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You must have it to succeed.
And to make certain it never fades,
we established the Benchmade
Custom Design Team. It ’s founded
on the premise of a high regard for
the individual custom knife maker
who pours their genuine passions,
and given talents into making unique
realities one piece at a time. To them,
it goes beyond earning a living, it ’s
an opportunity to express their own
interpretations of cutting edge design.
Benchmade has perfected a
collaboration of ef forts with these
rogues of conformity, tapping into
the newest in locking mechanisms,
progressive designs, and the latest in
materials. Ultimately, this intellectual
exchange transpires into something
special in the form of a Benchmade
knife.
 SEIICHI NAKAMURA- Engineering was his life’s work until he retired to focus his
efforts on a passion for custom knife work. He specializes in
small Japanese style folders, gentlemen’s carry and jewelry
knives. His eye for artistry and mechanical engineering
make him a perfect fit for the innovative Benchmade team. 
 MEL PARDUE- The senior team member, Mel has been grinding sparks,
making knives and creating a following for 20-plus years.
His style has a class and simplicity all its own. The Pardue
collaborations offer great utility to the everyday knife user
while at the same time presenting an upscale distinction.
Less is definitely more with Mel’s designs.
MCHENRY & WILLIAMS-
It runs in the family… Bill and stepson Jason spend their
days making exquisite pieces of “art with an edge on it.”
Their dedication and talents compliment one another very
well, and have led to several noteworthy innovations in
the knife making world. Benchmade was fortunate to be
involved with one such innovation, the AXIS mechanism.
The rest is history in the making.
WARREN OSBORNE-
Being raised in the farming and ranching industry taught
Warren early on what great utility a quality knife can offer.
How a knife feels in the hand over extended use, blade
design/edge configurations, and the types of materials used
are all mandatory considerations of an Osborne design.
 MIKE
SNODY- Exploding into the knife making world, Mike has
successfully created a name for himself in a short amount
of time by wrapping solid function in the guise of
contemporary design. His design influence is derived from
his own personal experiences. And his "sensitive" side
certainly hasn’t held him back either.
 NEIL
BLACKWOOD- A lifelong hobby turned fulltime profession, Neil grew up
naturally working with his hands as his father was a shop
teacher. His custom work really takes advantage of the
latest materials and works them into creative reflections
of his detailed eye. He says if his love of what he does ever
fades, he will pick up a fishing pole.
 BOB LUM- With over 30 years of knife designing expertise, an artistic
drive both in his craftsmanship of knives and his love for
photography; provided Benchmade unique design styles
infused with his creativity, thus yielding the highest quality
knife possible. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest gave
him an opportunity to develop an appreciation for the
importance of a fine knife, which comes through in his
elegant and utilitarian designs. Thanks, Bob.
STEVE FECAS- A well spoken Southern gentleman, Steve
Fecas calls South Carolina home. The mystique of
custom knives and what they have to
offer caught his eye in the mid-1970's and he has been
creating some of his own special mystique ever since.
All of which favor a
stylish, swept-back profile all their own.
STEIRER EISEN-
There's more to living in Austria than picturesque vistas. For Armin Stuetz
it has been making his fascination with knives become a livelihood
over the years. He
founded Steirer Eisen which is his own knife manufacturing
company located in Styria, Austria. There, he and his staff
of artisans and fine craftsmen
work their passions into knife designs direct from the heart.
Armin says he is only satisfied when his customers are satisfied.
Hmm…sounds
familiar.
MATTHEW LERCH- Codeveloper of the Nitrous™ Assist mechanism, Matthew
has his finger on the pulse of industry leading innovations
and will continue to be a valuable contributor to
Benchmade’s genuine passion for that next, better design.
KEN STEIGERWALT- In 1978 at the age of
15, Ken found himself at the kitchen table with some
file and a vise. Three years later he decided that knife making was going to be
his full time career. Since then, Ken has dedicated himself to wowing the
industry with his innovative style and describes his work as a passion and a
journey to build a better knife than the last.
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