Benchmade - Osborne 940 EDC Knife with Black Carbon Fiber Handle (940-1)

.....10-2-13...the review below was written over a year ago and i just want to add an update. i like my knives for many reasons, i like this knife for most of them. after a year it's become my daily carry knife and i think will stay that way until something new comes out to replace it, i can't imagine it now, but who knows? when i'm in the woods or just doing something that i know will require a larger/stronger blade, i take the bigger blade along with the 940. it's just become a part of my daily living. knife people know what i mean, when you find that special blade you stick with it.i purchased a chris reeve small sebenza about 6 months ago and while it's a work of art and solid utility knife at the same time, i like the 940 better as a carry knife. i have 8 benchmades now and they are the cream of the american made pocket knife industry in my opinion. if you can do better for under $200.00 i don't know how. i'm getting another one soon and just storing it until the day i can't find this one or it gets ripped off. i like it that much. i could have bought three 940's for what i paid for the sebenza......ok, end of the update...enjoy what you carry...isn't that what you do when you take a medicine that's good for you but tastes icky? that's how i bought this osborne 940, knowing it was a 'benchmade' but not loving the looks of it - on paper anyway. i still would be happier with a black or at least darker handle but that's all water under the bridge now. others that have seen and handled this knife love the dynamics and looks of the thing, i'm getting there. it's like scotch, it's an acquired taste, but once you "get it" there's nothing else quite like it. the 940 strikes me that way.(without the hangover)i own quite a few 'benchmade' folders and consider them the best in my collection of 60 or so folders. nothing too expensive but quite a few over the $100.00 mark. after owning this model i doubt i'll carry anything else as an e.d.c. blade. i have a griptillian i carry in the woods and when i know a tough job is in store for me, and a mini grip in my truck, but for daily use i can't think of a knife i own that i'd trade for this beauty. i live in a part of the country (northern mn) where carrying or pulling one out in public to do a chore is not considered anything to be concerned about by the general public. i could, carry the grip and use it for daily carry but it's wide and bulky, the 940 has all the utility of the grip without the feeling you're carrying a hunting knife with you all day. it came razor sharp and after a couple of weeks of using it for household/yard tasks has stayed that way without even a stropping. it's so light and narrow that you really forget you're carrying it. don't let that lightness fool you though, this is a tough tool.i've read many reviews about the pivot screw coming loose or being too tight. i really think 'benchmade' ships them this way so the owner can set the tightness and apply a drop of 'lock tight' to set it to their individual needs. if they came already tightened to some factory spec. and pre-glued, i'll bet there would be more complaints of not being able to adjust the tightness to the owners desire. it took me a minute to do this as well as lock tight the clip screws. it almost opens on it's own when held down and closes just as fast. the 'axis' system is the best out there and with a little care and lubricant, will last a long time.i know i've been all over the place in this review but my main point (no pun) was to look beyond the photo color and reverse tanto design (i prefer a drop point but this works very well) and buy this knife before it's out of production. it will be some day, and you'll have missed out on one of the best, non-custom folders out there for a great price.

UPDATE 2/26/15 -6 months in this knife is still amazing. The wierd powder coating has been gone for so long that I forgot about it until I read my old review. It only had one issue in 6 months and that was an easy fix - the pocket clip bent (I have no idea how) and I had to take it off and bend it back in place then put it back on, which took all of 75 seconds. The steel is super thick on the clip, so I am going to assume it bent because of something I did, nothing to do with the knife's design.This knife is my new thumb, figurativly of course. I use it for EVERYTHING. I use to to pry, I use it to screw (bad idea, but possible...), I use it to cut, I use it to stab holes in plastic buckets, I use it to reach things that fell in a tight space, I use it to cut fruit, I use it to slice cheese, I use it to ANYTHING. Anything you need either a knife or a small piece of perfectly shaped matal for a second of leverage, this knife covers it.I forgot it in my other pair of pants once and made it 10 minutes towards work before I realized. I turned around to get it. I'd rather be late than be on time without this knife. It fits my hand like a glove.I know I sound crazy, but this might be the pefect knife at this point. I have owned a few knives in my day, but this one is the best by far.---------Christ, what can I say about this knife that hasnt already been said?This knife lives up to the hype.The Axis lock system is brilliant, makes opening the knife smooth and quicker than any assisted oepning knife.The steel is as good as most upper-midrange kitchen knifes. The steel chosen will hold an edge for a good long time, get ridiculously sharp and still be able to be used as the tool that it is.The blade shape is very aesthetically pleasing while still being very useful as a tool. Great cutting edge length.The handle took a day or two to get used to - or the coating wore off a little. Out of the box it felt a little like holding sandpaper which wasn't unpleasant. Within a day of going in and out of my pocket it was perfect.