Benchmade 15031-2 North Fork Review

You can think of the Benchmade North Fork knife as a special edition of Benchmade's other top offerings. Especially popular among the outdoorsman crowd, it (purposefully) includes fewer customizable options (only available with one blade steel option, for example), no open assist action, and a heritage-style wooden handle aesthetic to appeal to that purpose. If you're ok paying a premium for an otherwise fantastically designed and performing knife with a limited choice available, The North Fork will serve you well.

Performance Comparison

Blade and Edge Integrity

One's first and potentially only question when evaluating a new knife to purchase is "is it sharp?" That's a simple question that begs a deeper look. Sure, sharp is sharp; the edge bevel the blade sports is important… And our assessment of the factory edge straight out of the box shows it's flawless. No nicks, defects, or burrs in our test model.

Other blade attributes such as the specific alloy used, the shape itself, and the angle of that edge bevel are all just as important to the knife's overall performance as it being sharp. For example, a thinner, steeper angle cuts like butter through delicate material, but the edge will likely need sharpening more often as it accumulates damage. A wider, shallower angle like the North Fork sports helps finesse the cut surfaces apart more aggressively and will be more resistant to accumulating nicks during heavier-duty tasks.

Along those same lines, the well-regarded CPM-S30V blade steel offers a stellar balance of the top-notch corrosion resistance and edge retention needed during long stints in the wilderness. The other major attribute of note here is the blade shape - there is a slight recurve in the belly of the edge. Nearly all pocket knives on the market have a relatively flat edge along most of the length before finally sweeping up to the tip. The North Fork's subtle recurve shape helps the blade from slipping during high-pressure cuts, especially during tasks such as field dressings. This unique feature alone will be worth the price of admission for many users.

Ergonomics

For the most part, we love the ergonomics of the North Fork, and it absolutely deserves its spot among the top of our rankings. It is incredibly comfortable to hold and use during lengthy or difficult cutting tasks due to the thoughtfully crafted, rounded handle shape. The forefinger scallop lets our hand seat just right, and the rest of the handle sits fully in the hand, despite it being technically slightly less than full size. In our opinion, it feels like the perfect size for nearly all tasks, while being small enough to be truly useful when space of weight is at a premium.

The stabilized wood handle scales feel fantastic in the hand too - the wood feels natural and comfortable, while keeping a good amount of friction available in the presence of some slick substances.

We love the proprietary Benchmade Axis blade lock, too, in our tester's opinion, the best suck locking mechanism on the market. It is intuitive and easy to use, while securing the blade reliably. Our test team would be remiss not to remind everyone, however, that there is no assisted opening action built into the Axis system on this model. It does make sense considering the cleaning requirements that this knife is designed to make easy, but any other knife of this caliber would surely have some spring-assist mechanism. Instead, a nice thumb flick of the dual stud on either side of the blade will deploy the blade out relatively effortlessly. We'll also note that the pocket clip can be swapped sides, so this knife is equally suitable for users with either dominant hand.

Portability

Portability is a function of size, weight, pocket clip utility, and other carry options. Generally, portability is inherently at direct odds with ergonomics. Larger knives tend to be easier (and safer) to use. Smaller knives, or at least those designed to be extra thin, are going to be more portable.

We find the North Fork's excellent design and engineering to be a fantastic compromise between ergonomics and portability. It's half an inch thick, among the thicker knives we tested, which helps immensely with comfort during tough cutting tasks. But perhaps surprisingly, the subtly rounded but relatively flat surfaces of the scales help the knife sit unobtrusively in the pocket despite it having some heft. It's also in the heavier half of all knives tested at 3.2oz, but even as an EDC (everyday carry) option, we don't mind it much.

We mentioned the pocket clip can be switched from one side to the other, but another key point to mention is that it is anchored such that the knife sits "tip up" in the pocket. This means the knife is oriented so that it can be pulled off the edge of a pocket with the hand already in position to flick the thumb stud open without much maneuvering. The strength of the pocket clip is a bit strong for our tastes, and we feel it would tear up a pocket edge over time, but that may not be a deal breaker for everyone.

Construction Quality

The North Fork, like all top offerings from Benchmade, is exceptionally well made. In fact, in the heavily saturated Pocket Knife market, we've found that nearly all the knives we tested are well made. A brand will simply not survive long with a documented history of shoddy quality control, slop in the hinge, or a tendency for the edge to chip or mar.

That said, our test team tends to give high marks to Benchmade offerings specifically. Overall, their lineup, and the North Fork, is no different. It makes very sturdy knives that also somehow seem appropriate for carrying every day without bulk. We trust the North Fork to hold up quite well during heavy twisting and torquing in the most stubborn of spots—often the one task that lesser knives can't handle.

Should You Buy the Benchmade North Fork?

For those discerning users, the quality of the Benchmade North Fork is self-evident and will be well worth the cost. For the price, you get great quality and lasting design in a beautiful, vintage-looking package. However, we cannot call it a great value. It is a boutique piece of equipment, and losing such an expensive pocket knife out on a camping trip could qualify as a tragedy for many users.

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