FOG HORN Gear Reviews 28 January 2010

Sniper Cutlery Fighting Knives – Benchmade 158BK CSK II Combat Survival Knife
By: Sal Palma

In my tactical folder segment of the

Sniper Cutlery series I reviewed the
Griptilian with AXIS lock, an excellent
Pardue design.
In this review, we will be exploring the
158BK CSKII combat survival knife.
As in all of the previous fighting knife
reviews, I’ll be focusing on balance,
ergonomics, blade characteristics, and
One of the hallmarks of living in a sheath construction and design.
democracy, where sellers and buyers
are allowed to interact freely, is the Review
abundance of choices that we all enjoy. The Benchmade 158BK is part of the
I have often said that free market company’s black label line of products,
economies produce sufficiently large and is listed with their military product
surpluses to support psychologists and offerings.
philosophers. The 158 series is available in a partially
In this competitive environment we see serrated blade, the 158SBK, or in a plain
producers that sink to the bottom and edge, the 158BK.
those who continuously bubble to the I am not overly fond of serrations – they
top in innovation, quality and service; add a level of complexity to the knife
this is the case with Benchmade Knife that just seems unnecessary to me- so I
Company, Inc. of Clackamas, Oregon. In elected to go with the 158BK for this
a relatively short period, 1990 to review.
present, Benchmade has expanded its As with all Benchmade products, that
product line and servicei to become a I’ve had an opportunity to review, the
global player in a highly competitive quality of materials and construction are
industry. The company’s presence in the excellent.
law enforcement and military The 158BK is not a boutique knife, it is a
community is measurable and I think it’s working tool made to be used in harsh
safe to say they dominate these environments. There are no exotic
markets. steels or materials used; yet the knife
leaves nothing to be desired.

Copyright, Sal Palma dba Twobirds-Flying Publication, 2010. All rights reserved. ~1~
 FOG HORN Gear Reviews 28 January 2010

The blade is made from 1095ii carbon The handle is 4.5 inches long and 0.880
steel with a hardness of 57-60 HRC. inches thick. It is made of Santoprene®,
There are three relevant characteristics an elastomer that is very stable under a
of 1095 steel and they are: carbon steel wide range of environmental conditions,
holds its edge, carbon steel is easy to and it is commonly used in tool handles
sharpen, and carbon steel is susceptible as a substitute for rubber.
to rust. Two out of three is not bad for a This is an extremely comfortable and
knife with an MSRP of $100! grippe handle. The thickness and
This is a clip-point design with a very generous swells fill the hand and
uniform belly, which makes for a great provides a very secure grip. A lower
cutting edge. It has a false edge at the hand guard is provided as well for
tip which could optionally be sharpened added safety and control.
to enhance the knife’s performance in a The handle design works well in a saber
thrust cut. However, for slicing and grip, reverse grip and icepick. Properly
dicing you simply can’t beat the orienting the edge was natural and very
versatility of the clip-point designs. They comfortable.
serve a wider range of masters.
Benchmade’s 158BK comes with a six
inch blade that is 0.18 inches thick. It is
a full tang design giving the knife a
considerable amount of tool strength.
Probing, digging and prying – in
moderation - should not be a problem
for this blade. Light chopping and
batoning are easily handled with the
158BK.
The blade is finished in a black powder
coating that aids in concealment and
corrosion control; however, you will
need to lubricate this blade periodically
to prevent rusting. Individuals operating
in humid tropical and subtropical
environments, or where the probability
of condensation is high, should inspect
and lubricate the blade frequently. Another essential feature, which was
As with all Benchmade knives, this plain not overlooked, is the inclusion of a
edge six inch blade is razor sharp - I like lined lanyard hole that accommodates
to run my fingernail over the edge as 550 paracord. I can’t tell you how many
well as the shave test. knives are on the market, as military /

Copyright, Sal Palma dba Twobirds-Flying Publication, 2010. All rights reserved. ~2~
 FOG HORN Gear Reviews 28 January 2010

tactical knives, where the lanyard is an excellent choice for the 158BK, as
attachment point is omitted. In my well as a number of fixed blade designs.
book, that is an omission that I was extremely impressed with SPEC-
disqualifies the knife for military and OPS® product. What you get, at an
tactical use. MSRP of $34.95, is a U.S. made piece of
As important as the lanyard attachment kit with a Kydex® liner, which will
point is so too is the sheath. accommodate a fixed blade knife of up
The knife sheath performs a number of to 8 inches in length, 1.75 inches wide
critical functions: it protects the knife and 0.25 inches thick. It features a fully
from the environment, it secures the adjustable thumb break, which will
knife to the operator, it provides access adjust to any grip width, and a SPLIT-
to the knife when needed, and it needs LOOP hanger system that can be used
to provide a variety of mounting with MOLLE loops or it can be worn on
options. the belt.
As of this writing, the sheath that ships If that’s not enough for you, the exterior
with the 158BK is a heavy duty MOLLE of the sheath has SPEC-OPS® GRID-
compliant black leather case, which can LOK™ loops that worked very well with
be belt mounted or attached to your an extra pistol magazine pouch. You can
load bearing equipment via the included also use the exterior loops for a light or
MALICE clip. Although the included a multi-tool pouch.
sheath performed all functions well, I
felt that the moisture retention
exhibited by leather would adversely
interact with the 1095 steel
construction and accelerate rusting.

I was fortunate enough to have received

a sample of the SPEC-OPS® basic
modular knife sheath, which in my view With the sheath problem resolved, we
can now move to weight and balance.

Copyright, Sal Palma dba Twobirds-Flying Publication, 2010. All rights reserved. ~3~
 FOG HORN Gear Reviews 28 January 2010

At a weight of 7.5 ounces, this knife is

barely noticeable, a feature that you will
greatly appreciate whether you are in a To contact the author or comment on this review
cockpit or humping the hills of please write to eldorado1962@hotmail.com.

Afghanistan. The point of balance is

precisely at the hilt making the knife
light and agile. The knife tip has a
dagger-like feel to it that is absent in
most clip-point designs. The 158BK’s
weight and balance characteristics work
so well together that you don’t feel like Manufacturer’s Specifications
you’re a holding anything in your hand.
Blade Length: 6.00" Clip: No Clip;
Blade Thickness: 0.180" MOLLE® Sheath
Handle Thickness: Malice Clip
0.880" Lock Mechanism:
Blade Material: 1095 Fixed
Carbon Steel Overall Length: 10.75"
Blade Hardness: 57- Sheath Material: Multi-
60HRC Function Black
Blade Style: Leather Sheath,
Combat/Survival Clip- MOLLE® Compatible
Point w/ Included Malice
Weight: 7.50oz. Clip; 6.50oz
M.S.R.P. $100

i
Benchmade’s Life Sharp service is one example
Conclusion of the company’s commitment to service.
ii
1095 is an SAE designation. The first digit
identifies the primary element, in this case
Benchmade knives are known carbon. The 0 indicates that there are no other
worldwide for quality and durability, a alloying elements, and the last two digits indicate
reputation that holds true for the 158BK the amount of carbon in hundredths of a percent
per unit weight.
CSK-II.
This combat/ survival knife offers all of
the characteristics that make for a great
knife at a price that is, quite frankly,
remarkable.
It’s a working knife that will serve you
well, whether you’re on deployment or
enjoying a camping trip with the family,
and backed by a company that sets the
standard in customer service. - SP

Copyright, Sal Palma dba Twobirds-Flying Publication, 2010. All rights reserved. ~4~