Benchmade is bringing out the big guns in the fixed blade space later this year with the Codex87 Horizon Edge, an outdoors knife with a unique blade made from a fusion of two different steels.
Benchmade may best known for its folders, but it maintains a healthy stable of fixed blades, and the eagle-eyed amongst KnifeNews readers may recognize the pattern upon which the Codex87 is based: the Saddle Mountain Skinner, a knife designed to – well, do we even have to say? Anyway, like many knives in its sub-genre, the Saddle Mountain had a recurved blade and forward spine jimping to provide the extra finesse necessary in field dressing chores.
We expect the Codex87 will have a blade length similar, if not identical to, the 4.2-inch one on the Saddle Mountain; but it’s the composition of that blade that makes this one special. Benchmade implemented a patented laser fusion process to weld a high-performance edge of REX121 to a Damasteel body. It looks great, but it also allows each steel to contribute to performance in its own way, marrying the extreme edge retention of REX121 to the good looks, stain resistance, and rigidity of Damasteel.
The handle scales are made from laminated wood, which is not only rugged in its own right but carries the old-school, almost historically-minded look that the original Saddle Mountain model possessed. Given that the Codex87 was first shown off last week at Blade Show behind closed doors, there are still some details that are TBD – including what kind of sheath Benchmade will ship this one with – or, indeed, when it will ship at all.
So far, Benchmade has only said that the Codex87 is coming this year.
Knife in Featured Image: Benchmade Codex87 Horizon Edge
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