Benchmade 140 Nimravus Evaluate| Survival Life

within the Benchmade 140 Nimravus Survival Knife?

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Survival Knife Evaluate:  Benchmade 140 Nimravus Mounted Blade Knife

In earlier articles, we mentioned selecting a fixed-blade survival knife. Test them out within the hyperlinks under:

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A knife is likely one of the extra essential items of kit you may have with you in a survival state of affairs. As such, a superb, survival-appropriate, fixed-blade knife is your best option for inclusion in a survival package or BOB (Bug Out Bag) or equal, and/or to be strapped on when an emergency is probably going. On this article, we are going to take into account a contender for “Greatest Survival Knife”.

As talked about within the normal articles, there are two lessons of fixed-blade knives that may be acceptable for survival situations, the “bush” (medium) knife and the “discipline” (massive) knife. This knife belongs to the bush class.

Why did I take into account this knife?

 I’ve at all times been a fan of Benchmade pocket knives since their begin in 1988 with the Bali-song (butterfly knife). From that humble starting, they’ve grown into one of many premier knife firms, and immediately, they make a few the perfect survival pocket knives I’ve discovered based mostly on their Griptilian mannequin. So I used to be glad they’ve some mounted blade fashions which look promising.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus.

In fact, discovering one in my worth vary was a little bit of a problem. Lastly, I got here throughout a Nimravus I may afford; sadly it’s the serrated model, however that ought to not stop an affordable analysis. Impressively, this mannequin is one in every of their “Black” grade knives, made for the “skilled”. This mannequin is the 140; there’s a 141 mannequin with a Tanto-style blade, which might be much less optimum for survival utilization.

Along with a lifetime guarantee, typical of many high quality knife firms, Benchmade provides the “LifeSharp” service, the place they are going to resharpen your knife to manufacturing facility razor sharpness any time you need. Though solely ship a knife to Benchmade should you acquired it from a licensed supplier, as they’ll confiscate or destroy any knives decided to be “counterfeit”, with out reimbursing you.

The specs

Particular Options:  Obtainable with or with out serrations, Matte darkish blade coating

Preliminary impression 

 It is a very spectacular knife. The grips are pretty skinny, however snug and safe in all grips, and the darkish coating makes the knife much less obtrusive than knives with thicker or lighter-colored grips could be. The grips are ridged in the direction of the rear, for optimum slip resistance ahead, good for stabbing.

Slip resistance is nice with the hand moist or dry, and passable with a little bit of vegetable oil. A lot of the guard is a lower out within the tang, however that is extra snug than others of this fashion. The jimping is on a slight ramp and is a really efficient mixture. Steadiness is a bit far behind the guard, which seems to be the case in about half of the bush knives I’ve tried, but it surely feels nice within the hand, and regardless of a comparatively heavy deal with, could be very nimble.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus.

The knife is horrifying sharp. My hairs are inclined to flatten out forward of razors, and a “razor edge” often solely manages to chop off a few of the hair. This one acquired all of them, simply.

From the photographs, the non-serrated model seems to have a normal choil. The serrated model doesn’t have a choil, per se, however the straight edge runs into the serrations, which supplies an equal benefit when sharpening. Within the eBay market, serrated appears to be extra typically at cheaper costs; it’s not clear whether or not it is because they make extra of them, or that the non-serrated model tends to promote extra simply.

The sides of the backbone will not be significantly sharp and have a easy coating, so it’s unlikely they are going to be helpful

The lanyard gap is a bit small, however you may ultimately work a size of paracord by way of it. The sides of the lanyard gap will not be rounded, so test your lanyard for put on each on occasion. The opening is thru the tang, so it will not be sensible to bevel the perimeters. .

The blade coating is easy, so should have no influence on slicing features, and doesn’t mirror mild.

The tip of the tang extends a bit, however it’s considerably rounded and off heart, and the grip is kind of quick, so it’s not universally helpful both as a glass breaker or a “cranium cracker”.

The sheath is sort of uncommon, however seems to be helpful and versatile in methods to connect it. Retention is fairly good.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus.

