Benchmade 940 Osborne Review – Is It Still Great in 2025?

The Benchmade 940 Osborne is one of those knives that no knife collection is complete without. It’s been around for almost three decades now, yet somehow I feel like it’s more popular now than ever. Now, you can get a mini, an automatic, a more budget-friendly version, or a dressed-up fancy-pants model. All of this popularity makes you wonder – is the Benchmade 940 Osborne the hype? Well, I put one in my pocket for a good long while to find out. 

For your information, the 940 I carried is the 940BK-2004, Blade HQ’s exclusive variant with CPM M4 blade steel and jade G-10 handle scales. I also swapped the scales for black titanium along the way, which I’ll talk more about later. But everything I say here applies to all 940’s regardless of variant. Alright, let’s jump in! 

In This Article:

1. Knife Overview
   • Specs 
   • Pros & Cons 
   • Blade HQ Score: 81/100 
2. Knife Character 
   • Cool Factor 
   • Origin Story 
3. Price & Quality 
   • Affordability 
   • Fit & Finish 
   • Ease of Operation 
4. Blade & Handle 
   • Blade Steel 
   • Blade Shape 
   • Handle Ergonomics 
   • Handle Material 
   • Carry 
5. Compare & Contrast 
6. Conclusion 
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Knife Overview 

The Benchmade 940 Osborne is a solid working EDC knife. It might not be flashy, but it’s built for hard work and does it without complaint. Its numerous variants and thriving aftermarket make it a logical choice for anyone seeking a great folder. It is a bit pricey, which opens the door for a lot of competition, but overall it’s a good knife! 

Blade HQ Score: 81/100  

• Price: $240
• Overall Length: 7.875" 
• Blade Length: 3.40" 
• Blade Material: CPM S30V 
• Handle Material: Aluminum 
• Weight: 2.90 oz. 

Knife Character 

Cool Factor: 7/10 

I suppose the cool factor of the 940 depends on your definition of "cool." If by "cool" you mean it’s a unique knife that will turn heads at a knife meetup, then you might be after something a bit dressier like a Benchmade Gold Class. But if you mean it’s a quality knife and the daily companion of thousands of working folks worldwide, then it’s one of the coolest knives out there, and it only gets cooler the more scratched and beat-up it gets! 

Origin Story: 6/10 

The Benchmade 940 was designed by custom knifemaker Warren Osborne. He was a rancher, and the 940 is based off a fixed blade he made for the many cutting jobs the ranch called for. It’s not dripping with lore like some knives, but its utilitarian DNA is part of its charm. 

Price & Quality 

Affordability: 4/10 

There is absolutely an argument to be made that the 940 is worth the money, but its premium price is something that will probably take a little budgeting. The cheapest variant of the 940 at the time of writing is the 940-2, which goes for $230. That’s a decent chunk of change! And at that price, there is a lot of competition worth considering. We’ll get more into that in Compare & Contrast. 

Fit & Finish: 9/10 

My 940 came well-tuned and ready to get to work. The only things I noticed were a tiny bit of blade play and lock rock, which are common among AXIS-style locks. None of that ever affected the cutting of the knife, but I noticed it, so I knocked off a point. 

Ease of Operation: 10/10 

This is where the 940 shines. Its thumb stud is placed perfectly for flicking open, and the lock is easy to run with either hand. Seriously, I have no notes. Benchmade has the AXIS Lock dialed. 

Blade & Handle 

Blade Steel: 10/10 

If you have a favorite premium blade steel, you can probably get it, or something very close to it, in the 940. My top three favorite blade steels (MagnaCut, M4, and S90V) are all available in the 940 right now, and that’s just awesome. Easy 10/10! 

Blade Shape: 7/10 

The 940’s blade cuts pretty well, and has a really nice tip, probably my favorite tip of any knife. It’s strong and the little curve in the edge makes sawing cuts bite deep. The blade’s narrow profile makes for a thick edge (find out why that matters), so its slicing performance isn’t top-notch, but it’s resilient against chipping and breaking. My only annoyance with the blade is the thumb stud. It opens the knife extremely well, but because it sits so close to the edge, you need to remove it with a T6 before sharpening. It’s not hard to do, but it’s a bit inconvenient.  

