The Benchmade Mini Osborne 945-04 is the compact everyday carry folder for buyers who want M390 steel and the AXIS lock in a blade profile and handle aesthetic that the Bugout and its variants cannot offer — a 2.92-inch reverse tanto in M390 with a Micarta handle that brings natural fiber warmth and premium feel to a platform designed by one of the most respected independent knife designers in the industry.

The M390 blade is Böhler's third-generation powder metallurgy stainless steel — a high-carbon, high-chromium, high-vanadium formula that delivers exceptional edge retention, outstanding corrosion resistance, and a refined edge-taking ability that positions it among the top tier of production knife steels. M390 holds a working edge through months of daily cutting tasks that would require frequent touchups on CPM-S30V or CPM-S35VN, and takes a finer, more polished initial edge than most steels at comparable hardness — the right steel for a compact EDC that sees regular cutting use and infrequent sharpening. The reverse tanto blade profile is Warren Osborne's signature geometry on this platform: a blade with a straight edge that rises at an angled clip toward the tip, creating a reinforced tip geometry that is stronger under puncture and piercing tasks than a standard drop point while maintaining full slicing utility along the straight lower edge. The Micarta handle scales are the material that defines the 945-04's character — a natural fiber laminate of layered canvas, linen, or paper in a phenolic resin that produces a handle with warmth, texture, and feel that glass-filled nylon cannot replicate, becoming more comfortable and more character-rich with use as the surface develops a natural patina.

• Blade: M390 powder stainless, flat grind, reverse tanto profile, satin finish, plain edge — Böhler third-generation PM steel with exceptional edge retention and outstanding corrosion resistance; reverse tanto blade geometry reinforces the tip for puncture and piercing tasks while maintaining a straight lower edge for slicing utility
• Handle: Micarta, natural fiber laminate, textured surface — a layered canvas or linen and phenolic resin handle material that develops character and patina with use; warmer, more tactile, and more premium in feel than any glass-filled nylon handle at this blade length; confirms the 945-04 as a carry piece with genuine material character
• Deployment / Lock: Ambidextrous AXIS lock via dual thumb studs — the hardened steel AXIS bar cams over the blade tang and requires simultaneous bilateral release, delivering one of the most secure lock mechanisms in production folding knives; fast and fully operable one-handed from either side
• Carry: Confirm exact weight from live product listing, tip-up right-hand clip, 3.90 inches closed — compact carry profile suited to front pocket and shirt pocket carry; the Mini Osborne carries smaller than its blade length suggests

Ideal For

Buyers who want M390 and the AXIS lock in a blade profile and handle aesthetic that the Bugout family does not offer — the 945-04's reverse tanto and Micarta handle produce a knife with a completely different character from the Grivory and aluminum Bugout builds, suited to buyers who want a more traditional, material-rich compact EDC in the Benchmade AXIS lock platform. Warren Osborne design enthusiasts who want the Mini Osborne in M390's premium steel tier — the 945-04 delivers the Osborne's signature reverse tanto geometry and Micarta handle in the highest-performing steel Benchmade offers on this platform at $275. Compact EDC buyers who prefer natural fiber handle materials over engineered polymers — Micarta develops a patina and character with carry and use that Grivory, G-10, and aluminum cannot replicate, making the 945-04 a carry piece that becomes more personal over time rather than simply wearing in.

M390 steel in a reverse tanto that reinforces the tip for hard use, Micarta handle that develops character with every carry, and the AXIS lock in a 2.92-inch compact format — the Benchmade Mini Osborne 945-04 is the premium material compact EDC for buyers who want more than the Bugout platform offers, at $275. Add the Benchmade Mini Osborne 945-04 to your cart today and get same-or-next-business-day shipping from Columbia, Louisiana, backed by the Benchmade LifeSharp Warranty. Questions? Call 888-225-9775 — we carry these knives daily.