My long term review of the Benchmade Bushcrafter. A great quality piece, but is severely let down in the ergonomics department... too uncomfortable for bushcraft, therefore I cannot recommend it.
Forget that. Benchmade is the better knife, you just have to be a man to love it, on top of everything this is the navy seal E.O.D. version of the bushcrafter and not the original. "Haters gonna hate, and ainters gonna aint" can't please everyone.
Both versions have the same exact handle configuration, steel, and blade, sir. I can also see what your unedited comment said in my notifications. Also, let me remind you of something, you have to be a man, to not get triggered by other people’s opinions about a knife on RU-vid. God bless.
@@prestonscott5367 HAHA 😄 thats awesome. And im not triggered like a sensitive sally, just having my opinion shared. Sir. And maybe the fact that i rewrote my comment proves to show im not being "triggered" and as impulsively irritable as you assume. 👍🏼
I realize the review is 4yrs old, but i just thank you for posting your no bs view on the knife. Im considering it as a camp knife and was glad to see flaws mentioned instead of nothing but the good points. Sorry to see you channel didn't take off. Mike
I own this knive for 4 years now. With all my esee‘s, crkt‘s, cold steel‘s and victorinox‘s. The benchmade 162 is by far the best knive I have. You know, with knives it is like with anything else; it’s just a matter of taste:)
I just ordered this knife, only a few left since their not making it anymore. I have an ESEE 3 and it rusted so fast, and the blade dulls really quick. I’m really hoping this is gonna be the bush crafting knife I’ve been looking for. I swear the ESEE got dull just cutting food.
Great video, and you went deep than many on this knife. The points are valuable and practical when you handle it in a long trip in the the woods. About the EOD, there is no sign was adopted by the military. Usually it would have a logo or badge on knife or some kinda certifications. It might be designed for the EOD, but the point is did the EDO use it? There is a guy on youtube mentioned the same thing about the 162 EOD version. I also see the point that we confirm Benchmade has the craft and quality, but this one has some space to optimize on the design and the purpose. People say great knife or the best, but some time we mess up the difference between the quality and the design. I am wondering if file the handle or do the re grinding would make you love it?
Yeah I prefer that other knife and sheath hands down. I like simple. I make all my sheaths where the knife just slides in deep, no snaps and it makes for a nice ride height. You should just start doing your own leather work. I'd take a sander to that handle.
Yeah, the bark river is definitely worth the investment... the hand ground convex blade, hand ground and contoured handle, and hand made sheath, cannot be beat by a benchmade, which is done by machines.
Great review! I just picked up a used one for $100. I haven’t used it yet but I can see what you mean about the handle ergos. I do have XL hands so hopefully it will be better then your experience.
Valid points when I listen to your deliberations. I've had mine for about a year and a half now and I'm happy with it so far. Maybe I just haven't used it intensively enough to pick up on the negatives. Does pretty good skinning as far as my limited experience allows me to judge. A decent all rounder, but yeah. Not really a very nimble blade.
Man invented sand paper. You can sit and sand the handle to what you want. You also represented the wrong sheath. That sheath was for a 162. But, the knife you used in it is the 162-1. I have both. If I ever come across another 162-1 I will buy it. Reason being its a discontinued knife. You can still get the 162. My 162-1 Is not what you think. I acid dipped it, jimped it, sanded it and using RIT dye I turned the handle black. My 162-2 sheath I used a Ranger band on it to hold my fire rod. Then a small plastic yet strong horizontal to horizontal kind of D ring. Connected to a what is intended to be a key holder on a belt loop that is the right length. It has my blood type embroidered into it. I was military. When you get equipment study it, learn it, then improve it. I don't own a knife I have not modified in some way. Attention to detail, head on a swivel, ready for the worst.
It’s a little less popular, but should still be around online... came with a kydex sheath originally, but I got the leather one instead. Thanks for watching!
@@prestonscott5367 i just picked up the one that comes with the leather sheath and has the black handle was just wondering if they improved anything on it. No problem man great review
I really like the Bushcrafter the handle is an easy fix and the choil only takes a few minutes time. Its actually an acquired design BUT the price is IMHO way to high....The Battle Horse Feather stick is around the same price and its an amazing design for comfort and performance. There are way to many better knives in that price range that don't need help to be comfortable.😉
Thanks for all the info! I heard of BHK from Dave Canterbury... they look good. But, I prefer Cru-wear. I just reviewed my BRK Aurora, I like it way more...
It is a very well balanced knife... and I’m very glad the handle is working for you man, some people love it, and I hoped soo much I would be one of those people... but it’s still a solid knife, and a great Bushcrafter
Bark river Aurora in Cru-wear. But I was just gifted a Bark River Bushcrafter in 3V... lots of videos coming really soon on those. Also would you mind subbing and hanging around?
