Benchmade Mini Barrage 585 Review

As the name suggests, the Benchmade Mini Barrage is slightly smaller than a 'full-size' pocket knife. However, our testers agree that it strikes the perfect balance of a compact carriage and ergonomic structure. The Benchmade brand makes excellent blades and has done so for a long time. Like many higher-end, assisted opening knives, the blade can be locked closed with a separate mechanism. There's a slight learning curve to properly engage the blade locks in both open and closed positions, but there are added safety benefits to having both of these mechanisms. This product is also a sizable investment, and to realize the value of this high-tech tool, we recommend treating it like any piece of technical camping equipment. Don't lose it.

Performance Comparison

Blade and Edge Integrity

While it's true that all modern pocket knives come with adequate steel, we must note that the metal and construction of the Mini Barrage blade is above par. Benchmade puts lots of care into every design. The blade arrives polished to a sheen. The experience of cutting with a brand new (or newly factory-reconditioned) Benchmade Mini borders on sensual.

The edge and sides of the 0.1" thick blade seem to propel themselves through delicate and durable tasks alike. Never in our half-decade of testing, whether cutting soft and corrosive things like tomatoes or robust and inert items like sun-faded climbing rope, did the Mini Barrage blade show a single sign of weakness. The blade is just the right length to whittle on a stick or slice through a block of cheddar.

The blade's 'depth' lends stability and confidence in extended usage and heavier tasks. It is a little beefier than your typical pocket knife of these dimensions. We like the deeper blade. We also like the steel options. It comes with either 154CM (as we tested it) or the more expensive S30V blade steel. We've used other Benchmade knives with their S30V blade and can vouch for it. That being said, our testing with the 'lesser' steel for a long time now yields no complaints from our team.

Ergonomics

Each knife we reviewed fell somewhere between good ergonomics and portability. In short, smaller knives are more portable, while we've found that larger knives (to a point) are more useful in hand. Each of our testers found that the Mini Barrage struck the perfect balance for everyday, pocket-clipped usage. It isn't the smallest, nor is it the largest. The rounded, elongated-in-profile handle fills a clenched fist and sturdily delivers force to the blade's leading edge. Gentle curves on the handle leave no major pressure points to the user.

While Benchmade uses flashy and reliable materials and equips the Mini Barrage with a smooth-operating assisted opening function, the choice of pocket clip is puzzling. It can swap sides for right or left-handed use, which is an excellent feature. But the clip is unnecessarily strong and sharp-edged. It won't easily slip over any pant material other than the firmest of denim, and will even tear through that hearty material after clipping it on your pocket a few dozen times. That said, it is oriented to the 'correct' end of the knife (i.e., with the blade up) so that it can be pulled and deployed in one smooth motion.

Self-defense types will look to the strength of the pocket clip as a safety benefit, but ask yourself if that applies to you, or if you'll simply remove it upon purchase. Trust us when we say you will find ever-new utility in the Mini Barrage when you fully embrace the convenience of using it for everyday tasks.

We especially like Benchmade's proprietary Axis Lock, which locks the blade while in use. Located in the handle itself, the Axis Lock safeguards your fingers while unlocking the blade. Furthermore, the Axis Lock also serves as the anchor point of the Mini Barrage's assisted opening function. This design is brilliant because it is under constant tension in both directions. As a result, the blade won't deploy in the pocket but jumps into action when given a proper flick on the thumb stud. The open assist is the best of any knife we have tested – its action is fast, smooth, and reliable. The closed-blade lock on the knife's spine is also notable. As another critical safety point, it's also under tension, so it won't accidentally engage or disengage while moving in and out of the pocket. This commonly happens with other handle-location locks, which is very annoying, not to mention dangerous.

Portability

Like its performance in the Ergonomics category, nothing about the Mini Barrage's portability stands out. It isn't the smallest or lightest knife in our test, and it is far from the thinnest. However, it seems to strike the perfect balance of size and function.

If you carry a smartphone in one front pants pocket, a small set of keys and Mini Barrage in the other will balance out your stance and equip you for anything a day out and about might require. Unlike the other scoring metrics, other products have clear advantages over the Mini Barrage. For ultimate portability, whether your pocket space is cluttered or you don't justify carrying around a full-size pocket knife, other options are much, much smaller. Some of these smaller knives have more features for day-to-day use.

Construction Quality

The best-designed equipment comes out of the package ready to use and never again prompts another thought about its construction or durability. With assisted-opening springs, dual thumb studs for blade opening, Benchmade's proprietary Axis blade lock mechanism and a tab for locking the blade closed, the Mini Barrage solves some potential failure or annoyance points in a small package. The miniaturized machinery proves to be durable and reliable. In none of our testing have we had any trouble with the performance of any of the Mini Barrage's features.

Indeed, the other Benchmade knives in our test offer competitive construction quality. What we find notable about the Benchmade products is that they manage to be strong and durable without feeling heavy.

Should You Buy the Benchmade Mini Barrage 585?

The Benchmade Mini Barrage 585 is a fantastic, precision-crafted piece of equipment. Although expensive, those willing to make the initial investment we believe will be happy in the long run. We are betting that the Mini Barrage will serve most consumers very well, especially if those consumers take advantage of the numerous available customizations Benchmade offers and keep up with regular maintenance. We heartily recommend this knife.

What Other Pocket Knives Should You Consider?

While the Mini Barrage is our top-scoring product, others do come close. In a field crowded with top-scoring products, you, the consumer, can be picky. The North Fork is a close cousin of the Mini Barrage, and will appeal to those looking for a more heritage-style design. The Spyderco Para Military 2 G-10 is fit for those with bigger hands while still technically being a 'compact' option. On the more value-focused end, products like the Kershaw Leek, CIVIVI Elementum II, and CRKT Drifter must be considered. Specialty knives like the Petzl Spatha will appeal to backpackers and climbers alike – especially those shopping on a dirt-bag budget. We also really like the Gerber Fast Draw, which is, in many ways, a budget version of the Mini Barrage. It can't match the construction quality of this knife, but it'll get you most of the way there for a heck of a lot less dough.