Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Benchmade Bushcrafter 163-1 vs CIVIVI Fixed Blade Elementum C2105A
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Fixed Blade Knives: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Bushcrafter pairs the best steel here with a blade long and thick enough for batoning and a leather sheath that carries it properly, backed by a lifetime warranty. The CIVIVI does most of the same work in D2 with a Kydex sheath for a fraction of the money, and tells you every dimension before you buy.
Benchmade Bushcrafter 163-1
Buy itThe best steel, the right length and a leather sheath with a ferro rod loop.
- A 4.38 inch CPM-S30V blade at 58-60 HRC, the hardest and most wear-resistant steel in this comparison.
- Benchmade names the jobs it is built for: feather sticking, batoning, shelter building and food prep, which is a thicker-spined brief than a hunting knife.
- Dark brown leather belt sheath with a ferro rod attachment, plus a lifetime warranty and free sharpening from Oregon City.
- 7.68 ounces is the heaviest knife here and you feel it on a belt all day.
- The 0.164 inch blade stock and 0.948 inch handle make it the thickest and bulkiest knife here.
- S30V is harder to bring back to a fine edge in the field than a softer stainless.
CIVIVI Fixed Blade Elementum C2105A
Buy itA complete published specification, a Kydex sheath and a proper tactical clip, for very little money.
- CIVIVI publishes the lot: 8.48 inches overall, a 3.98 inch blade, 0.14 inch blade stock, 4.5 inch handle, 4.89 ounces.
- D2 tool steel at 58-60 HRC with a hollow grind, which slices better than the flat grinds around it.
- A black Kydex sheath with a Bob Terzuola designed T-Clip, so it carries scout, belt or inside a pack without extra hardware.
- D2 is a semi-stainless tool steel and will spot if it is put away wet.
- A hollow grind is a slicer, not a splitter, so this is not the knife to baton firewood with.
- The flat G10 scales are grippy but less contoured than the Benchmade's.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Benchmade Bushcrafter 163-1 Our pick | CIVIVI Fixed Blade Elementum C2105A | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone doing real bushcraft work, where batoning and long cutting sessions are the point. | A first serious fixed blade, or a knife for a pack where losing it would not hurt. |
| Price tier | $$$$ · flagship | $ · budget |
| Blade steel | CPM-S30V, 58-60 HRC | D2, 58-60 HRC |
| Blade length | 4.38 in / 111mm | 3.98 in / 101mm |
| Blade stock thickness | 0.164 in / 4.17mm | 0.14 in / 3.5mm |
| Weight | 7.68 oz / 218g | 4.89 oz / 139g |
| Blade shape and grind | Drop-point | Hollow grind |
| Sheath | Leather, ferro rod attachment | Kydex with T-Clip |
| Handle | G10 over red liner, contoured | G10, flat |
| Warranty | Lifetime, plus free sharpening | Not published |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Benchmade Bushcrafter 163-1 if
anyone doing real bushcraft work, where batoning and long cutting sessions are the point.
Know before buying: 7.68 ounces is the heaviest knife here and you feel it on a belt all day.
Pick the CIVIVI Fixed Blade Elementum C2105A if
a first serious fixed blade, or a knife for a pack where losing it would not hurt.
Know before buying: d2 is a semi-stainless tool steel and will spot if it is put away wet.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Benchmade Bushcrafter 163-1 - The best steel, the right length and a leather sheath with a ferro rod loop. Choose the CIVIVI Fixed Blade Elementum C2105A instead if a first serious fixed blade, or a knife for a pack where losing it would not hurt.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Fixed Blade Knives: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).