The Benchmade Narrows Pocketknife: Disassembly and Quick Review
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- Опубликовано: 17 май 2024
- Today, we're going to take apart the Benchmade Narrows, which is a very innovative new super-thin knife, and then I'll give my shockingly favorable thoughts on the shockingly expensive knife.
Note: The super thin knife from Real Steel was the 'Real Slim' ( • The Real Steel Real Sl... ) 
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I hope to one day have the confidence that Benchmade's price setter has.
When you actually have all the data you need to determine the MSRP it is much easier to have confidence. Being actually able to monitor sales numbers also helps. It is hard for RUclips influencers and commenters when they are pulling their guesses out of thin air.
@@davidgarrett5671 It's not thin air though. You only have to look at comparable USA made competition. Sales numbers and business data is not the consumer's concern. There's heavy competition at the $500 dollar range.
@@antoinedoinellthe consumers are the data
@@CopyNPasteComments Yeah and Benchmade are the laughing stocks. Save your hard-earned money.
@@antoinedoinell That is still “thin air” and anecdotal information. And no, consumers are not data. Even though I don’t have any Benchmade knives I don’t see them as a laughingstock. I personally wish Mr. Shabazz and other knife influencers would just state or list the MSRP of the knifes they look at and then just move on. If they look at a knife and then state it is a bit pricey to them all that is reflecting is their opinion based on their disposable income and how much they are used to paying for a knife. It doesn’t tell me as one of their viewers anything as they don’t my financial status and I may like the knife more than they do. I also don’t judge what other people buy and what price they are paying for it. David Marshall on the other hand is the sole arbiter in what knives are selling for and which ones people should buy.
I respect benchmade putting in the design work and all that, and I'm glad it exists for people who do want it. That being said, no way am I going to be able to justify that price
Used crk for 350 has entered the chst
The knife gods have blessed us with a 32 min Shabazz video on a Saturday evening 🙌🏽
520 bucks? Benchmade never disappoints 😂
I love my Narrows. I purchased it when they came out and have never regretted it.
For how much? Or were they cheaper once?
@@ibanez7412I waited until I saw one I would pay for @ $350. Beware bc there are many fakes.
Same here. It's worth every penny. Don't make the mistake of comparing this stroke of genius with the thousands of boring knives from China.
@@nodin6610 phhht
“Boring knives”
My brother in Christ
They just made a thin knife and charged 2x more for it
What are you smoking?
I work for a Benchmade AD and I respect the design, construction, and carry profile. A great super light high end edc or fancy special occasion carry. Makes me think of when wristwatch companies try to outdo each other to make an even thinner watch, etc. The price is very high, but with such an odd design it isn’t made with everyone in mind. Not sure if it’s one I’ll pick up, but who knows? Thanks for the video Nick! 🙌
Cheers,
- Also a Nick
I solved the spring problem by looping some thread through the spring then pulling the spring back and tying the thread around the pocket clip to hold it back out of the way. Installed the blade and pivot then removed the thread. Worked like a charm. And thank you for the objective review, high price notwithstanding.
The unboxing junk days were probably the best. Love ya nickie
Facts
Oh the how I miss the terriblity…
@@dcus55 And those airport confiscations !
@@davidmarshall7752 oh the terriblity of the zombie knives and USA design variants….
Love the terrible knives segments.
I love seeing your reviews pop up
I think it's a really cool pocketknife aside from the one thing, and everyone knows what that one thing is.
Seriously. This is a Benchmade problem, but this is exponentially worse. The basic Bugout being over $100 is typical Benchmade BS.
The Narrows is 'worth' about $200-$250 as is, IMO. Look at what Hogue does with USA made axis-locks.
