The venerable Benchmade Griptillian knife family has won a lot of fans over the years for good reason. The Axis lock is extremely quick to deploy, stow one-handed and locks up solidly. It comes in good quality blade steels, and there are two sizes that are perfect for most needs. Through Benchmade's web site, you can even roll your own --choosing blade styles, premium steels and handle colors. I've often recommended the blade as a best bang for the buck to friends looking to step up to a high quality knife. Specifically, I like the Doug Ritter collaborations available exclusively through KnifeWorks with a
stonewashed, wide chord, drop point blade made from S30V steel. I find the Ritter Mini-Grip an almost perfect EDC knife.
That said, I've always had one little complaint with the knife. The glass filled Noryl GTX scales feel cheap. They may have a fancy name, and they are probably plenty tough, but they feel a lot like cheap plastic to me.
Fortunately, there are two European craftsmen offering replacement scales that take this blade from average daily user, to a premium work of art. more
Kevin Wilkins of Wilkins Germany makes small batches of Griptillian scales from G10, G11, aluminum and titanium, in a variety of colors and textures. Each scale set comes with machined grips, a separate back spacer and all the screws needed to replace your existing grips.
I wish I'd snagged a "Toxic Green" set but I had to settle on the standard black G10 Medium Textured scales that were in stock. These scales immediately transformed my Mini-Grip into a much more substantial tool. Wilkins has reshaped the handles for a more palm filling grip. The anodized aluminum back spacer adds a little heft and a much more sturdy feel to the knife. With the Wilkins conversion this feels like an entirely different blade.
My Benchmade now feels every bit as solid as my much more expensive Strider knives. Wilkins prices start at around 100 Euros for the MiniGrip G10s and climb for more premium options. The only catch is that the word is out, and these small batch custom parts go quick, so sign up for his email notifications and don't hesitate to pull the trigger when he has them in stock.
For something truly unique, take a look at Custom.Scale.Division or "Cuscadi" for short. Cuscadi not only does batches of scales for a variety of popular production knives, but they also make truly custom pieces from almost any imaginable material from exotic woods to Carbon Aero Fiber. Check out their web galleries for an mind bending array of choices.
I decided to outfit my old bad dad's Mini-Grip as a Christmas present. I placed an order with Luke for a set of "Vintage" Micarta Grips in olive drab. I traded five or six emails with Luke at Cuscadi. Separated by timezones, it was a bit of a process, but 85 Euros and three weeks later, I received exactly what I had imagined. The scales are approximately the same size as the originals but have a much higher quality feel and fit perfectly. The only work I did was to distress the contemporary hardware a bit with sandpaper to match the vintage look. The textured Micarta will continue to age gracefully, just like the man it was made for.
So which do I like best? I'm glad I don't have to pick just one. The Wilkin's Grips add a little more heft and they feel more utilitarian. I had no hesitation using the Wilkin's outfitted Grip to hammer paint can lids closed last week. The downside? Limited choices. The demand for these scales means you take what you can get when ordering from the website.
The Cuscadis that I ordered make for a more sleek, gentlemen's style folder. But from glow in the dark "reptilian" spacers to Zirikote wood scales, your choices are only limited by your imagination.
Which ever you decide, rest assured you'll be making your Griptillian into a premium tool you can call your own.
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