Around the turn-of-the-millennium, Benchmade introduced what’s become one of the most revered everyday carry knives on the planet with the 940 Osborne. Taking its name from its designer Warren Osborne — a renowned Aussie-born, Texas-based knife-maker (that sadly passed away in 2016) — the 940’s simple yet ergonomic handle, ultra-trusty AXIS lock, and versatile reverse tanto blade have long made it a go-to choice for everyone from EDC enthusiasts to law enforcement and military personnel. The immense and continued popularity of the knife has ultimately prompted the Oregon City outfit to release a wide variety of Osborne variants in regular, mini, and automatic versions.
And Benchmade’s latest Osborne release sees all three variants not only gain a special new handle color, but also receive MagnaCut blade steel for the first time in the 940 range’s nearly-quarter-century history.
The Basics
Christened the Benchmade Burnt Copper Osborne Collection, these novel Osborne variants consist of a trio of models with the regular 940BK-03 Osborne, the more compact 945BK-03 Mini Osborne, and the auto-firing 9400BK-03 Auto Osborne. Aside from their scales’ new anodized color and upgraded blade steel, all three knives maintain their predecessors’ design and dimensions.
Burnt Copper Scales
Taking inspiration from the desert, the knives in the Burnt Copper Osborne Collection all sport front and rear handle scales that have been treated to a burnt copper-colored anodized finish. Fitted with black hardware, black thumb-studs, a black pocket clip, and a blacked-out AXIS slider (or firing button), these lightweight yet rugged burnt copper-colored scales are precision-machined from aerospace-grade 6061-T6 aluminum and feature a matte finish with a light texture to it.
Revolutionary Blade Steel Upgrade
The most noteworthy element of Benchmade’s Burnt Copper Osborne Collection is the upgrade from CPM S30V (or S90V) construction to Crucible Industries’ game-changing CPM MagnaCut blade steel — a revolutionary powder metallurgy blade steel that does a remarkable job of holding an edge while still being easy to service and sharpen. The Osborne, Osborne Mini, and Osborne Auto’s reverse tanto blades have also been fortified via a contrasting DLC Battlewash finish.
Backed By Benchmade
Just like with every other blade the brand sells, the price of the knives in Benchmade’s Burnt Copper Osborne Collection not only includes a lifetime warranty, but also comes with its LifeSharp service. This service allows customers to ship their Benchmade knife back to the factory where it can be professionally cleaned, tuned, and sharpened, free of cost, with the user only being required to pay for shipping.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Benchmade
Models: 940BK-03 Osborne, 945BK-03 Mini Osborne, 9400BK-03 Auto Osborne
Designer: Warren Osborne
Handle Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
Handle Finish: Burnt Copper-Anodized
Blade Steel: CPM MagnaCut
Blade Finish: DLC Battlewash
Blade Shape: Reverse Tanto
Hardness: 60-62 HRC
Locking Mechanism: AXIS or Auto Push-Button
Manufacturing Origin: USA
Pricing & Availability
Produced in limited numbers, the Benchmade Burnt Copper Osborne Collection is available now, with pricing starting at $290 for the 945BK-03 Mini Osborne, going up to $300 for the 940BK-03 Osborne, and topping out at $340 for the 9400BK-03 Auto Osborne.
Recap
Benchmade Burnt Copper Osborne Collection
Benchmade bestows its regular, mini, and auto Osborne knives with burnt copper-anodized 6061-T6 aluminum scales and top-shelf CPM MagnaCut blades with a DLC battlewash.
