Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK Fixed Blade Knife
The Rant was Mel Pardue's Black Class fixed blade for Benchmade, offered in four blade shapes. The Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK is the blacked-out tanto: a 4.48" black-coated 440C blade in 0.175" stock with a combo edge, meaning a plain forward section and serrations toward the handle.
On this model the suffix does double duty. The S marks the serrated combo edge and the BK marks the black blade coating, which is why the 517 in satin plain edge and the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK look so different despite sharing a platform. The handle is contoured, textured black Santoprene, and it carries in a MOLLE-compatible nylon sheath.
Specifications
- Model: Rant Tanto 517SBK
- Designer: Mel Pardue
- Blade Length: 4.48"
- Blade Thickness: 0.175"
- Overall Length: 9.11"
- Blade Material: 440C Stainless Steel
- Blade Hardness: 60-62 HRC
- Blade Style: Tanto, combo edge, black coating
- Handle: Contoured, textured black Santoprene, 0.890" thick
- Weight: 7.16 oz
- Lock Mechanism: Fixed blade
- Sheath: Black MOLLE-compatible nylon sheath
- Class: Benchmade Black Class
- Status: Discontinued
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tanto blade good for?
A tanto trades a curved belly for two straight edge sections meeting at a reinforced secondary point. That puts a lot of steel directly behind the tip, so it takes puncturing and prying abuse better than a drop-point, at the cost of being a poorer slicer. The Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK is the most utility-and-abuse oriented of the four Rant blade shapes.
What is a combo edge and should I get one?
A combo edge puts a plain section near the tip for controlled cutting and a serrated section near the handle for sawing through rope, webbing and fibrous material. The Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK uses that layout, which suits rescue and utility work. The tradeoff is sharpening: the plain section is straightforward, but the serrations need a tapered rod and are not covered the same way by a standard flat-stone touch-up.
How do you sharpen the serrations on the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK?
Use a tapered ceramic or diamond rod sized to fit each scallop, work each serration from the front side only, and finish by stropping the flat back side to remove the burr. Note that factory sharpening services, including Benchmade's, offer limited support for serrated edges compared to plain ones, so plan on maintaining the serrated section of the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK yourself.
How is the 517SBK different from the plain 517?
Same knife, different edge and finish. The 517 is a satin-finished plain-edge tanto; the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK adds a black blade coating and a serrated combo edge. Blade length, steel, thickness, handle and weight are identical across both.
Is the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK covered by LifeSharp?
LifeSharp is Benchmade's free lifetime sharpening and adjustment service run from the Oregon City, Oregon factory, and Benchmade's catalog listed the Rant as a US-made Black Class model. Two caveats apply to the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK: it has been discontinued for years, so coverage and parts are not guaranteed, and serrated edges get limited support under factory sharpening in any case. Contact Benchmade directly to confirm.
Where can I buy the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK?
Going Gear is an authorized Benchmade dealer and lists the Benchmade Rant Tanto 517SBK at goinggear.com. The Rant line is discontinued, so availability is limited to remaining stock. An authorized dealer is the only reliable way to confirm a Benchmade is a genuine factory knife.
