Knife to meet you,
In the essence of variety, I’m switching gears over to tools for today’s review. What tool is more every-day-essential than a pocket knife? I had never really carried a knife for most of my life. Since I’ve been 5, I have either been a student or a teacher, so its not like my day-to-day even allowed me to have one. Over the years, I’ve picked up a ton of knives from trips or swap meets, but never one that was worth carrying daily.
This drive to find a daily knife all started when my good friend gave me a Kershaw Shuffle as a groomsman gift. I used it for everything, but the liner lock hurt my fat thumb sometimes and I wanted something bigger (it still lives in my car though). So like the rabbit hole that led me to get Goose, my 4Runner, YouTube of course came in clutch to suggest knife channels for my perusal.
Through all of my video research, I was dead set on what I was getting… a Spyderco Endura. It has their “FRN” grip which seemed really thin and easy to carry. The blade featured their signature “round hole” and man am I all about quirky brands. I almost ordered one online; however, they were out of the color combination I wanted. So naturally, I took my girlfriend to Sportsman’s Warehouse before the Festa (Portuguese Celebration) to test drive some steel.
Of course they had one. I think it was even like a darker blue or purple. It looked perfect. But that’s where it ended. The grip, with its molded finger contours, just didn’t find a good home in my chubby fingers. It had a back lock on it, like your dad’s old pocket knife. Yea, that old one he kept in the tackle box or didn’t use because it had an old west diorama in the handle. It wasn’t something I was comfortable to use daily, but something else caught my eye.
It was a spicy orange Griptillian with black hardware but the polished blade. The perfect setup! The friend who got me the Shuffle had a CZ that his wife got him and was worried about scratching the black-camoesque blade coating when we were camping, so I wanted a satin blade to really thrash. It also featured the common Benchmade Axis Lock, which is probably my now preferred locking mechanism. It fit my hand like it was made for me personally. I suddenly became the guy to carry a knife every day (until school started up again of course).
The meat and potatoes
The Handle-
With the name “Griptillian,” this knife conjures an image of a scaly alligator. The actual knife isn’t terribly far off. I mean, I’ve never touched an alligator, but I assume they’re at least as textured and grippy as this knife. I can sling this guy like its glued to my hand. Someone with smaller hands (or pant pockets) might find the grip a little on the thick end, but then there’s always the Benchmade Bugout like I got for my girlfriend (pretty similar, but much thinner and with more a rectangular grip). The fiery neon orange nylon handle is contoured with small diamond shaped hills and thin ridges to ensure that this knife stays firm in your hands, no matter how you grip it. If the lady at the beginning of Cliffhanger had a hand coated in this material, that movie would have played out a lot different.
The Blade-
The blade is about 3 1/2 inches of S30V steel. I was particular about my steel before but this really seems to be a great all-rounder in terms of edge retention and strength. It has a drop point tip, which is my preferred shape and probably the best for most folk. I haven’t had to sharpen it after 2 or so years of tasks ranging from opening boxes to cutting drywall tape to camping. I mean a professional might say it needs a good once-over (or whatever professionals say), but you’re probably not here for a professional’s opinion. From one dude to another, this little guy will cut as good as you will ever need it to. It will probably cut just as good for your kids too. One day I’m sure the blade will need a bit of upkeep, but this is definitely a blade worth crossing that bridge with.
The Other Bits-
The knife originally came with a regular clip, but I ordered a deep carry clip from Benchmade. That is really a personal preference but since my shorts now have oddly shaped pockets, the regular clip might have fit a touch better for summer attire. The axis lock toggle is a metal nib (which is muuuuuuuch better feeling than the plastic axis lock switch on my later Spyderco Manix 2) that I never foresee having an issue with.
The Final Verdict
If you want a knife that will last forever that can cut literally anything you point it at, you want a Benchmade Griptillian. Now of course I mentioned the grip being a little fat, so you could always opt for a Mini Griptillian or Bugout/Bailout and still get that amazing construction and feel in the hand. The knife was just north of $100. Of course you can get through life without ever touching a knife that costs that much, but there is just such a leap in quality from the knives I’ve accrued over the years from various pawn shops or swap meets. If you want a knife you can put through the ringer, you want a Benchmade.
Goose Reviews Everything 