INFO
Not everyone can afford $200 or more for a top quality folding knife. Even $150 is pushing it for many. However, everyone deserves a knife they can trust their life to in extreme conditions, a knife you can bet your life on™. An affordable knife that fit that description was my goal and I'm very pleased to introduce the new Doug Ritter RSK Mk1™ (Benchmade Model 552). This is a collaborative evolution of Benchmade's Griptilian™ folder produced exclusively to my own specifications. "RSK" stands for Ritter Survival Knife, an indication of its strength and reliability, but it's really a perfectly practical everyday carry knife. Thousands have been sold and are in daily use throughout the world, from urban city to Alaskan wilderness to Middle-Eastern war zones.
The sturdy black ergonomic glass-filled Noryl GTX handles, stainless inset liners and patented super strong ambidextrous AXIS™ Lock are pure Griptilian™, as originally designed by Mel Pardue. This is a handle that just plain works and has all the features I prefer, including a secure non-slip grip that fills the hand comfortably and a pronounced finger guard for safety, as well as a full-size lanyard hole. The pocket clip is reversible and thus ambidextrous.
The scaled-down handle of the Mini-RSK Mk1™, 3.87 in. (9.82 cm), retains the same excellent grippability features of its larger sibling, providing a three or three and a half finger grip, depending upon your hand size, still plenty for a secure hold. The Mini is a true featherweight at only 2.68 oz. (76 g). With its light weight and smaller size, some have found they prefer removing the pocket clip altogether and just carry the Mini loose in their pocket. Others find the Mini perfectly sized and shaped for in the waistband (IWB) carry. This can be the most unobtrusive way to carry, while still having it readily available.
The optional colored handle of the Mini-RSK Mk1™ is Valox thermoplastic PBT. High Visibility Yellow (model 558-YEL) is the only currently offered colored handle option for the Mini, black handles remain standard. The bright colored handle makes it much easier to locate if dropped. The black coated blade is only available with a black handle.
The wide-chord and robust drop point, plain edge, 3.44-inch (8.74 cm) blade, 2.88 (7.32 cm) for the Mini, is my design, influenced by blades I've owned or coveted by custom makers I respect. Anyone who has been reading Equipped To Survive™ for the past decade or so, including its predecessor ETS file on CompuServe's AVSIG Forum, will know I prefer a robust and wide-chord drop point blade shape. This is a traditional blade style, very strong all the way to the point and very versatile, if not particularly "sexy" or "tactical." In today's politically correct world, that may not be such a bad thing for an everyday carry blade.
The blade's spine incorporates the prominent ramped thumb rest from the Benchmade Model 550 for enhanced control and security. This thumb rest portion of the spine also does an excellent job creating sparks using an artificial flint and can be used with the knife closed for added safety. It has a high flat grind for cutting ease and strength. This grind makes for excellent slicing geometry; field reports confirm that it is an extraordinarily efficient slicer. Dual thumb lugs provide ambidextrous opening, easy even with gloves on, completing the fully ambidextrous nature of this new knife.
Topping this all off, the 0.115-inch (2.92 mm) thick blade, 0.100 in. (2.54 mm) for the Mini, is made of Crucible's superb CPM S30V, the best performing stainless steel currently available for cutlery use, in my opinion. This is the same ultra high performance blade steel used in the $465 limited edition Equipped To Survive Sebenza and by many custom makers, as well as in many of the latest high-end production knives. It's strong and it holds an edge like nothing else.
The Doug Ritter RSK Mk1™ blades are available with two finishes. The original blade finish is a strikingly beautiful, but very practical "stone washed" tumbled finish that also serves to seal the metal's pores for added protection and strength. The result is a subdued finish, but one that is smooth and just barely lustrous. The finishing media and process was designed expressly for this knife to get the exclusive finish quality I desired. This is a very subtle finish that is difficult to capture with the digital camera I have, it looks much better in the flesh.
For those that prefer a black blade, a subdued black BT2 Xylan® florocarbon (generic term for Teflon®) based finish is also available. The plain edge BT2 blade is avilable both as a full-size and Mini. The ComboEdge™ blade is only available with the BT2 finish. The black BT2 coating will wear and show marks from use. This is normal and is not covered under the warranty.
