First Impressions – Benchmade Mini Barrage Blue Canyon Richlite
Patrik Orcutt 10.02.23
A few weeks back Benchmade reached out to us at AllOutdoor and asked if we would be interested in reviewing a few of their new tactical folding blades. Of course, we were excited about the opportunity to get some more Benchmade knife content on the site and share our opinions with our readers. I was offered the new Benchmade Mini Barrage in Blue Canyon Richlite. While the Benchmade Mini Barrage is not a new knife, the Blue Canyon Richlite is a new variation of this blade. I will now go over the specs of this new blade and then give my first impressions after a few days of playing around with this knife.
Benchmade Coverage on AllOutdoor
- AllOutdoor Review – Benchmade Proper “Old School Cool”
- AllOutdoor Historical Review – A Brief History of Benchmade Knives
- AllOutdoor Review: Benchmade 940 Osborne – “A True Classic”
- AllOutdoor 1 Year Review: Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter Fixed Blade
Specs – Benchmade Mini Barrage Blue Canyon Richlite
“Originally designed by the esteemed Warren Osborne, the Mini Barrage®️ has been a standard-bearer for reliability and utility for many years, and we’ve given it the update it deserves. The 585-03 Mini Barrage®️ features milled Blue Canyon Richlite handle scales and a CPM-S30V stainless steel blade with Flat Dark Earth anodized thumb studs. Deployed by our AXIS®️ Assist mechanism, this venerable EDC workhorse just got a new lease on life.” – Benchmade
- Blade Length: 2.91″ | 7.39 cm
- Blade Thickness: 0.1″ | 2.54 mm
- Open Length: 6.91″ | 17.55 cm
- Closed Length: 4″ | 10.16 cm
- Weight: 3.76 Ounces | 106.59 grams
- Handle Thickness: 0.56″ | 14.22 mm
- Blade Steel: CPM-S30V Super Premium Stainless Steel (58-60HRC)
- Blade Finish: Satin
- Blade Style: Drop-Point
- Handle Material: Blue Canyon Richlite
- Clip: Reversible Tip-Up Split-Arrow
- Country of Origin: United States of America
- Benchmade Knife Class: Blue
- MSRP: $300
What the Heck is Richlite ?
I could just be an idiot but I had never heard of the material Richlite prior to researching it for this article and here is what I found. Richlite is a remarkable material known for its sustainability, durability, and versatility. It is an eco-friendly composite material made from layers of paper, impregnated with a resin and then compressed under high pressure and heat. The result is a dense, solid surface that bears a striking resemblance to natural materials like wood or stone.
The construction process of Richlite begins with paper, typically sourced from responsibly managed forests or recycled paper products. The paper is saturated with a phenolic resin, which serves as a binding agent. Once thoroughly impregnated, the layers of paper are stacked and pressed together under immense pressure and heat, which causes the resin to harden and bond the layers into a solid and dense sheet. This process is similar to the formation of sedimentary rock, where layers of materials compress over time to create a sturdy structure.
Richlite’s unique composition imbues it with several remarkable qualities. It is exceptionally durable and resistant to wear, making it ideal for a wide range of applications. It is also impervious to moisture, which prevents it from warping or rotting, making it suitable for outdoor and kitchen uses. Richlite’s non-porous surface is easy to clean and maintain, and it doesn’t require sealing or additional treatments like natural materials do.
Due to its durability and versatility, Richlite has found applications in various industries. In architecture and interior design, it is used for countertops, wall cladding, and furniture. Its attractive appearance, combined with its eco-friendliness, has made it a popular choice for designers and builders looking for sustainable materials. Additionally, it is utilized in the production of cutting boards, skateboards, musical instruments, and even knife handles due to its strength and longevity.
First Impressions – Benchmade Mini Barrage Blue Canyon Richlite
After using this knife for a couple of days, I have developed a few first impressions. With this being a mini version of the normal-sized Barrage, obviously, it’s going to be smaller. I find that this blade is on the bleeding edge of being too small for my hands and I don’t have very big hands. I think there’s not enough grip or traction on the top of the blade or the handle for really choking up and trying to make precision cuts. I also think the inclusion of a safety is a nice touch and it’s actually super easy to actuate and disengage.
Speaking of the safety, this is an assisted opening knife, which means that once the blade reaches a certain point, the spring will take over the opening of the blade. While I don’t own many assisted opening blades, this one opens, almost like it’s an auto. It’s very snappy and very satisfying to open which makes this knife really fun to just play around with. Overall, I think the colorways and design of this blade is easy on the eyes. The blue of the handle works really well with the gold accents of the backpacker and thumb stud. I’m not a big fan of the silver pocket clip as it announces itself on your pants. Also, I’m not too fond of this particular style of pocket clip from Benchmade. Lastly, the blade came razor sharp out of the box which I know is something Benchmade sometimes gets a lot of flack about. Overall, I’m really enjoying my time so far with the Benchmade Mini Barrage Blue Canyon Richlite and I hope to have a review out in the coming months.
For more about the Benchmade Mini Barrage Blue Canyon Richlite click HERE.
