Benchmade Now Lets You Pick the Steel and Handle on Its Small Hunting Knife

The compact version of the Meatcrafter now comes in a bevy of new steel, handle and color options.

Published August 2, 2024

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Some good news for fans of Benchmade’s small hunting knife, the four-inch Meatcrafter: it just joined the Oregon company’s Custom program.

That means that the compact version of the Meatcrafter, which typically features a CPM154 blade and rubberized Santoprene handle, now comes with a bevy of new steel, handle and color options.

Benchmade Custom Meatcrafter 4″

$290 at Benchmade

A compact field knife

The Meatcrafter is a hybrid fixed-blade hunting knife with a trailing point, designed for “trimming, deboning and slicing game in the field,” Benchmade says. It works just as well indoors or around the campfire, butchering meat or prepping food for the table.

Released in 2020, the Meatcrafter has been a staple of Benchmade’s lineup for years, when the company released it with a six-inch blade. Since then, we’ve seen a couple of variants, including one with a premium CPM-S45VN steel and a G-10 handle that turn it into a true heirloom piece worthy of its high price tag.

A newer variant of the knife comes with a four-inch blade, better tuned for smaller game. But until recently, the compact Meatcrafter was only available with the rubber handle and CPM154 steel in a stonewash finish.

Benchmade meatcrafter knife — The stock Meatcrafter with a rubberized Santoprene handle.

Through Benchmade’s Custom program, fans of the knife can now choose between CPM154 and 440C. While the former offers superior edge retention and toughness, 440C is cheaper and boasts better corrosion resistance. Users who want to stay with CPM154 can also choose between three different finishes, including a black coating and polished blade.

Handle with care

The options open up on the handle, where there are a variety of materials and colorways that extend to the bolster and pivot ring hardware, as well.

In place of Santoprene, the custom Meatcrafter 4″ comes in G10, Richlite (a dense, highly sustainable alternative to wood) and carbon fiber — although the latter two bring a $15 and $100 premium, respectively.

Most hunters will likely choose G10, where they’ll find the most colorways. For those who have found the olive-green handle susceptible to losing in tall grass, there is the option to choose between bright blue and red, though high-vis orange is disappointedly missing.

Available now, the Custom Meatcrafter 4″ starts at $290. Benchmade says to expect an impressively quick 5- to 10-day lead time after orders are placed.