I'm glad to hear you like small blades. I concur. My dad, an avid outdoorsman his entire life helped feed his family during the depression by hunting, fishing, and trapping. He was also a tent camper and scoutmaster. The knife he carried in his pocket, surprisingly given his background and lifestyle, was a Case Pen Knife with a main blade only 1 3/4 inches. I heard him say many times, "It's not the size of a blade that's important, but how sharp it is." From a Namvet who carries a Vic Cadet.
If anyone is planning on purchasing this knife, go for it. I have had the original (550s, 440c steel) for over 5 years, all throughout my scouting journey, and it's still my favorite and current edc knife. Everything about this knife is perfect in my opinion, especially the sheepsfoot blade style and handle are just perfect. Mahalo from Hawaii Nutnfancy!
Nutn, all of us TNPers really appreciate your HUGE effort in putting out these amazing knife videos. Thank you, and keep putting out content (specifically EDC Vids!)
I have a full sized tanta Griptilian, and have been carrying it for over a year now and have NO complaints. It is an amazing blade, and is still going very strong.
I'll admit it. You provide a practical sense of whats out there. I look to your videos since you seem to have the resources to check out the knives I cant locally. SO, Keep up the good work.
This is my favorite EDC blade. I have grown my collection over the past 2 years (I attribute that to you) and this is the only EDC blade I purchased before seeing a review. I highly recommend this for a medium sized EDC.
Thanks for the recommendation. I picked up mine from S &R Knives in Toronto. Beautiful little blade. This is my first entry into quality knives and I looked around a lot before I made a purchase. Thanks for the help.
I've have 2 mini griptilians. Got my first one back in 04 or 05. Best pocket knife I've ever had. If I remember correctly, Cabelas sold them for $60 back then. They now sell for $100. Told my dad that these would be one of the most popular knives of all time. He believes me now
This is an excellent blade, unfortunately a cheap plastic handle is just ugly. Here is an example how it should be done ruclips.net/video/6OB3t7CyxT8/видео.html
Absolutely love my benchmade mini griptilian. Went with the deployment hole version. Comes out so fast and easy. Handle is a little short for my hand, but is adequate for edc and it doesnt really bother me. Fit and finish is excellent. Light. Great clip. Excellent jimping. Own many other knives. Spyderco Delica 4, Kershaw Skyline, Rat-1, Kershaw Cryo, CRKT Ignitor, CRKT M21. Definitely my favorite knife. Delica 4 is close second, then the skyline.
For french people, there's "Armes Bastilles" in Paris, near "Gare de Lyon". They have a lot of stuff, including Fallkniven, Spyderco, Maxped, and even some cool local knives
I've been carring a 556 as my EDC for a while and just love it. Great review! When camping or road tripping I usually have my 551 with so I'm a Griptillian fan.
Awesome review as always bought the blade today very happy thanks for the info I really put my trust into your reviews you never let me down thanks for the help!
Important fact about the mini griptilians for those of you interested in buying one. I bought a pink one for my wife with the thumbhole sheepfoot style blade model 555. It came razor sharp out of the box and I loved it so I bought one for myself but I wanted the drop point style blade like nutn shows in this video it is the 556 model. It did not come nearly as sharp as the sheepfoot style blade. I still love mine though I was just a little disappointed it wasn't as sharp as my wife's.
Just got my mini grip based on the review so cheers! It's the same one you have, the OD one with the D2 blade. Managed to find one in the UK, amazingly
mines just plain black handle with the natural stonewash blade. looks great. i love it. i finally found the knife i can wear with gym shorts. its so small and light weight i dont even notice it tucked into my waistband. ive even fell asleep with it on. the only edc knife ill ever buy.
This is my EDC blade. Love this knife. Benchmade knives are made in my hometown, so something to be proud of out here on the left coast. And yes, it is quite sharp. I've managed to cut myself on this knife.
Great review, I watched it after I purchased mine today up at bass pro, they had the olive/black blade but it was only in serrated, so I picked up the black grip. I absolutley love this blade already, well worth the money (I payed $84).
