The Benchmade Station Knife is a flexible workhorse of a kitchen knife constructed to carry out from discipline to desk and in all places in between. It’s a rugged knife with a full-tang CPM-154 Stainless Metal blade, Richlite (a paper-resin composite materials), and G10 for the deal with scales. The profile is much like that of a Japanese Bunka chef knife, making it able to each extra delicate work with the effective tip of the blade and heavy chopping with its deep stomach and heel. It’s a extra compact design for a chef’s knife, which, when paired with the gray PIM sheath, makes for protected and straightforward transport between camp and kitchen, however this comes at a value, primarily in how nicely you possibly can slice with the shorter blade. So with that coated, let’s get into it. It is a assessment of the Station Knife after 6 months of each day use, with a Benchmade knife supplied for Testing and Analysis.
Assessment Protection on OutdoorHub
Specs – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
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- General Size – 10.88 inches (27.67 cm)
- Blade Size – 5.97 inches (15.16 cm)
- Blade Thickness – 0.114 inches (2.9 mm)
- Deal with Thickness – 0.61 inches (15.49 mm)
- Blade Materials – CPM-154 Stainless Metal (58-61HRC)
- Blade Model – Clip-Level
- Mechanism – Mounted Blade
- Blade End –Tumble/Polish
- Blade Shade – Stonewash
- Deal with Materials –Richlite/G10
- Deal with Shade –Maple Valley and Black
- Weight – 6.768oz | 191.87g
- Nation of Origin – USA
- Guarantee & Help – Lifetime guarantee; free LifeSharp® sharpening
- MSRP: $350
The Station Knife comes with a taller 5.97 in clip-point-style blade with the next profile. With a shallow major bevel that begins at 0.114 in. huge on the backbone, this can be a thinner blade, good for making clear cuts and simply pushing by means of tougher greens.
Check Strategies & Circumstances – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Testing of the Station Knife has run for about half a 12 months now, with it serving as my go-to chef knife all through. That is an endurance take a look at to see how lengthy I can hold utilizing the knife earlier than I really feel it wants sharpening. I handled the knife like I might have any of my different knives from my sushi restaurant days, so no dishwashers, no tossing into sinks if it may very well be helped, and dried off earlier than being put away. I used it nearly in all places, from simply normal cooking at residence, chopping greens and meat on my good wooden slicing boards, to touring with the knife right down to the coast or up into the woods for deer camp, slicing up meals on prime of coolers and low cost plastic slicing boards. There was an preliminary test on sharpness finished on some tomatos I wanted for dinner once I first bought the knife to test the standard of the Benchmade SelectEdge Expertise edge, and since then, it has all been by really feel to see the way it performs daily.
Out-of-Field Sharpness & First Prep – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The packaging of the Station Knife is well-made, with a sturdy, thick cardboard field and high-density foam to make sure the knife stays in place. Proper out of the field, the Benchmade SelectEdge appeared good with no seen imperfections. Initially, chopping greens with the knife was snug to make use of in each a fingertip grip and a pinch grip. Although with a pinch grip, I needed to maintain on to the knife additional again than different knives as a consequence of it being a handle-heavy knife
Score:Â 8 / 10
Efficiency within the Kitchen – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Over the previous 6 months, I’ve used the Station Knife daily, and for probably the most half, it’s been able to every little thing I would like from a chef’s knife. Be it push-cutting, chopping, or rocking, the knife carried out very nicely in all three methods. The effective tip of the blade permits you to do element work, whereas the tall stomach and heel make it an amazing scoping blade. The one place I discovered it missing was in making lengthy, clear cuts in proteins. Whereas the sting high quality and skinny profile of the blade are nice, the shorter blade size means you usually take extra slices to make longer cuts. To check for edge retention on the knife, I’ve not sharpened or honed it prior to now 6 months. Whereas I don’t see any chips or rolls on the sting, once I do run it throughout my thumbnail, I can really feel a couple of tough spots that don’t chunk like the remainder of the sting. Although even with these boring spots, the knife nonetheless cuts nicely.
Score:Â 9 / 10
Sturdiness, Supplies & Construct High quality – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The selection of utilizing CPM-154 Stainless Metal for the blade and Richlite & G10 for the deal with makes for a really sturdy knife. Even in any case this time of use and even being put away moist a couple of occasions whereas down on the gulf, the CPM-154 has solely a few mild stains to point out for it. The Richlite grips are additionally holding up extremely nicely, whereas trying like wooden, this composite materials suffers not one of the downsides. There was no shrinkage or warping within the deal with, even when left moist for prolonged durations. Fitment has been stellar with nothing budging or rattling.
