| Author | Message | ||
     Whisperstealth |
I decided to make a bit of a splurge purchase late Monday night while scrolling on ebay. I bought a Benchmade Contego Tactical Folder. It's a big mother. 3.98in blade. I've wanted one for over five years now, and thought with the COVID-19 crisis, why the heck not. I figure if I might die, I might as well die having gotten a knife I've been coveting for a long time. I was able to get it for $186 delivered, tax included, so I got a pretty good deal. It adds to my modest Benchmade Collection, bringing my total up to three official Benchmades and one Harley Davidson branded knife that was made by Benchmade. My other two are a Rift and a Barrage, both also Warren Osborne designs. The Harley knife is an assisted opening liner lock named 'Venom'. Here is a pic of a serrated Contego from their website. Mine is a black coated plain edge.  | ||
| Tootal |
Nice! I lost my Benchmade last Fall. I think it must have come out of my pocket in my hotel in Springfield Illinois during the Mile races. I have other knives but really loved that one. It was a NRA gift knife I got a long time ago. I finally went out searching for another slim, lightweight knife and ended up with a Spyderco Damascus blade with titanium handles. Just a 3" blade but that makes it legal in the Peoples Republic of Illinois! Light and thin yet still tough. Got to love a good knife!  | ||
| Screamer |
Nice purchase. Benchmade is a great product. I know it may sound odd, but sometimes the enjoyment of having a “new” knife can last for months - even years, when it’s the right knife. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Very nice. I have a Benchmade that was gifted to me years ago by a customer, who thoroughly enjoyed the motorcycle I'd sold him. I want to say it's a 3"...not sure of the model, but it's the combo blade, all black. One of these days I need to get it sharpened. It's at least a dozen years old now, and still passable...but not "split-human-hairs" sharp like it used to be. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Tootal, Nice Spyderco! I have yet to get one, but it's on my list! My buddy has one and loves it. Screamer, I completely agree. I'm pretty darn tickled about it! Rat, Incase you didn't know, Benchmade offers a free sharping and tune up service. You send them the knife with $5 for return shipping, and they get it ship shape for you. | ||
| Rick_a |
Nice. I've had these for many years. The AFCK has been the favorite and a daily carry for many years. I've purchased a few Benchmade's for others, but these are my keepers.  20131005_004357 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr | ||
| Slaughter |
I have two - both are hella rugged. I can soak them in solvent to clean if they get sticky (I work with sticky stuff). I had to get a shorter blade when the directive came down from "on high" that we couldn't carry a knife at work. A LOT of us protested (for practical reasons) and they approved 3-inch blades so got a 3-inch folder. | ||
| Tpehak |
Here are my knives   | ||
| Needs_o2 |
A couple of my self made blades. Obviously for the art of it only, but they could still do some damage if put to the task. I just had to get it out of my system, too much Forged & Fire.     | ||
| Tootal |
Wow Jeff, those are beautiful! Having seen your shop I'm not surprised. When I first looked at the photo's I heard a Canadian in my head saying, "Beauty Eh!" | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Thanks Greg The Katana was actually a commissioned piece for a friend's husband. I made two of them in case I screwed one up and I would have extra pieces to use. Fortunately, they both turned out great, and now I have one for myself to sell. | ||
| Tootal |
I really like how you used the wood grain on the blade to give it that Damascus steel look as any good Katana would have! | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Incredible Jeff! Just Awesome! You have an amazing talent. That Bowie is super kickass. I'd love to commission you to make me one, but I could never afford it. How many hours did you put into making it? | ||
| Zane |
Needs_o2. You're work is beautiful. I have a Benchmade Mini Griptilion for EDC and it's the best knife I've ever owned. I have the drop point edge, serrations and the black coating. Its as if they custom made it to fit for my hand. It clips into my front pocket and once it's in place, it just disappears.  My son has a barrage and while that model is a bit big for my tastes, he love it. (Message edited by Zane on April 03, 2020) | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Whisper, I actually have them all for sale at my store, which is now closed, so like they say "everything's for sale at the right price". The Bowie now has a copper wire braided lanyard with a rifled (fired) FMJ .45 cal. ferrule at the end of it. Bowie $300 Gladiator $350 Katana w/stand $500 Now especially, everything is negotiable! | ||
