Founded in 1987, the Benchmade Knife Company unequivocally produces some of the most lauded knives on the planet, with an ever-growing, ever-more-impressive catalog of hunting, tactical, work, and everyday carry knives. And while its standard knives are already of the high-end variety, the Oregon City outfit reserves a special ultra-top-shelf range of blades for its most discerning customers known as the Gold Class. Produced in limited numbers, the Gold Class sees some of Benchmade’s most popular existing knives meticulously redone using a spare-no-expense material array. And the latest model to receive the Gold Class treatment is the brand’s 417 Fact knife, which has just been unveiled in two new limited edition Gold Class variants.
Coming on the heels of Benchmade’s already extremely high-end, S90V-steeled 4170BK Auto Fact, this release is comprised of the new Gold Class 417BK-231 Fact and Gold Class 417-232 Fact. The 417BK-231 features a black camo FatCarbon handle in place of the standard 417 Fact’s 6061-T6 Billet Aluminum scales. Paired with the ultra-premium handle is a deep-etched, polished, and DLC-coated LOKI-patterned Damasteel blade — a major step up from the S30V blade on the regular 417. The blacked-out Damascus blade and forged carbon handle are contrasted via bronze PVD-coated hardware, pivot collar, back-spacers, AXIS lock, and thumb-studs.
The Gold Class 417-232 Fact features a very similar upgrade. This modernized top-shelf take on an Italian Stiletto features the same Black Camo Fatcarbon handles as the 417BK-231, though it sees the custom forged carbon construction juxtaposed by Sapphire blue PVD hardware, liner, back-spacers, AXIS lock, and thumb-studs. Mated to the handle is an ultra-high-end deep-etched blade that’s been jeweled and finished with a cracked-ice pattern. This blade was hand-crafted by custom Damascus steel expert Chad Nichols specifically for Benchmade in Blue Springs, Village in Mississippi.
Limited to only 200 units each, the Benchmade Gold Class 417BK-231 Fact and Gold Class 417-232 Fact knives are both available now, with pricing set at $1,250 apiece.
