Benchmade's Griptilian: 21st Century Classic

When considering whether or not a modern knife has achieved "classic" status, there are many contenders. We could have a healthy debate about which (if any) belong in the pockets of Everyman. In our opinion, however, one knife rises above the rest: the Benchmade 551 Griptilian.

Introduced in 2001, the Benchmade Griptilians have brought a synergy of materials, design and technology to a world in need of innovation. It filled a familiar niche -- "big folder" -- but it did so in a refreshing new way.

When picking up a "Grip" for the first time, the most common reaction is, "That's really light." If you're accustomed to the weight of traditional folders, you may be surprised that a full-size folder weighs half as much as an old brass-and-wood design. Benchmade uses synthetic materials (Noryl GTX or Grivory, depending on color) for the Griptilian's handles, backed by stainless-steel liners, to make the knife lighter without compromising strength.

(Let's pause here to get something out of the way: We realize that some folks will never believe that a knife as light as a Benchmade Griptilian is as durable as a more traditional design. Heavy is better. Steel is stronger than "plastic." Take it from us -- we've worked the heck out of our Griptilians, and we've yet to break one. If you don't believe that, we simply can't help you.)

Benchmade calls the Griptilian's 3.45-inch blade a "modified drop-point" pattern -- it's saber-ground, strong and very versatile. It's deployed via ambidextrous thumb studs. The steel is 154CM stainless, regarded as an all-around excellent knife steel, a good balance of corrosion resistance, edge retention and toughness.

The Griptilian plants its flag firmly in the 21st Century with its patented AXIS lock. We know of no other mechanism that's as strong or as easy to use. (And just so you know, the AXIS also makes the Griptilian "flickable." No kidding, it's really cool.)

Once in the hand, the Griptilian offers serious, well, grip. A palm swell, along with the handle's texture and contours, inspires confidence. And to complete the knife's friendly ergonomics, the Griptilian's balance is smack-dab on the first finger -- and that's very rare, in our view, for a production folder.

Rounding out the Griptilian package is a reversible pocket clip (tip-up, and right- or left-handed) -- no belt sheath necessary.

So far we've been talking about the 551 Griptilian, a knife we consider a modern classic. But suppose you're not a huge fan of thumb studs. Maybe you're just not thrilled with drop-point blades. Or maybe you like the concept of the Griptilian, but you like a smaller knife.

No worries -- the Griptilian family includes thumb-hole designs as well as studs, plus sheepsfoot and tanto blades, plain or combo. And all of Benchmade's full-size Grips are available in "Mini" versions, roughly 15% smaller than the full-size models.

In fact, we could make a strong case that the Benchmade 556 Mini-Griptilian, which is the smaller version of the 551 Griptilian we've been talking about, is the perfect everyday-carry locking folder. We've worked our 556 Grip pretty hard -- in the garage and in the office, from the woods to the garden -- and it's never complained.

Griptilians have become popular because they're well-designed, well-made and quite affordable. They have all of the attributes and quality to justify their place among iconic knives.

We like the 551 Griptilian and, for EDC, the down-sized 556. You may favor one of the other Grips. That's fine, of course. But whichever you prefer, don't pass up a chance to pick up one of these modern classics.

You can find other Benchmade Knives on our website.

You can contact Benchmade directly here.