Benchmade Griptilian AXIS Lock Folding Knife 3.45″ S30V Satin Flat Ground Sheepsfoot Plain Blade, Black Noryl GTX Handles – 550-S30V

BM550S30V: 550-S30V Griptilian Flat Ground

Benchmade

The 550-S30V Griptilian model features a flat ground CPM-S30V blade, round thumb-hole openers and an AXIS lock mechanism. The handles are made from Noryl GTX with a reversible pocket clip for completely ambidextrous carry. With multiple blade styles, sizes and colors your Grips just got a little wilder… Grrr!

CPM-S30V Stainless Steel

A premium steel created especially for knives, it is a powder steel creating uniform carbide distribution and clean steel properties. As a blade material, it offers excellent corrosion resistance and superb edge qualities. This stainless steel is extremely well balanced, making it one of the best all-around choices for daily tasks.

AXIS Lock

A Benchmade original, AXIS has been turning heads and winning fans ever since its introduction. A 100 percent ambidextrous design, AXIS gets its function from a small, hardened steel bar that rides forward and back in a slot machined into both steel liners. The bar extends to both sides of the knife, spans the liners and is positioned over the rear of the blade. It engages a ramped tang portion of the knife blade when it is opened. Two omega style springs, one on each liner, give the locking bar its inertia to engage the knife tang. As a result, the tang is wedged solidly between a sizable stop pin and the AXIS bar itself.

Designer: Mel Pardue

The senior team member, Mel has been grinding sparks, making knives and creating a following for 25-plus years. His style has a class and simplicity all its own. The Pardue collaborations offer great utility to the everyday knife user while at the same time presenting an upscale distinction. Less is definitely more with Mel’s designs.