Benchmade Tengu 601 Review: A Beautiful EDC Knife That's Hard to Recommend

Introduction

Adding a new knife to the collection is a decision that has to pass a lot of personal checkboxes, and the Benchmade Tengu 601 passes more of mine than almost any blade I have handled. It is, in many ways, a near-perfect knife for me. And yet it is also one I cannot fully recommend. This review breaks down exactly where it excels, where it falls short, and who should genuinely consider it before it disappears from the lineup entirely.

First Impressions and Design

Unboxing is as understated as you would expect from Benchmade. The company focuses on the quality of the product rather than the packaging, and the Tengu 601 arrives in the blue box that signifies everyday use, sitting in a black leather sheath alongside the typical use and care manual.

One of my most important checkboxes is simply whether I like the way a knife looks, and the Tengu 601 delivers here. Designed by Jared Ozeroff, the lines are superb: subtle curves juxtaposed against hard edges, with G10 scale execution that is top notch. The surface black against edge white creates gorgeous texture and contrast, the shield really pops against the white G10, and the two-tone detail continues through the back spacer, which comprises ten alternating layers of black and white. The flipper action is superb too, closing with a satisfying, authoritative snap.

Ergonomics: Where the Tengu Shines

Labeled by many as a gentleman’s knife, the Tengu is certainly not meant for bushcraft or long cutting sessions. What I will say is that the smoothness of the G10 scales feels wonderful in hand, and the liner lock is very confident yet retracts with ease.

Most of all, the chamfered butt is such an important design decision for ergonomics. In a natural flipping grip, the chamfered portion keeps the corner of the handle from digging into your palm, and the same benefit carries over in a reverse grip where a hard 90-degree edge would press into the thumb. For any day-to-day task an EDC blade is used for, this knife is fantastic.

Blade Steel: 20CV for Casual Cutting

Next on my checklist is blade steel, and that starts with the primary use case. The Tengu 601 uses 20CV steel from Crucible, which for a gentleman’s carry is awesome, maybe even a touch overkill. 20CV is known for superb edge retention, which is a good thing because it is not the easiest steel to sharpen, something I can attest to as someone who sharpens my own blades.

That edge retention pays off for casual EDC tasks like popping open envelopes, peeling fruit, opening packages, and cutting stray threads. The blade itself is a flat-grind tanto with an overall length of 6.61 inches, a blade length of 2.77 inches, and a closed length of 3.83 inches.

What Holds It Back: Value and Ease of Carry

So what stops me from recommending it outright? Two things: value and ease of carry. On the carry side, it comes with a leather sheath, but there is no pocket clip, and not even an option to add one. If the intended use case is gentleman’s or ladies’ carry meant to look at home in more formal settings, carrying it loose in a suit jacket or dress pants pocket, getting scratched and banging into keys and other items, is hard to imagine.

Value-wise, it launched with an MSRP of $220 USD, which for its limitations and for what it is overall feels far too expensive, even factoring in the premium we all pay when buying Benchmade.

Buying Advice

If you love tanto blades and want strong value, alternatives like the M4 Bailout make more sense as a daily carry. If it is a more elegant carrier you are after, the CRKT CEO Flipper or the Civivi Elementum are both genuinely elegant options that can typically be found for well under $50 to $60.

That said, the Tengu 601 is on the path to being fully discontinued. If the design speaks to you and you accept the missing clip and the premium price, hunting one down while stock remains may be your last realistic chance.

Conclusion

The Benchmade Tengu 601 is a gorgeous, superbly built folding knife with excellent flipper action, thoughtful ergonomics, and a premium 20CV tanto blade. But with no pocket clip and a $220 launch price for a limited use case, it is a knife I admire more than I can recommend. For most buyers, the alternatives make more practical sense; for collectors who love the design, act before it is gone.