AllOutdoor Review: First Impressions – Benchmade Culinary 3-Piece Set
Patrik Orcutt 12.29.23
After my recent move across America, I was unpacking my car and wanted to get my kitchen in order, to my surprise all of my kitchen knives did not make the trip with me and were 28 hours away from me by car. Naturally, this was not a great situation to be in and I am someone who loves to cook at home so I kind of felt ill-equipped in my new kitchen. I reached out to Benchmade and crossed my fingers to see if they would be willing to send my one of their cutlery sets. Thankfully they were more than happy to hook me up with a custom set that I designed through their Customizer. I’m happy to report that the customizer seems to be more accurate with the Culinary knives than with the Osborne series in regards to color accuracy.
Benchmade Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Benchmade Custom 940 – Crafting your Very Own, One-of-a-Kind Knife
- Home on the Range #060: Benchmade Mini Adamas Marbled Carbon Fiber
- AllOutdoor Review – Benchmade Griptilian Multi-Functional 551-S30V Knife
- AllOutdoor Historical Review – A Brief History of Benchmade Knives
The 3 Piece Cutlery set was provided by Benchmade and while I am allowed to keep these knives indefinitely, it will not change my current or future opinion on any Benchmade Products. Benchmade has not been allowed to preview this review prior to publishing.
Specs – Benchmade Culinary 3-Piece Set
- Blade Steel – CPM154
- Handle Material – Richlite
- Country of Origin – USA
- MSRP – $1150
First Impressions – Benchmade Culinary 3-Piece Set
First of all the presentation out of the box is exceptional. This is not something I would normally talk about but you also don’t normally see high-end knives come with nice packaging. The knives come with a wicked sharp edge on them and this can be attributed to all of the knives in the Culinary line having a 14-degree “select edge angle” compared to most of Benchmade’s other blades coming is at a more traditional 20-degree angle for the blade. I opted to go with the natural Richlite grips as they give a nice organic look to the knives. I would also like to say that these blades are very appealing to the eye.
Cutting up steaks and greens has been a dream so far with these knives and they hold a great edge even with that 14-degree angle on the blades which is susceptible to dulling faster than 20-degree blades. the lade steel is a proprietary CPM154. According to Benchmade this steel is the Goldilocks option in their catalog offering good edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness. But being a jack of all trades means that it is also a master of none. I have not attempted to sharpen any of these blades at this point as they do not need it so hopefully I can soo how easy or difficult that will be. I’ve only cooked up a few meals with these knives as of now so stay tuned for a full review in the future. The rest of this article will be specs from Benchmade on these knives.
“The 3 Piece Set promises a precise cut, a unique aesthetic and a sharp edge thanks to Benchmade’s proprietary SelectEdge® technology. Complete with a Chef Knife for thin slices of vegetables, a Utility Knife with a shorter blade and small tip for trimming, and a Paring Knife used for cutting and peeling fruits and veggies, and trimming excess fat with ease.” -Benchmade
How It’s Made – Benchmade Culinary 3-Piece Set
Laser-cut from sheets of high-grade steel, every Benchmade blade is ground, beveled, and finished with uncompromising precision. We mill and machine handles in-house to the most exacting specifications, and every knife is hand-assembled and sharpened by highly trained technicians bringing to bear over thirty years of manufacturing excellence in our state-of-the-art factory in Oregon City, Oregon. Proper care and regular maintenance help make your Benchmade knife yours, for life. Here ae some tips for keeping your Benchmade in peak condition:
- All steel, regardless of price and grade, can eventually rust, so it’s important to keep your knife dry and lubricated. If spotting or rust occurs, semi-chrome metal polish will often take care of it.
- Dishwashers can cause serious damage that is not covered under our warranty, so make sure to hand-wash your Benchmade under warm water with dish soap only, and dry thoroughly.
- Remember, knives are cutting tools, and you should never use your knife as a pry-bar, screwdriver, chisel, or punch, unless the knife is designed explicitly for those purposes.
- If you choose to sharpen your blade yourself, avoid grinding wheels and other high-powered machinery.
- Handle, pivot, and pocket clip screws may require occasional adjustment using T6 & T10 Torx drivers. We recommend applying a small dab of releasable thread-locker as needed.
Designed with purpose and built to last, the 3 Piece Set sets a high bar for durability and performance matched only by our promise that it will be yours, for life.
