For everyone who sold their Benchmade Altitude...

[MADGRZ]

What did you end up replacing it with?

I see these for sale in the classifieds more than any other knife. What's the deal?

 

[mthayr]

The knife handle is uncomfortably thin (at least on the original) for using without wrapping it in paracord, and S90V is super hard to resharpen once it loses its edge.

 

[repins05]

Not convenient if you are not close to Oregon City, but the lifetime sharpening is great. I prefer a larger handle as well.

 

[Marbles]

The handle is fine, if you keep the knife properly sharpened.

However, S90V chips more than I like and my Altitude would get chips deep into the bevel, which would need bench stones and a good bit of time to clean up. My EDC Griptillian with an S90V blade never had that issue, so could have just been my sample.

As for replacement, currently I use a modified MKC Jackstone. I have a CRK Inyoni, which is a great boning knife, but notably inferior as a skinning knife to the Jackstone.

Personally, a Dixie Zipper would be my choice if buying today.

 

[Reburn]

Why I sold the altitude. It was the heaviest skeleton knife. The handle was uncomfortable. It resold well since it was a benchmade.

I replaced it with argali knives and I have been super happy with them. The S35 is not bad to sharpen. I also bought 2 in magna cut to try out. I have 2 carbons and 2 seracs. I just send the 4 back into argali to resharpen. They are fast and responsive.

 

[roosiebull]

What did you end up replacing it with?

I see these for sale in the classifieds more than any other knife. What's the deal?

Day 6 dragonfly

I still have my altitude, just don’t use it much, but I reprofiled the edge and the orange cerakote is scratched up and ugly, so it would be hard to sell for an amount to be worth it, so I keep it and use it occasionally for cutting joints, cutting hide around the legs, cutting tarsal glands off, etc (the things that dull my primary knife)

I bought it in hopes that it would stay sharp through a whole elk, but it doesn’t, so I lost interest in it. The dragonfly is the only fixed blade knife I know of that will make it through a whole elk sharp, and that’s only because there is 2 blades in the one knife and it’s a great blade steel.

If it wasn’t for the dragonfly, I’d still use my tyto almost exclusively, I still very much appreciate what they are, but I think they are dangerous compared to a real knife… not sure exactly why, but it seems like people cut themselves with little replaceable blade knives at a much higher rate, and it’s usually pretty bad, and I’m alone a lot

15+ years of using them I haven’t cut myself bad, but I assume not push my luck

 

[mthayr]

Should have added, I also replaced my Altitude with an MKC Jackstone, and a Kestrel Ovis Scalpel with short rounded blades (#22XT). Heavier to be sure, but far more user-friendly, and the full-handle scalpel takes the brunt of the skinning abuse.