Benchmade 551SBK Griptilian, the Mel Pardue design that has been the benchmark working folder since 2001. A 3.45" 154CM drop point in BK1 black with a partially serrated ComboEdge, running on the AXIS lock and dual ambidextrous thumb studs, in a black glass-filled nylon handle over stainless liners. 8.07" open, 4.62" closed, about 3.9 oz, made in Oregon City. New in box with the Benchmade pouch, the care manual and the hang tag still attached. Benchmade moved the standard Griptilian to CPM-S30V in February 2019, so the 154CM version is out of production.
The Griptilian is the knife Benchmade are measured against. Mel Pardue drew it, it landed in 2001, and it has been the default answer to "one folder that does everything" ever since.
This one is the 154CM generation. In February 2019 Benchmade moved the standard Griptilian and Mini Griptilian to CPM-S30V across all three blade shapes — the first blanket steel change to the base line since it went from 440C to 154CM. That makes this pre-2019 production, and it is no longer made.
AXIS is the mechanism that made Benchmade's name: a spring-loaded crossbar riding in slots in two machined stainless liners, dropping behind the blade tang when it opens. It is fully ambidextrous, it unlocks without putting a finger in the blade's path, and it can be opened and closed one-handed from either side.
The blade carries the patent mark for it — US Patent 5,737,841, granted to McHenry & Williams in 1998.
The blade is a 3.45" saber-ground drop point in 154CM, hardened to 58–61 HRC. The forward two thirds are plain; the rear third is serrated. Benchmade call that a ComboEdge, and it is what the S in 551SBK stands for — plain edge for clean slicing and control, serrations at the back for rope, webbing and anything fibrous that a plain edge skates off.
BK1 is Benchmade's black coating, a matte poly-ceramic finish rated past ASTM-117 salt spray. The BK in the model number is that coating.
Black glass-filled nylon over two machined stainless liners, with the raised diamond-textured panel that is the Griptilian's signature. It is grippy wet, it does not get cold in the hand the way an all-metal frame does, and it is the reason a 8" knife weighs under four ounces. The clip is the standard three-hole black item, reversible, tip-up.
Unused, in the Benchmade blue box with its blue foam insert, and complete: the black Benchmade drawstring pouch still sealed in its bag, the Benchmade user care manual, and the blue Benchmade hang tag still attached to the knife.
154CM.
Comparison ratings are Bearly Defense’s own 0–10 scale for judging steels against each other. They are a considered opinion, not a laboratory measurement. Composition and hardness figures below come from the manufacturer’s published datasheet.
Crucible Steel · USA
A conventionally melted martensitic stainless steel, described on its datasheet as a modification of 440C with better wear resistance and hot hardness. It dates to about 1959 and was developed as an aerospace bearing material that needed corrosion resistance and strength at 700°F. It entered knifemaking when Bob Loveless promoted it in the early 1970s.
| CarbonC | 1.05% |
|---|---|
| ChromiumCr | 14.00% |
| MolybdenumMo | 4.00% |
Not published on the datasheet: Vanadium, Niobium, Nitrogen, Tungsten, Cobalt, Sulfur.
The trade-offBeing conventionally melted rather than powder metallurgy, it trades toughness for hardness and wear resistance: transverse impact 2.5 ft-lb against CPM S35VN’s 12.0.
Sources: Hudson Tool Steel — 154CM · Knife Steel Nerds — 154CM
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This reflects where Bearly Defense chooses to ship and the laws informing that decision. It is not legal advice. Laws change and local/municipal rules may differ — verify your own state and city law before you buy, carry, or use any item.
Why Benchmade 551SBK Griptilian — 154CM ships the way it does.
This product is intended for lawful use only. Users are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws before purchase and use.
This reflects where Bearly Defense chooses to ship and the laws informing that decision. It is not legal advice. Laws change and local/municipal rules may differ — verify your own state and city law before you buy, carry, or use any item.
Laws governing self-defense and carry items vary widely by country, state, and municipality. It is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Please check your local laws before purchase and ensure this product is permitted where you live, travel, and intend to carry it.
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