Benchmade Chef Knife | OD Green G10

Benchmade Chef Knife in OD Green G10 — Tactical Style, Chef Performance

For the first time ever, Benchmade's full-size chef knife steps out on its own as a stand-alone blade. This is the tactical sibling of Benchmade's Maple Valley Richlite Chef Knife — same precision-machined 8.17" CPM-154 blade with the new false edge grind and SelectEdge® geometry, but dressed in OD Green G10 with a Black DLC blade finish instead of warm wood and satin. If the Richlite version belongs in a custom-built farmhouse kitchen, this version belongs at base camp, in the back of an overlanding rig, or on the cabin counter where its rugged aesthetic feels at home. Made in Oregon City. Backed for life.

The First Stand-Alone Benchmade Chef Knife

Benchmade has built kitchen knives before, but always as a set. The 4025BK-01 marks a milestone — for the first time, you can buy just the chef knife, the workhorse of any kitchen, without paying for a paring knife and utility knife you may already own. If you've been wanting a Benchmade for the kitchen but didn't need a full set, this is the answer.

This isn't a downsized blade or a stripped-down version of their kitchen line. This is the same full-size, full-spec chef knife from the three-piece set, sold solo, with a brand-new false edge grind and a fresh Boltaron sheath that the set knives don't include.

OD Green G10 — Built for the Outdoors

The defining feature of this version is the OD (Olive Drab) Green G10 handle with a Black G10 bolster. G10 is a fiberglass-resin composite material widely considered one of the best handle materials in the industry — durable, water-resistant, dimensionally stable across temperature extremes, and grippy when wet without being abrasive when dry.

OD Green is more than aesthetic. It's the color of choice for tactical gear, military kit, hunting equipment, and outdoor tools across the industry. Looks at home next to:

• A Patagonia jacket or Filson briefcase
• An overlanding rig or expedition truck
• A hunting camp or cabin kitchen
• A Bugout pack or tactical loadout
• Other Benchmade OD Green G10 models (Bailout, Mini Bugout, Adamas variants)

If you've already collected a few Benchmades in OD Green, this Chef Knife extends the aesthetic into your kitchen. If you're buying your first Benchmade, the OD Green G10 signals exactly the kind of tool you're getting: built for use, not display.

Black DLC Blade Finish

The blade gets a Black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating rather than the satin finish on the Maple Valley Richlite version. DLC is more than a cosmetic choice — it's a functional upgrade:

• Enhanced corrosion resistance. The coating creates a barrier between the steel and any moisture, salts, or acidic foods. Critical for a chef knife that sees daily exposure to water, citrus, tomatoes, and other corrosive ingredients.
• Reduced friction. DLC has a lower coefficient of friction than bare steel, meaning the blade glides through food more easily during long, sliding cuts.
• Increased hardness. DLC is one of the hardest coatings available — significantly harder than the underlying CPM-154 steel — which protects the surface against scratches and wear.
• Stealth aesthetic. Reflective steel doesn't always match a tactical kitchen setup. Black DLC eliminates glare and matches OD Green G10 perfectly.

The trade-off: DLC coatings can show wear over years of heavy use, with bare steel sometimes peeking through at the very edge after many sharpenings. This is normal and doesn't affect performance — it just gives the knife character.

CPM-154 SelectEdge® Blade

Underneath the DLC coating is the same blade as the Maple Valley Richlite version: 8.17" of CPM-154 stainless steel, a high-carbon stainless that delivers excellent edge retention, strong corrosion resistance, and easy resharpening. CPM-154 is one of the gold-standard kitchen blade steels — it holds an edge through long prep sessions, takes a new edge with minimal effort, and resists rust and pitting.

Benchmade's proprietary SelectEdge® technology — a 14° per side grind, significantly more acute than standard kitchen knives — gives this knife exceptional sharpness. Vegetables fall apart with a single push. Tomatoes slice without crushing. Meat parts cleanly without sawing.

The New False Edge Grind

This stand-alone version debuts a feature the original set knives don't have: a new false edge grind on the spine near the tip. False edges (also called swedges) sharpen the back of the blade visually without making it functional — the blade still has a single cutting edge, but the false edge gives the tip a more aggressive silhouette and reduces resistance when piercing.

On the OD Green / Black DLC version, the false edge especially earns its place. Combined with the matte black blade finish, the result is a chef knife that looks like it could have come from a tactical knife company that decided to make a kitchen blade. Which, in a sense, it did.

The All-New Boltaron® Blade Guard

This stand-alone version includes a folded and riveted Boltaron® blade guard — a feature the kitchen set knives lack. Boltaron is a high-impact thermoplastic similar to Kydex, designed for sheath applications. The guard slides over the blade and snaps into place, protecting the edge during travel, drawer storage, or transport.

