Steep Country Benchmade Hunting Knives

   08.07.18

Steep Country Benchmade Hunting Knives

I recently took notice of Steep Country Benchmade fixed-blade hunting knives. These are not new by any means, but they are compact and practical-looking. Let’s take a look at them and see what they have to offer, and what shortcomings they may have.

Steep Country Benchmade

Steep Country Benchmade blades are available in drop point style, with or without a gut hook. The short, deep blade appears well-suited for skinning, as does the jimping on the spine near the tip.

Steep Country Benchmade

Handles are available in orange or black, and they’re simply molded-on rubber, which is where some critics find room to complain. The material isn’t really bonded to the tang, but instead is merely molded around it, allowing water and contaminants to get in there and potentially cause rust. In fact, one YouTuber cut the handle off of his Steep Country Benchmade and discovered quite a bit of surface rust underneath.

Steep Country Benchmade

Manufacturer Specs

  • Made in USA.
  • Designer: Benchmade
  • Action: Fixed Blade
  • Blade Steel: CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC)
  • Blade Length: 3.50″ (8.89cm)
  • Blade Thickness: 0.140″ (3.56mm)
  • Overall Length: 7.65″ (19.43cm)
  • Handle Thickness: 0.62″ (15.75mm)
  • Blade Edge: Plain
  • Blade Finish/Color: Satin
  • Handle Material: Santoprene
  • Lanyard Hole: Yes
  • Sheath Type: Kydex
  • MSRP: $120

Steep Country Benchmade

Most folks seem to agree that these knives hold their edge well, are comfortable in the hand, and are well-designed for hunting tasks.

Steep Country Benchmade

The only question is one of the handle, and I have to agree with those who prefer a handle that’s bonded to the tang and won’t allow moisture and other stuff to creep in there. Not that it will necessarily damage the knife and render it unusable; it would take a long time for the rust to get bad enough to really hurt its functionality.

But from a health standpoint, when I’m skinning and cutting up my kill, I really don’t want to use a knife that has who-knows-what-all kinds of bacteria growing right there under the handle while I’m working on meat I’m planning to eat.

What do you think of Steep Country Benchmade knives? Am I way off on this one?

Avatar Author ID 61 - 581514838

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.

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