So I’ve watched this video twice to make sure I didn’t misunderstand your reasoning for your opinions. You definitely seem like a smart person who unfortunately made an impulse buy and regret it. This knife is my EDC and I use it daily. The handle is just fine with my small hands and never have a problem cleaning it. I ride a motorcycle only and never have once had it unsnap or any issues with the sheath. If you’re not using ferro rods why are you buy bark river knives with ferro rod loops on them too? This is not coming from a place of hostility I just have to state that I don’t understand what you might be doing with this knife that makes you dislike it so much. I’m going to sub to your channel and hit the notifications for your videos because I do believe you’re intelligent and share an interest in knives. I just don’t agree with you on this video. Do you have a video where you use this knife?
Hey man, thanks for the comment. Been a few years now since this one. Makes a great truck knife, or even edc. It’s comfortable for me after a more prolonged use (for example carving something intricate) it was a gift, from my family. But I did want it up until it was given to me. I found the leather sheath more attractive to be honest. The kydex also would get little bits of stuff or grit inside of it with the knife and put bad horizontal scratches on the blade. I used it in my old videos from 3 or so years ago. It would come unsnapped walking through the woods, because the “woods” here and texas are cedar trees which brush against you a lot. I still use ferro rods to this day, but I don’t care so put on my knife sheath, I leave em in my fire kit. My current Outdoor knife is a modified BRK Bushcrafter. No loop on that sheath. And sometimes, it’s just that the model of knife comes with a sheath with a ferro rod loop, or I cannot get a certain sheath design without a ferro rod loop on it. Most all this video is just in the past tense man but Thanks for your respectful approach man in your comment. You might not want to subscribe my friend, I don’t plan on making much more content on this channel, I’ve grown a lot and opinions have changed on many things, and I’ve since started going out for real trips to practice Woodsman skills and it’s refined what I’d post. You can subscribe to that channel, as Some point in the future I plan on starting again with the RU-vid. This channel has been dead for a year or so as I’ve been working through many family and personal struggles. Coming out of all that soon. And I want to make new content on that other channel soon👍
I also have this knife. It is an exceptional knife. Have used it for just as long. Experience will teach you how to sharpen kife With this knife just stropping it upon itial purchase. The steel is great! The handle works great and it's a user preference about the handle. If it is not comfortable wrap it. The handle has worked great for me. Once again your personal preference should not impede another from purchasing this knife I got mine for $100.00 out the door. Excellent knife. Nothing is bad about the knife. Your preference remember that. Some have tough hands. When I pick up this knife. I use it for hours. Not 20-40 minutes. Did you wet mold your sheath? I hate to say it but I have to question your experience level as it does not match up at all with my experience with using this knife. But I am 50 years old so I have a few years on my side and one lesson I learned when all our tools were not ergonomic at all make the tool work for you. Not vice versa. Godbless and revisit this knife in a year or two
I still use it all the time, and make it do what I want it to just as you said. I actually have use it for 3 hours on end with many different projects. The ergos are better than many other knives out there. This review is most definitely biased to something in particular.... the fact that I’m not looking for a tool that’s just good enough, or works well, but one that’s a pleasure for me to use. My experience level vs. yours, is a silly thing to question when we talk of personal experiences with a tool. How it feels in my hand, is completely different to how it feels in yours, and that’s understandable. We have different hands... you’ve got 33 more years than I do under your belt, so I’m aware of the difference age makes. You make disrespectful accusations based on little information, I don’t know if you meant to or not though... I could just as easily question your experience based on your comment, and say you haven’t put it through it’s paces like I have, otherwise you would have noticed this knife’s downfalls. But that would be disrespectful to you, and I know nothing of your background with the knife. I trust that you love it, and that it’s a good knife for you. But I wouldn’t recommend it because I don’t want someone to buy one, and possibly end up feeling how I felt about it... I used to think it was really great ergonomically, but the bark river Aurora showed me something much more comfortable, And what I once thought was great, started to feel bad... I was willing to spend more on the bark river, because the handle is better, and the convex grind cuts wood better, and the steel, is better, and personally, I think the design is better. But none of it really matters anyway eh? Whatever works for you sir, I hope you continue to love the knife, and that it serves you well for years to come God bless
Still, after using a Bark River Aurora for as long as I have, I just can’t recommend the benchmade. Glad you sanded them edges down to make it more comfortable! Even if the handle was more comfortable to me, I like the convex grinds more (once I break them in, and tune them to my preference by hand sharpening..)
very true im questioning the same thing dbk boys vatonned through a frying pan with no micro chips or rolls mine has never seen a chip the handle is amazing the sheath they have two options that should have been stated get the kydex and not considering a bush knife cmon and getting your blade dirty is super easy to clean try a bk2 or a rat 7 the have ruff coated finishes and I can clean mine np tbh looks more like you don't like the knife at all lol
Well you’re criticizing it like it’s a 600 dollar knife . It’s a cheap knife man . Cut some slack . lol JK buy a Swiss tech flipper and fixed blade and forget about it
