Benchmade - Mediator folding knife 8551BK

Benchmade - Mediator folding knife 8551BK

The Benchmade 8551BK Mediator is a tactical automatic, equipped with a blade made of excellent CPM-S90V steel, a reliable unfolding mechanism and precision-finished G-10 laminate facings.

Head

The knife has a 84 mm long blade, made of elite cPM-S90V stainless steel, which is subjected to optimal for edc knives hardened to a hardness of 59-61 HRC.

CPM-S90V is a luxury stainless steel with a very high vanadium and carbon content, which make the blade extremely long retains sharpness, is highly resistant to abrasion and corrosion.

When choosing a hard-steel knife, get a diamond sharpener, as sharpening with a standard ceramic whetstone can be very labor-intensive and inefficient.

The wide blade with tactical reverse-tanto profile is coated with black Cerakote coating. Thermosetting ceramic paint increases the external hardness of the steel, protects the blade from corrosion, wear and scratches.

Thanks to the use of sharp stab, flat grinding and a cutting edge with a gently rounded line, the knife penetrates easily and has excellent cutting properties. The thickness of the wedge at its widest point is 3 mm, which is a compromise between the durability and functionality of the knife in everyday work.

Knife operation

The most important part of an automatic knife, is fast and reliable unfolding mechanism. Unlike models with an assisted head, in an automatic knife unfolding of the blade requires only pressing a button.

Once the lock is released, the rest of the work is done by an internal spring that lifts the head upward. Folding the blade requires pushing the button again and manually retracting the blade.

The activation button is embedded in a milled cutout, but to increase the level of security, the manufacturer has used a additional protection in the form of a slide lock.

Such functionality makes the "automats" very popular among soldiers, uniformed service personnel and a rapidly growing group of edc enthusiasts.

When using an automatic knife, it is recommended to exercise extreme caution and prudence.

Handle

The knife's handle is formed by profiled facings of durable G-10 laminate. The plastic has undergone precision machining, resulting in a striking chevron-style texture. This causes the knife to fit very securely in the hand and is very comfortable to use.

In the back of the handle there is a hole for attaching a decorative paracord tail, which makes it easier and faster to slide the knife out of the pocket. Carrying the knife discreetly in your pocket is made possible by a high-set clip that can be flipped to the other side.