Lol! Our honorable presenter speaks in many positives about the Benchmade, its shape, blade material, etc. We're all sold on the thing...then in comes the Flash 1. ;) I want 'em both. ;)
I have a black 556 MG that I carry every day. It costs me $70 a few years ago. The wife just picked herself up one for $90 at the same store. A buddy wanted one, but the price is now $105. Wow!
I'm glad I got mine when I did. The prices I'm seeing now on some sites are scary. Just for giggles I should call my local B&M outdoors store and see if they have it/how much they want for it.
When you have a loadout which includes a lot of stuff, which many guys, including Nutn, carry everyday, along with a pistol and normal civilian items such as a phone, wallet, etc., if you were to add 1 oz. to everything you have on your person, you're looking at some heavy carrying. I'll carry an old Cold Steel AK-47 (6.8 oz.) occasionally because I don't carry huge amounts in my EDC outfit. However, I can understand where Nutn is coming from. Less weight is almost always a good thing here.
I took a thin wheel on the dremel and just touched the Jimping and my thumb locks in now. I really didn't need to do it with this knife but personal modifications are cool. It just takes off the rounded edge from the factory polishing.
I have both the Delica 4 FFG and the Benchmade 556 Mini Grip. The Mini Grip has a smaller handle length than the Delica. The Delica 4 FFG is a better value, but Benchmade's AXIS is more fun and convenient to open and close with one hand. The Spyderco and Benchmade knives seem to feel more solid in construction to most SOG knives I have encountered, but I am sure there are always exceptions. So worth it? For fun/convenience, yes. For practicality, the Delica is just dandy.
so I don't know if this has been brought up, but I just tested it, and despited being 154CM, which isn't very high carbon steel, the spine on my mini-griptilian is sharp enough that it'll throw sparks off a ferro rod. just something I thought I should put out there.
Started falling away from amazon for knives. Heard a lot of people voice concerns about counterfeits. Can usually find prices just as good if not better if you do some searching on knife and other outdoor webstores.
I'd go with a Griptilian as well. It fits my hand great, the thumb stud is much faster opening than an opening hole, and the Axis lock in indisputably faster than the Delica's lockback.
mini grips are coll knives. I especially like the ritter with its shape and s30v steel. One thing is its FRN handle, wich personally I dont feel is for me, and Id rather spend up to the 525 or 707 but those are ~100 dollars and far less sheeple friendly. Busting out your safety yellow mini grip might go down better than your black on black black class knife. Oh, and I too consider your videos for my own purchases, you are a great resource for us all.
Hey nutnfancy, Once again I bought a folder due to your reviews, so far I am loving everything about this knife except the edge geometry (30º+ on each side, its steep) in a month or 2 I will send you a message telling you how its holding up thanks for this and all your other great reviews once again, have a nice day Ghost
One thing about tip up carry, make sure the blade faces the edge of your pocket. Wore mine on the left and the blade opens when I put my hand in my pocket and hit the stud. Nasty cut, but wa
I opted for the Griptilian because the mini-grip was just way too small for my hand. If you are having the same issue check out Sportsman's Werehouse they have full grips for cheaper than minigrips for some reason, same bladesteel no difference but size.
Nice vid dude, as for buying knives in the UK, I find Heinnie expensive, I've got no problems putting my UK pounds in US pockets for excelent quality US made knives. Always look forward to the UPS delivery day.
In response to the retention question while in the pocket. I had mine open on me the other day. It was my fault though because I lifted it from clipped on my pocket and pushed it down in my pocket(needed to carry subtle). Big mistake because it opened and I cut my middle finger quite deep and bled extensively. So it can happen but like I said I believe it was my fault. If it happens again then I may move on to an emissary(because it has a safety lock). Hope this helps...TNP Rocks
You can design a custom mini crip on their website. Starts at $120. Pick steel blade type handle colors. Great if you want a personalized knife for heritage sake.
Hey Nutn love the videos keep em up, just one question, what do you recommend, a regular griptillian or a mini? what are the ups and downs of each, i like bigger blades so i was goin for the reg. griptillian, but the mini just seems like a more liked blade?
