Benchmade Quietly Released an Ultra-Premium Tribute to Its Very First Knife

When I was a kid, I was a tad obsessed with ninjas. I had a badass homemade Halloween costume (complete with split-toed slippers, thanks Mom), toy throwing stars and even a fully functional (albeit fully plastic) butterfly knife. Man, that thing was fun to whip around.

Now, as an adult, it’s a bit harder to take the last item on that list seriously. Even if Gerber did release a giant one for backcountry use a few years back, the butterfly knife (aka bali-song) just doesn’t seem like a particularly practical EDC item.

But that didn’t stop Benchmade from rolling out a Gold Class treatment of the Necron — for good reason.

Benchmade

Benchmade Necron Lava Flow Red

• $1,300 at Benchmade

Quick history lesson

Now, the original Necron was introduced earlier this year, in a couple of colorways, starting at $500. The recently launched new edition boasts much fancier materials, and a corresponding price point of $1,300. Before we get to what makes it special, let’s examine why it exists.

Benchmade

Casual Benchmade adherents may know that the brand was founded by Les de Asis, an unemployed California craftsman, in 1979. But perhaps only superfans know that the brand’s original name was, believe it or not, Bali-Song. Sorta makes sense, inasmuch as the very first product de Asis made was, you guessed it, a butterfly knife. 

Fast-forward 45 years — and dozens of other kinds of knives — later, and the company’s name and base of operations (now Oregon City, Oregon) are notably different. But the brand clearly hasn’t forgotten its roots, as evidenced by the blades you see on this page.

Sparing no expense

While eye-catching, the Necron launched earlier this year was pretty down the middle with the materials: G-10 handles and a CPM-S30V stainless steel blade. Not so this new edition, which bears the aforementioned Gold Class label.

The handles swap out G-10 for Fatcarbon carbon fiber in two hues — Lava Flow Red and Jungle Wear Green — complete with titanium liners, gold-anodized hardware, removable tungsten weights and titanium handle extensions that increase the knife’s overall size from 9.68 inches to 10.27 inches. There’s no latch, meaning it’s ready to flip into action at a moment’s notice.

Benchmade

Mounted on washer pivots and measuring 4.59 inches, the blade is made of swirling Monarch Damasteel, a special Damascus steel forged exclusively for Benchmade.

There’s another element that makes that blade special. We checked with the brand and learned: “[The Necrons] are the first production Bali-Songs we’ve made with scimitar blades. Previously, scimitar blades were only available as options for the custom Bali-Song.”

As these knives are limited edition, each blade is marked with its own individual production number (see the #4 on the knife at the top of this page). Helping to justify the expense, each knife also comes complete with a black alligator leather sheath.  

That being said, if the price still seems high — or your kid is like I was — know that Benchmade also offers a Necron Trainer with an unsharpened skeletonized 440C training blade. That version can be had for the (relatively) low low cost of $400.

Availability and pricing

The Gold Class Necron is available now in two colorways, Lava Flow Red and Jungle Wear Green, for $1,300.

Benchmade

Benchmade Necron Jungle Wear Green

• $1,300 at Benchmade

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