Handle Ergonomics: 9/10 

The 940 walks a fine line between pocketable and comfortable, and somehow nails both. During really hard use it can get a bit uncomfortable, but that only happened to me when I was batonning, which you probably shouldn’t do with a folder anyway. But while there are folders with bigger and comfier handles out there, I don’t think there’s one with a smaller and comfier handle! 

Benchmade does a great job texturing their handles for grip. I tried the carbon fiber and aluminum versions and both were perfect. I also swapped in Flytanium titanium scales, which have been excellent. The aftermarket scene is huge and your mileage may vary, but if you stick with OEM scales, the handle will serve you nicely. 

Handle Material: 10/10 

This is another easy 10, for the same reason as the blade steel. Right now, on a stock 940, you can get Aluminum, G-10, or Carbon Fiber, but there is a world of aftermarket handle scales. I personally like a little more weight in the handle, so I swapped the G-10 scales out for DLC-coated titanium from Flytanium. But you can find them in brass, copper, micarta, and who knows how many other materials. So if you can’t find a stock 940 that does it for you, you can absolutely build one. Just be aware that the AXIS Lock is a bit tricky to work on. Watch a video or two before going all-in. 

Or if you’re a big fan of black, Blade HQ just got a brand-new exclusive Blackout 940 with a black CPM M4 blade, black anodized aluminum scales, and all black hardware. It looks amazing!

Carry: 9/10 

The 940 all but vanishes into the pocket. It’s a real treat to carry, with one exception: the pocket clip. In my opinion, the 940’s pairs perfectly with a deep-carry clip, but it comes standard with a standard carry clip. So I knocked a point off there, but I just swapped mine out for an aftermarket clip and now I’m happy with it. 

Compare & Contrast 

As I alluded to earlier, for its price, the 940 has some stiff competition. Below, I’ll mention a few of the options that, in my opinion, are worth seriously considering if you’re looking at buying a 940. 

Benchmade Freek 

The Freek offers you a fuller handle and more cutting edge for only an extra ounce and a bit larger footprint in the pocket. In terms of pricing, it’s about the same as the 940. For my knife tastes, I think I prefer the Freek over the 940, but I own and happily carry them both. 

Kershaw Bel-Air 

The Bel-Air is every bit as comfy in the pocket, but it comes stock with a MagnaCut blade, a deep-carry pocket clip, and it’s a full $100 cheaper. Its blade is thinner and more polished, but maintains a similar blade style. If you love the 940’s design but want something a bit dressier, check out the Bel-Air. 

Hogue Deka 

Feels a lot like the Benchmade 940 in the hand, but it’s lighter, cheaper, comes in two blade styles, and has a deep-carry clip. It also has a growing aftermarket of parts for all you knife modders out there. 

Spyderco Manix 2 LW 

The Manix trades the thumb stud for Spyderco’s trademark Round Hole opener. It also has a much fuller handle, a thicker and broader blade, and somehow outweighs the 940 by only 0.4 oz. Definitely worth considering! 

Conclusion 

The Benchmade 940 is a great knife. If I had to boil down my favorite thing about the 940, it would be how it makes me feel. When I hold the 940, it tells my mind "I might not be the prettiest or the sliciest, but by golly I can get stuff done." And when the job is over, it vanishes into my pocket where I forget it exists until there’s more work to be done. If you want a knife that will work as hard as you do day-in and day-out, then the 940 might be what you’re looking for! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Are Benchmade Knives made in USA?

Yes. Every Benchmade knife being made today is made in the USA.

How to sharpen a Benchmade 940? 

The Benchmade 940 sharpens just like any other knife, with a few special considerations. First, you’ll want to remove the thumb stud with a T6 driver. Then you’ll sharpen just like any other knife. Pay special attention to the curve near the tip, it can be a bit tricky to sharpen. But if you pay attention and exercise patience, you’ll have a razor-sharp 940 in no time!

Or you can send it to Benchmade, who will sharpen it for free, for life. That’s always an option.

What steel does Benchmade use? 

Benchmade makes knives with a variety of premium blade steels, like CPM S30V, Bohler M390, CPM MagnaCut and more. Each is carefully selected to provide top-notch performance for the job of each specific knife. You can learn more about specific blade steels in our Knife Steel Guide.