@classof77 i find that using a straight edge is easier for me when trimming branches. i think it lies in how you cut. i tend to avoid sawing, instead i slice diagonally through the branch. ill have to try out the serrated blade though, never tried that before.
I bought a Flash 1 a couple years ago, per your recommendation. I had to immediately return it because it was way WAY too small(at least it seemed tiny)which I find strange because you say you have big hands(iirc). I have a kabar dozier and delica which are perfect size. Anyway, I am looking at Benchmade now, just trying to convince myself that they will be worth the price
There's a knife seller on ebay that goes by the name "caledon2" who carries all of the knife brands featured on tnp who ships worldwide out of Canada. Most of his prices are within a few dollars of ycs's prices. So for Canadians you can save on custom charges. I believe Europeans will probably save on shipping compared to shipping out of the U.S. For Americans, well you'll pay the same and it'll take longer to get to your door due to customs - not recommended. (I'm not affiliated)
hey nutn, im a huge fan of TNP and all of your reviews. do you think the 154cm steel on the BM mini grip is better than the teflon coated D2 steel. Im planning on using it as an EDC blade but maybe a little more outdoorsy. which do u think D2 or 154CM. also i am considering the mini barrage, any input on that knife. thanks,
I'm glad to hear you like small blades. I concur. My dad, an avid outdoorsman his entire life helped feed his family during the depression by hunting, fishing, and trapping. He was also a tent camper and scoutmaster. The knife he carried in his pocket, surprisingly given his background and lifestyle, was a Case Pen Knife with a main blade only 1 3/4 inches. I heard him say many times, "It's not the size of a blade that's important, but how sharp it is." From a Namvet who carries a Vic Cadet.
If anyone is planning on purchasing this knife, go for it. I have had the original (550s, 440c steel) for over 5 years, all throughout my scouting journey, and it's still my favorite and current edc knife. Everything about this knife is perfect in my opinion, especially the sheepsfoot blade style and handle are just perfect. Mahalo from Hawaii Nutnfancy!
Nutn, all of us TNPers really appreciate your HUGE effort in putting out these amazing knife videos. Thank you, and keep putting out content (specifically EDC Vids!)
"Why would you collect stamps when you can collect something useful like a knife?" Best. Line. Ever.
I have a full sized tanta Griptilian, and have been carrying it for over a year now and have NO complaints. It is an amazing blade, and is still going very strong.
Luckily, my girlfriend hasn't put together the sound of your voice on the computer and what I buy. Just ordered one of these due to your review.
I wonder why this one isn't in your "Best EDC Knives" playlist.
I'll admit it. You provide a practical sense of whats out there. I look to your videos since you seem to have the resources to check out the knives I cant locally. SO, Keep up the good work.
I got my benchmade like 7 months ago in OD and I got mine from REI and this thing is the most reliable knife I have. I love this thing
"Why would you collect stamps when you can collect something useful like a knife?"
LOL, that's classic! You're da man, Nutn.
This is my favorite EDC blade. I have grown my collection over the past 2 years (I attribute that to you) and this is the only EDC blade I purchased before seeing a review. I highly recommend this for a medium sized EDC.
I just ordered the Pink Handle plain blade for my wife as a birthday gift! This is the third edc I've bought b/c of nutnfancy!
because of u i got my first knife
i have a coyote brown/burnt earth griptilian folder that i took to afghan twice with me. it served me well, always in a knife pouch on my chest
Thanks for the recommendation. I picked up mine from S &R Knives in Toronto. Beautiful little blade. This is my first entry into quality knives and I looked around a lot before I made a purchase. Thanks for the help.
