Value
Having just recently completed making a knife with G10 Scales and 154CM steel, I can tell you that Benchmade is giving this knife away for $175. G10 and 154CM are a hot combination in the custom knife world right now, so I am glad to see that Benchmade has signed on for some production knives of the same ilk.

Design: Construction and Materials
The Build
The knife is comprised of a metal frame housed inside G10 Scales. This helps keep the weight down, and the durability up. Everything is held together with torx screws and utilizes an oversized, adjustable, pivot pin for easy operation.

The Lock
The blade locks in place utilizing Benchmade’s own Axis Lock Technology, which is comprised of a spring-loaded steel bar that seats itself into a notch in the blade. It is almost impossible to disengage without intent.

Design: Ease of Use
I will start off by telling you I was not a fan of flipper style knives. I feel that you get the best articulation by opening a knife via a thumb stud or thumbhole. They are generally clunky and never really open all of the way. Well, now Benchmade has gone and made me a converted fan with the well-balanced 300 Axis Flipper. Out of the box, the phosphorus bronze washers are lubed up and keep the action smooth, allowing for the blade to fully open and lock with a flip of your index finger.

Steel Quality/Edge Retention
154CM is a well-rounded American steel that was designed to be used in industrial construction and fabrication but proved to be pretty darn amazing in knives. It is highly resistant to liquids and corrosives and holds an edge like a champ.  

Out of the box, this thing is deadly sharp—as per usual with Benchmade. I plan on carrying this for quite some time and I doubt I’ll have to sharpen until next year.

Durability
This knife may actually be too durable. G10 is a rough material that could sand wood, depending on its finish. So, you may want to just go over this knife with some 1200 grit before you let it live in your back pocket. As far as everything else, I would urge you to just put this in your hand. It’s stout and fills the fist, but isn’t overly heavy.