Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife Review

CLICK HERE for the latest price on the Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife

Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife

Introducing the Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife, what many describe as a new species of folding knife. There many words that come to mind when describing this knife such as reliable, smooth, safe, long lasting, quality, strength, sharp as a razor, and more. It’s hard to find something bad to say about it. The Benchmade Griptillian makes an awesome EDC (Every Day Carry) pocket knife, and there really isn’t a better knife out there in the same category.

This knife comes with a 33.45 inch drop point blade that smoothly slides out with a quick one-handed movement of your thumb and locks into open position. It comes really sharp right out of the box and the lack of serration on the blade makes it extremely easy to sharpen and hone into a surgical sharp piece of equipment.

If you’re wondering about quality, well it’s a Benchmade so that shouldn’t even be a question. The Griptillian is a solid pocket knife and it’s no toy!

The Blade

The Griptillian sports a modified drop point blade that is 3.45 inches long. It’s made out of 154CM steel which makes it extremely durable and weather resistant. When you take your Griptillian out of the box for the first time it will be so sharp that you can shave the hair off the back of your arm and it retains its edge very well due to the strong steel.

The special feature of this blade are the thumb studs, which enable you to smoothly slide open the knife with a simple rotation of your thumb. Totally one handed opening and it’s ambidextrous as well, so whether you’re a righty or a lefty, you’re in luck!

This blade is a beautifully crafted piece of art, and it’s clearly made for slicing things with ease.

The Handle

The handle on the Griptillian Thumb Knife is very basic. It’s a molded plastic handle that plays it’s part well. there’s nothing fancy about it but what do you really need in a handle other than comfort and grip? If there was a negative of this pocket knife it would be that many people feel that the handle is a bit “cheap” or “plastic”. I disagree though, because even if it “feels” a bit cheap, it is a solid sturdy simple handle that will last for a long time. it does it’s job well. It well site in your hand naturally and the textured sides will assure you the knife won’t slip in your hand easily.

The AXIS Locking Mechanism

Housed inside the handle though is hiding another special feature of this pocket knife, the patented AXIS Lock locking mechanism that Benchmade is known for. for those who are not familiar with the AXIS Locking System, here are the basics. It is 100% ambidextrous. It has a hardened steel bar that slides back and forth (locking and unlocking) in a slot cut into both sides of the steel liners in the handle. it is positioned over the rear of the blade and when the knife is being opened, the pin slides down an angled part of the tang until the tang is stuck between the stop pin and the AXIS Bar itself.

The Pros

It is all too easy to write out a list of pros for the Benchmade Griptillian. This sin’t even all of them I’m sure, but it should be enough to convince you!

• Durable as can be
• One hand opening is very smooth and easy
• Razor sharp out of the box
• It holds an edge very well
• Lack of serration on the blade makes it very easy to sharpen
• Sturdy and well balanced
• AXIS Locking mechanism
• Zero blade wiggle when fully open
• Great for tough work, yet small enough for an EDC
• Easy to clean, even without disassembling
• It’s a Benchmade

The Cons

Coming up with the cons about this knife were difficult, as you can tell by the lack of them! I guess that’s the problem with a site that only reviews the best pocket knives!

• The handle feels “plasticy”
• One person said that after 6 months of light use, the tip broke off easily.
• The belt clip. I have read a few reviews of people complaining about the belt clip on their Griptillian breaking or the screws that hold it tight loosening and stripping out.

So What’s the Verdict on the Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife?

If you are looking for a solid EDC that will be reliable and dependable, then the Griptillian Thumb Knife is just what you’re looking for. One reviewer over on Amazon said it best.

“When my father gave it to me he joked that I was buying 20 dollar knives every couple months because they were breaking and that this 90 dollar knife would last me a lifetime. He was right.”

Many consider the Griptillian as one of the finest single bladed folding knives out there.

CLICK HERE for the latest price on the Benchmade Griptillian Thumb Knife