RIP Benchmade Knives

[Aguila Blanca]

Gillette decided to be "woke" and come out against "toxic masculinity."

http://time.com/5503156/gillette-raz...c-masculinity/

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by NWPilgrim

It is really surprising how ignorant some companies are of their customer base. Even gun writers like Dick Metcalf stepped on his...well you know. Leatherman hosts Obama and when I wrote to them the CEO replied with a whiny petulant rant.

As an average Joe all I know is that every gun owner I know also carries a folder and probably has more than one quality knife. On the other hand, I don’t know any owners of a quality folding knife that is not also a gun owner. Of course there are exceptions in both cases but I believe there is a huge overlap in the Venn diagram of Gun Owners and Benchmade Knife Owners.

If I were a gun supporting company and was asked by the local PD to destroy some guns you can be damn sure I would have the press release right handy explaining why and that we’re having a BBQ with gun raffle giveaway later or something. Lacking this makes me wonder whether they thought at all.

They did think through it, they thought gun owners were all Fox News watchers and listened to Rush Limbaugh, so they love helping cops and will give high praise and support to any company that helps the police.

Except we're not stupid like everybody says, we're SMART and we want RESPECT! Alright, Godfather quotes aside, they thought wrong and I think it's an instinctive reaction with real 2A supporters, not the Fudd's, that when we see police destroying guns or people doing it for the police, it looks like the police are pro-disarmament, which in some cases and localities they are, but largely they're not.

The pics are damaging and make me question what business does Benchmade have in destroying guns? I thought they're in the knife making business, not the gun destruction business? Are they even getting paid for doing this and have they helped police destroy guns before? If they have, then they have no business claiming to be pro gun when all they are doing is destroying them on multiple occasions whilst also not doing anything to support the 2nd amendment other than saying they do, but IMO talk is cheap.

That's all one thing, but then you see how heavily the company donates to Democrats, who are now purely anti-gun, and nothing or very little to non-Democrats.

All the signs point to Benchmade is an anti gun company and as you said, few gun owners don't also own folding knives, especially those who own expensive knives like Benchmade or Microtech.

It is just a massive disaster for the company and they're gonna have to lay people off because business is gonna plummet and I doubt any of the Oregon City PD are going to be buying knives in bulk to help bail out the company for their screw up putting those pic on Social Media.

BTW, who told the officers or Oregon City PD employees to take pics and post them online? Is that standard operating procedure?

[Bill DeShivs]

Leatherman has been anti-gun for a long time.

[50 shooter]

The owner of BM posted a lame ass half hearted attempt to explain everything. He would've been better off letting someone else do it, FAIL!

Unbelievable! When are these companies going to understand that we all need to stand together or else we'll certainly hang separately! It's a simple concept but some just won't get it until it's to late!

[Hawg]

I had an old semi-auto .22 that would fire in full auto when it got dirty

That could have been fixed. I never owned a Benchmade knife, never will.

[BBarn]

Couple more points about Benchmade. They produce a large line of knives for HK.
And they also make several automatic knives that they sell to LE and to residents of their home state (Oregon), where they can be sold legally.

[rickyrick]

They have put out statements twice now. I think if they wanted to do this and thought it was the right thing, they should have just done it. No explanation, no excuses needed... should have just did it and moved on.
I stand by my statements that “Special Equipment Neeeded” to cut up a gun is nonsense.
I think that it is very plausible that they were asked to do it and they did it to be helpful or whatever but didn’t think about repercussions.

[Brit]

I have half a dozen Benchmade knives. Just love the one hand open, and one hand close button! Carry one clipped to my right-hand pants pocket, always.

My Gen 4 Glock 19 lives on that same side. Reference management donation policies?

[buck460XVR]

Originally Posted by Hawg

That could have been fixed. I never owned a Benchmade knife, never will.

2 different gunsmiths tried. After both by the time a 50 round box of shells went thru it, it would go full auto. Since .22 ammo is dirty and I didn't feel a need to clean a POS cheap gun(altho it was the most accurate .22 I ever owned) after every mag, I felt no need to keep it. Selling it or trading it would mean giving someone else a unsafe firearm. Thus it got cut up and taken to the same dump it was used to shoot rats at.

I own a passel of knives. Most of them Case or Buck with a few Schrade's mixed in. Working men's knives. Good steel and keep a good edge. Never saw the real need to go with anything higher priced. Kinda like Jack Daniels and Whistle Pig, and I love me some Whistle Pig! Politics has little to do with what tools I buy. Probably why I have S&Ws, Rugers and a Leatherman.

[FoghornLeghorn]

I think that it is very plausible that they were asked to do it and they did it to be helpful or whatever but didn’t think about repercussions.

Truth be told, I'm more "interested" in BM contributing such lopsided amounts of money to anti gun politicians than I am in them helping cops destroy guns.

Without the contributions, would we have paid so much attention to the other?

Regardless, no more benchmade knives for me. It's ironic, because I was just about to pull the trigger on a Benchmade Infidel. But I won't be buying any more of their knives.

[rickyrick]

Without the contributions, would we have paid so much attention to the other?

I think that is the meat of the issue, the gun destruction caused the donations to come to light.

[FrankenMauser]

And they also make several automatic knives that they sell to LE and to residents of their home state (Oregon), where they can be sold legally.

I've had several. The novelty wears off after the first time someone borrows your knife, asks how to open and/or close it, and then slices your fingers while you reach to show them. Yea, there's another lesson in there about not handing your knife to an idiot, or reaching for a knife in the hands of an idiot; but it doesn't happen with manual or semi-automatic knifes.

