Benchmade Knives: 485-171 Valet - Gold Class - Anodized Titanium - Damasteel

This knife is simply amazing. The workmanship, and the quality are on par with what you'd expect from a gold class knife. The damasteel blade is stunning and the pattern is very intricate. The anodizing job is also excellent, mine has a natural blue tone but if I look at it right it turns purple, though it is blue/violet most of the time. I've only had the knife a short while but I can really appreciate all the small details, the titanium thumbstuds and the DLC coated liners, and the damasteel backspacer all pull the knife together. I fully plan on carrying this work of art and appreciating her for the purpose she was made, I won't let her sit in a safe I want to show her off and I really feel like I can. The action is nice and smooth, and I don't know how she could be any better. If you're on the fence, pull the trigger! When they're gone they're gone and they're at an amazing price right now. Don't regret not getting one later on!

Being a Gold Class edition of the Valet, this one goes all the way on materials, finishes, and mostly on workmanship. The titanium is bead blasted and then anodized giving you a color shift from different viewing angles due to the light diffraction through the clear oxide (titanium anodizing does not use dyes). And the milling on the scales is excellent giving you a very good grip on this little gem. It's not readily noticeable but the back spacer is Damascus, and I assume it is Damasteel but maybe not the hardened version used for the blade. And the Ladder pattern in the blade is awesome. Of all the Damascus blades I have this one has unique patterns and it took me about 5 days to finally visualize the ladder. I did say "mostly" on Benchmade's workmanship and that is because the blade on mine, number 371, is reasonably off-center towards the non-clip side. It's not touching the black DLC stainless liner, but close. I may try to center it at some time but for a seven hundred MSRP knife Benchmade should make certain the final assembly is flawless. This will be a carry knife and certainly one I will show off when appropriate. Kudos to KSF for excellent sales service shipping it out from Escanaba at warp speed.