About Bladebenchguide
I Started This Site Because I Got Tired of Shelving $200 Paperweights
I've bought knives that looked perfect in the box. Perfect balance. Perfect steel on paper. Perfect Instagram aesthetics. Then I took them to the field, beat on them for a week, and realized the handle chewed my hand raw, the edge rolled cutting through a fish spine, or the lock failed when my hands were slick with sweat and ash.
That's why Bladebenchguide exists. I was spending money on blades that reviewers had obviously never carried past their mailbox. I couldn't find honest intel on what happens when a folder lives in your pocket for six months, or how a fixed blade handles when you're exhausted, filthy, and trying to process game at dusk. So I started writing the reviews I wish I'd had—cuts from the field, not copy from the marketing department.
About Derek Stone
I'm a custom knife maker and former wildland firefighter. I spent fourteen seasons on the line, which means I've carried a blade every single day in conditions that break gear for breakfast—grit, heat, freezing rain, and the kind of vibration that loosens screws you didn't know existed. When your life depends on gear and there's no Amazon delivery in the wilderness, you learn fast what works and what'll get you hurt.
My bench time taught me the other side. I understand heat treat intimately—I know why one 154CM blade holds an edge for weeks while another chips on cardboard. I grind my own bevels, so when I review a factory edge, I'm not guessing about geometry; I'm measuring it. I've also stitched my own sheaths and handled thousands of customer repairs, which means I've seen exactly where production knives fail when pushed past weekend-camping duty.
I've got skin in this game—literally. I've cut myself on locks that slipped, cursed blades that couldn't bite through rope when I needed them to, and learned that "tactical" means nothing if you can't open the knife with a gloved hand at midnight in the rain. Fifteen years of this hasn't made me gentle. If a knife sucks, I'll tell you. If it's dangerous, I'll warn you loudly.
What We Cover
This site is for people who use their knives, not just collect them. Here's what you'll find:
- Hunting knives tested on actual game—field dressing, caping, and breaking down elk in freezing temperatures
- EDC and folding knives carried for months to find out which pocket clips fail and which locks develop blade play
- Bushcraft and fixed blades put through batoning, feathering, and fire-prep until the coating wears off
- Tactical folders evaluated for deployment speed under stress and grip security when wet
- Kitchen knives tested on vegetables and proteins until the edge gives up, because dinner prep shouldn't require constant touching up
- Sharpeners and sheaths reviewed by someone who understands that a dull knife or rotten retention snaps can ruin your day
If you're looking for safe, corporate recommendations that keep manufacturers happy, go elsewhere. If you want to know which blade will still be in your pocket five years from now, keep reading.
How We Test & Review
Every knife here gets used before it gets words. I don't do unboxing reviews. A typical evaluation runs two to six weeks of daily carry or field use. For edge retention, I cut cardboard, rope, and wood until the steel complains. For ergonomics, I pay attention to hot spots that develop after hours of use, not just how it feels for five minutes on the couch.
I test deployment mechanisms with wet, gloved, and cold hands because that's reality. I check sheath retention by running, jumping, and rolling around. If it's a kitchen knife, it lives in my block and faces daily meal prep until I know exactly when it'll need the stones again.
Yes, Bladebenchguide uses affiliate links. When you buy through them, I get a commission. But here's my hard rule: the affiliate relationship never influences the score. If a knife is garbage, I say so, links be damned. I've sent knives back to manufacturers with notes about dangerous lock failures. I've trashed $300 blades that couldn't cut twine. My loyalty is to your safety and your wallet, not to whoever pays the highest commission rate.
Get In Touch
Got a question about a specific model? Want to know if that new tactical folder is worth your money, or did you find a blade I've reviewed that failed you in the field? I read every email. Reach me at info@bladebenchguide.com.
Questions? Reach us at info@bladebenchguide.com