AllOutdoor 1-Year Review: Benchmade Station Knife

When most of us take into consideration investing in high quality instruments and knives, I believe most of us initially assume to purchase a pocket knife or a multitool. Certain, these objects are extra enjoyable to personal initially, however what’s a instrument that just about everybody goes to make use of a number of occasions a day? All of us want meals so there for all of us must cook dinner some meals once in a while, proper? For that reason, I really feel {that a} kitchen knife could be probably the most extremely used knives anybody can personal of their assortment. In case you do the maths, most individuals are going to be utilizing a kitchen knife near 1000 occasions a yr in the event that they cook dinner loads of their very own meals. I like my pocket knives, however I doubt I exploit my Bugout that many occasions in a yr. After that prolonged introduction, I want to introduce you all to the Benchmade Station knife, the main focus of immediately’s assessment. I do apologize for the way lengthy this assessment has taken, however on the similar time, I’ve gotten loads of use out of this knife previously yr.

Knife Protection on AllOutdoor

The Benchmade Station Knife was despatched to me for assessment by Benchmade. Whereas I’m allowed to maintain these knives indefinitely, it won’t change my present or future opinion on any Benchmade Merchandise. Benchmade has not been allowed to preview this assessment previous to publishing. I’ve been utilizing this knife for a yr at this level, and its been used to cut and slice just about all the things in my fridge, from hen to potatoes. 

Specs – Benchmade Station Knife

Total Size: 10.88 in.Blade Size: 5.97 in.Blade Thickness: 0.114 inHandle Thickness: 0.61 inWeight: 6.36–6.92 oz, relying on deal with materialBlade Metal: CPM-154 stainless-steel (58–61 HRC) or 440C stainless steelBlade End: Satin, black DLC coating, or stonewash optionsBlade Grind: Full flat grindBlade Fashion: Drop level, upswept bellyHandle Materials: G10, Richlite, FatCarbon®, or limited-edition aluminumHandle Design: Full tang development with ergonomic contours Building: Mounted blade; laser-cut and hand-finished in Oregon, USAWarranty & Service: Lifetime guarantee; free LifeSharp® sharpeningMSRP: $280–$650 (varies by customization)

Blade and Supplies – Benchmade Station Knife

The Station knife blade is constructed from CMP 154 stainless-steel. Basically, CPM 154 is an enhanced model of the traditional 154CM with a finer carbide construction that improves uniformity and efficiency, that includes a composition of roughly 1.05% carbon, 14% chromium, and 4% molybdenum for balanced hardness sometimes reaching 58-61 HRC. Its key benefits embrace glorious edge retention for demanding chopping duties, superior corrosion resistance appropriate for humid or marine environments, and simple sharpen-ability that enables for fast restoration of a razor-sharp edge with out extreme effort, making it the proper metal for a kitchen knife in my view. However not all steals are good, and CPM 154 has just a few downsides. It lags barely behind extra trendy “tremendous steels” like S35VN or Elmax in absolute edge retention and corrosion resistance as a consequence of decrease vanadium content material, and its average abrasion resistance can result in quicker put on in extremely abrasive functions.

One distinctive function to the Blade of the Station knife, once you evaluate it to the opposite knives in Benchmade’s Culinary lineup, is the truth that it’s a correct chef’s knife with a taller backbone to the leading edge. This gives many benefits with regards to chopping meals.  The elevated top gives ample knuckle clearance from the chopping board, lowering the danger of scraped knuckles throughout chopping motions and permitting for a extra comfy pinch or deal with grip with out unintended contact. It additionally creates extra space for guiding fingers on the non-dominant hand. Moreover, the taller profile facilitates simpler scooping of chopped meals straight onto a board or right into a bowl. After utilizing this knife for some time and going again to a non-chef knife, I actually missed the utility function it provided me.

On the flipside, this blade just isn’t well-suited for carving up or deboning massive cuts of meat that will want a finer-tipped blade. The additional top typically introduces extra drag and resistance throughout cuts, making it really feel much less nimble for intricate duties like nice mincing or peeling small produce, the place a lower-profile blade glides extra effortlessly. The deal with is constructed of G10, and it gives a pleasant grippy materials for all chopping duties and appears fairly good whereas doing it.

Likes

USA-produced and with a lifetime guarantee from BenchmadeIncredibly versatile and well-suited for many chopping tasksEasy to sharpen and maintainCustomizable Look

Dislikes 

Fairly costly at $425 for the variant I reviewed

Closing Ideas

In conclusion, the Benchmade Station knife stands out as a premium, USA-made addition to any kitchen arsenal, mixing the sturdiness of CPM-154 stainless-steel with its spectacular edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening with a thoughtfully designed drop-point blade boasting a tall, chef’s knife profile for superior knuckle clearance, protected guiding, and easy scooping throughout on a regular basis chopping duties. After a yr of rigorous testing on all the things from steak to carrots, it proves extremely versatile for many meal prep wants, enhanced by customizable G10 handles that ship dependable grip and elegance, all backed by Benchmade’s lifetime guarantee and free LifeSharp service. Its greater price ticket, round $425, actually hurts the pockets however the taller blade can really feel cumbersome for exact deboning or mincing, this fixed-blade powerhouse earns its spot as a vital improve for frequent residence cooks in search of a instrument that matches the depth of each day use pocket knives.

Patrik Orcutt

Patrik is a contract photographer who has been fortunate sufficient to see loads of the world and doc his travels along with his digicam. He has labored for the U.S. authorities as a Public Affairs Officer documenting Multi-Nationwide Particular Forces Coaching across the World. He’s at present engaged on changing into a Blackhawk Pilot for the Military whereas being an avid gear junky and outside fanatic.