So I bought a 950. I found out it is a Black Class Knife. The website states Black Class"Our Black Class products are designed, developed and tested for extreme duty. They are the preferred cutting tools for Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Elite Military Troops around the globe." Now I looked at The Black and Blue, and there is no difference. I thought maybe the Black would use different materials, different steels, but they are the same as the Blue. Can Anyone explain this to me?

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Originally posted by big70tom:
Can Anyone explain this to me?

It's just marketing.

I would agree that it is target marketing. Those in the public safety field have these products that are aimed at us published as such.

There are certin knife styles that clearly fit into the Black Class, such as autos, and rescue hooks. However, the 950...not sure what makes it black vs blue. One class does not make it exclusive to the profession. IE there are a lot of blue class Grips on duty daily in public safety.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: apollo11,

The first Rifts came in blue boxes.
There isn't really any difference between black and blue class knives.

All of the automatic knives are black class. All of the balisongs are blue class.

When the knives are outside of the box you can't really tell the difference.

I posted the same thing when I was new to Benchmade. There are different knives that you would say belongs in blue. Like 930, 94x etc but the black box knives could just as easily be a blue box.

The 710 for example. Blue box knife that could just as easily be black box. Box color between blue & black means nothing. Discontinued red box Benchmade knives are different. However many of those models were moved to the HD & HK line. This leaves half of the catalog from each HD & HK less expensive and foreign made while the other half are some of the best in the entire Benchmade line up.
Confusing? Yes at first but in time you figure it out. The good news is that you have a guaranteed way of finding out which of those knives are best.

Just ask us. You will get an answer in 12 hours or less or your money back.

It's all hype from the marketing dept.

The Black Class is a destination for our automatics, but many of the other knives that could arguably be Blue Class, received feedback in design and materials in some form by our Public Safety, such as Military, LEO, Fed Gov, EMT, Fire & Rescue, etc. That will help influence a products Class, as we determine the niche that it falls into first, and then second and following can be any other niche.

For the most part however, you are correct that many Blue can fit Black Class, and visa versa.

The way I always think of it is, if it's restricted (autos) then it's Black Class. Other than that, it's who Benchmade thinks will buy most of them as to which class it's in.