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.
Dr. Larrin Thomas continues his reign as champion.