Score:Â 9 / 10
Dealing with, Stability & Ergonomics – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The stability level of the Station Knife, in my view, is a bit too far again. With a shorter blade and quite a lot of deal with, the stability level sits proper across the begin of the deal with scales of the knife. So whereas effective for rocking chopping with the knife, faucet chopping with the knife isn’t nice. Whereas the deal with is a bit heavy, it’s snug to carry. The contouring of the Richlite scales is nicely finished, and the fabric itself is a lot grippy even when coated in beef fats as you carve a roast.
Score:Â 8 / 10
Who It’s For / Who Ought to Skip It – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Benchmade has taken a generalist method with the Station Knife, treating it as a chef’s knife. A mixture between a higher-end chef’s knife you’d usually discover in a chef’s knife roll and a camp knife you’d anticipate to see out at deer camp. In the event you’re the kind of cook dinner who thinks a knife’s a knife, or places their chef’s knives within the dishwasher. I like to recommend you progress on; this isn’t the knife for you. However in case you’re the kind of cook dinner who prefers a finer knife and doesn’t thoughts minimal care, this may very well be a strong alternative for you.
Worth & Value-to-Efficiency – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
MSRP for the Station Knife begins at $350 and goes as much as $600, relying on the trim you select. Whereas on the upper aspect for a chef’s knife, you’re paying for higher-quality stainless-steel recognized for its uniform carbide distribution. This offers knives made with it sharper edges and larger sturdiness. Moreover, you’re getting a lifetime guarantee from Benchmade for this knife, so long as you don’t use it as a pry bar, you need to be coated. And lastly, in case you don’t belief your self to sharpen the knife, Benchmade Lifesharp has you coated as nicely. You simply must ship it to them, they usually’ll sharpen the knife up for you and ship it proper again.
Score:Â 8 / 10
FAQs (2–6 category-specific purchaser questions)
Q: Is that this chef’s knife absolutely stainless, or will it patina?
A: It’s stainless-steel, and received’t rust and stain like a high-carbon metal knife will, however it might probably nonetheless stain a bit bit, particularly if improperly taken care of.
Q: How arduous is it to sharpen at residence?
A: Sharpening this knife at residence is comparatively straightforward, with CPM 154 being a comparatively forgiving metal. Although it needs to be famous that the manufacturing facility Selectedge is a 14-degree angle per aspect grind, and also you need to match that angle once you sharpen this knife.
Q: What slicing boards must you use to guard the sting?
A: For slicing boards, you possibly can go any route besides glass, metal, and marble. All three of these choices will harm your knife’s edge and result in poor edge retention.
Care, Upkeep & Longevity Suggestions – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Cleansing the Station Knife is fairly easy: hand-wash solely and dry afterwards. You shouldn’t put any chef’s knife in a dishwasher. So long as you hand-wash the knife and dry it, there needs to be no additional steps wanted to handle the knife. The stainless-steel and composite handles on this knife will maintain up over the long term, so long as you don’t abuse it. For sharpening the knife, so long as you employ high quality moist stones, you need to be golden. I like to recommend at the very least two stones: a 1000-grit stone for normal shaping and a 3000-grit or increased stone for remaining edge sprucing. Don’t use electrical knife sharpeners or these low cost pull-through knife sharpeners; these are the quickest methods to destroy a knife edge.
Score:Â 9 / 10
The Verdict – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The Benchmade Station Knife is a superb knife alternative for residence cooks who need a high-quality knife choice for each at residence and within the outside. Constructed from a high-quality stainless-steel that holds a really sharp edge extremely nicely, the Station simply retains on chugging. Even after 6 months of use with no sharpening, the knife continues to be very usable within the kitchen and doubtless can be effective with some honing on a honing metal. One factor I’ll be aware: I make certain to handle my knives within the kitchen. So in case you’re the kind to toss a knife into the kitchen sink or clear them in a dishwasher, I might say go on this. However in case you are the kind of residence cook dinner who cares for his or her instruments and is searching for a extra moveable chef’s knife, this could be the one for you. With Benchmade standing behind their knives with a lifetime guarantee and free sharpening service, it’s arduous to go fallacious with the Station Knife.
General Score:Â 9 / 10
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