A few years back Benchmade dropped, the Proper.
I missed out on it like I do a lot of things.
And on it’s surface it’s a pretty good looking take on a classic slip joint.
At this point in time I hadn’t gone full GEC- of course presently now that we’re
in the future, like an idiot I have about 25 of those knives.
Great for taking up space above my desk, looking at between refilling the bird feeder on the
back porch, and counting forum posts of new members making sure they are allowed to buy
a forum knife.
But if I had bought the Proper a few years back before I joined the brimmed ones, this
review might have turned out different.
This was donated to the channel by a generous subscriber not named Benchmade.
They don’t talk to me anymore anyway, since they sent me the Mini Griptilian.
So the question is?
Is it a proper surprise or a proper disappointment?
Let’s find out.
Ha ha.
We have fun.
Anyway let’s look at the dimensions before we go any further.
Kind of a cute little bugger.
A gentlemens knife as they say.
I don’t know who “they” is though.
Just that “they” always have an opinion.
First up the blade.
Benchmade likes s30V in their knives and I like that they like it.
It’s been the standard steel for spyderco and benchmade for years.
You can find some 154cm in a few less expensive Benchmade knives, but s30V is generally the
base steel in their knives over $100.
I have no real problem with it.
Benchmade despite having uneven grinds from the factory regularly, usually have a decent
edge for maintaining on the idiot proof sharp maker.
So about 20 degree per side, should sharpen up in a few minutes without a re profile-
that’s my experience with Benchmades though -easy to touch up.
The proper here is the 318, or the clip point, but they used to have the 319 sheepsfoot,
but I guess they discontinued it.
I think overall I prefer a clip point because
it’s has a tip friendlier to piercing then a sheepsfoot, and I’m not a shepherd.
Now before I bought this knife Euegene Kwon and I had talked about it, you remember him
from Dashboard reviews- and he said in as much words that it sucked.
I didn’t believe him at the time.
He didn’t like the design, and just said overall it was underwhelming.
Well he was mostly right.
I responded well to the looks, but overall where I think it sucks is the backspring.
It is just mushy, has kinda of a wishy washing springiness.
It’s not a light pull knife, but it’s like Benchmade had never held a good crisp
slipjoint.
When looking at the backspring and the liners when open or gloss there also isn’t a glasslike
smooth surface that can be found on almost any GEC.
Like say this $60 sodbuster.
Now not all slipjopints need to do this… like the CK01 that goes for the chamfered
rounded look, so there’s a nice separation or the Falcon, same.
But the Proper isn’t doing that and it looks a little sloppy and uneven.
If the proper were from a new company, or it was priced more reasonably, it might be
forgivable.
The plus side is the handle is smooth and comfortable.
I like the micarta, and you can take it apart.
Which I had done to try and make it better, but in the end it did nothing and wasted my
time.
The Proper is a clipless knife, but let’s look at some comparisons.
First the Proper, I have a few other modern slip joints, and this is my least favorite
of a more modern interpretation.
If Benchmade could make a nice crisp backspring and marry the liners, covers or backsrpings
that’d be great.
Now if you think I’ve been a little hard on a screwed together construction’s top
o handle flushness, the Serge slip joints here back me up.
Look at the handle top, everything looks smooth.
These are very well done and also another great example of a modern slip joint with
great fit and finishing and a snappy backspring.
These are a little more expensive they use the M390 and titanium scales and run about
$150 or maybe slightly less.
The Falcon here is a great example of a modern interpretation.
It’s got a nice pull and a crisp talk.
Sure the looks may not be for everyone, but it’s a good knife- it feels like a good
slip joint.
Or say the Madison Barlow Northwoods made by GEC here.
A beautifully executed knife.
Objectively this is a great looking knife.
If you don’t think so, you have terrible taste and shouldn’t be listened to.
It’s reasonably thin and feels great in the hand.
Carbon steel is a more traditional choice, and I like the way it ages over a stainless
modern steel like s30v or M390.
Now the Lionsteel CK01.
Also a nice looking knife, some people hate the screws.
All they can see are the screws, but I don’t mind them, although a pinned construction
like on the Madison Barlow is cleaner.
Good crisp backspacing, modern materials but keeping a classically inspired design.
Let’s wrap it up.
The Proper is just Ok.
It’s not terrible, but it’s popular when I think it’s just because it’s Benchmade’s
lone traditional style knife in a few years.
Benchmade would do well to tear down a good slipjpoint, see how it works and improve the
walk and talk and the flushness of the backspring to the liners.
On the other hand GECs are just as impossible to get as ever and you need to follow the
Blade Forums and their social media to even attempt to get them.
I mean it’s possible if you really want one, but it takes some effort.
Anyway if you like this sort of video think about becoming a patron, like these swell
folks.
Thanks to the dude who sent this my way.
Sometimes it’s good to be disappointed in a knife.
It builds character.
Like, subscribe comment, or even buy a t-shirt or sticker from teasing, also found below
the video.
Anyway thanks for watching!