I've have 2 mini griptilians. Got my first one back in 04 or 05. Best pocket knife I've ever had. If I remember correctly, Cabelas sold them for $60 back then. They now sell for $100. Told my dad that these would be one of the most popular knives of all time. He believes me now
This is an excellent blade, unfortunately a cheap plastic handle is just ugly. Here is an example how it should be done ruclips.net/video/6OB3t7CyxT8/видео.html
Absolutely love my benchmade mini griptilian. Went with the deployment hole version. Comes out so fast and easy. Handle is a little short for my hand, but is adequate for edc and it doesnt really bother me. Fit and finish is excellent. Light. Great clip. Excellent jimping. Own many other knives. Spyderco Delica 4, Kershaw Skyline, Rat-1, Kershaw Cryo, CRKT Ignitor, CRKT M21. Definitely my favorite knife. Delica 4 is close second, then the skyline.
I love how the flash pops into every knife video! just ordered one!
I've used it the past few days at my work cutting boxes and it is excellent
Urrghh I wish mini grips were still $60. Looking at the custom ones from BM and I'm looking around $200 with s30v and logos etc
For french people, there's "Armes Bastilles" in Paris, near "Gare de Lyon". They have a lot of stuff, including Fallkniven, Spyderco, Maxped, and even some cool local knives
I've been carring a 556 as my EDC for a while and just love it.
Great review!
When camping or road tripping I usually have my 551 with so I'm a Griptillian fan.
Hi tech! Thanks for watching, without YOU there would be no project. =) -- Veri
Awesome review as always bought the blade today very happy thanks for the info I really put my trust into your reviews you never let me down thanks for the help!
I have the blue mini-grip in 154cm steel. It is OUTSTANDING! Nothing mini about it really, but it carries small and is up to big tasks.
Damn right NutnFancy blade reviews are a must before spending hard earned $ on blades. Thanks for all the hard work you have put in man. Awesome
Just ordered this from ebay for $67 shipped. Uncontrollably excited for this to come.
Have to say Heinnie Haynes is outstanding for customer service. Best online store I've ever shopped with.
Thanks for the info, picked one up yesterday at Cabelas in all black plain edge...sweeeet. Keep up the reviews man!
a Benchmade 555 is my EDC and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Awesome knife!
I absolutely *love* the 556 Mini-Griptilian. It's my favorite EDC too.
I recently obtained a Mini-Griptilian (slightly abused) from a friend in a trade. Even in the shape that it is in i love mine.
Important fact about the mini griptilians for those of you interested in buying one. I bought a pink one for my wife with the thumbhole sheepfoot style blade model 555. It came razor sharp out of the box and I loved it so I bought one for myself but I wanted the drop point style blade like nutn shows in this video it is the 556 model. It did not come nearly as sharp as the sheepfoot style blade. I still love mine though I was just a little disappointed it wasn't as sharp as my wife's.
I bought a kahr pm 9 because of your vids. Thanks you man!
ordered my BM 555 from the States today, can't wait, excellent reviews BTW.
I love your fair and honest reviews. thanks buddy.
i just got a benchmade 551 full griptillian and i LOVE it.
Just got my mini grip based on the review so cheers! It's the same one you have, the OD one with the D2 blade. Managed to find one in the UK, amazingly
Hey Nutn, I just got one thanks to you. Keep up the sweet vids!
Until I started watching your reviews I didn't know one knife brand from another now I'm a Benchmade "Griptilian" junkie. Love the knife.
I held the mini griptillian yesterday at REI. NICE knife. I am going to get one!
mines just plain black handle with the natural stonewash blade. looks great. i love it. i finally found the knife i can wear with gym shorts. its so small and light weight i dont even notice it tucked into my waistband. ive even fell asleep with it on. the only edc knife ill ever buy.
Hennie Haynes is a good EU-place to get knives. Benchmade too.
This is my EDC blade. Love this knife. Benchmade knives are made in my hometown, so something to be proud of out here on the left coast. And yes, it is quite sharp. I've managed to cut myself on this knife.
My favorite color is the bright orange! I love the griptilians!
I'm buying a kabar fighting/utility and a couple kabar dozier's based on your reviews
Thanks NF, keep it up, you rock
Great review, I watched it after I purchased mine today up at bass pro, they had the olive/black blade but it was only in serrated, so I picked up the black grip. I absolutley love this blade already, well worth the money (I payed $84).
