Benchmade believes working with custom designers creates the most innovative and functional designs in the industry. These skilled artisans and craftsmen pour their passion into their work and agonize over every detail. By collaborating with a selection of worldclass custom designers, we’re able to tap into the newest locking mechanisms, modern materials, and custom blending and finishing techniques.
Mel Pardue
Mel Pardue set industry standards and built a dedicated following grinding sparks over his 60-plus years as a custom knife maker. As one of our first outside design partners, his style had a class and simplicity all its own. For 25 years, his collaborations with Benchmade have offered great utility, presented with upscale distinction, to the everyday knife user. With Mel’s designs, less is definitely more
Shane Sibert
Since 1994, Shane Sibert’s goal has been to design and create unique knives that evoke pride of ownership while at the same time perform tasks and challenges with exceptional ease. A lifelong avid backpacker, Shane draws inspiration from hiking throughout the Pacific Northwest’s vast wilderness. He’s an occasional practitioner of martial arts and enjoys scuba diving in Oregon’s chilly waters.
BILL MCHENRY & JASON WILLIAMS
Talented designers and developers of several innovations in the knife-making world including the Benchmade AXIS® mechanism.
Greg Thompson
Greg used an extensive background in mixed martial arts to create the Special Operations Combatives Program (SOCP), a designated program for U.S. Army Special Operations Forces. With over 15 years of experience training Special Operations soldiers, Greg currently works as the Director of Training for the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, NC.
Warren Osborne
Bridging the gap between custom and production knives, Warren created some of Benchmade’s most iconic and loved models like the 940 series, Barrage, Rift and Contego. Warren set very high standards for himself and we are proud that his work has become ingrained in Benchmade’s DNA.