Ritter's RSK Mk1™ is made in the USA and is covered by Benchmade's Limited Lifetime Warranty and their exclusive Lifesharp® Service. Serrated and ComboEdge™ blades are not eligible for Benchmade's LifeSharp® Service.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Doug Ritter RSK™ Knife goes to support the non-profit Equipped To Survive Foundation.
OTHER INFO and FEEDBACK
"I got mine. It is as perfect as imaginable. REALLY sharp, great QC!!"
"This knife has a synergy of attributes: light, strong, reliable/easy to use lock, great ergos, useful blade shape, well executed craftsmanship, easy carry. Still just stropping the blade on paper and it is hair shaving sharp still. I think it competes favorably with knives costing 2x or more."
"Geoff in Philly" (name withheld by request)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"I finally got to use (the RSK Mk1) for some of what it was designed for this weekend. Harvested the materials to make a hand drill and base board. Did all the carving and drilled several holes with the tip. Cut lots of yucca leaves to make cord. Did lots of general whittling just for fun. Cut up some fruit, and meat. The blade is still shaving sharp. I found the blade geometry to be just about perfect. The thin edge and high, flat grind slide into most materials with ease. The handle is hand filling, without being too bulky, and the whole thing is light and unobtrusive in my pocket. Using this knife is a joy, and I can't really find anything I dislike about it. It's a tough choice now on whether to carry this, or much more expensive custom folders. This will always be part of my wilderness travel gear though, that's for sure."
(From another post on www.BladeForums.com) "I get more pleasure out of this knife than many others, and the more I use it, the more I like it! My Axis is like butter, it slides so smooth, but locks up like a vault. I've showed it to many friends who lust after the Sebenza but can't make the leap, and a few of them plan on ordering one. After all the use of it, I just do a light strop every once in a while, and it still shaves hair."
Thayne Young
Simi Valley, California
"I own over 100 very nice knives. The large Doug Ritter Benchmade Griptilian (RSK Mk1) with the S30V, "stonewashed" blade is definitely in my top 5. I love this knife for many, many reasons. You will not be disappointed if you buy a Ritter Griptilian. "
"Bladeprince" (posted on BladeForums.com)
Colorado Springs, Colorado
"Okay, I bought (an RSK Mk1) and used it over the weekend on chores around the house. Excellent little knife. It came flawless out of the box with an extremely sharp edge. The action was actually smoother than some of my other Axis Lock knives. The blade geometry works well for almost all knife chores that I'd use a folder for. I normally carry nothing but Sebenzas, but this Ritter Grip is now a part of my EDC rotation. Good job!"
"I have always liked the Griptilian, but this is a step up. This just might be the best folder for the money going right now."
Mike
Soldotna, Alaska
"Just got my RSK Mk1 #72/100! It's better than I expected. It looks and feels soo incredibly solid, and the action is as smooth as if it has been opened a million times. Love that blade shape/finish! This is the way the Griptilian should have been originally made!"
Alex LaJeunesse
Lake Mary, Florida
"I'm a family practice doc with the Indian Health Service and a former U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces SERE instructor. I have really enjoyed the RSK Mk1 knife and Pocket Survival Pak you designed. Both are superb! I carry the knife in the cell phone pocket of my 5.11 pants (my "duty uniform" in clinic) and have the kit in my pocket when traveling."
Jay Kennedy
Lawrence, Kansas
"I own 10 - 15 knives like this, but within a couple of days of receiving the RSK Mk1 it took over as the one knife I carry everywhere, all the time. [Being a number first-production unit, at first I hesitated to carry it around, but what the heck, I figured it's meant to be used, not collected, right?] It's light enough that I don't notice it in my pocket, but it has the grip and feel of a knife built to do real work. The mechanism is so light and smooth that even with my injured right hand and wrist I can easily open it one-handed. The blade is just the right size and shape to do just about anything, light work to heavy. With my wrist injury, it's difficult for me to tear open packages, etc., so your knife is in my hand at least a dozen times a day, everything from opening envelopes and dicing fruit to showing my son a bit of hardwood carving. It has got to be the most versatile knife I've ever owned, and that includes a couple of customs that I've had made.
Another reason it became my everyday carry knife is that with the unusual grip surface it remains clipped to my pocket better than any other knife I own. Not sure if that's what was intended with that grip surface, but it's the best I've seen for retaining the knife when clipped to a pocket. All in all a great piece. Obviously a great deal of thought went into every detail of this knife, and it shows -- thanks."
Wil Milan
Phoenix, Arizona
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