Lol! Our honorable presenter speaks in many positives about the Benchmade, its shape, blade material, etc.
We're all sold on the thing...then in comes the Flash 1. ;)
I want 'em both. ;)
I have a black 556 MG that I carry every day. It costs me $70 a few years ago. The wife just picked herself up one for $90 at the same store. A buddy wanted one, but the price is now $105. Wow!
I'm glad I got mine when I did. The prices I'm seeing now on some sites are scary. Just for giggles I should call my local B&M outdoors store and see if they have it/how much they want for it.
Heinnie Haynes is an outstanding european site. Great range of gear and customer service that is second to none. I buy all my blades from those guys.
Got a mini grip today! Happy happy.
When you have a loadout which includes a lot of stuff, which many guys, including Nutn, carry everyday, along with a pistol and normal civilian items such as a phone, wallet, etc., if you were to add 1 oz. to everything you have on your person, you're looking at some heavy carrying. I'll carry an old Cold Steel AK-47 (6.8 oz.) occasionally because I don't carry huge amounts in my EDC outfit. However, I can understand where Nutn is coming from. Less weight is almost always a good thing here.
Love the grips, thanks for the review.
To think that this blade is....STILL one of the best edc blades on the planet is crazy.
I got a 80$ 555 tanto with black blade finish and olive drab scale mini griptilian, it is one of, if not, the best EDC blade I have ever owned
Its a big sportman's paradise. A retail store that stocks stuff for hunting fishing and shooting. Big, big stores. -- Veri (Nutn's sister)
I took a thin wheel on the dremel and just touched the Jimping and my thumb locks in now. I really didn't need to do it with this knife but personal modifications are cool. It just takes off the rounded edge from the factory polishing.
for the all blacked out knife, its around $94(plus tax) i just got mine today, and it is amazing!!! such a sexy knife
I have both the Delica 4 FFG and the Benchmade 556 Mini Grip. The Mini Grip has a smaller handle length than the Delica. The Delica 4 FFG is a better value, but Benchmade's AXIS is more fun and convenient to open and close with one hand.
The Spyderco and Benchmade knives seem to feel more solid in construction to most SOG knives I have encountered, but I am sure there are always exceptions.
So worth it? For fun/convenience, yes. For practicality, the Delica is just dandy.
gonna order that D2 model on Friday. I'm excited for it.
danget nutnfancy... Im losing sleep because you have so many videos I just have to watch one after the other.
so I don't know if this has been brought up, but I just tested it, and despited being 154CM, which isn't very high carbon steel, the spine on my mini-griptilian is sharp enough that it'll throw sparks off a ferro rod. just something I thought I should put out there.
Started falling away from amazon for knives. Heard a lot of people voice concerns about counterfeits. Can usually find prices just as good if not better if you do some searching on knife and other outdoor webstores.
I'd go with a Griptilian as well. It fits my hand great, the thumb stud is much faster opening than an opening hole, and the Axis lock in indisputably faster than the Delica's lockback.
mini grips are coll knives. I especially like the ritter with its shape and s30v steel. One thing is its FRN handle, wich personally I dont feel is for me, and Id rather spend up to the 525 or 707 but those are ~100 dollars and far less sheeple friendly. Busting out your safety yellow mini grip might go down better than your black on black black class knife. Oh, and I too consider your videos for my own purchases, you are a great resource for us all.
i just got one of those and i agree with everything he said.
great knife
Good job Fancy, another professional review.
You are the god of steel :)
Grips are the only Benchmades I don't like..beaucause of plastic handle.
Hey nutnfancy, Once again I bought a folder due to your reviews, so far I am loving everything about this knife except the edge geometry (30º+ on each side, its steep) in a month or 2 I will send you a message telling you how its holding up
thanks for this and all your other great reviews once again, have a nice day
Ghost
correct. has the only offered D2 blade steel option out there. A very nice hard steel, which is of greater quality than 154CM.
keep it coming! I definitely consider your data points when going for my own picks
One thing about tip up carry, make sure the blade faces the edge of your pocket. Wore mine on the left and the blade opens when I put my hand in my pocket and hit the stud. Nasty cut, but wa
great review! I just got a Limited edition mini grip with M390 steel! It rocks!
