Blade Length: 3.5″ Closed Length: 5.5″ Overall Length: 9″ Cutting Edge: 3.1″ Blade Shape: Microtech-style Drop Point Blade Material: S35-VN Stainless Steel Handle Material: Aluminum with Carbon Fiber Inserts on Front Side Spacer Colors: Red, Green or Blue Pocket Clip: Tip-up Sheath: Nylon Made in USA

A quick look at my Microtech Kestrel. This was a birthday gift from a good friend of mine a few years back. Although it looks strange it is a very ergonomic and comfortable blade to use.

This is the blade I’ve been carrying daily since 2003. It’s the Microtech SOCOM Elite in 154-CM steel. This is an automatic knife with a positive locking safety for the release. The handles are of aluminum with 180 grit emery cloth inserts for a very positive grip. The clip is non adjustable and set up for right handed, tip up only carry. The locking mechanism is very solid, essentially making the knife a fixed blade when open. The blade still carries the same shaving sharp edge it had when I purchased it. The only thing I’ve ever had to do is the occasional stropping. www.microtechknives.com

This is a short video I made of me just messing around with my Benchmade model 551 griptilian…I am just shaving some bark off of a twig, the video is more or less just suppose to show a size comparison in the hand of the full size griptilian model, and to also show how easy it is to use the axis lock on this model…its quick and easy…The fullsize model has a 3.45″ blade, in this case it is a black coated D2 blade, I normally do not liked any coating on ym knife blades but it helps to protect the D2 from corrosion as it is not a stainless steel, and it seems to have keep pretty good with use, it has not worn that bad yet, I have been using this knife for average cutting tasks for about 6 months now…The model is a BM-551BKODD2, the 551 stands for the full size griptilian with a thumbstud, the BM stands for benchmade, the BK stands for black as in black blade, the OD stands for OD green for the handle, and the D2 stands for the D2 blade…

Commentary around the usage of 580 Barrage in the Field. Hiking on the beach. Sand in the axis lock?