Benchmade 921S Switchback

About three years ago, when I was but a wee little knife knut, I went through a phase where I was utterly enamored with Benchmade. I loved the tacticalness and aesthetics of many of their products, purchasing a Benchmade Griptillian Tanto (with combo edge) for my first “real” knife. Several months after getting it, I was strolling through my local military surplus store when I spotted this beauty. Up for sale went the Griptillian and into my pocket went the 921S. I am older and hopefully wiser now, but I still love this rather odd little knife.





Background:

This is a long discontinued knife, I believe it initially came into production about 2003 and was discontinued around 2007-2008. This one was bought as new-old stock around 2011. During its production run, the 921 existed in a number of iterations, ranging from Gold Class to dealer exclusive models. However, the most common variants were the blue handled wharncliff and a black reverse tanto.

Some Specs (Shamelessly Stolen From BladeHQ):

Overall Length: 7.87"
Blade Length: 3.40", 2.00"
Blade Thickness: 0.10", 0.115"
Blade Material: S30V, 440C
Handle Material: Aluminum







Ergonomics:

Due to the relative thinness of the handle, the 921S isn't the most comfortable knife to use for hard cutting, nor does the anodized aluminum surface provide the most aggressive grip. However, the general shape isn't at all uncomfortable. The 921S uses the same pocket clip design as most of Benchmade’s knives, so the ergonomics may not be the best for some people. Again, this isn't something I use for real hard cutting, so it isn’t a massive issue.

Fit and Finish:

Due to the fact that it was a display knife, the anodization had a small flake missing, but otherwise quite nice. The main blade came centered and sharp enough to shave arm hair with a slight draw, while the secondary blade was capable of slicing copy paper. The action was a little stiff, so some adjustment was necessary. No issues otherwise.



General Impressions in Use:

Being my only gentleman’s knife (and safe queen), the 921S only tends to see carry at more formal occasions. In general, it does the role quite well. The thinly ground FFG main blade has proven more than capable of cutting food or opening boxes, while the serrations provide the ability to open heavy clamshell packaging; a nice feature at Christmas. Due to the interesting shape and blue handle, most people (even non-knife ones) tend to view the 921S as a non-threatening knife, as nice feature in a lot of circumstances. Despite its appearance, the blade is certainly rugged enough for most utility tasks short of prying or demo work. I have not found any reason to use the secondary blade, but it’s fine point and size make it suitable for situations where opening the main blade may not be acceptable.

Concluding Thoughts:

While I see no real reason for the secondary blade, it is nonetheless and interesting and useful design for most tasks. However, the glut of knives for similar roles, combined with its virtual unavailability make the 921 more of a curiosity rather than a real option for a gentleman’s folder. Still, I really like this knife for its aesthetics and execution, something that Benchmade can really pull off from time to time.

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Bill22252 on YouTube. "See you space cowboy"

Resident Emerson Fanboi

Folding knives are fun, fixed blades are important.

Nice Bill. Two blades are better than one


Chumgeyser on Youtube
E-nep throwing Brotherhood. Charter Member