Benchmade Codex87 Horizon Edge: Laser-Fused Damasteel and Rex 121 Bi-Steel Blade

SHOT Show 2026 had plenty of new knives on display, but the Benchmade Codex87 Horizon Edge generated the kind of booth traffic that made it hard to get close. The reason is a blade construction technique that could reshape how premium knives are built: laser-fused bi-steel technology.

Here's how it works. Instead of using a single steel for the entire blade, Benchmade is bonding two completely different steels together at the molecular level using laser fusion. The blade body is Hakapella Damasteel — a pattern-welded stainless steel that provides visual drama and structural toughness. The cutting edge, however, is CPM Rex 121 — an ultra-high-speed tool steel that ranks among the hardest and most wear-resistant steels available today, capable of reaching 68-70 HRC.

Why two steels? Because each does what the other can't. Damasteel looks incredible and has the toughness a blade body needs to survive lateral stress. Rex 121 brings extreme edge retention to the actual cutting surface, where hardness matters most. Using a single Rex 121 blade would be too brittle for general use; using only Damasteel would sacrifice edge retention. The laser-fused approach gives you the best of both worlds.

This isn't just a clad blade where two steels are forge-welded together in the traditional manner. Laser fusion creates a true metallurgical bond at the interface between the two steels, with no transition zone or potential delamination point. It's a manufacturing technique that requires precise control of temperature, cooling rate, and material compatibility.

Coverage from the SHOT Show floor called it the biggest knife news of the entire show, and considering the competition on display that week (including new releases from Spyderco, Microtech, and Zero Tolerance), that assessment carries weight. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but expect this to land firmly in Benchmade's premium tier — likely $400-600 range given the complexity of the blade manufacturing process.

If Benchmade can scale this technology effectively, the Horizon Edge could represent a genuine leap forward in how premium cutting tools are made. We're watching this one closely.