Benchmade  Saddle Mountain 15002 Fixed-Blade Knife

Other than the handle feeling a bit narrow, the comfort and handling is better than expected. Light on the touch and cut where I want to cut.

the knife itself is very good and came extremely sharp however it came with a small chip on the end of the handle and the sheath is falling apart after a singular day of use. if you have large hands I would get a knife with a larger handle as the handle is bordering on too small for my average size hands. all this could excused if this wasn't an extremely expensive knife but for what i paid i expect better.

Razor sharp out of the box. Broke it in field dressing 3 deer. It was as sharp afterward as it was when I started. It was actually too sharp for skinning because it tended to slice right through the hide. I’m astounded and even a little intimidated by the quality of this knife. Feels so good in the hand that I don’t want to put it away. The steel is unbelievable.

I purchased this knife last summer with the intentions of using it as my hunting/fishing/camping knife. For those tasks it performs wonderfully. The knife size is just right for cleaning out a deer, or gutting a fish. The jibbing gives you a good feel of control when the knife is covered in animal goop. The s20v steel holds and edge extremely well, and after a years use, it is still razor sharp. I take care of my knives, and clean and strop them after each adventure that they go on. This knife is not very heavy, (When compared to a bushcraft knife) which makes it a great fixed blade for backpacking as well (IMO).I feel that this particular knife could handle light weight bushcrafting I just wouldn't expect to baton and chop with it. This is a knife that will last you a lifetime.

Rambo should have used one of these babies! Seriously though this knife is perfect. It is a Hunt knife but translates well into just about everything else. It’s a bit much for an EDC though. Compliments my bugout nicely. Well balanced, sharp, and another home run from Benchmade.

I ordered this knife because I trust Benchmade knives. I intend to use this knife on big game hunts for skinning and cutting up game. It is well sized and balanced for that purpose.

The knife seems well made. My issue is that the retention strap is falling apart. I didn't have it out of the box when a chunk of leather fell off. Further examination shows another piece peeling away.

I’m sharing this so other buyers understand the risk before spending hundreds of dollars on premium knives. I purchased three Benchmade knives directly through REI, trusting both brands and specifically choosing Benchmade because of their highly advertised LifeSharp warranty and maintenance program. After a couple years of normal use, I sent one knife to Benchmade for LifeSharp service. Instead of sharpening or maintaining it, Benchmade told me the knife was counterfeit — despite being purchased from REI — and confiscated it. Their solution was a $50 gift card. When I reached out to Benchmade for clarification or support, I received no response. I then contacted REI, who told me counterfeit knives are a known issue between REI and Benchmade and that this is why Benchmade has a confiscation policy. REI agreed to replace one knife, but told me I would need to work directly with Benchmade on the rest. So now I’m left in a situation that makes no sense for a customer: • I bought expensive knives through an authorized retailer • One was confiscated during a warranty program meant to protect customers • I’m now afraid to send in my other knives because they could also be taken • Benchmade isn’t responding to support requests The biggest reason people pay premium prices for Benchmade is confidence in the product and the LifeSharp service. Finding out that counterfeit products may enter the supply chain — and that the customer carries the risk — completely undermines that trust. I’m not posting this to be unreasonable. I’m posting it because customers should know what can happen even when buying through an approved retailer. At this point, I cannot recommend Benchmade or REI without hesitation. Buyers should ask questions before purchasing.

I purchased this knife to replace an older version of the same Benchmade Saddle Mtn that I ended up losing during a hunt. This replacement unit was sharp enough that the first time I pulled it out to show my kids, I cut off the tip of my thumb! 10/10 would cut off left thumb tip again.

Sharp, lightweight, comfortable handle. A very nice do-it-all knife.