Battle/Comparison | Benchmade Bugout, Hogue Deka and Kershaw Bel-Air

[@annasoH323]

This is the comparison we all needed!

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@Jstarr918]

Bugout is the winner here for me.

[@clintcrosby6337]

I like the bel air the best out of the three. Thanks TKE

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for watching!

[@allfather885]

Looking at this against Neeves and Cedric and Ada. The general consensus seems to be that the Bel Air is a “Bugout Killer”, given that it comes with standard Aluminum scales and Magnacut for essentially the same price point as the others. For $5 you can get new washers if you want to upgrade or replace the spring for a slightly improved action. But right out of the box the Bel Air is a great USA-made knife. Not to mention that Kershaw has a fantastic lifetime warranty and free sharpenings, which are values you didn’t capture here.

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for the information

[@ZephyBlaze77]

Where did you get your upgrades for washers/springs?

[@rays5163]

For the extra money you get a washer/dryer combo instead of just the washer

[@rays5163]

Lol its actually cheaper

[@ahill209]

i own several Benchmade knives. The Bugout just never appealed to me. IMO, just not cut out for heavy use. I have a Magnacut Belair on the way, and I'm looking forward to comparing it to my other EDCs.

[@Fishbag61]

Cool video. Already had Bugout and Deka so I'll prob get the Kershaw.

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for watching!

[@DuhYaThink]

Pm2 has only a slightly longer cutting edge. I love the pm2’s but these have much more usable blade lengths. 👍🏻

[@TheDemocultis]

Grab that deka, take it apart, clean it all, lube it up and reassemble. This time, don't tighten the pivot quite as much. Congratulations, very smooth action.

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for the tips!

[@fibitabit8423]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing and thanks to mr.Eddy and Stephen!!

[@the_knights_edge]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MPerry-ox9qb]

The Hogue & Benchmade use washers instead of bearings like the Kershaw. Once the Hogue & Benchmade are worn in the blade will drop freely. I personally prefer washers on a working knife.

[@the_knights_edge]

True, thank you for watching

[@McCAlexander]

Over time, the ball bearings get dunked up and slow down, reducing smoothness of the action. That said, I have never found this to be a problem, especially if you clean properly. Based on your experience, are washers then more reliable without cleaning?

[@andyhayward1261]

I’m definitely gonna pick up a Belair at some point, have the deka and bugout and IMO the deka magnacut smashes the bugout. Much easier to get good Acton without blade play than on the bugout, better steel and personally I like the feel of the stock scales more than the grivory on the bugout (not that either of mine still have the stock scales on them 😂)

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for watching!

[@matthiaskohler6972]

Which Blade design for the deka?

[@DuhYaThink]

Bel Air on sale now, paid $136. Shipped. GP Knives

[@the_knights_edge]

Awesome

[@MrWigg1es09]

Disclamer: i did put an 18º edge on the Bel-Air before I shipped it

[@the_knights_edge]

Its definitely slicey

[@strykeforce1151]

sweet video. not many other like it for sure. definitely helps get a feel for the other two only having one of the three. side note. i feel like if you made the audio on your videos a bit better it would help ten fold. js my two cents. thanks for the comparison

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for the input! I need to invest in a better mic!

[@adhdhobbyguy6063]

Great video! really good to see all these lined up.

[@the_knights_edge]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@heyman1501]

Well said, agree 💯! Great video!

[@the_knights_edge]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching

[@EDCandLace]

The Belair is quite small and the small bearings kill it for me, the deka is a solid knife but not a huge fan of the blade grind as it gets thick real quick after a couple sharpenings... as much as I'm not a benchmade fan girl and as much as I'm not a bugout fan girl the blade shape and grind of the bugout make it the winner for me. If they made a 3.5ish inch blade bel air, keep the grind and stock thickness the same and use washers or larger bearings then imho it would be definitely the winner out the 3. I have had 4 kershaw magnacut knives tested and the was all in the high 63s the two post heat treat protocol change dekas I had tested was one 62.8 and one 63.1. My sub zero dekas (first rub hogue magnacut) was both in the high 59s and was absolutely sad, I was one of the first people raising hell about them because as soon as I touched them to the stones I knew there was issues and I knew it wasn't a burnt edge so I had them tested. First run hogue MC was terrible. Kershaw is not doing magnacut well as is hogue, the first releases of kershaw mc in the leek and the dividend was both just to soft with 61rc target and the heat treat it's self didn't feel very good on the stones I can say that now that they have adjusted their protocol and raised the hardness to a 63 target kershaw is doing damn decent magnacut and not just the hardness, the heat treat it's self is good and they feel great on the stones and cut test performance is neck in neck with golden spydie magnacut. Out of these 3 I would definitely take the bel air over all but th3 small bearings kill it for me, I really wish it was on washers.

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for all the info @EDCandLace! I appreciate your input and appreciate you taking time to watch the video and put it out there!

[@zac_in_ak]

Skiff make a thick washer you can sub for the bearings in the bel air

[@the_knights_edge]

@@zac_in_ak cool

[@Metoxetron]

@@zac_in_akdo you know the size by any chance? I’m curious about their bearings as well

[@CamboTriton]

Very cool!

[@justinmcvay5560]

Fun video. Good stuff

[@the_knights_edge]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jeffjohnson266]

Price comparison was not uniform..decka sale price vs full price on the others even though the kershaw is on sale ???

[@the_knights_edge]

I did proce comparison based on what info i had at the time

[@raybo34]

Nice comparison video. Overall I would choose the Bel Air. My next choice would be the Hogue. Honestly, CJRB Hectare is a nice alternative.

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for watching! Yes the Hectare is a good alternative in my opinion too! Wish it was usa made though

[@krazy_roach1698]

Thanks for sharing

[@the_knights_edge]

Thank you for watching

[@brandensutton2324]

🤙

[@MPerry-ox9qb]

Kershaw Bel Air one day special at BladeHQ for $129.99. May 6th 2024

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for the info

[@RobvanWees]

Too bad the Bel Air is € 250 over here in Europe. Makes it a totally different price class compared to the Bugout and the Deka 😢

[@the_knights_edge]

Awww

[@RobvanWees]

​@@the_knights_edge haha, not asking for pity but come on that is $275! That is quite extravagant for a knife that costs $150 in the USA😮

[@romandulce999]

Belair holds the bearings inside the blade, not inside the frame and it has washers over the bearings... This brings to blade play very fast and thats a bad design, not for a 140$ knife. Just because of that ill go with bugout. This is a bad designed knife...

[@the_knights_edge]

Thanks for the info! And thanks for watching!

[@allfather885]

First time I’ve seen someone with this take, so I’m skeptical this is a real issue. I’ve seen a few full reviews of the Bel Air including hard use tests and cut tests and never seen this be a problem. I guess we’ll know in 4-5 years if we start seeing this issue, but my guess is the design is fine.