I've owned two of them so far. Absolutely love the Narrows. Great job as always, Nick
Look here's my thing it's a fantastically well-made beautiful knife but it shouldn't cost more than 300 bucks. End of story
Benchmade riding that kniflation train. 🤦🏻♂️ Agreed, no way this little factory production thing is worth $520+. Hell, I'd rather buy a Chris Reeve for that money because then I could at least say I own a CR knife ( btw, I don't believe CR knives are worth that much either).
Nick, you are one of the first reviewers I have ever watched. I can't remember how long ago. But it's been a minute. I'm glad to see you posting. Keep up the great work. I've had the opportunity to handle one of these, and it is a comfortable thin knife that is easy to operate and could be a good purchase for someone who has money to burn 🔥. Thanks for the video.
Thank you, Mr. Shabazz, for your integrity as a knife fan and for reminding us to use critical reasoning.
Thanks Nick!
Price is waaaaay too high for that. I'd get a sebenza before that or a Hinderer. No way it's worth anywhere near $525.
An Oura ring, huh? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. I'm thinking about getting one, but I'm worried to know just how stressed I actually am.
I like to buy American made knives, however, $520 is obscene.
You KNOW is gonna be a good video when reassembly starts 8 min in to a 32m video!
Ohhh nice! Happy to be able to watch smth new from the original Nick here
Digging the index ring
Nick, could you do a disassembly and review of the Microtech MSI?
That was so much fun, let's do it again! 😀
Always great to see a Shabazz video!
Glad you’re still putting the disassembly videos out Mr. Shabazz; you’re the best out there; as well as the punniest. Having said that; I have a Benchmade Vector that I decided to de-assist; three years and several attempts later; it’s still disassembled. There’s something different about it compared to the barrages I’ve had. Maybe you could point me in the right direction.
The first Bob Ross reference I've heard on any of my subscriptions 😂
Why go all american only to use M390 when 20CV and Magnacut exist. Also the clip at that pricetag is just sad.
It's sad all together. I'll take a ABW model 1 10/10 times over this. In Magnacut at 64-65 HRC
M390 and 20CV are 99% similar
The difference is getting 320 cuts on a rope vs 325 cuts
The edge variation is gonna have a bigger impact then the variation in the chemical composition
Lol missing bearing had me laughing, I was like wtf too 😂.
I like your index finger ring. Looks sharp.
So nice to see another review from you!
I appreciate the time and explanations you put in the disassembly and assembly process.
As long as I know you care much about the community, I expected you will be much more harsh and critical with BM current out-of-mind prices.
I think it is important the community takes some relevant action to their obscene greed. One reason is that, otherwise, other important actors may do the same, and , if so, in some years buying a decent knife may become a luxury only attainable by the very wealthy.
I know you have a life, but I miss hearing your reviews and opinions as frequently as we once did. Anyway, thanks for your time and another excellent review!
Ahh, the joys of Axis lock disassembly! (or ABLE Lock, River-Lok, Ball Bearing lock, etc.) Way to soldier through, Nick... That said, with some real cool engineering and design features that you noted, could a little Benchmade R&D go into making the disassembly....um....less painful? Especially for $520....
It’s always a good day when Nick posts. Benchmade knives are the worst to reassemble thanks to that axis lock, though this one in particular seems like a special beast. If you thought this was pricey, get ready for gold class. I’m guessing 1.5-2k. 🤑 Maybe they’ll finally put inlays in those pockets!
I'm a hobby knife maker and have been at it for about 5 years. I'm sure my simple shop has 10k invested . 2x72 grinder, heat treatment oven, bandsaw, HRC tester, benches, wood stabilization equipment, it adds up fast. Each knife takes from 10-12 hrs to complete, and I use nothing but quality materials. I respect the time it takes to both design and manufacture a knife. I think we've gotten used to high volume, and overseas labor rates, blinding ourselves to the real cost of doing business inside the USA. That being said, I don't own a $500 dollar pocket knife, but I do have a collection of folders worth a couple thousand dollars, that I enjoy immensely. Quality things are costly to produce, and craftsmen should get a fair wage. This is a quality product, although I personally would choose a premium steel on this model.
