Benchmade fully warranties their discontinued knives from what I've seen. They have said you might not be able to get the original blade material tho if they no longer use it, and sometimes charge like $5 for upgraded blade steel on knives that need rebladed. As much as people like to complain about Benchmade, I've never seen or heard a single negative story about dealing with them on warranty issues.

Between these two knives it almost seems like brand loyalty will usually be the deciding factor. Both knives are great and have their own special differences. You can’t go wrong with either one. I guess for me between those two you showed I’d pick Para 3 for the superior steel.

Thanks for the comparison. My Para 3 was also not drop shutting. I had to tingle with the left and right screws a bit. Then purple loctite it, now it is perfect.

I have one of each, Para 3 in and mini grip in 20cv, I prefer the mini grip for EDC, but both are great!

You'll love the Kelly Kettle. Amazing piece of kit...

Erica, you can NOT pull that in middle of talking serious. "Stiffer than your mom!" ...ha ha ha I actually spit my water out!

Darn! I own a Benchmade mini grip and was hoping for confirmation. 😛To be honest I just like the mini grip shape better. Spydercos have weird humps and lumps in my eyes.

A Kelly kettle is an awesome thing. I rocket stove like thing with a water tank around it. The flame goes up the middle and makes hot water. Not too much fuel use. I look forward to your review.

We have the same para 3 , badass . The s45VN is impressive to me but tbh I haven’t noticed much using difference with steels besides how well they cut paper 😮lol . And they all need honed after a week or so , you ? I like the variation and knowledge of the steels and the 3v and s90 and magnacut do last longer , m390 types 2-3x longer . The peanut gallery right ? That’s too funny . Happy Easter Erica . I hope you have a good one for real in your new spot with lots of smiles and laughs .

I don't understand why the Para 3 feels so bad to me yet the Sage 5 feels so good. They don't seem very different on paper, but in my hand the Sage 5 is way better. I carried my Mini Grip every day for 8 years. My Para 3 didn't make it 2 weeks in my pocket. My next knife will likely be the Hogue Mini RSK, because it looks like an optimized Mini Grip. I think a Sage 5 vs Mini RSK would be cool. I love the way your brain works Erica, and your opinions! Thank you for all you do!!!

Agreed , Axis lock is a pain to clean and reassemble

The gimping on the Spyderco's thumb-ramp look very similar to that found on my Cold Steel Air Lite, which has the best gimping I've ever felt on a knife for the thumb position. Very grippy and not at all irritating or too aggressive. The only Spyderco I currently have is a Matriarch 2 with a Emerson Wave opener and the thumb-ramp has NO gimping, although there is some mild gimping on the handle in the same area. Kershaw, particularly the Hinderer-designed Cryo had great gimping on the thumb and portion opposite that on the handle. More subdued than the Air Lite, but not by too much, a very nice gimping job, indeed.

With regard to warranty work, Benchmade will repair your knife for as long as they have parts available for it. If they no longer have blades, for example, you cannot get a blade replacement. I personally think this is pretty bogus as far as warranties go as a matter of policy. They should be using semi-standard parts, and, as a manufacturer, they should be able to manufacture a new blade for your knife if yours fails. I have heard stories that Benchmade has replaced knives with newer models from their lineup, but I am not certain this is a standard protocol for the company. You should purchase a Benchmade with the knowledge that your warranty is only really good for as long as your model remains in production, which is not quite the lifetime promise they bank on in their advertising.

I am left-handed and wouldn't get a compression lock no matter what. I am a big Chaparral frn fan and I dig the Native 5. Spyderco back locks are very stable and issue free. I bought the basic model of the mini Griptilian with the balck frn handles because of the price (100 euros) and I was surprised by how much I liked it and even more by how much I carry it. One of the omega springs broke but I replaced it quite easily. Sure it's a bit thick behind the edge but I can sharpen it no problem. Between the two knives you have there I'd take the mini Grip anytime I have a Manix 2 lightweight S110v which is a bit too big for EDC, so I'd imagine I wouldn't be that interested in the big Griptilian. I believe all the steels Spyderco or Benchmade use are well treated and can be used confidently in their basic models.

Good review. Best wishes and God bless you!

Cool video! Do you ever review impact edc arms, such as a sap, brass knuckles, batons, tactical pens, etc?

Mini-Grip kinda looks like a sabre grind , as always great observations Erica ! 🤗

What are your thoughts on convex grinds (edges)? I have the Worksharp Ken Onion and the blade grinding attachment (which I haven't used yet, I"m getting good with the base sharpener first, however) and it's great for quickly making scary sharp convex edges. There are a few things you can do the get more of a concave edge, good for chisel ground and the flat side of serrated edges, such as attaching material like leather or some sort of pad in between the base and the belt or getting their stiffer belts. I like the convex grind as it stays sharper longer and is easier to glide through something encountering far less resistance. This is part of what made samurai swords so special, was the convex edge. I still have a lot of serrated blades though, and for now will have to use the hand sharpeners for those.

