Benchmade Successor Review | GearJunkie Tested

It took a meeting with HR to figure it out. But I’m now carrying Benchmade’s newest old-school knife, the Successor, in a unique fashion.

It took a pair of slightly tight pants to finally push me over the top. After a few weeks of carrying the very pretty Benchmade Successor inside a handsome sheath in my front pocket, I just couldn’t figure out how to add my keys, phone, and wallet to the mix without maxing out the storage space.

I handed it to GearJunkie’s HR manager and asked her, “How would you carry this?” In an instant, she had it tucked beneath her waistband, much as one would a concealed-carry hangun.

“Ahha!” I thought. “Why didn’t I think of that?” Ever since that moment, I’ve been tucking the Successor into my waistband and reveling in the additional pocket space left available for the rest of my gear.

I don’t know if that’s how Benchmade intended for the sheath to be worn, but it’s a neat trick and adds versatility to this excellent, if old-school, pocket knife.

Read on, because this blade has a few more tricks up its sleeve.

In short: The Benchmade Successor is a beautiful, dressy pocket knife with high-end materials. The slip-joint folder is decidedly old-school, but the modern lines and fantastic ingredients, plus a handsome sheath, make it a capable EDC knife fit for versatile, if light, use.

Compare the Successor with the best pocket knives on the market.

Benchmade Successor: Dress Knife With Beautiful, Unique Sheath

The Benchmade Successor is a very nice-looking knife. It’s one of those blades that seems fit for opening letters and boxes at the office, or doing light tasks around the house. It’ll whittle a stick with the best of them.

It has a pointy, slicey 2.56-inch M390 stainless steel blade, ceracoated black. The dagger-like drop point swoops to a 6061-T6 anodized aluminum handle with a simple, elegant shape and meticulous details.

It has a classic nail-knick opening, meaning there is no flipper, thumb stud, or other fast-opening features. It also has no lock, instead relying on a strong detent to keep it open or closed.

Clearly, this isn’t a hard-use knife. Instead, as Benchmade puts it, this is a “modern slip-joint folder with vintage gentleman’s appeal.” To me, that means it’ll dress up nicely. It’s suited to the workplace or public places where more aggressive knives could bring unwanted attention.

And that brings me to the super-cool sheath.

Concealed-Carry Sheath

I have no idea if Benchmade was meant for this use, but darn if it isn’t sweet. The Successor’s sheath is beautiful leather and has a strong pocket clip. And if you so desire, it slides almost unnoticed under the waistband of pants.

Those who know concealed-carry firearms will be familiar with this carry method, as many “inside waistband” holsters work in a similar fashion.

It’s a cool option for carrying a knife. Instead of it sitting in your pocket with the clip protruding along the side of your pants, it rests against your side under the waistband. Nobody can see it, and it doesn’t take up valuable real estate in your pocket.

I’ve been carrying the knife like this for a few days now and kind of love the option. I must admit, it’s slower to retrieve than from your pocket, but as a knife you’ll rarely need in a hurry, it’s a nice alternative.

And if you don’t like that carry method, you absolutely can load the sheath into your pocket, carry the knife with no sheath, or even take the pocket clip off the sheath and place it on the knife itself, allowing you to carry it the same way you’d carry any other knife with a pocket clip.

Pocket Clip Versatility

Another very cool piece of the Benchmade Successor puzzle is its versatile pocket clip placement. If you’re not into carrying a full sheath, you can remove the clip from the sheath and attach it to the knife instead.

It’s pretty easy to do and took me about 10 minutes with a star bit driver. If you do decide to add the pocket clip to the knife, there are a couple of pitfalls to note.

First, the screws are small. I dropped them at least five times. And they could be easy to lose. I got lucky. Also, make sure you install the pocket clip inside the liner. I mistakenly put it outside the liner on my first try, and it resulted in the clip being much too loose. I realized my mistake and did it correctly, and it fit like a glove.

It’s worth noting that you’ll probably scuff the surface of the screws in the process. So be aware, it’ll show a little wear after doing this. However, with the pocket clip in this configuration, you end up with a deep-carry, traditional pocket knife that simply disappears into the pocket. It is nice!

Benchmade Successor Knife Review

Now, let’s discuss the knife’s appeal and performance. First off, this is an expensive pocket knife. At $250, it’s on the high range for a small, nonlocking knife. Apples to apples, you can get a very nice Case Trapper for under $100. Granted, it has much older steel that won’t hold an edge like the Benchmade.

And the Case doesn’t come with a pocket clip or a rad little sheath. But if price is an issue, it offers similar aesthetics and old-school, USA-made charm.

But the Benchmade Successor is a fabulous knife on its own. I tend to prefer one-hand-opening knives, but have come to really enjoy the Successor. Its strong detent makes it feel safe, especially for light tasks. And its slim, light profile allows it to disappear into a pocket when attached to a clip, which has become my go-to carry method.

The aggressively pointy blade is perfect for opening boxes and letters, especially when being cautious as to not stab deeply into packaging and not damage content. Light pressure allows you to score tape before opening a box without inserting the knife far into the box. And for light food prep, like cutting fruit or cheese, it’s in its wheelhouse. As a light-duty, dressy pocket knife, the Successor checks a lot of boxes, so long as it’s in your price range.

Not for Everyone

The Successor is a great, pocketable, high-end knife. But it’s not for everyone.

I’d stress this is a light-duty knife due to its lack of a lock, thin blade profile, and small handle. Can it fillet a fish? Absolutely. Not my first choice, but it would work. Would it break down an elk in the field or baton firewood? While the blade material is good enough, I wouldn’t even try. And that’s not what it’s made for.

This is a dress knife through and through. It’s very handsome and oozes quality. But it’s not meant for abuse. While the materials are durable and the blade will hold an edge for a very long time, this knife is not a great choice for hard work in the outdoors. Benchmade makes lots of knives for that purpose, as do other brands. This one isn’t it.

Who It’s For

No, not for everyone, but for a select group of users, this knife will check a lot of boxes.

First and foremost, it’s a unique knife that collectors and aficionados will love. Thanks to the sheath and carry options, it has a lot of utility for everyday carry.

For those who work in an office but really do want to carry a knife at all times, it’s great. It’ll hold an edge a long time, look amazing, and meet all but the most stringent knife laws thanks to its two-handed opening and small blade.

If your work means dress pants but you still want a capable knife, the Successor is a stylish choice that will serve you well for many years to come.