Benchmade claims that is their “all-time best-selling fight mounted blade“, which I initially discovered to be a bit odd. In fact, it’s higher for fight than many bush knives, however it’s not optimum for that objective. However then, checking by way of their line, I discovered that Benchmade would not have a hard and fast blade mannequin which seems to be a greater fight knife, and there may be that Tanto blade model, which might be even a bit higher for fight. However I digress. The essential factor is whether or not this can be a good SURVIVAL knife, and though it is a wonderful knife, I am unsure how effectively it’s going to do at some survival duties.

Blade Design and Materials

 That is manufactured from 154CM, a high-grade, American-made, stainless-steel, one of the generally utilized in reasonably high-end knives as of late. It’s much like the earlier “champ”, ATS-34. The steelmaker makes use of a particle metallurgy course of which produces a product with a extra uniform microstructure, leading to a extra dependable metal with a finer edge much less liable to chipping.

The knife got here with an distinctive edge, so I didn’t strive sharpening it. After fifty slices by way of cardboard, it didn’t endure any vital razor sharpness. As anticipated, the sharpness sliced the cardboard simpler than different knives I’ve examined.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus in a Filipino grip.

To summarize, it seems that the metal has good rust resistance, excessive energy, superior edge functionality, truthful or higher ease of sharpening, average resistance to chipping, and good edge holding functionality.

Analysis

Basic duties

• Slicing the wire – That is typically mandatory in the course of the development of shelter, fishing, stitching, and making snares and traps, in addition to different occasions. As probably the most generally out there to survivalists, I attempted fish line and paracord, in addition to 3/8″ Manila and three/4″ Sisal, simply because fish line and paracord would appear to be trivial for any knife value having. Slicing the fish line was no drawback, as was slicing paracord each below pressure and laying on a flat floor. It went proper by way of Manila and Sisal, and I did not even “cheat” and use the serrations.
• Making notches in branches – This might be required for shelter development and making snares or traps, in addition to different occasions. I did moderately effectively at this. It appeared to chop with the grain properly and was sharp sufficient to make the perpendicular cease lower adequately. It’s so sharp, that it was essential to maintain the cease lower present, in any other case it will simply hold going previous the place I needed it to cease.
• Trimming/Sharpening/smoothing branches – This could be for shelter development, in addition to making arrows, spears, stakes, strolling sticks, and even bows. The knife did an excellent job of this, even contemplating I used the ahead a part of the bladesince the rear half was serrated.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus is nice for all types of duties.

• Pounding in stakes – This might be required for making shelters, snares and traps. This knife isn’t set as much as carry out this perform.

Firemaking

• Use with a magnesium bar or ferrocerium rod is simply barely potential utilizing the sting of the backbone; it not solely doesn’t shave or spark effectively, but it surely marks up the blade coating on the aspect of the blade, and removes it fully from the sting of the backbone. Use the sting; it doesn’t trigger any seen injury.
• Making a “feather stick” with this knife is pretty simple; it will possibly make your selection of huge or small curls, simply watch out as a result of, with out adequate management, these curls shall be hitting the bottom moderately than staying connected to the bottom stick.
• Drilling a gap (for a fireplace drill) was pretty simple, though the end result was a smaller and fewer easy gap than earlier knives. The tip is a bit skinny and is stainless-steel, so attempt to keep away from excessive stress on the tip.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus is an honest knife for fireplace making.

• Batoning for entry to Tinder or making kindling from logs labored fairly effectively. The shortness of the blade restricted the width that might be dealt with, however the serrations didn’t appear to have any detrimental impact. There have been minor marks, extra smudges than scratches, within the blade coating after this check.

Meals Gathering/Preparation

– Use as a throwing knife – A phrase to the smart, do not. Should you throw your knife, you could not get it again, or it may be broken, significantly whether it is manufactured from stainless-steel which is a bit brittle. I didn’t strive throwing this, as the associated fee was too excessive to dare threat chipping or breaking it.

– Use as a spear – Turning your knife right into a spear provides you further attain, however throwing a spear manufactured from a chrome steel knife is extra prone to wreck than is suitable. Moreover, the grip panels seem like unable to be eliminated, so this can must be lashed “to” the shaft, which means it will likely be pretty off-center and never throw effectively anyway.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus in a reverse grip.

