I’m not really a slipjoint/in-the-pocket knife guy. I want to be, I’ve tried to be, but…it’s just not me. The great Sal did a great thing when he added a clip to the pocket knife, and I intend to carry it that way. But, there is definitely an allure of the classic “granddad” folder. So when I saw the Proper line from Benchmade, I had to check one out.
So here we go – I’m neither a “Benchmade guy” nor am I a “slipoint guy”, nor do I particularly care from knives without clips. Gonna be great!
For all the reasons listed above, I had very low expectations when I bought the knife. I didn’t expect to care for it, and was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box to find this. The micarta is really well done, the perfect texture in my opinion – grippy, but not too aggressive. I think it looks excellent, especially up against the beautiful blade finishing. Simple, but classic.
The second thing I noticed was the blade – hoo boy, this is a beauty. I love the clip point geometry – there is a “crispness” to this one in particular that looks really excellent. The blade finish is well done, and there is minimal lettering on the blade, which I appreciate. Overall, first impressions are really good.
And honestly, that’s about how the review ends. The knife is as good as first impressions would indicate. The groove/nick design was a neat and welcome take on the classic nail nick, and I found it easy to use. The grip is comfortable, all things considered. The blade is just enough for daily use, and the clip point is plenty practical for everything I needed to do.
The only substantial issues I have with the knife (you can view a few more minor things in the video) are that I’m just not prone to carry a knife down in the pocket, and it’s a slipjoint. Both of these things are by design, and are considered benefits to many people, so at the end of the day, it’s just not a knife I’ll be using. I’m still calling the Benchmade Proper a carry, because I think it’s a great option if you’re looking for those 2 things. I would also highly recommend the Civivi Rustic Gent, which checks a lot of the same boxes at a lower price point and with a back lock.
