Benchmade Throw-Down
Most of us will agree that today’s factory folding knives are
some of the best ever made. You can spend
more, but for the money Benchmade gives you one hell heck of a knife.
Let’s compare two of the newest. To my knowledge, nobody has published an article in the national mags
about them.
Honesty compels me to tell you I own one and the other is
for sale so I can’t cut sheetrock or gut watermelons or do any real physical
testing. But then, how many of us buy a knife
based on the amount of hemp rope it can dice.
If you need chopped hemp, buy a hammer mill and not a knife.
Here’s the main event.
Ladies and gents, in this corner we have Benchmade’s Ball Axis
Flipper. In the other corner we have
Benchmade’s Volli. Okay you two, I want
a clean fight, no punching below the axis lock and break clean when I call it.
 |
| "...wearing the black grips is the Volli and in brown we have the Flipper." |
The Ball Axis Flipper is new to Benchmade. Flipper knives are very popular now. Most open so smooth and cleanly you might
think you have an auto opener. With no
spring to worry about or concerns that a police officer might believe it’s an
auto, you’re ready for action.
I’m on board with that idea.
But really, couldn’t we get a better name other than Ball Axis
Flipper? I’m going to call it the
Flipper. To my knowledge the Ball 300 or Ball Axis is the first Benchmade flipper knife in production. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
The Flipper’s blade is 3 inches of 154CM steel hardened to
RC 58-61. The blade can be described as a
drop point with a shallow swedge and flat saber grind. A series of narrow scallops softens the
handle’s contours and provides friction ridges.
The alternating layers of brown and tan G-10 make a bit of color in what
might be a considered a drab handle.
 |
| Butch Ball's design for Benchmade, the 300 Axis Flipper |
 |
| The Ball 300 has sturdy steel liners, a feature I like. |
Does the blade open smooth?
Yes. Can I flip it open with one
finger only? I needed the tiniest amount
of wrist action to pop it open. You
could argue the one finger opening is a side effect of the blade design. The real purpose of the flipper is to act as
a guard making the knife safer to use.
That’s something to think about if you find yourself having to explain
why you’re carrying this sweetheart. And frankly, what's not to like about Benchmade's axis lock?
 |
| Volli and Ball 300, clip side. Benchmades are typically set up for tip up carry. |
The knife weighs 4.8 ounces and the weight balances right
behind the Axis lock. For me this makes
the knife a little blade heavy. I like a
little more weight in my hand. I think
it makes the blade more responsive.
The Volli, with its catalog number 1000001, is an almost a digital
knife. Okay, it’s a lame joke but there
is nothing lame about the Volli.
 |
| The Volli has a large thumb groove carved into the G10. |
.
It’s an assisted opening.
The 3.25 inch blade is made from S30V steel and is a high grind drop
point. S30V is one of the new wonder
steels and is hardened to Rockwell C of 58-60.
Both sides of the handle have a groove carved in the black G10 that
funnels your thumb to the opening stud.
It’s a great feature. Even
blindfolded or in the dark the groove locates the blade side and facilitates
finding the stud. It reminds me of
Benchmade’s Emissary or CRKT’s Crawford Kasper folder.
 |
| Another look at the thumb groove on the Volli. |
The handle has a slight palm swell that is scalloped with a
series of flat surfaces across the entire surface. It looks interesting. It feels better. The spine has small knobby rectangles of G-10
protruding upward. They remind me of
vertebrae.
 |
| The Ball has an open spine, better for cleaning, but I like the knobby 'vertebrae' on the Volli and the handle's slight palm swell. |
At the end of the vertebrae
sits a lock which can be used to prevent the knife from opening.
Balance? The weight
seems to be concentrated in the handle.
For me, the balance point seemed to be at the Axis lock and not behind
it like the Flipper. The slight difference
in balance point between these two makes a significant difference to me.
I never have been concerned about knives opening in my
pocket. I typically wear them with the
blade pressed into the seam side of the pocket where there is no room to
open. But if you’re active enough, or
wear your Volli differently your might find that lock useful.
So here’s the throw down:
Knife
|
Blade Steel
|
Blade Length
|
Handle
|
Clip
|
Opening Action
|
Lock
|
Weight
|
Volli
|
S30V
|
3.25
|
G-10
|
Tip up right or left
|
Assisted w/ Stud
|
Axis
|
4.3oz
|
Ball Flipper
|
154cm
|
3.2
|
G-10
|
Tip up right or
left
|
Flipper w/ Stud
|
Axis
|
4.8
|
I didn’t mention price.
They are very similar. MSRP for
the Volli is $160 while the Ball 300 is $175.
Both are great knives with good value for the price.
My preference? I’m not afraid to catalog my knives by
use. Sort of a dress vs. tennis shoe
approach to which knife I carry for any function.
I’d carry either for a casual day in the woods. I’d carry either in and about town to work or
shopping. The Volli is almost nice
enough for formal wear, you know, weddings and funerals. But if I knew I was going stand in a dark
alley with my pulse pounding in my ears, or was heading out to hike the Buckeye
Trail I’d want the Ball Axis Flipper. I
think it’s a slightly better knife.