– This chops veggies fairly effectively and the blade form ought to be first rate for skinning and butchering, though probably a bit slim. It’s prone to be first rate for filleting as effectively.

– Digging for grubs and bait. It’s onerous to think about something which may uninteresting or injury a knife faster than digging with it, and stainless is liable to chipping if it hits a rock, so I do not advocate utilizing this knife for digging.

Chopping

– Sticks or fronds – For shelter and different development, splints, and firewood. This knife is simply too mild and wrongly balanced to cut effectively; taking many strokes to get by way of a half-inch department. This isn’t unacceptable in a bush knife, however does make additionally having a superb discipline knife a helpful selection.

Protection  

– The grip and level will not be the very best for fight, however they’re fairly first rate. The steadiness and relative narrowness of the blade makes it extra acceptable for fight than many bush knives. The blade size is simply too quick to be distinctive however is sufficient in lots of instances. There may be, in fact, little safety out of your opponent’s blade, however it’s higher at stopping your hand from sliding onto your individual blade than many knives of this design. I might say this knife may really be thought-about a “fight” knife.

Sheath and Carry Choices

 The sheath, as talked about, is a bit uncommon. Fabricated from nylon, it seems to be fairly prime quality. It’s a “dangler” fashion; that’s, has a belt loop portion, a hoop, then the sheath itself. The benefit of that is that it rides low, and flexes with physique motion. The draw back is that it flops round until you employ a leg tie, which is included. The belt loop is closed with Velcro, so you may add or take away it out of your belt with out disturbing the rest on the belt, and even detach the belt loop from the sheath should you do not want it.

The again of the Benchmade 140 Nimravus sheath.

On the again is one thing known as a “Malice” clip which ought to let you fasten it to a Molle panel or different military-style attachment methodologies. Above that may be a Velcro closed loop, which I presume is for belt carry within the “excessive” place extra frequent for bush knives. There’s a piece of Velcro INSIDE this loop, which can be to forestall motion on the belt, assuming it has the matching Velcro.

The entrance of the sheath has two paracord straps throughout it, so maybe a small Molle pouch might be connected. Retention is by a rugged, snap-closed grip strap. The blade liner seems to be thick sufficient, however there may be nothing to maintain you from inserting the knife between the nylon and the liner, which most likely could be disastrous in the long term.

This picture illustrates a possible challenge with the Benchmade 140 Nimravus sheath.

The liner doesn’t seem like fitted, however there’s a little bit of friction, so there isn’t a rattle. The knife could be inserted “backward” with out issue, so might be carried in a left-hand place.

Equipment

From Benchmade, you will get substitute sheaths in black or coyote brown, or a Kydex sheath with thumb break. It doesn’t seem to have caught on with the customized sheath makers.

Worth and Availability

The checklist worth of the Nimvarus at this cut-off date is $185.00. You possibly can often discover them new on eBay for $130 or so; often used and even new ones could be had for $100 and even much less.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus in a sideways grip.

Firm Web site

Hyperlink to knife

It’s listed as being in inventory on the firm, and there are a bunch of individuals promoting it new and used on eBay, as auctions (maybe cheaper) and Purchase It Now (faster). Amazon appears to have a better worth, and it’s on the Prime program, plus, tax shall be added.

If I had been going to make use of this knife for survival, I might look into the accent Kydex sheath, or, on the very least, strive squirting in some actually powerful glue between the blade protector and the entrance layer of the sheath, ensuring to have a very good bead throughout that high edge.

The Benchmade 140 Nimravus in an upside-down grip.

Would I take advantage of this knife for survival? My preliminary take was most likely not, however as I progressed by way of the checks, I used to be impressed. I nonetheless wouldn’t depend on it by itself due to its poor chopping potential, however because the bush knife in a bush/discipline knife set, it has potential. Notably if the sphere knife was inappropriate for fight utilization. Additionally, I’ve been contemplating stainless-steel as a second selection for survival utilization, however this knife and others examined throughout the identical time induced me to simply accept that stainless-steel could be a legitimate different to carbon metal.

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