My pocketknife, a Doug Ritter Mini-RSK Mk1.
Description
It’s a folding pocket knife with an S30V stainless steel blade and black handle and a pocket clip that says Benchmade on it. The blade says “Doug Ritter S30V” on one side and has the Benchmade logo on the other. It measures roughly 3 7/8" closed and 7 5/8" open.
Narrative
I don’t know how long I’ve had this, but it must be at least a decade, maybe two. I read somewhere that a true gentleman always carries a pocketknife, so I bought this one. It was expensive at the time - I think around $100. But it’s the last one I’ll ever need.
I’ve used it for everything from cutting food to opening letters to carving insulation foam, and to generally cut things. It’s super useful and if I could have only one tool in the middle of nowhere, it would be this knife. Well, okay, it would be a satellite phone but of all the things I own short of a satellite phone, if I could pick ahead of time, I’d make sure to have this on me.
Functionality
The blade flicks open with your thumb or a flick of the wrist if you’re holding the lock open. It closes by opening the lock and folding closed the blade into the handle. The lock is ambidextrous, and the belt clip can attach on either side. It fits perfectly in my hand and is legal to carry around everywhere, as far as I know. But I am not a lawyer. I don’t even play one on TV, that’s how much I am not a lawyer.
Quality
It’s figuratively bulletproof. Taking a closer look at it, I notice there are a couple of small indents on the short edges, perhaps where it hit something. The rest of it looks well worn, I guess? I really can’t tell. Other than the black finish having rubbed off of the belt clip many years ago, it still looks pretty darn good.
Reliability
It has never failed me. I think one time the mechanism got gunked up and wouldn’t operate smoothly, but I took it apart and cleaned it and it’s been fine ever since.
Durability
Benchmade has a free lifetime sharpening service where you can mail it to them and they’ll sharpen it to within an inch of it’s life. I’ve never done it. That doesn’t mean that it’s still as sharp as the day I got it. Currently it is not. I just prefer to sharpen my own knives.
I’ve used the blade to cut some things it shouldn’t have (see: wires) and consequently there are some small notches in the blade where there shouldn’t be. They’ll work out in time as I sharpen it.
Conclusion
This is always on me and it always works. I would absolutely purchase it again. Unfortunately, I they don’t make this exact model anymore, but you may find something newer of the same lineage.