BENCHMADE B551-S30V Steel Griptilian Axis Folding Pocket Knife

NEW for 2019 – Now featuring CPM-S30V Premium Stainless Blade Steel, with an excellent balance of corrosion resistance, strength and edge qualities.
Composition: Carbon 1.45%, Chromium 14.00%, Vanadium 4.00%, Molybdenum 2.00%. Vanadium carbides give the steel a very refined and homogenous grain, further improving the sharpness and toughness, while remaining relatively easy to maintain an edge.

Does the Benchmade Griptilian really require an introduction? Probably not. It’s such an all-pervasive part of knife culture that even people who don’t know knives probably know what a Benchmade Griptilian is. For a lot of people, it was the first (and sometimes only) “good” knife they ever bought. It’s not a complex knife – simplicity and execution is the key here.

Designed by Mel Pardue, the Griptilian and Mini-Griptilian have been cornerstones of the Benchmade lineup for years. Available in two sizes (the mini has a 74mm” blade, the regular has a 87.6mm blade) and a huge array of materials and blade shapes, all Griptilian family knives share the same basic handle shape. That being a rounded spine, and a swell towards the rear of the handle with an organic contour to the handles that make the knife just feel absolutely natural in the hand. In fact, that’s probably the draw to the Griptilian – there are no weird angles, no strange shapes, it’s a kind of form factor that feels natural to everyone that uses it.

All Griptilians use the Axis Lock, which is fantastic in this application – smooth deployment and closing, solid lockup, and fully ambidextrous function. The pocket clip is tip up right/left hand carry. The basic Griptilian comes with glass-filled Noryl GTX (a hardened plastic) handles with moulded texturing for better grip.

You can also step up to the new 550-1 or 551-1 models, which feature a number of functional and aesthetic upgrades. The blade steel is CPM-20CV, which is top tier super steel comparable to CTS-204P or Bohler M390 in terms of edge retention, corrosion resistance, toughness etc. The construction is changed from “wrap-around” handles that form a spine on the normal model to flow through construction with anodised blue standoffs. The grips are made of contoured G10, and the liners are also anodised blue for a splash of colour. Finally, the -1 variants also incorporate Benchmade’s new deep-carry pocket clip.

You can also get the full sized Grip in an American Tanto variant (the 553). Of course, there are also limited edition and dealer exclusive variants of the Grip – including the new Gold Class Mini Griptilian 556-1701, with a 20CV drop point blade, and titanium handles with Dymondwood inserts and brass thumb studs!! Regardless of your preference or budget, there’s a Griptilian that’s bound to feel at home in your hand and your pocket.