child or the camp kit; it's easy to clean and lightweight, too)Also, the plastic handle is a little bit rough in its attempt to be extra grippy, but I expect it will age gracefully like ocean-tumbled glass.