Modding the Benchmade Bugout to feel like a $400 knife

I just followed this guide on my new bugout mini, got it running insanely smooth! Basically zero play, and drop close. I was planning to upgrade to a stainless slider, vs titanium and figured id fully tune it while i was doing the disassembly :)

It looks nice, I’ll give you that. I looked into Flytanium scales for my 940-2 but, one of the main reasons I buy Benchmade is “Made in America”. I couldn’t bring myself to put Chinese scales on it.

I feel like that blade looks identical to the griptilian blade or does it not?

Why use a dremel? Why not simply rub the blade's pivot surface across the edge of your cardstock and even surface? Wouldn't that ensure a more even polish?

Spending $400 on a bugout is a fools pipe dream. The point of the knife is to be ultra lightweight. Just buy the carbon fiber scale version and be done. Ridgid and lightweight Benchmade already did it for you.

No pocket knife is worth $400.00. What a joke on the American Knife enthusiast.

don’t own a bugout but will soon. i’m a spiderco guy. by coworker bought one and i love it. great video and very informative. keep the great vids coming. you got my subscription off this vid👍🤘

I love the video and I just bought some knife pivot lube. I just wish you included centering the blade

Great video of a nice knife.

So I take it we can’t lose any of the parts😎great video just playing with ya🤘

I bought new Bugout with aluminum scales from factory, it's a beautiful knife but action is very stiff out of the box. I loosened up the pivot screw & added some lube. It's better but not able to be opened with a flick. I have all the stuff to do this at home, just need to do it, great video, thanks!

Followed this to the letter - with the exception of using Maas polish instead of Simichrome (which is illegal in California!) - and am really blown away with the improvement. I was a teensy bit confused that the sound mine makes when deploying sounds completely different than yours (the video almost has a ratcheting sound!) but the action's so good I don't care!

That was a very good and informative video that applies to many knives , thank you!

Wow impressive !

Why not just unbolt the scale then bolt on the new scale then repeat on the other side?

I don't know why I watched this whole video. I can't afford a benchmade knife. The tools you used to do this cost more than the nicest knife I own.

I've been doing this polishing (with a 3000 grit ruby stone) to the cheap sanrenmu knives to make them super smooth and it makes sense to do it to a 20-30$ knife.
Where I am, to get a bugout mini it takes a bit over 200$, shipping included. Wanted to splurge and get one, but seeing this made me change my mind, so thanks. I recently got a kizer mini begleiter (arguably a similar knife to the mini bugout), M390, Ti scales, and built to perfection. At half the price I would've payed for the bugout mini. Did not even want to dissasemble it, but could not resist. If you still feel the need to do this to a 150$+ knife, then fck that knife and the brand making it. But that's like my opinion, dude.

How about you not pay extremely high prices for a crappy knife, and not buy from a company that back Democrats and anti firearm legislation.

Can someone summarize? I can't take a 20min shit.

You should see my 940 osbourne it's been daily carried for 5 years been through the ringer still going strong needs a little love though

Just bought the bugout 535 bk-2. I can adjust the pivot screw so the action is super smooth, but then I have blade play. Does the coating on the blade on the BK-2 model have an impact on the action? Or should I take this thing apart and polish it as you have done in the video to get the action how I want it?

UPDATE: I decided since it was a brand new knife, I shouldn't have to pay to send the knife in to benchmade to have them make the action smooth, nor should I have to tear it apart to make it smooth and tight myself. I returned the knife to REI and exchanged it for the exact same knife. The action is much smoother with zero blade play. The coating on the blade does not seem to impact the action. Looking forward to putting some flytanium scales on it, eventually. Love this knife.

I striped a screw on my bugout how do I get it out ?

Great video. Thanks!

Is that a custom pelican case for your tools? If not, where did you get it?

where did you get that work bench

I had a quick question, i want to swap my silver axis lock on my griptillian with a black one from a bugout. Is this possible or are they different sizes?

Are those the blasted or Stonewashed scales?

This literally costs $400 to put together according to your own links, assuming you don't value your own time.
For that much you can buy something handmade, and already sorted.
Am I missing something?

Yes! And you can do way better for less money.
There are good and many bad accessory makers too tho so watch out, you can tell the guys like Flytanium are pros.
You spend $400 on this but my Para 3/Ti hex color changing scales and bronze clip for under $280 is as good or way better…
Note: If your not good at this stuff AVOID messing with thumbstud. Change the thumb stud AFTER you damage it.
Because that lame overpriced TI thumb stud is a compromise that will affect value and could have some detrimental effects down the road.(Save the original).
I would just take it off and spin it in a drill press and you can reprofile it with a file to look like new.
Oh BTW, MOST knife companies make their thumbstuds with steel NOT ALUMINUM. So BM did that as a compromise to get the color on it. Shame shame.
That’s ok for Kershaw but not BM

As if Benchmade isn't overpriced as is...

This is by far the best video to watch for learning to rebuild a Bugout. Thanks dude, you’re the best.

Great video. Thanks for posting. I thought I missed something as you disassembled the knife but turns out I did not, so I have a question. Is there a reason you did not polish both sides of the bronze washers? Thanks again for a very informative video.

Or buy a 300-400 knife and don't waste your valuable time with a bugout.

For 140$ the bug out should already look like that… zytel/frn handle is just a rip off in that price range. I don’t even care about the steel.

Assisted opening?

I am not mechanical but I am goign to try and replace the scales on my knife. What size bits are you using? Thank you for a wonderful video!

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Where do I get scales for a discontinued benchmade volli?

Rad video. Looking forward to future videos from this channel

I already had to send my 3 month old bugout in for warranty, noticed randomly that 4 screws had dissapeared from the frame.

Excellent video thank you so much for sharing the detailed information, it's very helpful!

Awesome video my friend. I love how smooth these knives can get when you modify it and polish it a bit.
-Dallas

benchmade really knocked it out of the park on this design.....except you replaced every single part of the knife minus the blade. bug outs are trash. i bought a bail out and had to get aluminum handles. love it tho

does kpl make dirt stick to it, like oil?

You can get a good Chinese copy for like 23 bucks yeah I know it's Chinese and it's copy 23 bucks but it's pretty damn good

When you cut yourself in your video lolz

Save yourself a ton of money and buy a KBar Dozier with the D2 blade. Get it for around 50 bucks and it will perform as well or better than these knives hands down!

Better give it a decent heat treat also because Benchmade has no idea how to do one.