I picked up a Narrows literally a couple days before it hit most retailers. At the time I considered myself a Benchmade Collector and I guess I still am since I own so many of their dang knives. I've liked it since day 1, a couple drops of KPL pivot lube and the knife is smooth as silk. I want to add that I have not picked up another Benchmade since buying the Narrows, I feel like paying what I did for the knife maxed out my interest in any additional Benchmade purchases at least until they come out with something that really wows me. There is very little justification for the price; if it was $350 to $389 I think people would have had a much different response. That said it's still a really good EDC knife and deserves some recognition for that. Thanks for a good review and thorough breakdown.
It’s really hard to say something nice about a knife, when you can buy a competing American knife that is more comfortable to EDC, and a nice Chinese beater, full up your truck with gas, and buy a burger for the same price as this knife
522$ must be an inside joke at benchmade, cause it should be a 350$ knife
Even 400$ would be too high, but could be justifiable for some
To people who claim that they have no regrets buying this knife for 500+ dollars
They are kidding themselves
You can get an XM-18 or a Maverick in Magnacut for that price
Plus those knives come with actually good heat treats
Ridiculous price for ridiculous people
Thanks for the video Nick. IMHO, benchmade never had great QC. Then their prices started going up. Now they are price gouging. Spyderco is doing it too. No more overpriced knives for me. I think a lot of what people think about prices going up is income related. As with interest rate rises (AKA disciplining labor), if one has a big enough income (or enough wealth not to have to engage in wage labor), one doesn't feel the price increases as much, or at all - in fact they may directly or indirectly benefit from them...Well, i could keep going, but i think you get the idea. Just my two cents - or should i say two dollars now...
Big Pivot Energy 😂😂 💪 awesome
One day I’d like to see a list of Nick’s most difficult disassembles/reassemblies
I'm all for American made. Hell, I worked for Benchmade a decade ago. BUT, I would take a Quiet Carry Drift over that any day of the week.
I was just thinking of Quiet Carry. For that money, I'd take QC over this any day of the week too. Narrows is $250-300 max.
@@coloradohikertrash9958
Who stated he paid $520? Commenter that I replied to? You are imagining things, pal.
I replied to a comment and what I said means "Narrows is WORTH $250-300 max" and also agreed with him that QC is better for less money. Is that easier for you to understand now?
Next time don't open your mouth with an attitude if you don't fully understand the language or its intricacies.
This kicked your butt almost as much as that one buck auto from years ago
What was the name of that auto? I can't remember, but it's been bugging me.
@@DEVGRUnotST6 Buck Rapid Fire Dual Action (I think)
@@simartnullnet, that sounds about right. My girlfriend sat in on this video and thought the maintenance seemed ridiculous. Naturally, I thought of ye olde Buck.
I like to tape my blade edge when disassembling. Safety first!
Honestly of all the sliding bar locks, only the SOG terminus XR actually seems easy to disassemble
My takeaway from this is this is an awesome knife that you don't want to disassemble lol I'm definitely looking for one of theses on the secondary, I see them at like 325 and I think at that price the knife is worth owning but retail is a bit high.
I happen to be shopping for chainsaws. You can buy a U.S.-made 20" Stihl chainsaw for $500.00. I can't believe that the cost of manufacturing this knife is anywhere close to the cost of manufactuing a chainsaw. Think of the relative amount of cutting per dollar!
We miss you nick. Nothing but respect for your general jackassery
I have that much trouble putting any of my Benchmades back together,especially the ones with assisted opening so i think you did great.I have wondered if that's not one of the reasons Benchmade charges what they do.After paying that much for a knife your less likely to fling the whole thing out the window when frustrated with it! No knife has pissed me off more during reassembly than a Benchmade.
Yeah, I'm hoping for the full Shabazz review.