For anglers, hunters, and overland travelers who take their kitchen knife on the road — to a cabin, a base camp, a stream-side cookout, an extended hunt — the Boltaron sheath is what makes this knife genuinely portable. You don't have to wrap it in a towel and hope. You snap on the guard and toss it in your bag.

Specifications

Model	4025BK-01
Blade Length	8.17"
Blade Steel	CPM-154 Stainless Steel
Blade Finish	Black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon)
Edge	SelectEdge® with new false edge grind
Handle Material	OD Green G10 with Black G10 bolster
Sheath	Folded and riveted Boltaron® blade guard (included)
Weight	~7.37 oz
Made In	Oregon City, Oregon, USA
Warranty	Benchmade Lifetime Warranty + LifeSharp Service

Maple Valley Richlite vs. OD Green G10 — Which Should You Choose?

Two versions of the same Chef Knife. Same blade, same dimensions, same lifetime warranty — different look, different feel, different vibe.

Feature	Maple Valley Richlite (4025-02)	OD Green G10 (4025BK-01)
Handle	Maple Valley Richlite scales (warm, wood-look)	OD Green G10 (tactical, matte)
Blade Finish	Satin (bright, polished)	Black DLC (matte, corrosion-resistant)
Aesthetic	Refined, kitchen-focused, custom-feel	Tactical, outdoor, military-inspired
Patina	Richlite develops natural patina over time	DLC stays consistent; minor wear over decades of use
Best For	Home cooks, custom kitchens, refined settings	Camp cooks, overlanders, hunters, outdoor users

Both versions perform identically as kitchen tools — same SelectEdge geometry, same CPM-154 steel, same false edge grind, same Boltaron sheath. The choice is entirely about which aesthetic fits your kitchen and your taste.

What This Knife Does Best

• Slicing: Long thin cuts through tomatoes, onions, brisket, fish
• Chopping: Rocking chops through herbs and vegetables
• Dicing: Cubes of meat, vegetables, fruit — the 8.17" length gives reach without unwieldiness
• Crushing: Pressing garlic flat with the side of the blade, smashing ginger, breaking down lemongrass
• Game processing: Trimming fat, breaking down a backstrap, portioning roasts after a hunt
• Camp cooking: Real chef knife performance in a portable, durable package
• Fish prep: Cleaning trout, removing pin bones, portioning a salmon fillet

Who This Knife Is For

• Outdoor cooks who want chef-level performance at a base camp, cabin, or overland kitchen
• Hunters processing game from field to table
• Existing Benchmade owners with OD Green collections — Bailout, Mini Bugout, Adamas — who want kitchen aesthetic continuity
• Tactical-aesthetic enthusiasts who value gear that looks as serious as its build quality
• Anyone who values American-made tools backed by a real lifetime warranty

Pro Dealer Notes

Ed's Fly Shop is a Benchmade Pro Dealer — the highest dealer tier Benchmade offers. That means we get early access to releases like this one, deeper inventory, and a direct line to Benchmade's team for any customer questions or warranty issues. Buy this knife from us and you get the same warranty backing and authorized dealer protection as buying directly from Oregon City.

The Lifetime Warranty + LifeSharp

Like every Benchmade we sell, the 4025BK-01 Chef Knife is backed by:

• Benchmade Lifetime Warranty: Manufacturing defects covered for the life of the knife. Free repair or replacement.
• LifeSharp Service: Free sharpening, cleaning, oiling, and adjustment for as long as you own the knife. Send it to Oregon City, get it back razor sharp at no charge.

Care Notes

• Hand wash, hand dry. DLC coatings tolerate water well, but a long soak isn't great for any premium knife.
• Avoid the dishwasher. Heat and harsh detergents can degrade DLC coatings over time, and contact with other utensils causes edge damage.
• Use a wood or soft plastic cutting board. Glass, stone, and ceramic surfaces dull SelectEdge geometry quickly.
• Store with the Boltaron guard on. Drawer storage without the guard means contact damage to the edge.
• Touch up the edge with a ceramic rod or strop between LifeSharp services. Avoid pull-through sharpeners — they can damage the SelectEdge angle.
• Embrace minor DLC wear. After years of heavy use, a thin line of bare steel may appear at the very edge from sharpening. This is normal, doesn't affect performance, and gives the knife character.

Why Buy From Ed's Fly Shop?

Most fly shops don't carry knives at this level. We do, because we're a Benchmade Pro Dealer and because the kind of customer who shops at Ed's — anglers, hunters, guides, outdoorsmen — is exactly the kind of person Benchmade builds knives for.

Stop by Ed's Fly Shop at 432 E Main St in Montrose to see the Chef Knife in person. Or order online — every Benchmade ships free over $50, with full Pro Dealer warranty and LifeSharp eligibility.

Made in Oregon City. Backed for life. Built tactical.