The Benchmade 8551BK Mediator is a tactical automatic , equipped with a blade made of excellent CPM-S90V steel , a reliable unfolding mechanism and precisely finished G-10 laminate cladding. Premium grade steel The knife has a blade with a length of 84 mm, made of elite CPM-S90V stainless steel , which is subjected to hardening to a hardness of 59-61 HRC , which is optimal for EDC knives . CPM- S90V is a luxury stainless steel with a very high content of vanadium and carbon , which make the blade stay sharp for an extremely long time, it is very resistant to abrasion and corrosion. When choosing a hard steel knife, you should buy a diamond sharpener, because sharpening with a standard ceramic whetstone can be very laborious and ineffective. Utility blade The wide blade with a tactical reverse-tanto profile is covered with a black Cerakote coating. Thermosetting ceramic paint increases the external hardness of the steel, protects the blade from corrosion, wear and scratches. Thanks to the use of a sharp point, flat grind and a cutting edge with a gently rounded line, the knife easily penetrates and has excellent cutting properties . The thickness of the blade at its widest point is 3 mm, which is a compromise between the durability and functionality of the knife in everyday work. Automatic unfolding The most important element of the automatic knife is the quick and reliable unfolding mechanism . Unlike models with an assisted blade, in an automatic knife, unfolding the blade requires only pressing a button. After releasing the lock, the rest of the work is done by the internal spring, which lifts the blade up. Folding the blade requires pressing the button again and manually retracting the blade. The activation button is embedded in a milled cutout , but to increase the level of security, the manufacturer has applied additional protection in the form of a slide lock . Such functionality makes the "automatics" very popular among soldiers, employees of uniformed services and a rapidly growing group of EDC enthusiasts. When using the automatic knife, it is recommended to exercise extreme caution and prudence . Handle made of milled laminate The handle of the knife is made of profiled cladding made of durable G-10 laminate . The material was subjected to precise machine processing, which allowed to obtain an effective texture in the style of a chevron. This makes the knife very secure in the hand and its use is very comfortable. At the back of the handle there is a hole for attaching a decorative paracord tail, which makes it easier and faster to pull the knife out of the pocket. The discreet carrying of the knife in the pocket is possible thanks to the high-mounted clip with the possibility of transferring it to the other side.