I opted for the Griptilian because the mini-grip was just way too small for my hand. If you are having the same issue check out Sportsman's Werehouse they have full grips for cheaper than minigrips for some reason, same bladesteel no difference but size.
Nice vid dude, as for buying knives in the UK, I find Heinnie expensive, I've got no problems putting my UK pounds in US pockets for excelent quality US made knives. Always look forward to the UPS delivery day.
got it, use it won't give it up! High price yes but so worth it!
If you want a "pimp" knife, the white scales with all black screws and blade looks EXCELLENT.
In response to the retention question while in the pocket. I had mine open on me the other day. It was my fault though because I lifted it from clipped on my pocket and pushed it down in my pocket(needed to carry subtle). Big mistake because it opened and I cut my middle finger quite deep and bled extensively. So it can happen but like I said I believe it was my fault. If it happens again then I may move on to an emissary(because it has a safety lock). Hope this helps...TNP Rocks
Damn you Nutnfancy! Just ordered a Spyderco Delica 4 in brown. Its not even here yet and I wanta pick up one of these.
Are you still using your corner store for your knives? I search it and it was a movie site.
same :s
No he recommends bladeHQ or cutlery shoppe.
You can design a custom mini crip on their website. Starts at $120. Pick steel blade type handle colors. Great if you want a personalized knife for heritage sake.
Go to the website and under services at the top you can customize a grip or mini grip. Awesome options to choose from.
I think if they fixed the gimping and put on g-10 scales,the grip would be (dare i say..) a perfect knife!
great vid!
Heinnie Haynes in the UK is an excellent retailer.
Just got my 556. Absolutely love it. But it's not serrated. Wanted to know, if I send it and ask for a serration would they do that?
Hey Nutn love the videos keep em up, just one question, what do you recommend, a regular griptillian or a mini? what are the ups and downs of each, i like bigger blades so i was goin for the reg. griptillian, but the mini just seems like a more liked blade?
@classof77
i find that using a straight edge is easier for me when trimming branches. i think it lies in how you cut. i tend to avoid sawing, instead i slice diagonally through the branch. ill have to try out the serrated blade though, never tried that before.
i want that for christmas, Great review!
just bought that yellow mini grip! thanks nutn!
I'm a newly made benchmade nut and your reviews are by far my favorite but ...... Do more benchmade stuff
I bought a Flash 1 a couple years ago, per your recommendation. I had to immediately return it because it was way WAY too small(at least it seemed tiny)which I find strange because you say you have big hands(iirc). I have a kabar dozier and delica which are perfect size. Anyway, I am looking at Benchmade now, just trying to convince myself that they will be worth the price
There's a knife seller on ebay that goes by the name "caledon2" who carries all of the knife brands featured on tnp who ships worldwide out of Canada. Most of his prices are within a few dollars of ycs's prices. So for Canadians you can save on custom charges. I believe Europeans will probably save on shipping compared to shipping out of the U.S. For Americans, well you'll pay the same and it'll take longer to get to your door due to customs - not recommended. (I'm not affiliated)
i would really like to see the mini grips in a spring assist version...i just think it would be pretty nice IMHO...nice vid jeff
Great knife! Just bought it!
hey nutn, im a huge fan of TNP and all of your reviews. do you think the 154cm steel on the BM mini grip is better than the teflon coated D2 steel. Im planning on using it as an EDC blade but maybe a little more outdoorsy. which do u think D2 or 154CM. also i am considering the mini barrage, any input on that knife. thanks,
I have a 556 and it recently broke. Both the omega springs gave way.
nice review...what kind of sharpner would u reccomend?im new to sharpening and dont really know how but the other 1s i used jus dulled it
If you had a choice of the mini-barage, or the mini-griptilian, which would you prefer?
nice review! idk why i bought the full size grippy before buying the mini, because the full size would be an illegal carry in my state.
I have both and really you can't go wrong either way. I'm more of a benchmade fan though