NASA doesn't pick gear casually. From the Omega Speedmaster to Hasselblad cameras, every item that makes it into a spacecraft has been stress-tested, debated, and vetted by people who understand that "failure is not an option" isn't a slogan — it's a design requirement. So when the Artemis II crew needed a rescue tool for their Orion spacesuits, the fact that they landed on Benchmade's Triage says more about this knife than any marketing copy ever could.
A Rescue Tool With a Decade of Street Cred
The Triage has been around since 2011, when designer Greg Foster introduced it as the Model 915. It won Knife of the Year from the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence that same year, and since then it's become a fixture in the pockets of EMTs, firefighters, and search-and-rescue teams worldwide. The family has grown to include multiple variants — the 916 blunt-tip, the tactical 917, and an auto-open edition — but the core DNA has remained unchanged: a folding rescue tool built around an AXIS lock, with features that matter when seconds count.
The model heading to space is the 916SBK-ORG, built around a blunt-tip opposing bevel blade rather than a conventional point. That flat, rounded tip is engineered for prying and scraping — exactly the kind of tasks a rescue tool faces — while eliminating the puncture risk you'd absolutely want to avoid anywhere near a pressurized spacesuit.
Built for the Final Frontier
The 3.4-inch blade is N680 — an Austrian stainless steel with excellent corrosion resistance, finished in Cerakote for an extra layer of protection against the kind of environments that eat ordinary blades for breakfast. The partial serration is there for fibrous materials: straps, cords, and webbing that a plain edge can struggle with under load.
On the opposite end, a 440C stainless steel folding hook slices through fabric and straps without dulling the main blade, and a carbide glass breaker sits ready for emergency egress situations. The safety-orange textured G10 scales aren't just for show — they're aggressively textured to work with gloved hands in low-visibility, high-stress conditions. Benchmade's AXIS lock and ambidextrous thumb studs round out a package that is, in the most literal sense, mission-ready.
Specs at a Glance
Model: 916SBK-ORG (Artemis II mission variant)
Blade Steel: N680 (Cerakote finish)
Blade Style: Opposing Bevel (blunt tip)
Blade Length: 3.4″
Open Length: 8.25″
Closed Length: 4.85″
Handle: Safety orange textured G10 with stainless steel liners
Lock: AXIS Lock (ambidextrous)
Extras: 440C folding hook, carbide glass breaker, deep-carry reversible pocket clip
Origin: Made in the USA
Edition: Limited (orange sold out; black variant available)
The Verdict:
The Triage didn't need NASA's endorsement to be a great knife — it already had twelve years of real-world emergency use proving that point. But there's something undeniably cool about a rescue tool earning a seat on humanity's return to the Moon. The commemorative orange variant has already sold out, which tells you everything about how the EDC community feels about this collaboration. The black-scaled 916 is still available for $325 and is functionally identical, so you're not missing out on capability if you missed the limited drop. Whether you're a first responder who actually needs this tool or simply someone who appreciates a knife with genuine mission heritage, the Triage remains one of the most thoughtfully designed rescue folders on the market. NASA agrees.