This is the best of times and the worst of times for EDC knife lovers. It’s the best of times because there are a slew of manufacturers making more great knives featuring wonderful designs with top notch materials than every before. It’s the worst of times because…well, actually no it isn’t. It really is the best of times for anyone shopping for a knife in just about any use or price category.
One of those truly great designs that just seems to do everything right is the Benchmade Mini Bugout.
The original Bugout is a classic in and of itself. But some people just prefer to carry a blade that’s smaller and less, well, threatening to some delicate souls. Plus, the Bugout has a 3.24″ blade. There are still some states where carrying anything over three inches is illegal. For some damned reason.
For about 95% of the jobs people need to do with an everyday carry knife, a simple, classic drop point is ideal. And the Mini Bugout’s drop point is as good as it gets. It’s razor sharp out of the box and the DLC-coated S30V steel — while no longer considered a premium steel — holds an edge well and takes a sharpening easily enough.
So when Benchmade shrunk the dimensions of the Bugout, birthing the Mini Bugout, they made what is, for many of us, the perfect EDC knife.
The famous Benchmade Axis lock is among the best knife locking designs ever made. That’s why, now that its patent has expired, it’s being used by so many other knife makers in their designs.
Benchmade has wisely kept the Mini Bugout’s clip plain and simple. Which just about always also means pleasantly functional.
It’s a small, unobtrusive deep carry tip-up design that can be flipped to the other side if you’re a lefty.
As for the scales on this model, the 533BK-2 has a blend of carbon fiber and polymer that’s exceptionally rigid and tough. You can see the grid design in the photo above that keeps those liner-less scales from flexing at all unless you REALLY press down hard, trying to flex them.
That makes the Mini Bugout slim and strong. The build quality is exceptionally good with no play in the action at all and the blade is perfectly centered when closed.
This incredibly useful little package — which weighs a scant 1.5 oz. — will probably be the most easily-carried EDC knife you’ve ever had. At about $150, the American-made Mini Bugout isn’t inexpensive, but it’s going find its way into your pocket more often than any knife you own.
At maybe 80 bucks I’d consider it, but since that won’t be happening, my wallet won’t be getting dinged.
(Maybe my mentally-ill demented troll will buy one and have a horrible sharpening accident and expire from the blood loss… 🙂 )
They don’t have blood. They’re full of Liberal Plantation Koolade.
Are we still meeting when you drive your jaloppy up to Bordentown to see the extended family that hates you, or are you yellow?
I’m flying, not driving, and I’m not getting anywhere near you when I’m up there, literally insane boy.
As often as you’ve commented on wanting to red-flag me, you’re not getting an opportunity to pull a stunt like that.
Look at what someone said about you here in TTAG :
“Some random guy on the internet hurt your feelings once and you just can’t get past it. You’ve been doing this for well over a year. What is wrong with you? Seriously you have a psychological problem. I hope you find the help you need.”
https://ttagstaging.wpenginepowered.com/as-washington-gears-up-for-gun-control-states-act-to-protect-second-amendment-rights/#comment-4766289
So you’re yellow lol. You asked to meet, then rescinded like the coward you are lol. Asked if I had the ‘balls’ to meet. Wow….
Agreed. I paid less than $90 for an Osborne Rift in G10, no way will $150 pass thru my hands for something that looks like FRN – and the larger model actually is.
Benchmade was overpriced on the Griptilian when $25 FRN clip knives were the going thing. I don’t see why they can’t offer G10 which is far superior.
Until I can move to a free(er) state and get an automatic knife I will stick with my Kershaw assisted opener.
Cobras ain’t bad. Supposedly made in Texas.
I’ve got one I like it.
Paint comes off and you’ve got retighten the screws, the blade pushes up a little when cutting down.
But there pretty durable.
.
Do what my cousin did, order one through the mail and when you get caught tell them “It’s a novelty letter opener. ” He was a funny fck,
I’ve not heard from him since he got out of prison. I think hes in Oregon now. ???
I dont think the bugout counts as an automatic, just spring assisted?
My Kershaw does what I need and it’s a lot cheaper.
bugout is a thumb stud opener.
some of the kershaws are chicom, and all of their speedsafes will need the spring replaced. they will send you a few if you call.
lots of u.s. made options for a hondo.
I’ve quit using them kinda knives with the open handles and thumb assist and lock ups because cleaning them up after skinning something is a chore.
I suppose they’d be great for widdling sticks or opening boxes.
Benchmade is anti Gun and supports anti gun politicians.
https://gununiversity.com/is-benchmade-knife-company-anti-gun/
GREAT info to know. Thanks for posting.
Screw Benchmade (and the rest of the nuts in Oregon)
Dumbass…
Those guns were inoperable and going to be “destroyed” regardless.
This whole thing has been debunked so many times. You found that article, now find the ones debunking it.
Benchmade Mini Bugout may not suck, but overall quality of Bench Made knives does suck. I owe a modest collection of Bench Made knives. Out of 8 knifes 4 had their omega springs broken (including Bugout) over a brief usage, one had omega spring broken twice. But i have to give them a credit for their customer support.
I like the look of the knife. I do not like thumb studs or tip up only designs and it’s too small to cost a hundred a fifty clams.
Benchmade mini bugout is a great knife. Love it.
I have a 10 or 12 year old 530 which is a very similar knife. I have no serious complaints.
THANKS Y’ALL FOR ALL INFOR INPUTS .. LIKE ENJOY THR ARTICLE …UUUUM ?
HOW ABOUT ARTICLE ON BROWNING 1911 22LR PISTOL , PRO’S AND CON’S ,,
WHY , GOT ONE, WEAPON SEEMS SO FAR WELL MADE , SHOOTS ALL TYPE AMMO I FEED IT ..
