6 New Knives for Anglers

With a 36-year history of making knives in the U.S. for hunting, outdoor adventure, everyday carry and tactical purposes, Benchmade expands its offerings this summer to include models purpose-built for fishing.

The new Benchmade Water Line ($200 to $260; benchmade.com) consists of the 7-inch and 9-inch Fishcrafter fillet knives, the fixed-blade Undercurrent and Intersect, and the Adira and Mini Adira folders, which use the AXIS locking mechanism.

All Water Line models have blades made from CPM-MagnaCut stainless steel, a relatively new alloy developed by metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas specifically for premium knives to provide excellent corrosion resistance, edge retention and toughness.

The high performance of CPM-MagnaCut in these areas is ideal for the environments and tasks commonly encountered while fishing in both freshwater and the salt.

The fillet and fixed-blade knives feature Santoprene handles to provide a sure grip when wet, while the Grivory scales on the folders are sculpted and textured to aid in purchase. A molded sheath is included with the Fishcrafter, Undercurrent and Intersect.

The Adira and Mini Adira, as well as the Intersect, come with bright-orange paracord lanyards. Benchmade backs the Water Line knives with a limited lifetime warranty and provides its complementary LifeSharp factory maintenance and sharpening service with each model.

I’ve been carrying the Intersect for the past several months, and its size and sheath design make it convenient to attach to a wader suspender or belt for quick access. It handles chores from cutting 4-pound fluorocarbon line and 1/2-inch polyester rope to slicing onions and small potatoes for a shore lunch with ease.

I also used the 7-inch Fishcrafter to fillet 45 stocked rainbow trout for a couple camp fish fries, and at the end of the weekend the blade seemed as sharp as when I first pulled the knife from its sheath.

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• This article was featured in the June-July issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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