MagnaCut CLA Autos Arrive from Benchmade

Benchmade just dropped a revised version of the CLA, their longstanding single-action automatic knife design. The changes here include a lightly renovated handle, a new limited edition coloration, and the presence of a now-famous current gen super steel.

The CLA has been around the block and is a true elder statesman in the company’s Black Class series. With its honest, no-frills design, it embodies the work-driven Benchmade design philosophy, enlivened by the single-action automatic deployment (single action means that, while the CLA opens with the press of a button, it needs to be manually closed, unlike a double action auto which closes itself when the button is pressed a second time). Autos still remain a bit of a novelty on the market, despite dedicated automatic companies like Pro-Tech and the efforts of a few manual knife manufacturers, like Kershaw and Benchmade itself.

We called this a light revision above, and meant it. Comparing these new CLAs to the ones already on the market, you may not immediately see the differences beyond the colors of the scales. But the handle has indeed been redrawn, with some square, gear tooth-shaped jimping added to key spots on the scales. These scales are made from OD green G-10, but there’s also a limited edition release dropping alongside the OD green flavor, with ivory G-10 scales. At a slightly higher price point, it’s the choice for collectors or for anyone willing to shell out a little extra dosh for something off the beaten path stylistically.

The CLA isn’t quite the first Benchmade to be made from MagnaCut, but it’s still one of a select group at this point. We’ve extolled the virtues of this steel over and over again, and our high opinion holds on its implementation here. No matter what you use the 3.4-inch CLA for, the MagnaCut will hold you in good stead. Visually, it’s enlivened here with a “battlewash” coating, a sort of distressed blackwash that gives this stories knife some additional ‘tude.

The new CLA is available now.

Knife in Featured Image: Benchmade CLA

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