Benchmade - Barrage 580 EDC Knife, Plain Edge, Drop-Point with Black Valox Handle (580)

Benchmade makes some of the best knives in the world, and for an EDC folder, this is one of them. I am writing this after about 4 weeks of carrying and using it daily. The blade is still remarkably sharp after being used and even slightly abused: opening Amazon packages, trimming old dried caulk off the side of the house, and cutting weeds out of the lawn. Good choice of blade steel and temper. The blade lock is rock solid. I especially like the little safety tab which prevents it from opening in my pocket. This can be a problem with assisted opening knives; I've even had it happen with "plain" pocket knives.

I bought barrage knife for the first time about 10 years ago.. I think.. I carried that knife with me every single day besides a few times when I flew and had it in checked baggage.. I used the knife at least 5 days a week several times a day..I am a chef and would cut boxes open every day I worked, cutting through cardboard, plastic, sometimes thin metal cans etc etc..A few weeks after I first got my first knife, a friend used it to cut an electrical cord, that was still plugged in.. Lol.. the arc it caused took a small chip out of the blade edge.. but little damage to the knife.. I like to go camping or hiking on my days off.. used the knife to cut rope, sticks, small trees..Used for shotgunning beers for years..Probably only sharpened it a dozen times in a decade.. Has amazing edge retention, I mean it was not shaving sharp all the time but cut everything I needed it to cut for years..Unfortunately my knife was lost..I just bought the same knife without the serrated edge of my first one..I am happy, only issue was the pocket clip is very tight, exactly like the first one I got, took a little adjustment to get it perfect..I am looking forward to another decade plus of use of this new one..Hope you enjoy the Every Day Carry enjoyment that this company provides..Have a nice day..

Fantastic knife, good quality.

Proud to carry this American made knife. Used every day as a mechanic. Just one of the best knife brands on the market.

This is an excellent knife that I use for everyday carry. Benchmade is a quality brand, and this knife is no exception. I carry it with me everyday and use it whenever I can. It came new in box very, very sharp, and has a great quality feel to it. Two things drew me to this knife over other knives when I was shopping: the Axis spring-assist, and the external locking mechanism. I have previously owned a Benchmade Griptillian (Benchmade Pardue Design Axis Griptilian Drop-Point Blade with Sand-Colored Handle and BK1 Coating) which lacked the spring-assist and the lock, and in the span of a few weeks it came open in my pocket several times. No such problem with the barrage in several months of everyday carry. Even if the locking mechanism isn't activated, the assist requires enough force that it is unlikely to open in your pocket.I think my only real criticism of this knife is that the grips are rather smooth hard composite material, which is ok, but I don't like as much as the Griptillian's.Pros:-Very sharp-Great blade profile-Assisted opening-External locking device-High-quality feel-Great for EDCCons-Grips are okOverall it's a great knife, even if the grips aren't as good as the Griptillian's, it's still a 5-star product.

Got this knife today so I may be posting a long term report in the comment section later.... But as for my initial impressions I'm blown away! This thing is big! I have big hands and it fits them very well... Also the blade grind kinda reminds me of an italian Stiletto which I love! The blade flips out with some serious authority! The one things I love about this knife is the lock up... This thing is like a vault.... I have a grip and a mini grip that both have blade play when open and in the handle. This thing has NONE what so ever. Came sharp just as all benchmades do. This is for sure my new everyday carry. The one down side I can see is there is almost no grip on the handle.. Also I most likely wont be bringing this on any camping trips because of the assisted opening and how other people have had theirs fail... For out doors ill take my full sized griptillian just for simplicity and their isn't really anything that can fail on a grip. All said and done... Buy it! For the price, blade steel and benchmade quality this thing is unbeatable!!! BUY IT NOW!!!!

This knife is nice. I just received it. Appears to be good quality. However, I just don’t see a $200 knife!!. I think this item is way over priced. This needs to be in the $90-$100 range. I am debating on returning it for that reason. I can find a better place for $200.

For several years I carried a CRKT knife of Kit Carson design that I acquired for a very good price. It still works, but the tip broke off easily and I was never satisfied with its ability to hold an edge. I always liked the flipper lever that allows the user to initiate opening with the index finger.An acquaintance recommended this Benchmade model, so decided to upgrade my every-day carry knife and bought it. I got the feel of it quickly. The assisted-opening action is very fast and easy to use. It's as fast as an automatic knife, without the legal hassles or danger of coming open without authorization. It fits well in a hip pocket, with no rough edges to catch on fabric or scratch anything else you might be carrying, such as a fine leather wallet.I recommend this knife.