Benchmade SOCP Dagger Review

[LeipersForkFirearms]

Hey everyone, Thanks for all the feedback. If you like the knife I am giving it away as a prize for a new writing contest on my blog. Here is the information and a link

leipersforkfirearms.blogspot.com


Due to the Blogs Growing Popularity, I have decided to Officially launch the First Ever Writing Contest for the Blog



Heres the rules:

The Writer of the Best article submitted to the site starting today until June 1st will receive (for this round) The Benchmade SOCP knife I reviewed. This knife retails for $90!

The Article must be a review or other write-up of information relevant to the material we cover on this blog. Both positive and negative reviews are welcome!

Your submission must be a minimum of 1500 words. Pictures are allowed and suggested!

I have the right to edit your submissions if I see fit (profanity or off topic information will be removed)

No Plagiarism!!

Comments and facebook likes greatly help your cause!

E-mail your submissions to leipersforkfirearms@yahoo.com



If your company would like to provide products for future reviews and/or as prizes for future contests please contact me leipersforkfirearms@yahoo.com We will be glad to advertise your product!

[Jim D]

I bought the kit that has the knife, trainer, and two sheaths. I tried for days to find a way to carry it and couldn't come up with one.

If anyone else is carrying it concealed I'd like to hear how. I like the design of the knife, but as we all know the best knife is the one you have on you and I couldn't figure out an acceptable way to have this on me.

Rob, horizontal along the belt, behind a belt loop/inner tube piece seems to be the sweet spot.

Both myself and some of my buddies that work for Northern Red have run them there... seems to be one of the best solutions that's comfortable, concealable, and accessible.



That's it on top of a Beltman no-buckle belt.

I have some ideas for a sheath that might work better for that location, but I'm not sure they'd still fit through MOLLE. My only real criticism of the sheath is the Benchmade pocket clip is semi-slick, and doesn't catch securely on a belt loop. You need to anchor the sheath with some inner tube, or tie the cord loops down to a rearward belt loop.

You could probably glue something textured or with a ledge to the back of the clip to give it more bite, too.

[Iraq Ninja]

What is the point of holding the knife in your primary hand, other than making reloads difficult?

Personally, I prefer cutting to poking holes in people. Cuts do not have to be as specific in regards to target location, when compared to a stab. one cut has more potential of being a game ender vs. one stab.

I saw this knife at TTPOA today, but must respectively not consider it, even though its pedigree seems impressive.

[Jim D]

Cutting (especially though clothes and such) down to vital targets isn't terribly easy.

I do like blades that can cut as well as thrust, but I'm primarily into thrusting. Ratcheting the blade once it's in can help maximize hitting vital targets, but slashing down to interior targets isn't easy.

I'm tempted to sharpen the SOCP all the way down to the hilt, but it will still cut through meat along the full length of the edge if you asked it to. Nylon and leather would probably stop it, but flesh shouldn't be an issue.

[Iraq Ninja]

Cutting with a knife designed to cut is actually not too difficult. Blade profile, curvature, polish, and skill all play a part. The problem is getting it all in a size that allows one to carry it.

Here in Texas we have a town called Cut and Shoot, and some of us actually do both together...




The profile of this dagger IMHO is simply too thin to be a good killer. Think of the Roman Gladius- one of best known stickers in history. If you are up against one opponent, it may be adequate, but not if you have multiple attackers you have to fight through. So, I feel it is a good backup knife, but maybe not the best choice as a primary blade.

Still waiting to know about those mag changes .

[rob_s]

I don't know why people keep harping on this mag-change thing. If your gig is to slash them off of you with the knife and then drop the blade to go to the pistol then fine. This knife is designed to at least allow you to retrieve your pistol, or bring your rifle to bear, without dropping it.

There ain't no free lunch. Chopping vs. stabbing vs. slicing, retain vs. ditch, strong vs. weak... it's all tradeoffs and it's up to the end user to choose a method that they like best and train to deal with the shortcomings of their chosen method. It doesn't mean one is wrong or one is right. and sniping at another method doesn't make another method more right.

[QuietShootr]

Rob, horizontal along the belt, behind a belt loop/inner tube piece seems to be the sweet spot.

Both myself and some of my buddies that work for Northern Red have run them there... seems to be one of the best solutions that's comfortable, concealable, and accessible.



That's it on top of a Beltman no-buckle belt.

I have some ideas for a sheath that might work better for that location, but I'm not sure they'd still fit through MOLLE. My only real criticism of the sheath is the Benchmade pocket clip is semi-slick, and doesn't catch securely on a belt loop. You need to anchor the sheath with some inner tube, or tie the cord loops down to a rearward belt loop.

You could probably glue something textured or with a ledge to the back of the clip to give it more bite, too.

That's how I carry my HAK. I Shoe-Goo glued a sheath to a Wilderness belt and it rides exactly there. (Remember when HAKs were teh super coolness?) I have it positioned loop to the right, on the left of the buckle, with the edge toward the ground, so if I'm wrapped up with some MMA asswipe I can gut him with either hand. Using the drone, I've found that it is VERY difficult, even for someone who really knows what they're doing, to keep me from getting to that blade no matter how they've got me grabbed.

[Iraq Ninja]

I am just expressing my opinion on a style and technique, just like we would on a pistol or caliber. Is there a difference now because it is a knife and not a firearm?


It is my opinion that holding a knife like this with a pistol is not the best way to do it. We know that pistols don't always go bang when you want them too. Though the technique is not without merit, I feel it is a poor visual choice to showcase one's product, such as the publicity pics put out for Soldier Systems and other blogs.

I would have rather seen it used with an M4, a much more reasonable use.

A knife is similar in shape to a flashlight, and we know there are techniques to hold both. Some instructors such as Brian Hoffner have been doing it for years.

[rob_s]

Nobody is saying it's the best way to do it. Not even Benchmade. The pictures that everyone references for this are simply intended to demonstrate that it CAN be done and are largely being extrapolated from and taken out of context.

I agree that it was an unfortunate choice for the marketing based on the fact that people get fixated on it when it's almost totally irrelevant. If you otherwise like the knife but don't like that technique, don't do it.

I'm not defending the knife, it doesn't work for me, I'm just getting kind of tired of these "discussions" where people seem to think they need to tear down one thing to build up their own choice while ignoring that their own choices come with downsides as well.

[rob_s]

Rob, horizontal along the belt, behind a belt loop/inner tube piece seems to be the sweet spot.

Both myself and some of my buddies that work for Northern Red have run them there... seems to be one of the best solutions that's comfortable, concealable, and accessible.



That's it on top of a Beltman no-buckle belt.

I have some ideas for a sheath that might work better for that location, but I'm not sure they'd still fit through MOLLE. My only real criticism of the sheath is the Benchmade pocket clip is semi-slick, and doesn't catch securely on a belt loop. You need to anchor the sheath with some inner tube, or tie the cord loops down to a rearward belt loop.

You could probably glue something textured or with a ledge to the back of the clip to give it more bite, too.

Tried it. Doesn't work for me. Either I have to tie the tip down so tight that the ring sticks out or vice versa.