| H0gwash |
Beautiful craftsmanship! | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Jeff, Man, those are very fair prices in my opinion. If I hadn't had spent the money on the Contego, I'd be very interested in the Bowie. Would you mind me sending some friends of mine your pictures to see if they are interested? | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Feel free and thank you for doing so! | ||
| Pwnzor |
Those knives are beautifully done, and the prices are absolutely reasonable. One my neighbors is a knife maker, and does some pretty amazing work also. I've got one, and also bought one for my son-in-law. Here's mine, with sheath and fire steel. Mine is very plain compared to some of the stuff Andy normally produces. Fiddleback Forge  | ||
| Ourdee |
I really liked that knife. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Thanks for the post Matthew! I had to wipe my phone and lost the bookmark to Fiddleback Forge. They are on my list of knives I'd love to get someday. Jeff, No luck yet on finding a buyer for your work. The responses are pretty much the same, "I'd love one, but the timing sucks.". That said, I will keep the pictures on my phone so I can continue to show people. Do you have a website by chance? I would like to be able to direct people to BadWeb members shops. | ||
| Needs_o2 |
I do have a website but don't really sell on line, but surely can sell and ship depending on ones location, taxes make a one man show quite difficult, especially shipping within Colorado. https://www.mountainreflectionswoodworking.com/ The intent of my business was to be the go to local guy that can make what one can't find, whether it be the right size, shape, color, uniqueness, or just a piece of art. Thanks for thinking of and helping me in anyway at all, truly appreciated! Jeff | ||
| Pwnzor |
Wow... looking at your website, and all I can say is, wow. Very nice stuff there. I'll share the link to your site with anybody anywhere that I run across who might be even slightly interested in some beautiful wooden crafts. | ||
| 86129squids |
Back in junior HS shop class I made a maple wood coffee table with a glass center. Still use it to this day. I'd absolutely love to have a woodshop. My hat's off to anyone with that kind of skill. Leave alone the metal smithing stuff. My chefs get to play around with some of the most amazing knives... O2, thanks for sharing, and super good on ya. Dang. | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Thanks guys, I really do enjoy what I do, but making a living at it is a whole nother thing! The contracting I was doing has taken a toll on the body, so I'm trying to make a go at just the woodwork, furniture, and decor end of things. I was relying on selling my wares at other peoples stores, well once they got my rent check, they really didn't represent me at all. Stumbled on a vacant small retail space and thought, "I'll reinvent my self once again". It's been a challenge reaching my target customer, property/condo owners, since we live in the heart of ski country and 85% of them have their primary residence elsewhere, but it was starting to happen, then Covid19! It's kinda funny that I never took high school wood shop, but I did have a carpenter dad that pretty much took on every home project himself, with me as a grunt. And, outside of the instructions to a plastic model kit, I have never used someone else's plans to build anything including the couple of homes I've built up here in the mountains, I don't even like using recipes, even my own, when I'm cooking. | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Squids, any pics of your coffee table? Always interested in what other minds come up with. | ||
| 86129squids |
Here ya go... it's in desperate need of a refinishing, but we use it every day. More handmade stuff: M's brother works a loom square to make those diamonds, and M's granddaughter makes those coasters. Fun stuff.  | ||
| Needs_o2 |
Refinishing it would get rid of all it's character, that's what everyone seeking these days. I'm actually trying to fake that distressed look more and more. | ||
| Court |
I love.....love....love these types of threads. When we built our secret hideaway home we had a good friend, our architects son, build nearly all the furniture. Jeff. . . .your work is spectacular and Brad . . . Not only is your table great but the memories must surely be wonderful | ||
| Court |
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