Benchmade 580 Barrage Spring Assist Axis Lock (3.6" Satin)

Ok, so I feel like this knife gets dinged a bit for its assist and also because the Griptilian and Bugout have been more popular over the past several years. That said, if you like assisted openers, if you have enjoyed what Kershaw has done with their Speedsafe assisted opening knives, then you'll almost certainly like the Barrage. It opens with clean a clean, crisp pop, almost jumping to life. You are limited to just thumb studs for opening unless you want to pull the blade open with your other hand. You can't use the axis lock to close this knife with one hand. It's a two-handed process because of the spring. I live in California and assisted opening knives are legal here as they are not considered switchblades. You can customize this knife to death on Benchmade's website, if you so desire. Great handle length, great blade length. Great weight and balance. So what's not to like? Well, you're going to pay a bit more for a Benchmade, but then you probably know that already. My polymer handle can be a bit slick in my sweaty hands, not as grippy as G-10 or even FRN. Because it's an A/O, it's more moving parts, and may wear out one day. All that said, it's a great knife and you'll have fun carrying it unless you're opposed to A/O.

I love the Axis Assist!! I wish it could be on all knives. I previously carried a Kershaw Blackout for "heavy" work, but I found it to be a little smaller than I needed for some tasks. Along came the Barrage to fill that gap! It's great for all the tasks I need a big knife for, but I must admit it does sometimes freak out non-knife people here in California.....

I love this knife so much I will probably add a Barrage Mini at some point. Although I'd probably pick up an Assisted Mini Grip if they made one.

This was a replacement for a Barrage 580 I had lost. Saying that, my previous one was my EDC and I used it frequently had no complaints. It was also previously used and a few years old. Good strong steel, keeps an edge well, grip works well despite being made of some type of sturdy plastic (dropped it a few times!), AXIS lock was smooth as well as the assist.

Now, the new one that arrived from the factory needed some work. I had to take the scales off and loosen the screw on assist. I could not open it with my thumb as the previous one opened so easily. The lock will take some time to loosen as well. I oiled it, but it runs against steel of the frame that is not smooth for some reason. Also, it could stand to be quite a bit sharper. Its not dull, but not what I expect from a company with this reputation. If I had not know how great the knife could be, I would have been highly disappointed. Still disappointed that I had to do some work to it that could have been corrected in the factory, but know that once its broken in, its a truly great knife for EDC. Highly recommend getting a deep carry clip for it.

My first “high end” knife. Nice steel, held up well to daily use and it had a fairly good feel in hand.
I would have probably kept it around if it hadn’t been for the assist and the extra slippery when wet scales.

I've edced this knife for a few years now and it's definitely a work horse. But after the first year the assist mechanism has greatly weakened and now fires slow. And the handles are also slick and not designed to be used in a tactical manor.

Great knife, but I feel like spring assist takes away from the axis lock. You can't disengage the axis lock and use the flick technique. The safety lock is nifty but I never found myself using it.

Build quality: 5 stars
Materials: 4 stars
Aesthetics: 5 stars
Personal likability: 2 stars

After trying cold steel and SOG knives, this is the one I've carried for the last couple years and haven't needed to replace. Very impressed by the quality and durability of this knife. I plan to buy more Benchmade knives.

This was a great knife when I first bought it, but it became one of my favorites after buying G10 scales for it. The original scales felt like plastic, still high quality and durable but I just didn’t like the feel in hand. The G10 scales I bought are awesome and more grippy. It opens smooth and fast and locks up great. There’s a bit of side to side blade play, no up and down, but not enough to be concerned about.

This is my second Benchmade knife and I love it. Spring assist is fast and smooth. Lock-up is solid. Handles are sufficiently textured for a good grip. Another quality product from Benchmade!

Only problem was I live in MD and cannot have spring assisted. I removed that mechanism (pretty easy) but it voids the warranty. The action actually opens quicker now, though. I have gotten many knives since getting this one and nothing has replaced it as my EDC