A Message from the deAsis Family
It is with great sadness we share that Les de Asis passed away earlier today. No words can properly express the sadness of our loss. Benchmade has lost our founder, friend and visionary who built one of the greatest knife brands in the world.
My father loved all customers, employees, friends, and the storied list of knife makers who influenced him and the world of knives since his humble beginnings in the 70’s. He was especially passionate and proud of the knife and shooting sports industries and always hoped they would thrive well beyond his years.
His personality and character extended far beyond business, creating fun friendships and relationships that brought him tremendous joy day after day. He always cherished interactions with people from all walks of life; from folks in law enforcement and military, to those who love hunting and fishing, and also those who simply like to “smoke cigars, bullshit and eat good food” – in his own words!
The values, culture, and essence of our brand are all thanks to his lifelong pursuit of making great knives even better, and providing users with products they can depend on every day, no matter the circumstance.
-Jon deAsis
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How sad ...........what a shock
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Sad news sorry for the loss.
Can I ask what caused this?
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Do we have a cause of death ............ I didnt think he was that old , I met him at blade a few yrs back
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Very sad day. The knife world will never see his equal.
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I am so sad to hear this, my condolences to all of his family and friends.
I did not know him but I did meet him several times and he was always very kind and helpful.
i know his life transcended knives but I hope he and Jody meet on the other side.
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My condolences to the family and friends...
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I'm very sorry to hear the news. RIP Les.
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Requiem Aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetuae luceat eis. Requiescant in pace.
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Deepest condolences to the de Asis family, friends, and the whole Benchmade crew.
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Such saddening news...
The end of an era. Officially.
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Prayers for your family...
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My sincerest condolences to Roberta & their children.
Les will be fondly remembered by many. For me every time I flip one of the custom balisongs Les made for me it brings joy & a smile.
Les is among the rare few who’s life has positively effected many.
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Condolences to family and friends.
Trailblazer, innovator, a giant in the industry...which will be that much less with your passing.
Thank you, Les. For all the great blades that have come and gone..the products and life long contributions to the passion..You have raised the bar and set standards in the industry.
Godspeed
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So sad to hear. I'm just now getting into benchmades. I will cherish them and use them proudly.
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You have my utmost sincere condolences and sadness for our loss. He was a great man, a great knife maker and designer. I cannot put into words the sadness I feel over this. God bless the De Asis family and Benchmade family.
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Very sad news. My deepest condolences.
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My family and I offer our sincerest condolences to you and the entire deAsis family Jon. Our prayers are with you all in this time of loss.
Your father will be sadly missed and fondly remembered here in the forum as well as the entire knife community. He was a true pioneer in the industry forging quality and craftsmanship through his many years.
Rest in Peace Les.
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So sad to hear. My condolences to his family.
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Condolences to the de Asis family.
Les will be missed!
His legacy and contributions to the community live on. That is the definition of a life well lived.
Peace & Love
Steve
Tucson Arizona
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Condolences to all family, friends and everyone at Benchmade.
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Sad news for sure may he RIP. And condolences to friends and family.
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Sad news for sure. .
My condolences to the family
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My first BM was an ascent.
I pray he ascended into heaven. I pray family hearts will remember all the good times to help ascend above all the pain of what is missed and still wished.
May God's love cut through it all and His promise of eternal life for all who believe ascend above the grief.
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Thank you from the Pacific Cutlery days until now. RIP Sir.
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Condolences to his wife and family. I had the honor to meet him at Blade a few years back (I believe the same time as DJ) at the forum lunch that Benchmade has been hosting the last several years. RIP Les.
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My best to all family and friends, rest in peace Les.
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Sincerest condolences from my family to yours. I never met the man. From his legacy, it is easy to see what an exceptional human being he was. Jon, you are blessed to have had such a great father. Rest in peace Les.
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Condolences to his friends and family and RIP, sir.
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What sad news.
He was a visionary and such a massive force. His legacy is, and will forever be enormous.
Condolences to the deAsis family and the entire team at Benchmade.
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Very sorry to hear this. My visit to BM in 2017 was one of the highlights of my western road trip.
R.I.P. Les. My condolences to his family, friends, and the entire BM family.
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