Benchmade 550HG Griptilian Folding Knife

Features

• Blade Style: Hollowground Modified Sheepsfoot; Ambidextrous Thumb-Holes
• Pocket Clip: Tip Up, Reversible, Black
• Lock Mechanism: AXIS

Specifications

• Blade Length: 3.45 in.
• Blade Thickness: 0.115 in.
• Handle Thickness: 0.64 in.
• Overall Length: 8.07 in.
• Closed Length: 4.62 in.
• Blade Material: 154CM Stainless Steel (550T: 440C)
• Blade Hardness: 58-61HRC
• Weight: 3.25oz.

This Benchmade Knife is the Benchmade 550HG Griptilian Folding Knife, designed by Mel Pardue. It features the a 154CM stainless steel blade (58-61HRC) with a Valox® handle with 420J stainless steel liners and a reversible steel pocket clip. 

The Benchmade 550HG Griptilian Folding Knife boasts an AXIS® locking mechanism which is a patented Benchmade exclusive. A 100-percent ambidextrous design, AXIS gets its function from a small, hardened steel bar which rides forward and back in a slot machined into both steel liners. The bar extends to both sides of the knife, spanning the liners and positioned over the rear of the blade. It engages a ramped, tang portion of the knife blade when it is opened. Two omega style springs, one on each liner, give the locking bar it’s inertia to engage the knife tang, and as a result the tang is wedged solidly between a sizable stop pin and the AXIS bar itself.

The Sheepsfoot blade of the Benchmade 550HG Griptilian Folding Knife has no point on the tip, very little to no belly and the spine of the blade curves down to meet the edge. It is used in applications where slicing is the main requirement, and a point is either not needed or would actively get in the way. Emergency rescue blades are usually of this design. The lack of a point prevents the rescuer from inadvertently injuring a victim who is being cut free from something restrictive.