When you overemphasize the importance of blade centering, you sometimes reach a point where you know that the blade is definitely off center, but you can't tell which way it is off.
Hi,
Can you please measure the bearing OD, ID and thickness? I'd like to replace mines with thick washers but I don't know the correct size. Thanks in advance
- Yo Benchmade, can you make an Axis even less reliable and more finicky to take apart? And do you think you can make an ordinary knife cost over half a grand?
- Watch me.
I would only by the Narrows at 520.00 if it had an HRC guarantee, then I'd buy it. The design interests me, looks like a great EDC. The last Benchmade I purchased was in M4 and it held an edge like a butter knife, total crap.
I hear you on that great suggestion. I was gifted a Benchmade (which here in Australia is even more EXPENSIVE) 818 Mini Loco which i immediately fell in love with and wanted to carry. Unfortunately it couldn't hold an edge to save itself but i found that after a couple of HEAVY sharpenings i had gotten through the soft (likely overheated) steel at the apex and down to good steel that holds an edge the way it should. I concluded that likely in its final belt sharpening during assembly it was overheated spoiling the heat treatment at the apex and spoiling the experience of a knife with huge sentimental value
The Tactile Knife co Maverick would be a better purchase
520$ is too much
Wayyyyy too much
Nick this looks so frustrating lol. That spring that took the place of omega springs look interesting and way stronger than omega springs. Kinda wish they’d do that with the rest of their knives.
I like the design just not the price. There’s other knives out there at that price that just stands above this, and even more aesthetically pleasing than this, and American made. It is a good looking knife and I do admire how thin it is, but just not worth the price for me.
I bought one when it first came out and almost immediately sent it back. I was not impressed with the quality for the price. On my knife, the left-side clip mounting holes were not tapped properly (I'm left-handed), the anodizing/coating on the clip and pivot had imperfections, and I just didn't like the ergonomics. I still love my Anthem though.
Great commentary. Do you ever watch Mr. Puzzle? I think you would enjoy his channel.
I have a c.1985 Buck 704 on my desk rn that clocks in at under 9mm wide so I don't know there's a lot of marketing hay to be made over a skinny knife, doesn't seem like a startling new idea per se
Lately iv got the confidence to work on/take apart my knives and ur vids are a big help . If I get lost uv got one tht bails me out . Thk u sir .
Lately you got the confidence to disassemble a pocket knife?? Boy, I'd hate to see you try and talk to girls if you barely got over your fear of unscrewing a pocket knife. 😅
@@mickeypopahey mickey he might play for the other team
@@Tankman333
I don't think he plays for any team, probably being afraid of breathing loudly. 🤣
I really like everything about my Narrows except the price. I get a full-size super-thin Ti knife that's almost as light as a Bugout, for double the price 😂
And the pricing for a bug out is a bit silly to begin with
@@vlkafenryka788 Bugout aside, it's not even about comparing it to other knives. This is *c r i m i n a l* of Benchmade, and for a respected expert to gleefully endorse this thing is aberrant.
@@davidmarshall7752😂😂 I was surprised to
1:08 my eyes went like this 👀 when I heard what you wanted to do 😂
You dirty dirty man Mr. Shabazz
👉🏼👈🏼👉🏼👌🏼
#BPE #bigpivotenergy
..or a lifetime supply of Opinels, at about the same weight per knife, with better ergonomics.
A good class Narrows could be epic.
Its a shame its so expensive its a neat design!
You wouldn't happen to have a disassembly video of an OTF microtech would you?
The narrows took me no time to break down and put together... but it's kind of the inverse for the manix and that video too lol
My thoughts on this knife is: that engineering is unique and unique engineering will increase the price, but I don't know if the ends to which that engineering is put toward is that valuable. You can design something very specific and have it cost a lot as a result, but if no one wants it: what's the point?
