585 Mini-Barrage: Classic Design. Cutting Edge.
By Kimberlee Frederick
Anyone looking for a compact, lightning-fast, easy-open folding knife need look no further than Benchmade’s 585 Mini-Barrage.
Long lauded for durable and effective blades, Benchmade employs nothing but its best technology for this easy-to-use and accessible spring-assisted knife.
Designed by Warren Osborne, one of Benchmade’s most popular custom designers, the Mini-Barrage boasts all the Osborne usuals—a comfortable grip that remains so over extended use, a utilitarian blade design and the best materials to accomplish what the Mini-Barrage sets out to do.
With its nearly three-inch blade extended, the Mini-Barrage measures just shy of seven inches total. It’s not going to be the go-to knife for any big projects, but it should absolutely be a top contender for an everyday tool to carry around, keep at work or have handy in the car.
Apart from serving as a perfectly convenient tool for a myriad of tasks, the Mini-Barrage is a sensible tool to use for safety purposes as well. The completely ambidextrous split-arrow pocket clip clasps the knife securely to a pocket, and its 3.4-ounce weight makes its presence nearly negligible. Moreover, at only four inches when closed, the knife can fit cleanly into a glove box, purse, backpack or shoulder bag.
Being so compact, the Mini-Barrage holds easily. The Valox handle, designed for stiffness, strength, and dimensional stability
provides a terrific grip that allows the knife to be wielded with ease. And it doesn’t matter whether you are right or left handed, as the dual-side thumb stud allows either hand to fling the blade into the open position.
The Mini-Barrage’s drop-point blade boasts several specifications that make the knife a worthwhile tool to have around. It’s made from 154CM steel, a high-quality American-made stainless steal that was created particularly for hard industrial use. Most notably, 154CM steel is praised for having the “best all-around qualities,” according to Benchmade. Providing terrific resistance against corrosion and wear, this steel also offers excellent edge quality.
Benchmade’s Mini-Barrage distinguishes itself further by being the first of Benchmade’s knives to employ the signature AXIS Assist locking mechanism.The AXIS Assist distinguishes itself from AXIS Auto locking mechanisms with the use of thumb-studs (ambidextrous, of course) to open the blade.
This AXIS Assist mechanism is solid; the knife opens quickly, safely and, most importantly, easily. The integrated safety works in both the opened and closed positions, meaning that, those the spring-assisted knife opens quickly and the blade is sharp, this knife is as safe as it can possibly be.
The Mini-Barrage can easily be opened with one hand, which is an absolute plus in terms of utility. An observation, however, is that is takes some practice to get it closed with a single hand as well. It can definitely be done, though.
Even so, the 585 Mini-Barrage is an invaluable tool. In terms of folders, it meets all the important qualifications and lives up to the reputation Benchmade knives have garnered. The 585 Mini-Barrage is designed to be functional in every day cutting chores, uses high-quality steel for the blade and components, holds an edge, and it’s a beautiful cutting tool aesthetically.
The Mini-Barrage comes in plain edge and combo straight/serrated edge varieties, with either the standard satin finish blade, or the BK1-coated blade. Benchmade also offers the 580 Barrage, a slightly larger version of the Mini-Barrage, but with all of the same features.
Benchmade’s suggested retail price for the 585 Mini-Barrage is $130.
Specifications:
Blade Length: 2.91″
Blade Thickness: 0.100″
Blade Material: 154CM Stainless Steel
Blade Hardness: 58-61HRC
Blade Style: Mini-Drop Point; Ambidextrous Thumb-Studs
Weight: 3.40oz.
Clip: Reversible Bright Split Arrow Clip
Lock Mechanism: AXIS-ASSIST Lock
Overall Length: 6.91″
Closed Length: 4.00″