ITS THE CHEAP MAZAZINE PLASTIC BUTTON , BREAKS AT RIGHT HAND TOP TAB ….,,
TO REMOVE PLASTIC MAGAZINE BASE , I CAN’T , TAKE’S ACT OF GOD , NEED HIS HELP OR THE DEVILS HELP TO REMOVE IT .. CALLED BROWNING , NO VIDEO HOW AND WON’T DISCLOSE HOW TO ,, UUUUH , RIP OFF TIME , AT LEAST MAGAZINE BODY IS METAL..
IS IT TIME FOR LAWYER AND COURT SUE FOR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT ???
You’d spend more money on a lawyer then the gunm is worth.
Send the gunm and mag to me and I will fix it.
Do you care about rock marks? I cant remember where I put the sledgehammer.
I’ve found better knives at True Value Hardware stores for a fraction of the price.
You can get a cold steel, recon 1 for 100 bucks and it’s 3 times the knife that the mini bugout will ever be.
cold steel=asiian
go right ahead.
Is Benchmade still cutting up guns for the local Leftist Five-0?
Man, fuck those collaborators.
I’d carry a Leatherman® LONG before I ever carried a Benchmade knife. I have Leathermans and I have knives and I don’t carry either irregardless of the name.
Truth of the matter, unless it’s really cool, I mean really REALLY COOL, it’s just a glorified expensive knife.
I’ve had two leathermans, one was U S made and the other is china.
I lost the U.S. made and old girlfiend got me the china. The China ain’t as good but its still okay.
My boss, when I was a farm hand, had a Benchmade type leatherman, and over the years the china leatherman held up better then his.
@ Possum
If it was an actual Leatherman®, it was made in Portland, OR. Leathermans are not made in China. There are many multi-tools on the market and many are made in outside the USA. Another excellent brand is Gerber® and they also are made in Portland, OR. If you are sure you had a Leatherman and it was made in China, it was a counterfeit.
Known Leatherman Fakes: Leatherman is the market leader for multi tools and all of their products are targets. The list of known Leatherman models with fakes out there is long: Charge , Charge TTi, Crunch, FREE, Juice, Leap, Micra, Minitool, MUT, PST, Rebar, Rev, Signal, Skeletool, Super Tool 300, Surge, Tread, Wave , Wingman and Wave to name a few.
Says Leatherman on the blades, got it from Walmart. ?? The quality is not quite as good as the old one.
And now that you mention it ,his tool was a Gerber.
BTW both those tools were put to really hard use, beyond their intended design.
Good products both.
Nope Benchmade sucks all the way everyday. Man the management and the workers are very anti-gun. Emerson knives now thats a good knife.
Randell ain’t bad.
.
Probably the jokes are on the coppers, I’m guessing Benchmade used the gunms steel and made knives out of them. ???
I own two Benchmades and an Emerson. I wouldn’t say the Benchmades “suck” per se but mine are certainly not in the class of the Emerson.
Ok, how do you hold on to this knife? Anything slick, like blood, and you slice your fingers. Heck, even opening a box might cause slippage of your hand. If I buy a knife I always check for positive gripping control, in the worst scenarios. I’m not just this dogging this particular one.
So are these made from melted down “bought back” rifles or are they made from melted handguns?
Actually, it doesn’t matter, Benchmade is dead to me and will never get another penny.
Same here. Had two, sold both.
Cold Steel fixed blade, SOG assisted and HK automatic for above the waterline, Kershaw Amphibians for below.
You ( writer) realize Benchmade is a proponent of Gun control right?
I have own this knife since it came out . It’s the only knife I carry to work every day. I do not carry my hendener or or my strider to work . I EDC a knife everyday . It has held its Edge extremely well. And is so white I really would not know it’s there… for the money it’s well worth it to me .. thanks for the review
Everything from Benchmade sucks!
If Benchmaid is going to purposely destroy perfectly good guns that could have been used to save lives then I can just as easily take my business elsewhere.
I have a custom bugout in m390.
Not my favorite knife but I wanted to experience the Benchmade opening and closing, So I got it. It’s meh, at best. I hate deep pocket clips so I replaced that. The thumb stud was way to small so I replaced that. As a carry knife, I’d use it for opening cardboard and that is it. Actually, I don’t carry it for that reason. The standard bugouts are cheap and flimsy too. Just not reliable enough to deploy time and time again.
Buy zero tolerance flippers and never look back. I have 4. My favorite is a hinderer, bit the spring assisted is by far the best to deploy. I came from spydercos, and after owning a flipper, I’ll never use anything else. I do have a couple OTF microtechs, and a couple random autos (Kershaw, Gerber) and the ZTs are by far the best knives I’ve ever owned. Took me forever to buy one but once I did, I couldn’t stop. I now have 4 and looking to buy a new one if they ever use s45vn, but I am totally content with 20cv. M390 is nice but I’ve seen it chip easily.
Anything s30v can suck a fat one. Too soft.
Things that DO suck.
The Truth About Guns shilling for Benchmade. I suppose you will be pimping out an article about Springfield next?
Benchmade supports antigun demoncrats, so if you buy from them you are supporting ANTIGUN LEGISLATION.
Bnchmade is an anti 2A company. They posted a video using their machinery to destroy guns for police while adding anti gun sentiments posted alongside.
SO actually, they DO suck.
Bidenflation is real. It lists for $229 only a few months later.
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I saw where the blade length on the Bugout is 3.24″ and that the mini bugout is downsized but did I miss the blade length of the mini?
Benchmade can go suck an egg. Some of us remember their perfidy when they partnered with their local Jack-Booted Thugs (JBT’s) in destroying confiscated firearms.
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