The size of the knife seems to be designed to be more of a user but a super thin construction would lower the ergonomics in longer, heavier use, I imagine. so it seems kind of at odds with itself. I'd personally be more interested if it had a smaller footprint
Nick, debian arch or fedora?
Fedora Atomic Kinoite
Too bad, cause I actually dig this Benchmade more than most.
Maybe someday they’re adjusting their ridiculous pricing model, but I doubt it
I was chasing Real Steel's Real Slim for a while then I gave up, I don't think they make them anymore.
Classic comically painful Shabazz 😂❤
I have no earthly idea why I'm watching a review of a $500 + knife.
I actually know why I'm watching this. I like Nick's reviews.
I can see no reason that I would ever buy a Benchmade knife with their current prices. I can get a perfectly good Spyderco, ZT, or WE for less money and at least as good or better quality.
Are the ball bearings wearing a track in the titanium already??? They thought that was better than having a steel washer? Just wow.
Am I the only one that doesn't trust tiny, weak-looking little springs like that? It's just begging for a failure.
This knife gets so much bashing
It’s the most Benchmade of Benchmade’s at the moment so it gets all of the Benchmade from the community.
Taking a sophisticated knife apart and putting it back together is very difficult especially when you explaining everything while you do it. Thanks for doing this video!
I may be the only person on earth that thinks this knife is worth every penny! 🇺🇸
Toothsome charm.
Yea trying to maintain a Benchmade.... I think they went insane trying to build all of them, look at their prices!
It’s an attractive knife, but I’ve handled one and it’s actually too thin for comfort…and the price. Yikes! It was really cool to see all the engineering that went into the design though!
"We have a Spyderco Manix at home"
The Spyderco Manix at home:
I started purchasing knives years ago in the 90s and I believe in innovation and R&D but don't expect us the knife community to pick up your cost over $500.00 a knife in the knife community can purchase titanium knife from overseas companies this name is a perfect example the American knife companies are out of touch with the American knife community, I owed American made knives this night is just a trophy knife not a real EDC working class person knife in actual work sites.
Did Nick get his finger stuck in a ball bearing?
Looks frustrating 😮, great video though! ❤😊.
522$ and t6 body screws...that just seems egregious haha
I like this knife and if people want to pay for it, that's fine too. But all things considered I'd prefer a Kunwu. Wow, unintentional little rhyme.
Hype hype hype
About $200 too much.
Benchmade pricing themselves out of the market.
Me: Laughing in Spyderco Delica…
$406 at GP Knives if you're interested.
I like Benchmade, but their prices have become unrealistic compared to other U.S. made knives. Some of their handle materials are not really special or expensive. Thanks 🎸🔪
Not bad if you can struggle for 22.45 minutes your first time.
Yeah I’m just not interested in owning any knife more complicated than a liner lock to do maintenance on
I understand why people think the price is ridiculous...but if you look at the amount of engineering and machining involved in this knife compared to a Sebenza...shouldn't everyone be screaming at chris reeves and boycotting them instead?
I refuse to buy any kind of cross bar lock anymore because of this aggravation.....
I think you're giving BM too much credit. I think the only reason they iterated on the axis lock was because they needed something new to patent and claim as exciting, superior, and exclusive after every other company put them to shame when the old axis lock patent expired.
This knife looks and feels incomplete. Like there should be some scales on top of this frame.
I'm going to say there is two Benjamin's too much on this msrp for me at least. It's nice, yes. But, I can't see this surviving the current state of our economy.
Wow...a headache knife for a stupid high price...not for me...still love my other BM's tho
Lol, I wouldn't have watched this if I knew it was so ridiculously expensive.
American made means something to a lot of folks. We'll pay more for American.
Why? Half of them are made in China and assembled here and marketed as American. And the ones that aren’t are $550+
No freaking way
$520 👀
simultaneously too large and too small at once. Irrespective of benchmade's spotty qc and the value proposition this knife is one i would never want to own.
Losing your bearings is on the way to losing your mind.