I have had my eye on the Mk1 for some time. I was cruising my sites and came across this review . I trust DR's drop point blade design and all n normaly it wouldnt bother me on something Doug beefed up, and while all the handle specs look the same, (infact the benchmade looks like "Now comes in Don't loose me Orange"). The reviewer was pretty harsh on the handle feel and runner marks. I still want to believe in the Mk1 but this handle part concerned me. Any opinions would be great before I wait 6-8 weeks to find out. Thanks all!

That's good info,. I have followed this review site for a while though and it seems much like when Doug is reviewing something and gets a bad model, that a replacement is usually sent out.. did you read the Handle review and agree in the opposite dircection hollow cheapp feel, bad runers)?

We have a current thread on "Taking Local Advice: A Good Idea?," pertaining to blindly accepting a local's evaluation of roads and conditions. In the same vein, how much credence do you place in any one individual's opinion expressed on the internet? Does this person have an axe (or rather a knife) to grind? Who knows? What expertise do they bring to the evaluation?

This particular reviewer seems to be highly concerned with aesthetics, an area of generally less significance to me. I certainly would not base my decision on this one review.

What to do? Buy from a firm with a reasonable return policy, or find a store so you can see and handle one personally. Frankly, I don't think I will ever spend $120 on a knife unless it can field dress a moose by remote control and do my income taxes the same day.

hiker, I was just hoping for some input from people who I trust. $125+ is alot for something you cant FEEL before you buy like you said. I was already bent on getting it, but this article just made me want more info.

And no I'm not trying to take on every owner of this knife on this site in a personal fight of right or wrong, I'm just curious in their comparison to the review

I'm with hikermor. The reviewer seems to have more trouble getting past the two small marks on the scales and the general feel of the "plastic" than he does getting past the fact that the knife opened in his pocket repeatedly.

There are two other reviews on that site. One mentions the scales feeling cheap but is careful to point out that "this perception is deceptive". Neither of the other two reviews mentions any issues with the blade opening unexpectedly.

ETA: I don't own a Grip or a DR1. I have handled both and IMO they are very robust, well engineered folders. I would have no reservations about owning either one.

T_Co, I just got my Mk1 a week ago so I have not had time to use it extensively but here are a few of my impressions so far.

The handle thickness feels good to me. A thinner handle would fit into a pocket better I suppose but for me, I like the thickness for a better grip.

The mark-offs at the injection points at the back are not very prominent on the black grips that I have. They also look a bit smaller than shown in the photos of the orange Griptilian in the review. For me, this is a serious tool (not a show piece of jewelry) and a slight blemish is not of much concern to me. If it were I would think they could be carefully buffed off.

As far as the comments about feeling "cheap", I did notice that. One of the design intents, I believe, was to make it light. Any tool that is light will tend to feel "cheap" compared to the same exact tool that is heavier, especially when you are used to that tool being heavier. Only time will tell if this is as rugged as I believe it is.

In the end you need to hold one and try it out and decide for yourself.

I'm with you all the way on this. What is interesting, as you scan internet chatter abut knives and other tools, is how many people seem to regard these ostensible tools as jewelry - expressing concerns about sharpening blemishes on the blade, dings due to pocket wear, and other trivialities.

Thank you Finally someone other than me believes that Knives are tools not eye candy or bling. And that it is okay to use them hard enough that they get dirty.
I no longer feel so alone HE HE HE
adventureboy
PS on a side note what is it that drives one to collect knives.

I've seen the same comments on the Griptilian handle on other sites. Some guys want G-10 or Micarta or some exotic wood. The Griptilian and especially the Ritter Grip (RSK Mk 1) are about performance. The reviewer notes the cheap "feel", but did the handle actually fail?

"Feel" is very subjective; I have many knives that "feel" more solid and I don't carry them because they weigh a lot more.

In my opinion the light weight handle is very ergonomic and functional. There are perhaps many other materials would feel better, but how much would these other materials add to the price of the knife and how much more would the resultant knife weigh?

In the end it's your call. I like them. Excellent steel in a good blade profile and a solid lock -- all in a lightweight package that carries well. It's a survival knife, not a piece of art.

Love my Ritter MK1 (orange) and mini (pink). Nothing about them feels cheap to me -- the MK1 looks and feels to me like a very substantial knife without being a heavy chunk to lug around.

You would not regret the purchase.