I’ve never had a Para3 that stiff, definitely PM2’s though. BM Mini Grip free-drop action was usually a hit or miss for me.

I’ve had my mini grip for 18 years…. A kid from Jiffy Lube swiped it during an oil change…😢 perfect excuse for a Para 3. Just ordered the Maxamet. Hope I love it, I’m a lefty… 🤞

I love my old 154cm mini grip. Such a good user steel, hollow ground (they should have kept it for the new s30v version), the modified sheepsfoot blade shape is one of my favorites, and the handles are well contoured out of the box. Spyderco does a great heat treat, but the handle was a huge let down for me, blocky g10, uncomfortable swell, and lanyard hole placement is all a big blah. I might eventually get a lightweight and put aftermarket scales for it, but that brings up the price substantially.

I love nugget 😊 my dad had so many tools i live small so i have to choose what to keep

For some reason the griptillian doesn’t speak to me. I do agree that the Para3/pm2 is blocky and sharp on the handle edges. Still cozy though.

I think I’m up to 4 springs or so that I’ve smoked between my bugout and 940. 😂. My mini adamas and griptilian are still rocking the factory springs.

Benchmade told me that they will replace the omega springs on discontinued models but im not sure about blade replacements

Have you ever broken the tip of a para 2 or 3? Ive heard this can be an issue. Is it just the mini grip they are unfortunately discontinuing? Or the full sized model as well?

I own both identical knives. I love both knives. They are so dissimilar that it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Great vid though.

I won’t spend that much money on either of those knives and bought the Pilar 3 and by co worker said it’s comparable to his Sounder co knife. Not sure which one it is but he gave props to the Pilar 3 and was very surprised at the quality of it. So maybe you should do a Pilar 3 vs Para 3 ??? I am not even sure if that’s the one he has but it’s a good battle tbh

The Griptilians are such great knives.. but that handle is 🤢. Looks like an old man design from 1970 The Para line is beautiful and heavy duty. I do prefer the axis-lock but any model.. I’m going for the Para 3 no doubt.

Your thoughts on spyderco S45VN vs spyderco K390? If you could only afford one…

I know you swore off mods in the last video, but the mini grip with the AWT scales is so much better.

I don't have a Benchmade but I do have a few SOGs with their new XR lock. I snapped the front side omega spring on my TAC-XR. I disassembled the knife the other day and I saw the other spring is also about to snap. With regards to the Para 3, I have an S30V, an S110V and a lightweight in SPY27. Great little knives but I still prefer the PM2. I've got a couple in S45VN. Both with black G10. One in satin and the other has a DLC coated blade. The latter just needed some fidgeting. Now the action is great. The satin one is a different story. I can't remove the body screws for some reason. Maybe too much blue Loc-Tite. I was able to remove both pivot screws though so I did that and allowed some play and I put a couple of squirts of Frog Lube in there. It drops shut now but centering has gone off a bit.

Which steel would you pick, Magnacut as done by Hogue, or S45VN as done by Spyderco?

Palm swells are on the spine side of the handle. Like the backstrap on a pistol grip. It fills the palm not your fingers.

Our dogs are likeminded. Mine tried to knock my screen down so I’d pet her.

I had this mini-grip for a week hated how cheap the frn felt and gave it to my dad. Went and bought a Para 2 instead. Have the para3 lw and I am not fond of spyderco lw models at all.

Para 3 is my choice every time 😊

From a female perspective, which would you pick: Sig Rose or Walther PDF?

Sorry, I never post twice but I have a query. Is the Mini-Griptilian being discontinued? I kind of understood that the custom shop was closing but that the regular models are continuing. I hope that's true. It makes sense that in an upcoming economic crisis a company focuses on its basic models. The Mini-Griptilian has its place in knife history and culture. So what's going on?

2 titans in the edc community

Why on earth would they discontinue the mini grip?

That’s a mini grip?

Hi honey sorry I have to use this for communication but, didn't want you to get worried. My phone was in wash machine ...... Rest is history! Getting new one today luv u,!!!!!

Not even a debate. Para 3 destroys any BM.

6:53 Is you're dog barking at a orb? Look a few inches left of the center of the window that the dog is looking up at. Right before he barks and right after you say "If you're a lefty AND" for one or maybe two frames there is a small bright circle in the location mentioned on the window. Is there anything that could have made that round light? Notice the dog was looking there before the light appeared, then barked a second after the light appeared... Watched it again, and it was most likely the knife making the reflection. So I hate to have to tell you this, but.... That Spyderco is haunted and has a ghost orb living inside of it.....

If anyone needs a laugh I made a vid in the woods where I wipe out hard @ 9 minutes 😅

I don’t care how great of a product benchmade makes just knowing that they give huge donations to democrats and anti 2A lobbyists I would not give them a dollar