Automatic opening really loses its appeal after the lock and the release somehow both get triggered while in a pocket, and you manage to stab yourself in the groin or thigh. I never did it, but I was around for several incidents. (Most of them were the result of a sheath wearing out, which moved the knife to a pocket.)

My personal preference is for a manual folder, anyway. I was never enamored with the automatics like my coworkers.
(We got a new one for each deployment to certain parts of the world, as they tended to take a beating and/or get erroneously confiscated on the way back by Army "customs" inspectors that were used to dealing with grunts that couldn't be trusted with a knife - especially an automatic. [We were not Army, but frequently had to deal with them.])

[JERRYS.]

maybe all this bad press will bring their prices down and I can afford another one.

[luger fan]

I may indeed be in error BUT I would think if this was NOT BM they would have shouted from the rooftops.......That I didn't hear them do that????????????????????????????

[dstryr]

“Benchmade is aware of the recent post from our local Oregon City Police Department.

We apologize for the confusion and concern that this post created. These were firearms the Oregon City Police Department had to destroy in alignment with their policies. Oregon City Police requested the use of specialty equipment within the Benchmade facility to follow these requirements, and as a supporting partner of our local police force, we obliged the request.

Benchmade is a proud and unwavering supporter of both law enforcement and Second Amendment rights. These are commitments that we do not take lightly and will continue to support well into the future.

When asked for clarity from Oregon City Police Department, Chief Jim Band made the following statement: “When property is to be destroyed, it is the policy of the Oregon City Police Department to destroy property, including firearms, in accordance to our procedures and ORS. The Oregon City Police Department does not sell firearms.”

Hiding behind procedure, policy and requirements again...

[rickyrick]

I just noticed that they said “to destroy property, including firearms”... so where’s the photos of them destroying lawn mowers or other items involving crimes? Why only publicize destruction of guns and not the other property?

[FoghornLeghorn]

Benchmade is a proud and unwavering supporter of both law enforcement and Second Amendment rights.

I'll confess to confusion because I don't see how they make the latter claim while financially contributing to enemies of the Constitution.

[Pahoo]

Oregon City Police requested the use of specialty equipment within the Benchmade facility to follow these requirements,

Specialty equipment !!! ….

Are we suppose to buy into this? Some time, after the Korean war, our local scrap yard took in a bunch of weapons and materials. There were literally mounts of this stuff and yes, there were various firearms. Included were about a dozen tanks. They removed the turrets with mobile cranes and chopped and smelted everything with specialty equipment. ……..

Like the monkey making love to a skunk, once said; " I think I've had enough of this stinking subject, for one day ???

Get real and;
Be Safe !!!

[stinkeypete]

It’s your money and how you chose to spend it is one of the last ways to express how you want the world to work.

In my eyes, the cops need some metal cut up and the neighbors over at Benchmade have the power tools and workers to help. I call that “neighborly” and folks used to help each other out in town.

Me, I take pride in my old American made ka-bar folding knives made in Olean, NY... just 40 miles from Grandma’s house. I have three and all are spooky razor sharp and of an old non-locking design such that if you don’t cut away from yourself you’re going to the emergency room for stitches.

If I had to buy a new knife... I’d buy an old one. Bench Made is still made in America, and that counts for something with me.

[ATN082268]

I don't see a big deal with Benchmade loaning equipment to the local police department or their political contributions. I saw a recent YouTube video on the Gun Collective with Benchmade's response to the whole thing and it looks pretty straightforward. Benchmade is a knife company so they support political candidates in line with that product. In any case, whoever they (or anyone else) supports will not be in line with everyone else on all the issues.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Benchmade showed up on the Guntalk podcast to discuss this issue and it is even more cringeworthy than the video by the founder because they get into details. It is like they are TRYING to get rid of their RKBA customers. On the other hand, if you enjoy listening to a marketing guy squirm while Tom Gresham does his mild-mannered Mr. Rogers thing and just eviscerates him, it is worth a listen.

https://guntalk.com/gun-talk-radio/b...trict-gun-bill

[Rob228]

I don't buy cheap knives, cheap boots or cheap running shoes, and since you can't find a real Strider folder anymore I'm happy with my Benchmade. I'm willing to bet the PD did not consult with BM marketing prior to this post. Doesn't make a bit of difference to me if they are destroying guns that were going to be destroyed anyway.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

So, just for highlights (you should really listen to the podcast):

1) Benchmade has been assisting a local police department that cuts up guns for purely political reasons for several years. They will not do that going forward because they now realize this upsets their customers.

2) Benchmade has been donating money EXCLUSIVELY to anti-gun Dems, including out-of-state Dems that aren’t local to them at all.

3) Benchmade has poured tens of thousands more into a Democrat lobbying firm.

3) The “knife rights” bill that Benchmade’s Democrat lobbying firm supports actually removes substantial protections and is opposed by several knife rights groups as a step backwards.

4) Benchmade claims to have supported RKBA to the tune of millions of dollars but their marketing guy, who knew exactly what the line of questioning was going to be going in, didn’t have a single concrete example he could point to.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Batholomew Roberts

On the other hand, if you enjoy listening to a marketing guy squirm while Tom Gresham does his mild-mannered Mr. Rogers thing and just eviscerates him, it is worth a listen.

https://guntalk.com/gun-talk-radio/b...trict-gun-bill

At what time point does the Benchmade interview start?

[Bartholomew Roberts]

About 6 minutes even.