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 nice 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 secure and simple transport between camp and kitchen, however this comes at a price, primarily in how nicely you possibly can slice with the shorter blade. So with that coated, let’s get into it. This can be a overview of the Station Knife after 6 months of each day use, with a Benchmade knife supplied for Testing and Analysis.
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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 Type – Clip-Level
- Mechanism – Mounted Blade
- Blade End –Tumble/Polish
- Blade Coloration – Stonewash
- Deal with Materials –Richlite/G10
- Deal with Coloration –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 main bevel that begins at 0.114 in. broad on the backbone, this can be a thinner blade, good for making clear cuts and simply pushing by means of more durable greens.
Take a look at Strategies & Circumstances – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Testing of the Station Knife has run for about half a yr now, with it serving as my go-to chef knife all through. That is an endurance check to see how lengthy I can maintain utilizing the knife earlier than I really feel it wants sharpening. I handled the knife like I’d have any of my different knives from my sushi restaurant days, so no dishwashers, no tossing into sinks if it could possibly be helped, and dried off earlier than being put away. I used it nearly in all places, from simply customary cooking at dwelling, 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 high of coolers and low-cost plastic slicing boards. There was an preliminary verify on sharpness accomplished on some tomatos I wanted for dinner after I first obtained the knife to verify the standard of the Benchmade SelectEdge Expertise edge, and since then, it has all been by really feel to see the way it performs everyday.
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 regarded good with no seen imperfections. Initially, chopping greens with the knife was comfy 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 resulting from it being a handle-heavy knife
Ranking: 8 / 10
Efficiency within the Kitchen – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Over the previous 6 months, I’ve used the Station Knife day by day, and for probably the most half, it’s been able to all the things I need from a chef’s knife. Be it push-cutting, chopping, or rocking, the knife carried out very nicely in all three strategies. The nice tip of the blade lets you do element work, whereas the tall stomach and heel make it a terrific 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 typically 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, after I do run it throughout my thumbnail, I can really feel just a few tough spots that don’t chunk like the remainder of the sting. Although even with these uninteresting spots, the knife nonetheless cuts nicely.
Ranking: 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 spite of everything this time of use and even being put away moist just a few occasions whereas down on the gulf, the CPM-154 has solely a few gentle stains to indicate for it. The Richlite grips are additionally holding up extremely nicely, whereas wanting 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 intervals. Fitment has been stellar with nothing budging or rattling.
Ranking: 9 / 10
Dealing with, Steadiness & Ergonomics – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The steadiness level of the Station Knife, for my part, is a bit too far again. With a shorter blade and a number of deal with, the steadiness level sits proper across the begin of the deal with scales of the knife. So whereas nice for rocking chopping with the knife, faucet chopping with the knife isn’t nice. Whereas the deal with is a bit heavy, it’s comfy to carry. The contouring of the Richlite scales is nicely accomplished, and the fabric itself is loads grippy even when coated in beef fats as you carve a roast.
Ranking: 8 / 10
Who It’s For / Who Ought to Skip It – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
Benchmade has taken a generalist strategy 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. Should 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 could possibly be a strong alternative for you.
Worth & Worth-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 facet for a chef’s knife, you might be paying for higher-quality chrome steel recognized for its uniform carbide distribution. This offers knives made with it sharper edges and better sturdiness. Moreover, you might be getting a lifetime guarantee from Benchmade for this knife, so long as you don’t use it as a pry bar, try 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, and so they’ll sharpen the knife up for you and ship it proper again.
Ranking: 8 / 10
FAQs (2–6 category-specific purchaser questions)
Q: Is that this chef’s knife totally stainless, or will it patina?
A: It’s chrome steel, and received’t rust and stain like a high-carbon metal knife will, however it will probably nonetheless stain a little bit bit, particularly if improperly taken care of.
Q: How exhausting is it to sharpen at dwelling?
A: Sharpening this knife at dwelling is comparatively simple, with CPM 154 being a comparatively forgiving metal. Although it ought to be famous that the manufacturing facility Selectedge is a 14-degree angle per facet grind, and also you wish to match that angle if you sharpen this knife.
Q: What slicing boards do you have to 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 injury your knife’s edge and result in poor edge retention.
Care, Upkeep & Longevity Ideas – 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 ought to be no further steps wanted to maintain the knife. The chrome 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, try to be golden. I like to recommend at the very least two stones: a 1000-grit stone for basic shaping and a 3000-grit or larger stone for ultimate edge sprucing. Don’t use electrical knife sharpeners or these low-cost pull-through knife sharpeners; these are the quickest methods to wreck a knife edge.
Ranking: 9 / 10
The Verdict – Station Knife Maple Valley Richlite
The Benchmade Station Knife is a good knife alternative for dwelling cooks who desire a high-quality knife choice for each at dwelling and within the outdoor. Constituted of a high-quality chrome 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 possibly can be nice with some honing on a honing metal. One factor I’ll observe: I be sure that to maintain my knives within the kitchen. So in case you’re the sort to toss a knife into the kitchen sink or clear them in a dishwasher, I’d say move on this. However if you’re the kind of dwelling cook dinner who cares for his or her instruments and is in search of a extra moveable chef’s knife, this is likely to be the one for you. With Benchmade standing behind their knives with a lifetime guarantee and free sharpening service, it’s exhausting to go flawed with the Station Knife.
General Ranking: 9 / 10
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