Benchmade 51-91

#43 was the first major acquisition of my collection, and remains my favorite piece today. It is extremely rare for these to go on sale, and I was lucky enough to also find #6 at a very reasonable price. Damasteel is an amazing metal, formed by applying high pressure and heat to different powdered steels. It allows for custom patterns and it feels as smooth as butter. The black lip mother-of-pearl inlays give a gorgeous iridescence that changes color based on the viewing angle but they are still subtle enough to pair perfectly with the carbon fiber handles. These knives are extremely light and maneuverable. They can be opened and closed lightning fast. The action is extremely smooth and the balance is perfect. Learning tricks with these is a little more difficult, as the extreme lightness requires much more precise movements. The latch uses pure tension to pop open, so there is never a worry about losing springs.