Benchmade Mini Adamas — Is It Right For LE? Is it Right for You?

Carrying a knife is, for many people, a common way to keep a ready-access tool in your pocket, tucked away in the side of your boot, or hanging around your neck. What type of knife should you carry? That depends on your needs and the functionality of the knife to accomplish those needs. After more than a decade of working as a law enforcement instructor in firearms and tactical weapons, I have found that a good-quality, functional knife is not something you choose lightly, and in some cases can make the difference between life and death — a truism that could apply to the everyman/everywoman too. It is through that lens that I’m reviewing the Benchmade Mini Adamas.

How well does the Benchmade Mini Adamas stand up to the demands of LE?
How well does the Benchmade Mini Adamas stand up to the demands of LE?

When I look for a knife that I can carry every day, I look for four basic things: quality, design, opening mechanism, and size. Without the right combination of those four things, you have wasted your money on another knife that will end up in your junk drawer.

The Mini Adamas, despite the name, is large enough for duty use.
The Mini Adamas, despite the name, is large enough for duty use.

I have been a knife enthusiast for years and was excited when I was asked to review the Benchmade’s Mini Adamas with an upgraded CPM CRU-WEAR blade. Some people like to find that one perfect knife that just feels right, or maybe they carry that hand-me-down from a father or grandfather. And then there are some, like me, that just like to have a variety so they can switch things up from time to time. I have always enjoyed collecting knives and I rarely go to work or enjoy a day off without a knife clipped snugly to the inside of my pocket.

The Mini Adamas is built with Benchmade's legendary quality and it is small enough to be practical to carry.
The Mini Adamas is built with Benchmade’s legendary quality and it is small enough to be practical to carry.

Mini Adamas Quality

The quality of your knife is undoubtedly the most important aspect to look for in a daily carry knife. I get disappointed when I find a great-looking knife, only to pick it up and, well, you can just tell, it’s not going to make the cut (pun intended).

The Mini Adamas has a new thinner, lighter blade than before. CPM CRU-WEAR is an air-hardening tool steel that acquires a secondary hardening during the heating process that D2 does not have. Just about any knife can be sharpened to a good edge, but the question is how well it will hold that edge. I wanted to test the Adams on a few different materials to see how well it held up and I am pleased to say, it didn’t disappoint.

I started off with the most common test, the paper test. The factory-sharpened blade cut through the paper as good as any sharp knife should. Without applying any pressure, the weight of the knife ran along the paper and made a nice clean cut without any tearing. I also cut through some cardboard, wood, and rope just to put some wear on the blade.

The Mini-Adamas blade cut smoothly through paper from just the weight of the blade without applying any pressure.
The Mini Adamas blade cut smoothly through paper from just the weight of the blade without applying any pressure.

Without sharpening it, I then took a trip to the salvage yard and tried out the Adams on a seatbelt, which can be harder to cut than you would think. The first time I tried cutting a seatbelt off someone who had been stuck inside a wrecked car, it was harder to cut than I had expected, and I realized in that moment how important it is to always keep a good sharp knife on hand. The Mini Adamas cut through the seatbelt in one cut by applying moderate pressure. 

Benchmade Mini-Adamas cutting through seatbelt
When cutting through the seatbelt of a vehicle, I applied moderate pressure. One pass of the blade was all it took to get the seatbelt cut.

The pocket clip is sturdy but not so stiff that you cannot slide it over the material of your pants. After weeks of constant use, the blade would open freely but did not become loose like many knives tend to do.

The Mini-Adamas had a good feel and the index finger and thumb serrations allowed you to get a strong grip on the handle.
The Mini Adamas had a good feel and the index finger and thumb serrations allowed you to get a strong grip on the handle.

The Design of the Mini Adamas

The design of the Mini Adamas makes for an attractive-looking knife and is surprisingly comfortable when opened. The curve at the end of the handle gives just enough room for the index finger to apply pressure and the rise on the top side of the handle, along with serrations, gives your thumb a good grip for applying pressure during a cut. The Mini Adamas had a good balance when holding it in the opened position. The lighter blade of the CPM CRU-WEAR helps give it good balance without the knife feeling top-heavy on the blade end. This is not a knife that would easily slip from your hand when in use.

The belt clip can be placed on either side of the knife by simply removing the screws. This gives you the ability to change the orientation of how the knife is carried in your pocket. Overall, the design of the Mini Adamas is top-notch.

The Adamas’s Opening Mechanism

The blade release lever located on both sides of the handle
The blade release lever is located on both sides of the handle, as opposed to being under the blade, like most locking mechanisms. This makes it extremely easy to open and close the Mini Adamas with one hand.

There are several different types of opening mechanisms and, in the law enforcement field, I tend to prefer automatic openers. While I prefer an automatic knife, the Mini Adamas was extremely easy to open and close with one hand. It takes very little effort to open it and I found myself using the blade-lock release lever instead of the thumb assist that is affixed to the blade.

The Mini Adamas has a thumb stud for easy one-handed opening. It is not an auto or a spring assist.
The Mini Adamas has a thumb stud for easy one-handed opening. It is not an auto or a spring assist.

This is one of the smoothest opening knives I have owned. Just the slightest flick of the wrist snaps the knife open by just pulling down on the blade-lock release lever. The lock-release lever is ambidextrous, but I preferred to pull down on both sides at the same time while opening the knife.

This is the Mini Adamas — so what about size?

The Mini-Adamas was the perfect size for an every day carry knife
The Mini Adamas is the perfect size for an everyday carry knife

The size of the Mini Adamas is perfect for a pocket-carry knife. For those that have extra-large hands, the Mini Adamas may be a little too small for comfort, but any larger and it would not be as practical for carrying in your front pocket. The overall length is listed as 7.32” and the handle at 4.37”.

While a larger knife may be more fitting for attaching to your vest or keeping handy just inside your patrol car, this knife makes for a great everyday carry knife. With the blade being just over three inches (3.25”), it has just enough length for most applications you would need it for.

The handle on the Mini Adamas is made of milled G10. The holes add texture and reduce a bit of weight.
The handle on the Mini Adamas is made of milled G10. The holes add texture and reduce a bit of weight.

Overall, the Mini Adamas has a good combination of quality, design, size, and opening mechanism. It is comfortable as an everyday carry knife at work and off duty, and it has the durability to hold up to the toughest jobs.

The knife, like the SIG P320, is a tool purpose-built for the needs of those who serve.
The Mini Adamas, like the SIG P320, is a tool purpose-built for the needs of those who serve.

When the tools you carry can make the difference between life and death, the Mini Adamas is a knife I would definitely recommend to law enforcement and it is one I will certainly be carrying every day.

Sheriff Jason Mosher is a law enforcement generalist instructor as well as a firearms and tactical weapons trainer. Jason graduated from the FBI-LEEDA (Law Enforcement Executive Development Association) and serves as a Sheriff for his day job. When he’s not working, he’s on the range, eating steak, or watching Yellowstone.

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